change pickups or change amp for better tone

[ads81]

hi all

i have an alder body jackson dk2s with duncan designed pickups.

i use a H&K edition 30 blue amp

i also play through a boss metal zone

i want to improve my tone overall i can never find a tone im really satisfied with. im mainly into playing metal, similar to opeth and arch enemy. i also like to practice shred playing.

would it be more wise to replace the duncan designed pickups (maybe to a jb, custom, fullshred, or distortion)

or get a better amp (mainly for practicing and jamming at a midlevel price over the level of the H&K edition 30 blue)

thanks for your help.

 

[pac112]

Re: change pickups or change amp for better tone

boss metal zone. do you like it?

 

[SeraphimTN]

Re: change pickups or change amp for better tone

Your amp is fine, I myself use a H&K amp and pretty much every amp of theirs has plenty of gain for a clear metal tone. Your first step would be to get rid of that Metal Zone. That pedal mixed with anything is a bad idea, very cold sounding distortion. Your best bet is to def. get new pickups, a JB or a Invader and run only your H&K distortion.

 

[ads81]

Re: change pickups or change amp for better tone

i used to like the tone of the metal zone but ive grown tired of it. it is too thin and as a result doessnt seem to cut well

 

[ErikH]

Re: change pickups or change amp for better tone

I have to agree here with the others. Toss the Metal Zone. There's much better alternatives out there. I much prefer my amp to do most of the crunch work anyway and push it a little more with an overdrive pedal.

 

[skh515]

Re: change pickups or change amp for better tone

It's a lot easier to try a new amp than it is to try new pups. Borrow a friend's or take your guitar to your local music shop. I'd also try a diff. distortion pedal based on what other people have posted.

 

[Adam]

Re: change pickups or change amp for better tone

I was sick of my Peavey tone, when I got my Duncans in my RR it completely altered the entire output, sound, tone, everything. Its an amazing instrument once SD hit it. So Seymour Duncans can change everything, makes my amp a monster now.

My RR dominates my stock strat pickups (obviously) I can't wait to drop some hot rails in that strat. Shew it will sound wicked, and look wicked with black pups, white pickgaurd, and a 3-tone sunburst body, rosewood fretboard too. I love my strat. best investment ever.

But pups man, change everything.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: change pickups or change amp for better tone

Try some new tubes in your amp. Call Todd at Revolution Guitar and see what he says. Changing tubes can make a huge improvement in your amp.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: change pickups or change amp for better tone

It might behoove you to try a few different guitars with your amp or a few different amps with your guitar to see what you like.

Each element in the chain you have I can see a weakness. It would probably give you a better idea of what sort of tone you're looking for besides "metal."

 

[HamerPlyr]

Re: change pickups or change amp for better tone

It might behoove you to try a few different guitars with your amp or a few different amps with your guitar to see what you like.

Each element in the chain you have I can see a weakness. It would probably give you a better idea of what sort of tone you're looking for besides "metal."

Agreed.

Generally speaking, I view pickups as being more of a fine tuning type of change rather than the primary factor in determining overall tone. Besides, you already have Duncan p'ups, they're just not US made. Even if new p'ups make some difference, I don't think that it will be the huge difference that you're wanting to hear. The first things that I would question are the tone of the amp and the pedal choice.