X2N7 Ahoy!

It's wired straight to the output jack and it sounds FANTASTIC!! Literally THE sound I have been looking for through my Mesa. Alongside a clean tone when it's cranked, it sounds like the high frequency part of John's rig in Live At Leeds. In other words, it's perfect! I can't wait to wire it up to a 3 way and volume knob. Then I'll be set.

I was beginning to lose my taste for the idea after not liking the X2N where it is there. It sounds too undefined, too thin, yet too thick. Not really scooped kinda bad, but just not midrangey good. Just not right. And I think having the pickup closer to the bridge plays a major role in it. The bridge edge of the X2N7 is 2" away from the intonation line on my BTB--exactly where I can fit an X2N with a bezel on my Hamer, which is why I'm testing it out on my BTB. My Hamer is definitely getting one of these.

The X2N-7 is deeper, more defined, and not as gross sounding as the X2N. So unlike the X2N, which is all hair and no substance, it has a very well-defined tone that still turns your brain into Swiss cheese. It's got twang and it's got boom...and holy hell it can pick up harmonics that I knew were there but I had never been able to hear before. It responds to how you play it and it brings the meat to back it up. Feels like an active at times (the electronics on my Kelly come to mind, but this does it all on it's own, directly to the output), but it has all of the response that I love about passives, especially DiMarzios. I can't wait to try it with coil cut. I think it'd sound a lot like a DiMarzio bass single coil.

Huzzah, Martin! That's great!

You've nearly created what sounds like a rave review out of Bass Player magazine with your glowing evaluation!

Hahaha pretty much, man! I suggest you give one a try some time, man! You'll probably dig it heavily.

Huzzah!

I can tell you, the bridge position is where it's at with this thing. I tried hovering it over my Hamer's strings (stacking cardboard on either side of the strings and holding it all on with masking tape) and it had the same lame sound that I am getting from the X2N when it's in the same position. It just doesn't sound right there to me.

Thats what I do with any pickup that requiers routing to install, before I make a huge **** up.

Yep. Got the idea from you and the dude you got the idea from on TB

I can't wait to hear how it sounds through the MosValve amp I got with a Tube Works preamp!

That's funny. I've learned all of my favorite pickup positions by ripping out a lot of wood over the years!

But you guys are totally doing the right way.

It was too hard to tell when I had it taped over the strings. It wasn't inside the shielded cavity and it kept slipping off my jig, so when I had a moment, I took a drill and some gouges to it. Wound up ripping through the cavity that formerly housed the batteries for the active pickups and preamp. With this bass, I can do whatever I please with no worry or remorse. Anything and everything I've done so far has only made it play and feel better and it can take quite a beating. I'm positive that it'll fall apart in my hands one day

How's the low end response with those?

^ great, I'd imagine

WE NEED SOUND CLIPS!

Indeed!

Mo Beach wrote:

How's the low end response with those?

Hoooooooge.

I brought mine to a jam, and the X2N-7 put out more bass than the P pickup, and its in bridge position, and everyone noticed.

Pretty much. I have it in series at the moment. I've been digging how it sounds when I back down on the gain on the amp. Loud and clean. Or if you turn up the gain, loud and dirty. Loud in any case.

Maybe I'll do something like that. I don't know.

Loud is good!

EricHaven wrote:

Loud is good!

Loud = tone.