Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

  • EMG 81/81 (N/B) "A"

    Votes: 2 10.5%

  • EMG 85/81 (N/B) "A"

    Votes: 3 15.8%

  • EMG 60/81 (N/B) "A"

    Votes: 3 15.8%

  • SD DD/DD (N/B)

    Votes: 8 42.1%

  • Other (Specify)

    Votes: 3 15.8%
  • Total voters
    19
  • Poll closed .
N

not.quite.slash

New member
Well these days i´m really getting into more heavier stuff like ... Metallica, Judas Priest, Testament, Zakk Wylde (BLS & Ozzy) ... so i´m going to buy a pair of pups a Gibby LP Studio my friend leant me ...

Which one you think i should go for ? And ... can somebody please explain me the diffence between the 81; 85; 60 and their respective "A" versions ... ? I mean tone wise, voicing, eq, responce, cut etc...

Please post why you voted for ... and mention the pup combo if you vote for "Other" ... so that you can help the dumbass here deside which mean machine he will be rocking with :laugh2: !

Thank You All :dance: :dance: :dance:
 
Re: Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

If you want actives, which I would suggest, I'd go 85/89.

81 - bright, fast, tight, edgy, percussive
85 - warmer, thicker, less sterile, a tad hotter
60/60A is just ceramic/alnico magnet, respectively. Never played this one, so I can't comment.
89 - 85 with the ability to split it into EMG's best sounding single coild (it's a bit different than an SA actually).

I prefer actives because their tight as all hell, aggressive, let the player shine through more, don't hide bad technique, and are very accurate/clear.
 
Re: Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

I love the 81-81 combo, I just love brutally abrasive distortion (think Chimaira) and it delivers...and the 81 in the neck is just a bit creamier which is perfect for me since I can't stand normal "neck" pickups.

For a LP I wouldn't put an 85 in the neck though, it'd be too bassy imo.
 
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Re: Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

Well i see ... i guess everyone says that the 60 cuts more trough the mix ... and it has a more pronounced atack ... So im better off with the 85/81 as you said ... but anyway what you think of the 81/81 combo like Kirk Hammet uses in his late ESP KH-2 ? ... Be aware that those pups will remain in the LP for 4 or 5 mounths ... becouse then i will return the Gibby to my friend ... modiffy a H-S-S strat i have here to H-S-H (basswood or poplar i tthink ...) ... add a OFR ... and have a strat metal axe ...

Uhmm
Anyway bump up the thread guys !
Thaks Skinslayer
 
Re: Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

Go with the EMGs man.

Putting a set of 707s in my 7 string..... gonna be sick
 
Re: Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

The Full Shred does everything you stated plus more. It is my favorite Seymour Duncan pickup. I also have mine in a Les Paul. Warm, Crunchy, but tight enough to play any style of metal.
 
Re: Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

Every guitar Ive tried with EMGs hits the preamp too hard, resulting in a buzzy, farty, too compressed thin tone. The SD Distortion set will absolutely kill in that guitar.
 
Re: Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

I voted. Anyone here care to take a guess for which?

I'll give you a hint. This set is a LOT more versatile than most people think. It handles high gain crunch, palm muting chugga chugga riffs with ease. Leads sing from these pickups with the neck pup giving the best shred metal leads I've ever heard. Plus, if you back down the volume a bit, you can get some really good cleans. They sound more organic and natural than the other pairs listed. Who knows how I voted?
 
Re: Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

bigheadood said:
Every guitar Ive tried with EMGs hits the preamp too hard, resulting in a buzzy, farty, too compressed thin tone. The SD Distortion set will absolutely kill in that guitar.
Click to expand...


Something was wrong if it was buzzy and farty. Compression is the nature of the beast.

I found the DD in the bridge to be 10x more abbrasive and buzzy than 85's or 707's.
 
Re: Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

for a les paul i prefer the sh5 which has more bass,t han the sh6( better for solo)
les paul+sh5+mesa rectifier is for me a really extra sound.

but emg is good too, as bullet for my valentine, who had a real killer sound they used sd jb and emg 81...... so everything is good
 
Re: Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

millenofx77 said:
for a les paul i prefer the sh5 which has more bass,t han the sh6( better for solo)
les paul+sh5+mesa rectifier is for me a really extra sound.

but emg is good too, as bullet for my valentine, who had a real killer sound they used sd jb and emg 81...... so everything is good
Click to expand...
 
Re: Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

Something was wrong if it was buzzy and farty. Compression is the nature of the beast.

I found the DD in the bridge to be 10x more abbrasive and buzzy than 85's or 707's.
Click to expand...

I've only owned the 81. It was in an old vester charvel copy with an ash body, and OFR trem. I did not like it.

I've tried the 81 in the store, in a ESP eclipse, and it was ok, but the JB in my gibson was better(more powerful and clear sounding). I also tried the esp KH602. That guitar played great, until you plugged it in to any amp. That guitar was an awful squeeker.

I haven't tried the 85 or the 707 though. But with that experience, and SDs sounding so good, why would I?
 
Re: Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

bigheadood said:
I've only owned the 81. It was in an old vester charvel copy with an ash body, and OFR trem. I did not like it.

I've tried the 81 in the store, in a ESP eclipse, and it was ok, but the JB in my gibson was better(more powerful and clear sounding). I also tried the esp KH602. That guitar played great, until you plugged it in to any amp. That guitar was an awful squeeker.

I haven't tried the 85 or the 707 though. But with that experience, and SDs sounding so good, why would I?
Click to expand...


Well, I have to say, I HATE 81's in the bridge. The 707 is my favorite bridge pickup, 85 in close second.

If you're happy with Duncan's, that's awesome, and you really don't have a need to switch, but I've never really been happy with any Duncans at all after switching to EMG/DiMarzio. The Duncan's all sound too similar and none are modernly voiced, IMO, which EMG and DiMarzio specialize in, and I need for my tone. I also love how active pickups feel, so that dictates my choice a bit.
 
Re: Going metal ! Which pup combo to shoot for ?

DeadSkinSlayer3 said:
Well, I have to say, I HATE 81's in the bridge. The 707 is my favorite bridge pickup, 85 in close second.

If you're happy with Duncan's, that's awesome, and you really don't have a need to switch, but I've never really been happy with any Duncans at all after switching to EMG/DiMarzio. The Duncan's all sound too similar and none are modernly voiced, IMO, which EMG and DiMarzio specialize in, and I need for my tone. I also love how active pickups feel, so that dictates my choice a bit.
Click to expand...

Y'know all this time I thought I agreed with you on that, but it turned out I had a giant brain fart and had never actually switched the pickups around(see my thread on using a neck pup for heavy guitar). After switching em I can't see myself keeping the 85 in the bridge- it's got a good lead sound but I found it to be really undefined compared to how it sounded in the neck, - the 81 is really quite a lot more articulate IMHO.

I say go for the 81/85 and decide for yourself, or the 81/60 if clean is important to you.
 
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