Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

Jackson Distortion

Jackson Distortion

New member
As a fan of mainly late 80's early 90's hard rock tones, I was wondering if anyone else here still plays with those tones most of the time.

What pickup do you use achieve your scream :bigthumb:?
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

Well, i play alot of 80's hard rock, but i've never liked that "typical" 80's tone.

I'm more into a rounder, fatter, and warmer sound ;)
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

Don't know exactly which 80's genre you're talking about but, I play almost exclusively "hair metal" and do it with a Dimarzio Super Distortion in the bridge and a Norton neck. Not sure about Duncan's, I would love to put a Duncan in the bridge of my SG standard but remain constantly confused as what SD would do hair metal. From what I've learned, I would say JB.
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

I play lots of 80s stuff. Some of George Lynch's tones are the epithome of early Metal tone, but I'm after the absolute opposite of the tonal spectrum. I don't like thin, piercing tones like "I just got lucky" by Dokken...

The Seymour Duncan JB, Duncan Distortion and Screamin' Demon are perfect for that 80s thing, and even better with a nice overdrive and delay in front of the amp to shape the tone a bit. Those pickups just ooze long guitar solos. :bigthumb:
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

If your talking about VH,Ozzy,Badlands,Dokken,Ratt,White Lion that`s the style of music I like to play. I also really enjoy playing old Zeppelin,Sabbath,ZZ Top,AC/DC,Bad Company,Cream ect...
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

Erlend_G said:
Well, i play alot of 80's hard rock, but i've never liked that "typical" 80's tone.

I'm more into a rounder, fatter, and warmer sound ;)
Click to expand...

I'm glad someone says they play with a 'pleasant' tone for 80's-ish hard rock--
those tones generally get bagged for sounding glass shattering and overly processesed when in fact, they sometimes didn't!
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

ChileanGuy said:
The Seymour Duncan JB, Duncan Distortion and Screamin' Demon are perfect for that 80s thing, and even better with a nice overdrive and delay in front of the amp to shape the tone a bit. Those pickups just ooze long guitar solos. :bigthumb:
Click to expand...

I'd have to agree here. Randy Rhoads used the DD with a Jazz in the neck. George Lynch uses his Screamin' Demon. Jake E. Lee uses the JB. EVH used the Tone Zone, didn't he?
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

My friend gets great 80's metal tones with his strat and Ibanez S series. In the strat, he has a pair of Cool Rails and a red Lace Sensor in the bridge. In the Ibby, he has a JB, CR, and Jazz.

I've used the CC, JB, PB+, and Screamin Demon with great results as well.
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

sufferinrewind said:
I'd have to agree here. Randy Rhoads used the DD with a Jazz in the neck. George Lynch uses his Screamin' Demon. Jake E. Lee uses the JB. EVH used the Tone Zone, didn't he?
Click to expand...

Well EVH used a custom Dimarzio in his Music Man sig. that has been said to be a Tone Zone but that was pretty much after the 80s hard rock craze was dead. The DD was Lynchs main pickup in the 80s. I`ve always wondered what Duncan Vito Bratta was using on White Lions 'Pride' album , that was a pretty killer tone.
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

the custom shop EVH sounds really really good for this stuff. a 'superstrat' with an evh into some kind of boost into a cranked marshall and you're there man.
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

Every era has its great tones. And 1980 to 1989 is actually 2 or 3 eras. It's full of thin, delay/chorus skinny tie stuff (U2/Fixx). It's Marshall based Heavy Metal (Maiden/Priest/Scorps/AC-DC). It's hair metal (Ratt/Poison/White Lion). GnR was a late but great entry, more akin to old (meaning good) Aerosmith than anything else I've mentioned. It's also the time of studio axe slingers like Lukather, Earl Slick, and others. And let's not forget your basic Album Oriented Rock (AOR- Journey, REO, Nightranger). One of these days I'm go back to a floorboard like a Boss GT-8. When I do I'm proigramming up the following:
Maiden - # of beast / Trooper
Priest-Screaming for Vengence/Electric Eye
Scorps -BAd Boys Running Wild / Same Thrill
AC/DC - Back in Black
Ratt - Your in Love / Round and Round
Poison - Nothin but a good time
Dokken - Mr. Scary & maybe some Lynch Mob
Journey - Stone in Love, Still they ride
Night Ranger - Don't tell me, Can't find me a thrill

What's not to like?
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

roadstar II said:
the JB
Click to expand...

Yeah, I ascribe all 80's tones to JBs, and Dmz. Super Distortions. Some guys used Distortions, but I think those were the big two.

Luke
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

Erlend_G said:
Well, i play alot of 80's hard rock, but i've never liked that "typical" 80's tone.

I'm more into a rounder, fatter, and warmer sound ;)
Click to expand...


+10000.


There's the "American" or "LA" metal tone....Lynch...DeMartini, etc...Thin..little bass, brittle. JB/DD/Demon work great for those. Jake's tone was a little bigger and more warm than those other guys though, especially live. Another reason I much preferred him over the typical LA dudes.

Then there's the "Euro" sounds.... Double R, Schenkers..Jabs...Sykes..Maiden/Priest, Wolf Hoffman.. Fatter, warmer, Bigger but with good "cut".

I'm into the latter...For that the Duncan Custom, DiMarzio SuperD and most PAF styles work best.
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

I play TONS of the stuff, but with my own tone. Some of the tones back then were great, some were just plain aweful (especially early on).

When I listen back to recordings of mine, especially through the Marshall, to me my tone is a cross of both the LA and Euro sounds. That's how I like it.

For me, the CC works the best. I'll know here in a few weeks how the AZ/PAF combo fairs with the Marshall but I have a feeling I'll crap myself when I hear it, same with my Brobucker loaded LP. Better take plenty of TP with me. :D
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

ErikH said:
When I listen back to recordings of mine, especially through the Marshall, to me my tone is a cross of both the LA and Euro sounds. That's how I like it.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with that..yours is a good mix. It really reminds me of the JP "turbo" album tones. Kind of like crossing a Soldano SLO and a JMP 2203
 
Re: Anyone play '80's hard rock mainly

JeffB said:
I'd agree with that..yours is a good mix. It really reminds me of the JP "turbo" album tones. Kind of like crossing a Soldano SLO and a JMP 2203
Click to expand...
It's funny you mention the JP "Turbo" tone. I had listened to "Priest...Live!", which was the Turbo tour, and then our recording of "Heading Out to the Highway" and I was floored at how close I had gotten to that tone. Doesn't bother me though, I love that tone.

Thanks for the compliment. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

O
80's Hair Metal and versatile HSS?
2
Replies
30
Views
2K
Ascension
Ascension
misterwhizzy
Wiring discussion
Replies
5
Views
269
Teleplayer
T
Ascension
Pickup suggestion for the New Silverado
Replies
12
Views
884
Mincer
Mincer
Jermo3178
Epiphone '59 Les Paul bridge pickup replacement... BB3 sucks
2
Replies
31
Views
4K
Jermo3178
Jermo3178
S
What pickup should I buy first Vineham Rampage (BKP Nailbomb)or Dimarzio D Activator.
Replies
4
Views
526
stinkfeet
S
Back
Top