AIIPro,JB,Distortion MEGADETH comparison

Diocletian

Diocletian

BrandNewGlossologist
I took a backing track for Megadeth's "Symphony of Destruction" (with vocals too, it's cool) and recorded a short clip for left and right guitar parts using the bridge pickups in my :

Epiphone Black Beauty, Alnico II Pro

Jackson DK2M, JB

"Freya" strat copy (the pink one), Duncan Distortion

Yeah, sorry guys, I didn't do Marty's solo! Eventually I'll give it a go! :1:

Which sounds the best? I used EXACTLY the same settings for each part, and each guitar.


JB: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7735216

Distortion: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7735215

Alnico II Pro: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7735214

Who says the A2P can't do metal? :friday:


Here's a link to the three clips in one, save you listening to each seperately - JB first, then the A2P, then the DD:

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7736573

More!!!!

DiMarzio Super Distortion in my "Dave Murray" Squier copy:

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8144413

Late 80's/early 90's Squier Fat Strat, stock pickup (I believe). This is the guitar I was asking for info on recently, it sounds alright although I think the pickup is more suited to less high gain styles. Pinch harmonics are still pretty easy to get though.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8144412

Finally, a single coil just to see how it'd sound.
Squier Affinity single coil (in my Marlin "Freya" strat, the plywood guitar that was used here for the first SH6 Distortion clip).
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8144414


MORE ADDED!

Okily-dokily I did some more. Now, I THINK I used the exact same settings, but I'm honestly not sure. I have one setting I use as my "go to" in Toneport, and I think I've used it for all these clips but I'm really not 100% certain, so bear it in mind when comparing these new ones with the older ones.

Okay first up, Jackson DK2 with an EMG81:

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7754722

Next, the spiritual home of this song...Jackson KE3 Kelly (with new DK2 neck), JB again:

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7754723

Another JB equipped Jackson, this time an SL3 Soloist:

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7754724

And finally, another Jackson, this time my JDR-94 Concept, with a Bill Lawrence USA 500XL:

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7754725


You might want to skip the Kelly and SL3 clips, since they're done with JBs in the bridge which I already did. Unless you want to compare three different JBs, I dunno. To be honest, everything is starting to sound the same to me.

I have to say, the EMG track was great fun to play, I thought it sounded awesome. But listening back to it, I think it sounds the absolute worst out of the lot. Funny how your ears hear one thing while you're playing, then another when listening back to it.


EDIT again, just added one with the Custom Custom I got off ebay, it's in a late 80's/early 90's Squier:

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8205151
 
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Re: AIIPro,JB,Distortion MEGADETH comparison

I gotta say I'm surprised. The JB is my favourite pickup, and it sounds, to me, the worst in this little test. The Distortion sounds nice and tight, and closest to the real song. The A2P sounds loose in a nice way, and seems to let the drums and bass breathe.

I think for my next attempts at this cover I'll use the A2P for one side and the Distortion for the other.
 
Re: AIIPro,JB,Distortion MEGADETH comparison

Hmm... Didn't Dave use a JB for a while? :D

For your next test, you should compare the Distortion and A2P to something from Peace Sells.
 
Re: AIIPro,JB,Distortion MEGADETH comparison

No, Symphony of Destruction bores the hell out of me. >.>


But I will listen to the Distortion clip in a bit.
 
Re: AIIPro,JB,Distortion MEGADETH comparison

Aye ok then. Don't strain yourself.



How's this ignore list thing work, I knew I shoulda done this when he started that carrot top garbage...


:fart:
 
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Re: AIIPro,JB,Distortion MEGADETH comparison

The side-by-side comparison really brings out the looseness in the lows of the JB compared to a pickup like the Distortion. Of the three I really likely the Distortion the most. The A2P had an open looseness to it, and I think if the bottom end could be tightened up without loosing the openness that it might be really good.

Thanks for sharing. That's a really good backing track... where did you get it if you don't mind me asking?
 
Re: AIIPro,JB,Distortion MEGADETH comparison

MikeS said:
The side-by-side comparison really brings out the looseness in the lows of the JB compared to a pickup like the Distortion. Of the three I really likely the Distortion the most. The A2P had an open looseness to it, and I think if the bottom end could be tightened up without loosing the openness that it might be really good.

Thanks for sharing. That's a really good backing track... where did you get it if you don't mind me asking?
Click to expand...

You pretty much heard things as I did Mike. :1: For this particular song, I probably agree, the Distortion was best. Makes me wonder how Dave and Marty got such a tight rythm sound using JBs.

The backing track was from here - most of them don't have vocals I don't think. I'm gonna try "Switch 625" from it.

http://www.guitarbackingtrack.com/
 
Re: AIIPro,JB,Distortion MEGADETH comparison

Diocletian said:
You pretty much heard things as I did Mike. :1: For this particular song, I probably agree, the Distortion was best. Makes me wonder how Dave and Marty got such a tight rythm sound using JBs.

The backing track was from here - most of them don't have vocals I don't think. I'm gonna try "Switch 625" from it.

http://www.guitarbackingtrack.com/
Click to expand...

i agree with the DD sounding closest the original recording, i believe it's because dave doesn't move much when playing that he gets such a controlled sound out of the JB. i quite liked the JB track, but agree that in the hands of mortals it's not as good a metal pickup as the DD. when i had one in an LP i thought it sounded great but it was almost hot enough to pick up the pulse in my picking hand.

sub the JB for the DD when you do your next one? the A2P and JB would sound awesome together IMO
 
Re: AIIPro,JB,Distortion MEGADETH comparison

Well in this case the DD sounds best. Of course, the versatility of the APH-1 rules...
 
Re: AIIPro,JB,Distortion MEGADETH comparison

Thanx for the test!
The JB has the right tone to it, the Distortion the right tightnes.
The Alnico pro II doesn't have the agressivenes and tightnes.
 
Re: AIIPro,JB,Distortion MEGADETH comparison

I like the way you did this shootout. You might also want to try a separate set of clips where you change the amp settings to best suite each pickup. Just a thought. BTW - Great playing!
 
Re: AIIPro,JB,Distortion MEGADETH comparison

The DD sounded the best, but the JB sounded more like the actual recording. The A2P sounded pretty good for Metal, but I personally don't know if I'd love it for Metal through my rig.

Either way, that's a classic Heavy Metal track and simple enough to play (I play parts of it almost everyday as a 'tone testing' riff). Good choice.

Have fun with the DK2M.
 
Re: AIIPro,JB,Distortion MEGADETH comparison

Jackson Distortion said:
Either way, that's a classic Heavy Metal track and simple enough to play
Click to expand...


ssshhhhh! :bling:

Glad people liked the comparison. I'm just glad some uber-Megadeth fan never said I was playing it all wrong (which I know I am at certain places).
I just got another DK2 which has an EMG-81 in the bridge, so I might do another track using that.


And yes, the guitar with the Distortion in it was the pink Marlin strat, which is plywood. :friday:
 
Re: AIIPro,JB,Distortion MEGADETH comparison

Diocletian said:
ssshhhhh! :bling:

Glad people liked the comparison. I'm just glad some uber-Megadeth fan never said I was playing it all wrong (which I know I am at certain places).
I just got another DK2 which has an EMG-81 in the bridge, so I might do another track using that.


And yes, the guitar with the Distortion in it was the pink Marlin strat, which is plywood. :friday:
Click to expand...

I play it the wrong way too - especially the chorus, but who cares, right? ;)

I'd like to hear the 81 axe please. Do it! Do it! Do It! :D

And the thing about a guitars' physical make up (and amp) when it comes to recording is; it doesn't seem to really matter when you record it because it's just a sound, you know? It was a heavy track, played efficiently. Perfect I say. :fing2:
 
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