best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

[kickin AXE]

What pu is a good compromise of power and tone? most guys i listen to use EMG's like zakk wylde, slayer,metallica,seplutura,anthrax.
should i just get the EMG set and be done with it or does duncan offer a better sounding set that will get me the same results?
i play a basswood axe with a floydie and use marshall jcm 800 amps

 

[Gamera]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

"What pu is a good compromise of power and tone?"

Sounds like youre describing an Invader. Not quite as powerful as active EMG's but better sounding IMO. FWIW I think the guys in Anthrax use a couple Invader-equipped axes.

 

[kickin AXE]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

"What pu is a good compromise of power and tone?"

Sounds like youre describing an Invader. Not quite as powerful as active EMG's but better sounding IMO. FWIW I think the guys in Anthrax use a couple Invader-equipped axes.

shame it has to look like somebody beat it with a ugly stick! :laugh2:

 

[Xeromus]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

I have an EMG Zakk Wylde set in one guitar and Duncans in another. I love them both. I love the Duncan Distortion in the bridge position, it's what I use now. But the Duncan Custom is great for that too, very versatile also.

 

[kickin AXE]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

I have an EMG Zakk Wylde set in one guitar and Duncans in another. I love them both. I love the Duncan Distortion in the bridge position, it's what I use now. But the Duncan Custom is great for that too, very versatile also.

hey could you give me the differences between the duncans and the EMG set?
most band i like use the EMG's ?

 

[JOLLY]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

Don't let Anthrax's sound fool you. They use relatively low output pickups for the most part.....59's, PG's, Antiquity's, and then DD's, JB's, Invaders, Dimebuckers as well....and of course Scott Ian's Custom Shop Model.

 

[kickin AXE]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

Don't let Anthrax's sound fool you. They use relatively low output pickups for the most part.....59's, PG's, Antiquity's, and then DD's, JB's, Invaders, Dimebuckers as well....and of course Scott Ian's Custom Shop Model.

my bad i meant OLD THRAX! :smack: i heard danny played a EMG 81 or a JB and scott used only JB's back then?

 

[OPT]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

I think Invader is hotter than EMG-81. I have tested 81 and Dimebucker together and I didn't hear much of a difference between outputs, nor did my friend.

So Invader is the loudest passive Duncan. Dimebucker is much similar to JB in output wise but I guess they don't beat Invader so then Invader should be hotter than 81. But even hotter pup is a DM X2N. 81 is very bright and crunchy pickup so I would use them in mahogany bodied guitars.

 

[ranalli]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

I use all 3 brands for metal....EMGs are one of a kind and unmatch as far as clarity goes but they lack some warmth with some setups. For thrash metal though EMGs work great because of the clarity. For some of the slower stuff and hard rock....I could probably use almost any pickup in the Duncan or Dimarzio line and dial in a good sound with the right guitar to match the pickup.

 

[Hunter1974]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

What pu is a good compromise of power and tone? most guys i listen to use EMG's like zakk wylde, slayer,metallica,seplutura,anthrax.
should i just get the EMG set and be done with it or does duncan offer a better sounding set that will get me the same results?
i play a basswood axe with a floydie and use marshall jcm 800 amps

I have used emg-81's and 85's.They have a awesome sound for metal or hard rock.But the clean is not as good as a passive pickup and you only have 3 pickup selections if you use a 5 way switch,not many options.I like my duncans I just got they have less power and a jazz and a custom 5.But that's what I was goin for.Anyway I would try the duncan invader or some of more powerful duncan pickups.

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

I guess it never hurts to look at alternatives, but you might be good with an EMG set, b/c most of your faves use them. So keep that as your standy until/if you find something better.

 

[RACER X]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

Have you looked at the Live Wire's-Metal, they sound pretty hot ?

 

[some_dude]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

For metal, I tend to prefer EMG's. The have a high output, are quiet, add sustain, and can drive long cable lengths without needing a buffer (hence the clarity people mention).

There's alot of advantages to active pickups.

One tip though; if you buy EMG's you should invest in a good EQ. They're factory EQ'd to sound pretty flat and it'll help you do dial out the serility some people complain about and help "warm up" your sound (and give you that classic scooped V in the process).

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

couldn't you just use the EQ on an amp?? Is it really necessary to get an EQ pedal if u buy EMG's? Cuz that would NOT be cool.

 

[some_dude]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

couldn't you just use the EQ on an amp?? Is it really necessary to get an EQ pedal if u buy EMG's? Cuz that would NOT be cool.

Yes, you could.

But an EQ (rack or pedal) opens up alot of options.

Kirk Hammet uses an Alphex Parametric EQ

Kerry King used to use a Boss 10 band of some sort, but is now shown on the Dunlop site as using the MXR M-108 10 band.

Wylde doesn't use one as far as I know

And I don't know about Seplutura.

 

[korinastratkyle]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

I challange anyone to get a cooler Metal tone than from my Duncan "Air" Custom loaded Korina-bodied Strat. I don't know how it'd sound in a basswood body with a Floyd. I'd probably suggest a Duncan Distortion instead in your case given you go the Duncan route. EMG's I don't think vary much how they sound from guitar to guitar, more or less because they are encased in epozy and such, making them not and prone to vibration as a normal pickup. I think the active electronics also make it so it's more of a flat response because they don't have to have as high of an inductance as a passive pickup.

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

oooooo a little ****y about our tone, aren't we? Well good job for finding yours.... you lucky son of a.... anyway yeah, if EMG's are sealed in epoxy, and the vibration is limited, what else does that mean besides no feedback?

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

oh btw, the forum edited out c0ck in c0cky... hee hee lol

 

[Hellion]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

EMG's are a great sounding pickup. I like passive pups myself. Just seems like there's a little more personality to them. For metal, give me Invaders.

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: best pu's for metal? duncans,EMG's or dimirzio's?

an invader for metal??? no no no... something about this doesnt add up at all!!! An invader is more of a punk sound, isnt it? It's really fat but without much highend... I would not like an invader used for metal!