Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs...

[quiksilver]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

I've swapped EMGs into all of my Soloists. Either an 81 or an 85 in the bridge (I go back and forth picking a favorite between them - the 85 has more bottom, the 81 has more bite). The neck pickup is inconsequential, as I never use it. I love EMGs for their sound, looks and lack of noise.

I will say that I have a Seymour Duncan Custom Custom mounted directly into the body of my maple-bodied Kramer 5150 replica, and it sounds fantastic. I still wanna try a DiMarzio Tone Zone someday.

[jackson16]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

I have an soloist pro with an 85 in the bridge and 2 SAs, the 85 in the bridge is too deep for me. I prefer the 81 with its bite in the bridge. The SAs sound amazing though. My favorite combo is the 81/89, very versatile.

[pjg]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/pjg/IMG_1091.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/pjg/IMG_1090.jpg

APC Persauder Lead in the bridge and Syrinx in the neck.

[magh8]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

I had 2 usa soloist now only have one I sold my 2000 transblack sl2 took out the jb and put in a dimarzio steve special sounded much better for rythem more attack and cleaner the 93 sl1 I still have also has a steve special my charvel model 6 steve special,my usa bc rich warlock has a SD 59 and my fender strat plus stock. it depends on the amp you are running and the way your tuned I have been tuned to B for over 10 years now so I look for a pickup with a good mid scoop I was at guitar center messing with a Ibanez 7 string for shits and giggles through a jcm 2000 and it sounded killer every metal player in the store was just looking at the setup like holly **** so I went on the dimarzio site and tried to match the charectoristics of the blaze 7 string pickups the best matches were the SD 59 and the steve special I have been running a marshall jcm 2000 dsl 100 stack for about 5 years now no pedel no effects and I'm happy with the combination before the jcm 2000 I favoured the emg route but in my opinion tuned down with this amp the emg's are to much but at 440 the emg's were working I' am getting a mexican strat from a friend for free with emg 81/sa/sa setup and I am going to be experimenting with it experimenting with I'm thinking going to 18 volt if I still don't like em the emg set will be for sale and you will never guess what's going in it give up steve special

[GodOfRhythm]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

[ QUOTE ]
I had 2 usa soloist now only have one I sold my 2000 transblack sl2 took out the jb and put in a dimarzio steve special sounded much better for rythem more attack and cleaner the 93 sl1 I still have also has a steve special my charvel model 6 steve special,my usa bc rich warlock has a SD 59 and my fender strat plus stock. it depends on the amp you are running and the way your tuned I have been tuned to B for over 10 years now so I look for a pickup with a good mid scoop I was at guitar center messing with a Ibanez 7 string for shits and giggles through a jcm 2000 and it sounded killer every metal player in the store was just looking at the setup like holly **** so I went on the dimarzio site and tried to match the charectoristics of the blaze 7 string pickups the best matches were the SD 59 and the steve special I have been running a marshall jcm 2000 dsl 100 stack for about 5 years now no pedel no effects and I'm happy with the combination before the jcm 2000 I favoured the emg route but in my opinion tuned down with this amp the emg's are to much but at 440 the emg's were working I' am getting a mexican strat from a friend for free with emg 81/sa/sa setup and I am going to be experimenting with it experimenting with I'm thinking going to 18 volt if I still don't like em the emg set will be for sale and you will never guess what's going in it give up steve special

[/ QUOTE ]

*GASPS FOR AIR*

I-N-T-E-R-P-U-N-C-T-I-O-N! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Greg Crowe]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

I've never found a Seymour Duncan pickup I liked. The JB is a lifeless pickup with low output. The Distortion has the output but poor low end. The Invader has a little too much output and too much low end.

My favorites, in order of preference:

1. DiMarzio Super Distortion
2. EMG 81/85
3. Lawrence L500(not the XL)
4. Good ol' cheap Schallers that came in early-mid 80's USA Kramers, great underated, basically unknown pickups.

Other pickups I've tried and didn't like:

DiMarzio Tone Zone: Weak low end, a bit low on output
DiMarzio Super 3: How to screw up a Super Distortion with less low end and output
DiMarzio PAF: Weak, boring
Duncan Screamin Demon: Should be named "Purring Kitten", weak
Duncan Full Shred: Not much different from a JB
Duncan Invader: Mud
ANY Duncan Design: Pure low output, poorly balanced junk

[toejam]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

[ QUOTE ]

My favorites, in order of preference:
1. DiMarzio Super Distortion
2. EMG 81/85

Other pickups I've tried and didn't like:
DiMarzio Tone Zone: Weak low end, a bit low on output
DiMarzio Super 3: How to screw up a Super Distortion with less low end and output
ANY Duncan Design: Pure low output, poorly balanced junk

[/ QUOTE ]
The Super Distortion is also my favorite bridge pup (with a Super 2 in the neck). And EMGs I also love, particularly the 85 in the bridge and 81 in the neck.
The Tone Zone I thought had plenty of low end.
Super 3 I've never tried, but it's got more mids and actually a tiny bit more output than a Super D (according to DiMarzio).
As for Duncan Designed, I think their stacked P-90 is actually very good.

[guitarshredder]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

bump

[Iced Dragon]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

I've replaced the TB4 in my RR1 with a Custom since it was way to trebly/thin sounding.
The BL XL500L (?) in my PCS Dinky was replaced by a SD Distortion wich was a great improvement (overload on treble with the BL!), but a while ago I put in the TB4 and surprisingly sounds warm in the Dinky's maple body!

[toejam]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

[ QUOTE ]
bump

[/ QUOTE ]
What the hell is wrong with you?!? Why do you feel the need to bump lots of threads and add no value whatsoever??

[ranalli]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

[ QUOTE ]
I've never found a Seymour Duncan pickup I liked. The JB is a lifeless pickup with low output. The Distortion has the output but poor low end. The Invader has a little too much output and too much low end.

My favorites, in order of preference:

1. DiMarzio Super Distortion
2. EMG 81/85
3. Lawrence L500(not the XL)
4. Good ol' cheap Schallers that came in early-mid 80's USA Kramers, great underated, basically unknown pickups.

Other pickups I've tried and didn't like:

DiMarzio Tone Zone: Weak low end, a bit low on output
DiMarzio Super 3: How to screw up a Super Distortion with less low end and output
DiMarzio PAF: Weak, boring
Duncan Screamin Demon: Should be named "Purring Kitten", weak
Duncan Full Shred: Not much different from a JB
Duncan Invader: Mud
ANY Duncan Design: Pure low output, poorly balanced junk

[/ QUOTE ]


Wow, I've had some different experiences.

The JB isn't low output at all IMO and it is a great pickup...but doesn't work well with ebony fingerboards IMO....sounds tinny and thin. Don't know why Jackson uses these so religiously with their guitars.

The Super3 is great and has a really good mid-punch/grind to it. It's GREAT for bright guitars where you don't want a boomy bottom end.

And the ToneZone has a weak low end?? That pickup has the biggest boomiest low end of any pickup out there almost.

And the Screamin Demon is a great pickup...just not high output.

[xenophobe]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

I liked the JB, but it didn't suit my style. It was great for traditional Heavy Metal/Hard Rock, but I could never find a good sound for playing fast/technical death. I always went back to playing Dokken-esque glam riffs whenever I played a JB [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

I absolutely ABHOR the BL XL500... one of the worst pickups ever. On a side note, I quite liked the Kent Armstrong humbuckers that Jackson used briefly.

Duncan Distortions are nice, and the Dimarzio Super Distortions are good.

Like I mentioned earlier, nothing beats the EMG 85 for a bridge pickup for me. Well on those "other" days, the 81 is great too.

[Hellswrath]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

Sorry to revive the topic, but i was browsing Seymour Duncan's website and found out they made an active pickup the LW-HMET and i was just wondering if any of you guys had any feedback about it...
---
To answer the question i use the Dimebucker which has lots of harmonics and great gain (it's currently in my korean BC Rich but i'm currently waiting for my RR1 Black whit white bevels to arrive) but was considering trying out a few pickups not knowing which one to choose from Invader, Distortion, Custom, Custom Custom and the new active one...
Any insight on both matters would be greatly appreciated [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
I'll say it even if it's a "metalhead" labelled topic, it's mostly to play... Metal of course [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[xenophobe]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

Too much gain. Way over the top. Smokes the EMG in output, even in 18v, but not in a good way.

[Iced Dragon]

Re: Pickup Selection for MetalHeads and their USAs

Live Wire: used by Jeff Loomis by Nevermore on the In Memory EP, Politics of Ecstacy and Dreaming Neon Black. He used a Distortion on their first self titled. Maybe that could help a little?