Explorer pickups.

[Aceman]

Re: Explorer pickups.

+1. If I was playing metal, I'd probably go with the 500T/496R set too. I definitely would avoid any active PU's.

Which not unlike saying a DD set...

But I wouldn't change out the 500/496 set. It does indeed rock hard!

Either way 500t / Duncan Distortions. You'll be happy.

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Explorer pickups.

Did a bunch of pickup swapping yesterday and in the process put the Screamin' Demon & Peraly Gates in my Explorer.

As far as the Demon goes, it is a great bridge pickup for an Explorer. It has a very tight bottom end, which worked out great for my Explorer. The woof and annoying low mids I had with the Black Winter is gone, but it doesn't have as much top end. I may try an A8 in it down the road to see if that helps, but for now its fine. Great mids, the lows are just right and there are plenty of highs for hard/classic rock, or some genres of metal.

The Pearly Gates in the neck slot also sounds great. A little more lows than I like, and could use a little more on top to suit my tastes. But for most stuff, it's good as.And again, I may throw a different mag in it as well, but for now it's fine.

[GilmourD]

Re: Explorer pickups.

Am I the only one that would put something in the medium-low to medium output range into that and let the big body fill out the "body" of the tone? Maybe a '59/Custom hybrid, a '78, or a Screamin' Demon?

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Explorer pickups.

Am I the only one that would put something in the medium-low to medium output range into that and let the big body fill out the "body" of the tone? Maybe a '59/Custom hybrid, a '78, or a Screamin' Demon?

See above.

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Explorer pickups.

They would probably do well in a lp. I didn't try it in mine, but I can see it doing well. May have to be lowered some. Let me know how it goes.

I swapped the 500T & 496R into my LP while I was in my soldering frenzy yesterday, and they absolutely rip in the LP. They sound a lot better in the LP than they ever did in the Explorer.

[GilmourD]

Re: Explorer pickups.

See above.

LOL I think I started typing my post just before you posted yours and got distracted.

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Explorer pickups.

LOL I think I started typing my post just before you posted yours and got distracted.

Lol, that's happened to me before.

[agentzero12]

Re: Explorer pickups.

I swapped the 500T & 496R into my LP while I was in my soldering frenzy yesterday, and they absolutely rip in the LP. They sound a lot better in the LP than they ever did in the Explorer.

Glad to hear. I feel like they need a warm guitar to do their best. The explorer has an interesting eq in the wood that makes it an experiment to get the sound right. But they are still in my top 3 favorite guitar styles. (Lp is number 1)

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Explorer pickups.

Glad to hear. I feel like they need a warm guitar to do their best. The explorer has an interesting eq in the wood that makes it an experiment to get the sound right. But they are still in my top 3 favorite guitar styles. (Lp is number 1)

The Les Paul definitely gives them more of a grunt in the mids/upper mids, which is something I like in general.

As far as the Explorer goes, the Screamin' Demon is still making me smile. It has really tightened up the lows, which is something my Explorer really needed.

[BloodRose]

Re: Explorer pickups.

I liked the 500 in my explorer as far as the artifical harmonics and all. Def a screamer!! But IMO it was only great full on, so I went to something with more soul. Custom8.

[80's_Metal]

Re: Explorer pickups.

I've got an epi explorer, I have wired in literally dozens of pups into it with varying success.

Ended up with a cheap set of Duncan designed buckers the ones that look like the invader but sound like the DD, Detonators are what they're called.

Best sounding guitar ever, I'll never change them out. Just an out of the box idea for you, I love them.