First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

IceAak

New member
Hello all, my first post here after some lurking. You guys seem very friendly and knowledgeable so I'm hoping to get some good feedback here. I'm getting a SD equipped super strat style guitar made by an Australian luthier and have some questions about what pups to put in it. The guitar will be a soloist style guitar with a two-piece bright sounding mahogany body and a flat top made of a 1/2 inch thick piece of quilted maple. It will also be set neck, 25.5 inch scale maple neck with a rosewood fretboard. The bridge will be a string through T-O-M. I've pretty much decided on a PG in the neck, but am uncertain about the bridge. The luthier has promised to try out a few different bridge pickups and give his honest opinion about them. Right now it's a chocie between the Distortion, JB and the Demon. I'm a big George Lynch fan, and love his tone especially on the Under lock and key and Tooth & Nail albums. What bridge pickup would be a good choice for those kind of tones (my all time favourite tones are from The Hunter, Into the fire, Back for the attack and Tooth & Nail). Would that be him using the Duncan Distortion or the JB, or perhaps both??? Also, will the Demon give a good "old" Lynch Sound? I'm playing through a Marshall Silver Jubilee 50/25 Watt combo if that helps, mostly play it at low volumes with a v-amp 2 and the input gain up really high to still get the Marshall charachter to the sound (I know, blasphemy, but for low volume playing it's much better than the amp alone). Based on all this, what do YOU think would be the best pup for a Lynchesque tone??? Any input appreciated :)
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

If anyone knows what pickup he mostly used during that era, please enlighten me. The more specific information the better (e.g. "during song x he used the xx pickup and an xxx guitar and an xxxx amp). Easy huh? :saeek:
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

under lock and key = distortion sh-6
tooth and nail=distortion sh-6
that being said he himself said on this very site that he uses/used the JB alot on recordings !!!!!!!!!
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

Thanks a lot, that's interesting.... George posts here? That's cool, I bet he's got a goofy nick :) I'm guessing the Distortion sounds a little more raw and the JB is a little smoother?? Hmmm, the dilemma.... Keep 'em coming guys!
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

Just listening to some old Dokken tunes in my headphones now.... The song "Don't close your eyes" (from the "Tooth & Nail album) sounds a lot rougher and gainier than "The hunter" for instance, and I much prefer the sound on the latter. Could that be the distortion in "Don't close your eyes" and the JB in "The Hunter"? Sorry for ranting....
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

Another thing to consider is that your guitar and amp isn't exactly the same as his.
Therefore, it would be better to choose pickups based on what would counterbalance the properties of your guitar. You'll still probably fall into the same tonal area as the Lynch recordings. I have a 50W Jubilee and am swapping pickups in and out of my G&L Invader mahogany/maple w/birdseye maple/rosewood neck. It's not my main rig, but I know the sound well. I think I'd use these combinations for what you want.
JB/Jazz, CC/59, or Custom 5/59. I may be wrong, but I think the Distortion and Screamin Demon may be too thin or bright for your setup.
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

It depends on how close you wanna get to his tone. If there's one thing I do know, it's Lynch's tone/gear.
The first thing you should know is that Lynch's tone, on average, through the years, IS very thin ...
However, your guitar is NOTHING like any of Lynch's. If you really want to get his tone, my advice is to invest in an ESP Lynch guitar:
1 piece maple body, not mahogany; Floyd Rose, not TOM; maple neck ...
 
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Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

i am going to swap out a JB for a custom5 this weekend in my maple+mahogany ROBIN w/floyd and see how it goes . hey gearjoneser did you try anything other than a JB in the G&L invader yet?
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

shred-dog said:
i am going to swap out a JB for a custom5 this weekend in my maple+mahogany ROBIN w/floyd and see how it goes .
Why not put a Demon in there, Scott?
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

i have tried a demon and it just didn't do it for me . i do have an ELDIABLO which is an overwound demon (14.5k/a5) now that thing rocks!!!!!!!!!!! plus i have not tried a C5 yet
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

shred-dog said:
i have tried a demon and it just didn't do it for me . i do have an ELDIABLO which is an overwound demon (14.5k/a5) now that thing rocks!!!!!!!!!!! plus i have not tried a C5 yet

I thought the El Diablo was the Scott Ian signature pickup. You know with the twin rails, looking like a Dimebucker. I never heard it was an overwound Demon. Got any clips of it?
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

I get great Lynch-esque tones with a JB...I'm using it in the bridge of a Strat. Your amp is the big key, IMHO, when it comes to tone reproduction. Plus, I've never tried a JB in mahogany. You'll just have to try it through your setup and see. I'd stick around the general range of the pickups you've mentioned though.

Farkus
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

Thanks for the input guys, I'm leaning towards the JB right now
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

fusion1 if you call the custom shop and talk to MJ she can tell you more about the 2 eldiablo's 1 is an overwound screamin demon and the other is like 21+k dual blade pickups both were made for scott ian
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

Those who have seen him play lately say he's using EMG actives. I wouldn't know...never heard the guy play a single thing.

( I actually like heavy rock guitar alot...it's mostly the singers and lyrics I can't stand. :laugh2: )

I will say that the Screamin Demon is a great pickup for just about any rock or blues style. Kind of like a hot 59B, but not wound nearly as hot as the JB or C5.

I really like the George Lynch Screamin Demon pickup...and I'm mostly a blues player.

Lew
 
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Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

Lewguitar said:
Those who have seen him play lately say he's using EMG actives. I wouldn't know...never heard the guy play a single thing.

I will say that the Screamin Demon is a great pickup for just about any rock or blues style. Kind of like a hot 59B, but not wound nearlyas hot as the JB or C5.

I really like the George Lynch Screamin Demon pickup...and I'm mostly a blues player.

Lew
100% agreement about the Screamin' Demon.
JUST SAW Lynch, and he was NOT using EMGs!!
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

TwilightOdyssey said:
100% agreement about the Screamin' Demon.
JUST SAW Lynch, and he was NOT using EMGs!!

Well that's a relief! :blackeye: Someone posted a review of a semi-recent performance (maybe on the Hamer Fan Club forum?) and said he was using EMG's. The guy even spent some time backstage with George.
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

as far as i know on this tour he was using a covered duncan pickup of some kind in his much changed tiger guitar .
 
Re: First post Lynch fan, lotsa pup questions

shred-dog said:
as far as i know on this tour he was using a covered duncan pickup of some kind in his much changed tiger guitar .
Well, I spent time w/Lynch's tech, as well as saw the guitar from less than 3 feet away, and can attest to the fact that it's a nickel coated something in the M1 ... the only real change to the guitar is that he now has a "standard" M1 neck/headstock on it.
 
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