Yet another n00b PUP question

[Nuclear Vampire]

Hi there,

Been lurking here and this place is great! Nice to see the knowledge being spread around freely.

I have an '87 (or possibly '88) Model 3 S/S/H, bolt-on neck, "licensed" Floyd, ah...here's a pic:



It still has the stock pups in it and I want something a bit brighter for the bridge and the single coils are just to damn noisy and need to go. I was thinking of and EMG 81 or 85 in the bridge, or maybe the X2N, but I have no idea what to replace the singles with. I would use them for rhythm and even leads if they didn't make so much noise!

I play mostly Thrash and Death Metal (Slayer, Exodus, Death, Children Of Bodom, Opeth) but I also play alot of Pink Floyd-ish bluesy stuff so that's why I like the single coils too. For recording my stuff I run my POD 2.3>UB802 Mixer>Soundcard coz I really like the Soldano simulator on the POD. [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

Is there a combo that anyone could recommend for me? Are there any compatibility issues with mixing active pups and passive ones? All help will be greatly appreciated, and I apologize for going on so long. I just can't help myself sometimes! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Sunbane]

Re: Yet another n00b PUP question

Originally posted by Nuclear Vampire:
Are there any compatibility issues with mixing active pups and passive ones?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yup. While it will work to some extent, the output would probably be pretty unbalanced between the pickups. This may or may not suit you - depends on how you use the guitar.

Although I have plenty of experience with EMG humbuckers, I have none whatsoever with singlecoils, so I'm afraid I can't help much.

I do know that APC (Adder Plus Corporation) make passive singlecoil pickups that are supposed to be incredibly noise free. APC is definately worth checking out, since quite a few old EMG addicts have been recommending them lately.

'bane

PS: I love that Voivod avatar! Nothingface album right? I have that vinyl laying around somewhere. =)

[axeman81]

Re: Yet another n00b PUP question

If you want a bright bridge pickup, then I'd go with the 81. I recently switched to 85 though, and I prefer this, but it will have a lot of low end, so it doesn't seem like what you're after. You can read about it in my thread here.

I too would recommend trying Adder Plus , I haven't had a chance to yet myself but I have read some great testimonials from other people on this forum. People who have used EMG's, and they say that APC are even better, and in addition to that they are also passive!


- Rune.

[jgcable]

Re: Yet another n00b PUP question

I would go with an 81 in the bridge and 2 SA's in the mid and neck. SA's make no noise at all. Mixing passive and active is a pain in the neck.

[TDurden]

Re: Yet another n00b PUP question

I just replaced my EMG-81 with a EMG-60, that's got even more clarity and is even better IMO.

[pro-fusion]

Re: Yet another n00b PUP question

My opinion--go with the EMG-81, if you want EMGs. It rocks!

As far as the single coils, I think you'd be better off swapping out the Jacksons for EMG-SAs, unless you really don't want to spend the extra money.

And yes, you can have both EMGs and passive pickups in the same guitar--as long as they are routed through completely different volume and tone controls. I had a Charvel 650xl in which I put an EMG-81 in the bridge and kept the stock Jackson stacked single-coil sized humbuckers in the neck/middle. The 650 has three spaces for control pots. So I routed the EMG through its own 25k volume control with no tone pot, and the Jackson pickups through a separate 500k volume control and a tone pot. EMG has instruction pages on its site that shows you how to wire up these various options--it's not that difficult.

Have you considered either the Seymour Duncan JB or Distortion pickups for the bridge? These are brighter pickups, with the Distortion being in the same ballpark of output and type of tone as the EMG-81, but more live and 'liquid-sounding' for leads--the Distortion is my favorite pickup right now, and what I have in my Soloist. However, the Distortion can get a bit muddy in rhythm playing compared to the EMG-81, which is very tight for metal rhythm. The JB is more suited just for lead playing, as it doesn't have that much low-end.

You could pair up a Duncan JB or Distortion with a couple of Duncan Little '59 single-coil sized humbuckers, which would give you neck/middle pickups with better sound and no noise.

[zeegler]

Re: Yet another n00b PUP question

S.N.F.U. Great Canadian hardcore band. [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[Nuclear Vampire]

Re: Yet another n00b PUP question

Thanks for all the responses guys! [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

I think I'm gonna go with an 81 at the bridge and a couple of SA's in the neck/middle. Now, I just gotta wait until payday. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]