Seymour Duncan '59 vs. Jazz vs. Sentient vs. Mark Holcomb Alpha vs. Alnico II Pro vs. Suhr Aldrich

#NeckPickups #Shootout #Opinion
Alternative title: Upgrading my ESP LTD EC-1000, Part 1: The Neck Pickup.
Featuring a shootout between the:
Seymour Duncan SH-1 '59, Seymour Duncan SH-2 Jazz Model, Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro, Seymour Duncan Sentient, Seymour Duncan Mark Holcomb Alpha and the Suhr Alrich Neck.
Which one do you like best?
Please leave a message and subscribe if you haven't already ;-)

[@jpgtr84]

I really like this neck pickup shootout. Thank you for using familiar riffs to demo also. Well done.

[@anthonydavella8350]

Love this nerdy stuff!! Thanks man

[@MadebyMiike]

As promised, here are the timestamps: (Left) Humbucker - Pickup - Coil Split (Right) Sample 1 & 2: Clean 1 02:55 - SH-1 ’59 - 03:36 03:02 - SH-2 Jazz - 03:42 03:09 - Alnico II - 03:49 03:15 - Sentient - 03:56 03:22 - M.C. Alpha - 04:02 03:28 - Aldrich - 04:08 Sample 3 & 4: Clean 2 04:16- SH-1 ’59 - 05:18 04:27 - SH-2 Jazz - 05:28 04:37 - Alnico II - 05:37 04:46 - Sentient - 05:47 04:57 - M.C. Alpha - 05:57 05:07 - Aldrich - 06:07 Sample 5 & 6: Crunch 06:18 - SH-1 ’59 - 07:08 06:26 - SH-2 Jazz - 06:26 06:34 - Alnico II - 06:34 06:41 - Sentient - 06:41 06:49 - M.C. Alpha - 06:49 06:57 - Aldrich - 06:57 Sample 7: Solo (only Humbucker, with Delay) 07:57 - SH-1 ’59 08:09 - SH-2 Jazz 08:21 - Alnico II 08:33 - Sentient 08:45 - M.C. Alpha 08:57 - Aldrich Sample 8: Song "Stroll" 09:12 - SH-1 ’59 09:20 - SH-2 Jazz 09:29 - Alnico II 09:37 - Sentient 09:46 - M.C. Alpha 09:54 - Aldrich Sample 9: Song "Their Bones" 10:07 - SH-1 ’59 10:28 - SH-2 Jazz 10:49 - Alnico II 11:10 - Sentient 11:30 - M.C. Alpha 11:51 - Aldrich

[@alijankhan3330]

Gut, gut, das ist gut.

[@genegl1422]

Большое спасибо. Обычно все сравнивают bridge pickup. Это видео очень редкое. Мне понравился SH-2 и Suhr. Да, у меня долго был Sentient. Я его продал. И нисколько не жалею. Удачи.

[@jazzydog]

Nice work & thanks for doing this!. For me still the '59. Cheers.

[@antonioalbares]

I sincerely liked the 59 the most.

[@martinmark5100]

Perfect! Thank you!

[@lanceraustin]

I have the polar opposite opinion about the SH-1. But this is the best neck pickup video I have seen. I LOVE your style and presentation! Subscribed.

[@MadebyMiike]

Wow thanks Lance! Your comment made my day!

[@jsullivan2112]

LOVE the Jazz, always a favourite. Alnico II Pro is great too. As is the Sentient. Definitely agree it sounds like a modern Jazz. Having said that, the Jazz, Alnico II Pro and Aldrich are my top three I think, in that order. I think the Sentient sounds the most balanced though, especially for the solo part starting at 7:58. The other pickups got REALLY dark, but the Sentient held up. That's a matter of taste I guess, dark can be great.

[@Jaysteenn]

Cool shootout!

[@MadebyMiike]

Thanks mate!

[@petebrown8145]

Miike, it really depends on how you plan to use this guitar IMO. The Alico II, Sentient and Jazz sounded better with the cleaner and even crunch tones (personally, I’d pick the Alnicos b/c I thought they were better across both humbucker and single coil sounds). But if you’re playing more crunch thru heavy distortion humbucker music, then I’d go with the Surh’s.

[@hspderis6685]

For me, they all sounds the same... Thanks for the test

[@mateusz-drozd-music]

Very nice comparison! Well done👍

[@johnong2655]

Sentient sounds like an in-between of everything. Wouldn't say the most best sounding in every genre, but it definitely hits the right tone for all

[@thedevensafe]

I’ve owned a 59, Jazz, and an Alpha and I’d have to say I liked the Alpha the least. I never found myself using it and just ended up swapping it out. The 59 and the Jazz are tied up for me HOWEVER the Jazz sits a little better in the mix (:

[@adamwatson6916]

The Jazz have slightly more upper mids so they cut through a little more

[@aaron9142]

Do you think the SD 59 Custom Hybrid bridge and the SD Sentient neck pickups would be good replacements for the SD Slash APH-2 set in a 2019 Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s? The APH-2s are just too dark and muddy. I need more punch and clarity in the bridge and definitely less mud in the neck.

[@Stonerose17]

I preferred the clarity of the jazz sh-2 every time

[@the_anderman]

59 vs Aldrich Clean 1 - 2:56 | 3:29 Coil Split - 3:36 | 4:09 Solo - 7:57 | 8:57

[@armandomorenotherevival7827]

What u should try is the pearly gates neck . Man it’s like the 59 but more alive with more presence

[@basshoh]

I'm gonna say ...the Alpha Omega#1...The Aldrich #2 and the Sentient and Alnico2 tied for 3rd!!!!

[@guitarclockwork]

Ironically the '59 sounded better than them all (along with Suhr). But yeah it isn't meant to play extreme or modern metal. Sentient sounded brutal, you definitely gotta go for this one

[@olejoergenmalm16]

I like that the tones have a little gain. And the Sentient sounds very similar to the Jazz.

[@jahbrake9791]

Great pick on the Sentient pup. Still wondering why you didn't just get the Solar Killertone if you wanted to play metal... The EC-1000 is good but the Killertone is far better looking and sounding.🤷

[@MadebyMiike]

Hey Jason, good question. 3 Reasons mainly: 1. I am not a Metal player, but I want to dabble in it. But I felt the Killertone was "way too much" if you know what I mean...it felt like bringing an axt to a fist fight ;-) 2. I was not that fond of the Black Winter pups after playing that guitar for a while. They sounded HUGE, but I missed a little bit of clarity. 3. I figured I could still use the EC-1000 (mainly it's Piezo sounds) for the "regular" (Alternative/Indie) music that I do. Hope that's answers your question. I still think the Killertone is awesome, it was just too much for ME personally! Thanks for watching!

[@jahbrake9791]

@@MadebyMiike I thought the Black Winter pups sounded good clean especially if you dialed back the volume on the pups. Don't get me wrong I love the EC-1000 but the Killertone is a next level guitar that manages to look even more beautiful than the LTD and who knows how long Solar will make it?! An artist guitar with unique features like the Killertone is usually an investment as well as an amazing shred machine.

[@MadebyMiike]

@@jahbrake9791 I guess you're right. It's really an awesome guitar.

[@anthonydavella8350]

@@MadebyMiike Black Winters are crap IMO

[@MadebyMiike]

@@anthonydavella8350 True, totally overrated!

[@jaylacebal1006]

Jazz and sentient. Honestly, i know this would suit your taste of once in a while Metal/djent and riffy , bluesy stuff. Trust me. When i like lead tone, rough nad noisy but can be tames, i would use Phat Cat in the Bridge. That would work in any stage. Invest in your EQ and your amp, perhaps you also need a tweed Amp, clears your mind, then back to your metal mood on what ever amp you have. Peace out bruh.

[@shreivox]

The sentient was the best pickup for your needs.

[@dramius]

There is a difference between a real amp and a simulation of a real amp. I admonish you to try it. Stick a mic in front of some decent amps vs the fakes, & hear the difference. From all I have used, I am a fan of the Sentient, it is a GREAT neck PU, which doesnt get shrill or boomy.

[@adamwatson6916]

I have never considered the Duncan 59 to very vintage 59 PAF sounding. Too much bass not enough mids and not rounded enough in the high end to be a 59 sounding pickups. The Duncan whole lotta humbuckers sound alot more vintage. Less Bass more mids more rounded high end but with the same clarity as the 59s

[@kimhwang3610]

59 is my fave Jazz sound so glassy a bit bright with lovely crunch Alnico 2 sounds more open and airy but not as warm as 59 Sentient sounds so similar to jazz but gainer, tighter Alpha sound crispy, more gain and bit heavy Suhr sounds like old paf

[@khek6507]

😂😂😂they all sound the same except for the sh1.

[@erickkuhni6359]

I'm glad someone else noticed. Guitar players live in a world on tone delusion, these all sounded too similar for any differences to matter.

[@edhelmstetter2741]

Couldn't disagree more