Why did Randy never use the neck pickup?

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Shockwave
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Why did Randy never use the neck pickup?

Post by Shockwave »

I don't think I have ever seen more than 2 or pics of him with the toggle in the neck position, and those where with Quiot Riot. The live stuff with QR he would use it once in awhile as far as I remember.

But never with Ozzy it seems? Did any of the books released on him ever explain the the lack of use? And why did he keep ordering guitars with them, just for recording and looks maybe?

What gets me about the black Jackson is that he again had the neck pickup installed agai and only one volume pot for both. With this setup he could not do one of this very tricks as he did with the other guitars( kill the sound with the toggle). Maybe he didn't give all the input he should have on the builds of the white and black jacksons.
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The Flying Dutchman
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Re: Why did Randy never use the neck pickup?

Post by The Flying Dutchman »

Shockwave wrote:I don't think I have ever seen more than 2 or pics of him with the toggle in the neck position, and those where with Quiot Riot. The live stuff with QR he would use it once in awhile as far as I remember.

But never with Ozzy it seems? Did any of the books released on him ever explain the the lack of use?
For metal rythym playing I rarely use the neck pick-up because it doesn't 'cut' enough. I like to have an 'edge' in sound for that. I think lot of guitarplayers feel the same including Randy? For solo's it's a bit less crucial although I mostly prefer the bridge pick-up for solos as well.
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Cryptic Night
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Re: Why did Randy never use the neck pickup?

Post by Cryptic Night »

Are you sure his black Jackson was a Vol/Tone/Tone setup? I always thought it was Vol/Vol/Tone.

Regardless, I think he wanted the neck pickup there for recording. The neck pickups have a warmer tone that, at least in my opinion, sound better for cleans than the bridge pickup. I know when I record clean electric guitar, I use the neck pickups on my guitars. However, for anything distorted, I use the bridge pickup. I always assumed Randy did the same.
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Shockwave
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Re: Why did Randy never use the neck pickup?

Post by Shockwave »

All good points and exactly my thoughts. My main reasoning for bringing this up was for Randy's clean parts of songs where it would have fattened things up a bit and cleaned it up more, along with less feedback. Just seemed odd he wouldn't not even use it for the clean parts live, especially on the diary tour.

I have gotten used to playing the parts slightly distorted as he did, and now if played them clean they sound like to plain boring lol.
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Re: Why did Randy never use the neck pickup?

Post by Donnie »

I think he loved having it off so he could you his toggle to do his flipping on/off sound effect.
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Re: Why did Randy never use the neck pickup?

Post by Stiltzkin »

Cryptic Night wrote: I know when I record clean electric guitar, I use the neck pickups on my guitars. However, for anything distorted, I use the bridge pickup. I always assumed Randy did the same.
I don't know, I have yet to hear any prominent use of the neck pickup either studio or live...
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