Humbucker Help? 80s Metal & Shred, Tough One!

[dweebrocker2.0]

I'm finding myself at a total loss for what to choose for a couple of guitars.

1st is an Ibanez RG550. Love the guitar, can't stand the stock pickups. Muddy and bland, just blah. RG is basswood, maple neck, maple board, Edge - basically a Floyd.

2nd is a Warmoth build I'm putting together. Alder body, maple neck, maple board, Floyd.

Going for an 80s hair metal vibe. I love the tones that came out of that generation so I'm looking for something in that ballpark only a big 'bigger.' If that makes sense.

For the bridge,

JB is the usual suspect. I love the JB for what it is, have one in my Kramer Pacer but it's just too honky. I can't get past the honk and the weird high mid thing. I love almost everything else about that pickup but those two qualities exclude it from my consideration here.

Next would be the Super Distortion. Which... I also love. What I don't like is the Super D getting a little boomy and the distinct pick attack. It's hard for me to ignore that scrapey attack that the Super D has.

I guess the next two runner ups would be the Tone Zone - which I hate - and the Duncan Distortion. Seems like a fine option but I'm worried it's just going to be too ice picky and bright. Especially in alder. Besides that I tend to prefer the 'generally' rounder high end on alnico p-ups vs ceramics. Full shred is another one that seems like it might be nice but I'm worried it'll just be too bright and thin.,

The JB is close. Output is perfect, low end is great, I wish it had a bit more low mid growl and none of that evil honk. If that pickup exists sign me up.

For the neck,

Love everything about the Jazz. Close to perfect. But wish it was a little hotter, little tighter.

Any thoughts or recommendations? Two guitars, so I can play around w/ a couple of different options. Thanks!

[DavidRavenMoon]

Put the Super D in the basswood guitar.
I don’t like JBs so I can’t comment.


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[Clint 55]

You might laugh, but my Benedetto PAF is EXACTLY a hotter, tighter Jazz. I could sell it to you.

I'd recommend trying out swapping mags and poles on those pups. For example A8 will beef up an A5 pup or tame the ice pick of a ceramic pup. Also filister poles will be less clicky than hexz.

A pup I'd throw out there would be the Alt 8. It's similar eq wise to the JB but hotter, rounder, and less honky more standard sounding.

[Mincer]

Pegasus and Sentient would be those for me. I think they will work.

[Synapsys]

Assuming you're going for an HSH setup in both guitars, here it goes:

For the RG, a PATB-1 set. That's what I've got in my RG870RWZ.

An alterntative I suggest would be a Full Shred set with e Classic Stack in the middle.

For the Warmoth, a Custom bridge, a Hot Stack middle and a Distortion neck.

This way you get different tones, but not on completely different ballparks, and with a good, but not overpowering bass on the bridge, and tight neck tones, versatile enoigh for clean and all kinds of gain.

You also get different magnet flavours: A5 in the RG, ceramics for the Warmoth.

[Masta' C]

I skipped reading the other suggestions, but I'll just plug two pickups that I believe will give you ear-to-ear grins based on what you stated:

1. Suhr Aldrich
2. DiMarzio AT-1

[devastone]

I like DiMarzios more in basswood, they just work. If you don't like the Super D (I do, but probably not my first choice) I would recommend trying the Norton (not Air) in the bridge, great sounding pickup. The AT-1 as mentioned is also supposed to sound really good, but I haven't tried one so I can't comment.

For the alder body Warmoth, the Custom Custom sounds like what you are looking for, or better, since you already have a JB, put an A2 magnet in it, it will give you what you want. The Custom is another great pickup, but may not have the mids you want. I would like to say the Perpetual Burn might be a candidate too, but I haven't used one so I can't say for sure. Mincer's suggestions might be good ones too, I just don't have any experience with them.

[Top-L]

I think the question should be, what pickup CAN'T get the 80s hair metal sound? You can do it with almost anything with a boost pedal, to EMGs, to the classic JB. In the early 80s, the vast majority of guitars had a Super Distortion or JB.

If you find the stock pickups in your RG muddy, then here are some solid choices: PAF Pro, Full Shred, Evolution, Norton, JB, Duncan Distortion.

[misterwhizzy]

I really think you owe it to yourself to try the stock SH-5 Custom. I’m almost certain it will do what you want in one of the guitars.

[Mincer]

The Custom (or if you really don't like mids, the Custom 5) will do the 80s hair metal thing in a less 'barky' way than the JB. The more modern pickups, like the Pegasus/Sentient I mentioned, will sound super tight in the bass, but can do the 80s with a Marshall-y amp without any of that JB-ness in there.

[JOLLY]

Perpetual Burn

[Archer250]

The JB is close. Output is perfect, low end is great, I wish it had a bit more low mid growl and none of that evil honk. If that pickup exists sign me up.

So the Bareknuckle Holy Diver? Because that's exactly what it is.

[dweebrocker2.0]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've been looking at the Pegasus and Sentient for a long time now. I want to love it but it has that certain something going on in the low end that I can't get over. Sounds cool but not for me.

Custom is one that I've been on the fence w/ giving a shot in the past. Nothing about it necessarily excites me but maybe it's a good choice? Can anyone sell me on the Perpetual Burn? Seems cool but I can't find a lot of info out there.

Thanks for suggesting the Holy Diver. Seems like a perfect option. But I think that's what I'll go for in the RG, at least. HD, Full Shred neck sounds fun.

Besides those previously mentioned, I am intrigued by the custom shop Demartini and Lynch stuff. Don't think the Demartini would work, or any A2 on the Warmoth, as that'll be primarily in D standard and drop C and I dunno how that low end will hold up.