LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

[EricJorgensen]

hey guys, i was wondering what pick up would go good with the livewire metal humbucker...a duncan distortion? i usually don't play using only the neck pickup...mostly just bridge. i like the crunchier sound. the pick up switch has 3 settings...neck, bridge/neck and bridge.

i'm fixing up my kelly...i just painted it... i attached a picture of it. i've had the thing since i was 16. it got beat up pretty bad over the years. the volume knob, pick up switch and output jack are all junk, so i'll have to replace those too...maybe even the tremolo. should i get anything specific for those, or is it pointless? these humbuckers will fit in the kelly right?

[Rainmaker]

Re: LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

Hey EricJ, sorry, I don't know the answer to your question but I'd like to wish you a warm welcome on behalf of all the tone bro's here

[ArtieToo]

Re: LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

Hey Eric; You'll probably have some problems with trying to mix actives and passives. You may want to check out this part of thr FAQ:

(Scroll down a bit.)

http://www.seymourduncan.com/website...escr.shtml#mix

You can do it, but generally you need to use some sort of mixer. Like this one:

D-Tar Eclipse buffer/mixer

But one of those will be as much as a pup. You may want to consider just getting a matched set of the LiveWires. Perhaps use a "Classic" in the neck instead of the "Metal" one for variety.

[Metalman_666]

Re: LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

I think Artie's suggestion for a LiveWire Classic in the neck would be a good idea if you want Seymour Duncan Actives... just one problem. Keep in mind the LiveWire Heavy Metal pickup has no cleans, so if you want to be stuck without cleans, go for it. Otherwise I would suggest a good set of EMG's.

[vinterland]

Re: LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

you can mix actives and passives without a problem... you just have to adjust your volume pots as actives tend to be louder.

[ArtieToo]

Re: LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

But then you have to decide: do you use the 500k pot that the passive prefers, or the 100k pot that the active prefers?

Of course, if you haven't purchased the Livewire yet, select any two passives, then add the SFX-01 booster circuit board into the guitar. get the best of both worlds.

[korinastratkyle]

Re: LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

I'm pretty sure you can mix passive and active, you just need a pair of resistors to adjust the impedance of one of them, I think. I think if you take a 470K running from the plus of the passive into the switch (whereever the two pups mix) and a 10K going across positive to ground it will work. You MUST put the 10K BEFORE the 470K or it will act like a pot turned down real low.

Regardless though, the Live Wire Metal is basically the active version of a Duncan Distortion, so why not just use two? There's also the option of a Livewire Classic for the neck if you're looking to smooth out the mids a little or be able to get a clean tone out of the neck.

[korinastratkyle]

Re: LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

Of course, if you haven't purchased the Livewire yet, select any two passives, then add the SFX-01 booster circuit board into the guitar. get the best of both worlds.

IMO, it'd be easier to build a good preamp yourself on perfboard then try to mess with that thing. Especially figuring out how to switch it on with something, like a stereo jack, besides the stomp switch.

http://www.till.com/articles/GuitarPreamp/

Here's what I based the design for my preamp on.

I'm going to work on designing one with another stage or two, to do some special things...


Sorry to anyone in here that isn't really all that electronically inclined.

[ArtieToo]

Re: LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

Maybe not easier, but cheaper. Guitar Electronics already sells it, ready to install. From there website:

This is a Guitarelectronics.com Exclusive!!!
Same electrical features as the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster Pedal listed above but on a miniature circuit board (1"x3/4") for installation inside the instrument. Get all of the advantages of active pickups and have instant gain available with the twist of a knob. Crank up the gain to overdrive your amp to the ultimate distortion. Completely pre wired and tested for easy installation. Only requires 2 connections and replacement of the original jack. Includes circuit board, boost knob (w/ split knurled shaft), output jack, bypass switch, and battery connector to add an optional "Resonant Peak Shift" switch (switch not included).

Although, I've seen that website that you linked to before. That looks like a real simple, sweet circuit.
Jack Orman has some pretty neat little guitar preamp circuits too.

Either of these should be fun to play with.

[EricJorgensen]

Re: LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

hmmm, that preamp looks interesting. i just made a powersupply in class that's more complex then that thing...so i could handle it. but i'm not really sure that's what i'm looking for...i could try it on my BC rich, after i paint it up.

so the metal live wire can't do clean channel? why don't i put in another active pickup on the neck that can?

oh yeah, since the volume knob is a potentiometer...instead of getting a generic one from jackson...can i get a higher quality one of the same dimensions/specs somewhere else? i dont want the thing to start acting up a year later you know.

[ArtieToo]

Re: LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

oh yeah, since the volume knob is a potentiometer...instead of getting a generic one from jackson...can i get a higher quality one of the same dimensions/specs somewhere else? i dont want the thing to start acting up a year later you know.

Exactly. A nice CTS pot would work excellent. Also, any pot, no matter how cheap, if given a shot of Caig Labs Deoxit, will outlast the guitar. If you start with a CTS - all the better.

Oh yeah, and they sell that at Radio Shack now.

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

I'm gonna second the idea of going with EMGs. Duncan passives are unbeatable, but EMG rules the active domain. My favorite pickups are the EMG 81 & 85, Invader, Distortion & JB, some pretty hot pickups. I think the LW-Hmet is so hot it's useless, not to mention it has a really sh*tty tone. The EMG cleans aren't brimming with personallity, like say a '59 or Seth Lover, but add some chorus, flange, etc, and they aren't too bad. The LW-Hmet's "clean" sounds broken.

[Zerberus]

Re: LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

you can mix actives and passives without a problem... you just have to adjust your volume pots as actives tend to be louder.

And you don´t notice any real effect on the actives for the first 8/10ths of a turn.

It can be done, true. Just like a pickup cavity can be chiseled out with a screwdriver instead of routed.

Just because it works doesn´t mean it´s the right way to do it

[vinterland]

Re: LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

And you don´t notice any real effect on the actives for the first 8/10ths of a turn.

It can be done, true. Just like a pickup cavity can be chiseled out with a screwdriver instead of routed.

Just because it works doesn´t mean it´s the right way to do it

Whats the fun of being on the forum if not to experiment with hardware in every way, shape, and form. Theres no right way to anything. If something works then it works. I have no problem with volume pots on my jackson and I have actives and passives.

[BigBazz]

Re: LiveWire™ Metal Humbucker combo?

Personnally i would put a classic livewire in the neck if i was having the metal livewire in the bridge, it would make for a pretty high output and insane guitar. i really dont see what people see in distortion pickups though. they arent versatile, they cant do clean and medium output pickups have easily enough output for metal. the JB and Full Shred i have on my Strats and im in a heavy metal band playing through a 5150 and my sound is simply awesome and powerfull, and to top that off my guitar sounds great clean also.