Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

C

cmorris975

New member
As the title says. This will be for an alder bodied guitar. I have a Jackson RR5 with the TB-4 pickups, which are nice but they don't have that quick attack I need for the thrash metal palm mutes. Think of bands like Exodus, Metallica's Master of Puppets or Anthrax's Among the Living for the guitar tone I am going for.

Thanks,

Chris
 
Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

I'll throw the Custom in there.
 
Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

cmorris975 said:
TB-5 it is then, thanks all. Gary Holt's tone has always been my favorite.
Click to expand...

Currently, Gary is using EMG's I believe an 81 in the bridge (I would be surpirsed if it was anything other than) and a 89 in the neck, and he's using them in all mahogany guitars. I don't know what he was using back in the day, but I would be surprised to find out that his guitars were anything but all mahogany. The SH-5 will sound very different in an alder guitar. Also, Gary's technique is going to be significantly different than what you play. You would have to get his exact picking, string gauge, and fingering style to get his tone. The SH-5 will get you close if you had the same amps he was using back during his SD period, but it won't get you all the way there. If you want a good thrash baseline that would allow you to play a lot of different things, then I would go with either the Distortion, the PATB- 2, or the Black Winter. Those will give you a tight, aggressive sound which will allow you to play the heavy palm muting required for thrash. I think the Custom is a little too loose for thrash.
 
Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

Johnny the Kid said:
I don't know what he was using back in the day, but I would be surprised to find out that his guitars were anything but all mahogany.
Click to expand...



Pretty sure that's an alder Jackson.
 
Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

dominus said:


Pretty sure that's an alder Jackson.
Click to expand...

Thank you for pointing that out. At the same time, it could be a custom. I can't find anything about what he was using whether during that period. I know Jackson was willing to give anybody and everybody an endorsement at that point in time. Whether Gary was using custom made or production models remains in question. Unless someone has some concrete evidence that says "Gary Holt played a Jackson such and such model during these years. (wording doesn't have to be exact)" I don't know.
 
Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

I've been able to achieve a good Thrash tone with a JB. That's strange that you couldn't, although some people claim that it's a hit or miss, but I've achieved tonal success with it myself.
 
Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

Cheaper Alternative: Swap the magnet for an Alnico 8. People say positive things about the JB8. The only way I'd ever try a JB again is if it had an a8.

Duncan Distortion really isn't what you're looking for unless you're tuning down and using thick strings (I have one in a guitar tuned to B Standard, I wouldn't try to play old thrash with it). Try the PATB-2 for E/Eb.

Hetfield used the Duncan Invader for the rhythm tracks on some older Metallica albums (possibly Master of Puppets? opinions vary), but that won't help you unless you have a Mesa/Boogie MK2C++ head.

Alternative to the Dimebucker:
Bill Lawrence USA L500XL or Wilde Pickups L500XL. BLUSA is supposed to be more precise (ceramic mag), Wilde pickups are supposed to be a little warmer (alnicoV), BLUSA (I think) were used back in the heyday of thrash (Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman had them in their Warlock's and Les Paul's, respectively)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

weepingminotaur
JB in my Les Paul is the bomb
Replies
16
Views
179
Rex_Rocker
Rex_Rocker
A
Tighter and brighter bridge pickup for Les Paul
2
Replies
29
Views
442
jeremy
jeremy
GhostGuitar
Hard Country or Country Metal HBs
Replies
17
Views
424
Butch Snyder
Butch Snyder
BleedingFingertips
Need a pickup advise for 1H guitar (non-modern metal sound)
2
Replies
25
Views
424
MikeS
MikeS
Rex_Rocker
Gibson 500T - The ultimate Metal pickup for a Les Paul?
2
Replies
20
Views
2K
Rex_Rocker
Rex_Rocker
Back
Top