Anyone have experience with Seymour Duncan Invader pickups?

[David]

I have read many good things about this pickups, but I am not a metal player.  I am more of a blues/rock guy, but like a little grit in my sound.  Would these still be a good choice?  Does anyone use them?

 

[GoDrex]

I have an Invader bridge model installed in my Parker P-42. I put it in there because I felt it was a pretty bright sounding guitar and the Invader is not bright so it's a nice balance. I think it works pretty well. The Invader is mostly mid-range and bass. The highs are lower than all SD humbucker pickups. It's also very loud. I don't think it's very good for cleans, unless your amp is very clean. It is great for heavy metal tones and I like the lead sound even though it's not rated as having a lot of highs. It sounds very thick and smooth through my amp. Some people describe the Invader as muddy and I can see why they'd say that, though I don't agree. Compared to a JB it's almost like the exact opposite.

 

[Nando Vallart]

I played one for a while, but in those Fender small 10w SS amps...
But always remember how easy was sound evil metal with them... not sure about blues, I would say that you MUST play with a Inveder thru your rig before buy one, even if Doug (the other Invader's owner known here) comes and say it can sound blues...

 

[David]

For those descriptions I wonder if putting one in an all mahogany guitar would be too dark/muddy.  I was thinking on an all mahogany LP.

 

[GoDrex]

I would think it would be kind of muddy in an all mahogany guitar. My LP is all mahogany with rosewood fretboard and it sounds really smooth with a SD Custom - which has much more highs than an Invader. My Parker has a maple neck and ebony fretboard - on a mahogany body. The Parker has more crunch on the lows than my LP. The difference in sound since I changed from the stock Parker pickups is the tone is thicker but less treble-y.

 

[Nando Vallart]

I would not put it on a full Mahogany... perhaps in a Wenge/Bubinga/Goncalo Alves neck with ebony fingerboard...

 

[David]

Thanks guys!

 

[DangerousR6]

I have one in my black korina VW, and I can assure you it ain't muddy. And I'm sure korina's as dense if not a bit denser than mahogany...

 

[DangerousR6]

But it will also be determined by the number of pots you have and their values.Less pots at higher values = more treble...So if it does seem "muddy" then this can be remidied with the pots and the cap values as well...

 

[David]

I was planning on having just one 500K volume pot and no tone controls.  I like to keep it simple.  So you think mahogany body/neck would sound ok?  I like a dark thick sound, but not muddy.

 

[GoDrex]

I'm using 2 500k volumes with no tones and I like it. But I usually play with a kind of high-ish gain Marhsall type tone.

 

[Nando Vallart]

Well man, it was made for Heavy metal tones... Really don't know if you like it...

 

[DangerousR6]

Well man, it was made for Heavy metal tones... Really don't know if you like it...

It's quite capable of other tones besides just heavy, although it's at it's best when used for heavy stuff....

 

[Nando Vallart]

Yeah I remember, but the main wish of the guy is play blues and rock... :dontknow: I believe he can find something made looking to that horizon that better suitable for him...

 

[David]

Well I have also been looking at DiMarzio Super Distortion humbuckers, which may be a better fit, but I have always been intrigued by the Invaders since they are so unlike everything else I have.