What are your go to high output pickups??

[ecsong187]

Well recently just got a KVXT that has some Duncans in it. Not really a huge fan of them.
What are you rocking lately for high output rock/metal tones?
I am currently looking at the EMG HET SET or possibly some other Duncan pickups like the Nazgul.
Tone wise I'm after the Metallica tone from Ride the Lightning which I'm pretty sure James was just using the stock pickups in his Gibson Explorer at this time and hadn't switched to EMGs yet.
Thanks,
-Edwin

[xenophobe]

EMG 85b. That or a Super Distortion. I haven't tried many of the newest high gain pickups because I've pretty much settled knowing that I love both the EMG and Super Distortion.

I know I hate the JB, PAF, Invader, and a few others... lol

[ecsong187]

Yea I had the EMG 81/85 setup years ago and fell in love with the EMG sound. The dominion pickups are pretty good too. I know that pickup hunting is like a downward spiral. haha

[Axewielder]

Stock J90C's. Heavy duty! I'm waiting out this boutique aftermarket pickup fad.

[AAEA]

Running an EMG on a 18v system. nothing comes close to the output of that.

[Venomboy]

EMG 81 or DiMarzio Crunch Lab.

[Dog Boy]

Yeah EMG

[Nightbat]

I consider the Super Distortion the 'go to' pickup for anyone first venturing into aftermarket P'ups

Yes, everyone and their Granny used them, and a whole lot of them still do,
It's simply the aftermarket P'up to which all are measured to

And though on personal note, not my favorite p'up, I can honestly say that, in whatever guitar I used it, it never gave negative results

[mantis]

I'm a huge Duncan JB fan. Reason is every guitar I buy that has them in I can get any tone I want out of them. One of the tricks I learned with the JB and I'm sure many pickups have this is adjusting the screws to change the dynamics of the sound. Height adjustments also make huge differences in your overall tone.
I find having the right amp and effects play a larger roll then the differences between high output pickups. Yes the make a difference but sometimes the sound you are looking for doesn't rest there. Pickups to me are a tweaking thing when you got the tone you want but need that little polish on top.

I also like the Duncan Distortion pickups, they have this fatter tone that has more to what your looking for. They pull off Metal tones especially like Metallica.

[ecsong187]

Thanks guys! I'm gonna mess with the Duncans today to find out exactly which Duncans these even are that are in the guitar.

[warlok]

Duncan Custom, Custom 8 (Custom with Alnico 8 magnet) and JB8 (JB with Alnico 8 magnet). I'd probably try an Alnico 8 in almost anything. Cheap and easy to try..

[lefty]

Lawrence L500 XL?

[ecsong187]

Just took the pickups out to find out what they are. It has a Seymour Duncan TB4 in the bridge, and a Seymour Duncan SH2N in the neck.
-Edwin

[Number Of The Priest]

Interesting that it has a TB-4 (Fender-spaced) in the bridge instead of an SH-4 (Gibson-spaced) despite the KVXT having a TOM bridge. Or are the TOM bridges on Jackson imports built to be F-spaced? Do the pickup's polepieces line up directly under the strings?

[toejam]

Interesting that it has a TB-4 (Fender-spaced) in the bridge instead of an SH-4 (Gibson-spaced) despite the KVXT having a TOM bridge. Or are the TOM bridges on Jackson imports built to be F-spaced? Do the pickup's polepieces line up directly under the strings?

Jackson's TOM bridges are F-spaced (both import and USA). I think Gibson's modern TOM bridges are also F-spaced.