Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

[DeathMetalRob]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

I'm calling three here:

SH-14 Custom 5

SH-10 Full Shred with an A8. (I'm winding a variant at the minute)

For 'chainsaw grind' try an A9 in your SH-10 but, you might have to adjust the bass on your EQ a bit.

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

demon.
and +1 to almost every other pickup mentioned so far

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

demon.
and +1 to almost every other pickup mentioned so far

 

[cmorris975]

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.

I can get a pretty good thrash tone with the JB but it just doesn't have the quick attack like an EMG 81 or other such pickup would. I would just use an EMG 81 but I am bored with them, want to try something different. The TB-4 sounds to me like it is made for older metal, like around 1979-80 or so, before the advent of thrash. And it does a good job at that! Just not responsive enough at the beginning of my palm mutes.

 

[cmorris975]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

Gary says in an interview (was recorded 2010 I think) that he uses passive pickups, he says "SD customs".

 

[Inder_Cine_Mann]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

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.

Custom too loose for thrash? Im gonna have to respectfully disagree

 

[EET_FUK]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

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.

They started using EMGs and Mesas for Puppets. Before that it was an Invader, RAT, and a Marshall.

I also think either the Distortion or the Custom would work great, with the Custom having a noticeable bump in lows.

 

[p4vl]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

They started using EMGs and Mesas for Puppets. Before that it was an Invader, RAT, and a Marshall.

I also think either the Distortion or the Custom would work great, with the Custom having a noticeable bump in lows.

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?241018-Hetfield-KEA-V-Replica-build

Hetfield had a custom set of Duncan's made before he recorded Kill 'em All.

I think the Invader was used to thicken up the overall rhythm tone on Ride the Lightning because their best/custom gear was stolen before they had to record. Most thrash bands used JCM800's with some kind of boost in the 80's, but no one sounded like that.

There are live photos of Hetfield with Jason still using passive pickups in his Gibson Explorer so, no EMG's until Garage days at least.

Never go by what gear Gary Holt uses. You won't sound like him. Take it from someone that owns a Peavey XXX (like Gary did).

 

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?241018-Hetfield-KEA-V-Replica-build

Hetfield had a custom set of Duncan's made before he recorded Kill 'em All.

I think the Invader was used to thicken up the overall rhythm tone on Ride the Lightning because their best/custom gear was stolen before they had to record. Most thrash bands used JCM800's with some kind of boost in the 80's, but no one sounded like that.

There are live photos of Hetfield with Jason still using passive pickups in his Gibson Explorer so, no EMG's until Garage days at least.

Never go by what gear Gary Holt uses. You won't sound like him. Take it from someone that owns a Peavey XXX (like Gary did).

I heard that Metallica recorded Puppets with EMGs too. And I think Kirk used them on Lightning.

I'm also going to suggest a JB here. Worked wonders for Megadeth and Testament.

*edit
http://www.encycmet.com/equipment/jayhiseq.shtml

Yeah here you can find their gear. Hammet had EMGs for Lightning and Puppets. In 87 after recording Puppets, Hetfield swtiched over.

 

[SlappyTappy]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

Gary Holt used the Duncan Custom in his Bernie Rico guitars and for a while after switching to Schecter (I spoke to the man directly regarding this). Sometime around his tenure in Slayer he's been switching to EMGs. His tone with the Customs was CRUSHING to say the least.

 

[SlappyTappy]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

Also, Kirk started using EMGs on records before James did. Possibly as early as Ride the Lightning. Kirk's first guitar with EMGs was his Jackson custom shop RR1 which I believe he had during this period. Remember though, Kirk only recorded leads on the early records, no rhythms at all. James switched to EMGs sometime around Garage Days EP/AJFA.

 

[EET_FUK]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?241018-Hetfield-KEA-V-Replica-build

Hetfield had a custom set of Duncan's made before he recorded Kill 'em All.

I think the Invader was used to thicken up the overall rhythm tone on Ride the Lightning because their best/custom gear was stolen before they had to record. Most thrash bands used JCM800's with some kind of boost in the 80's, but no one sounded like that.

There are live photos of Hetfield with Jason still using passive pickups in his Gibson Explorer so, no EMG's until Garage days at least.

Never go by what gear Gary Holt uses. You won't sound like him. Take it from someone that owns a Peavey XXX (like Gary did).

Never heard of that custom set before. I was just going of what I've read/heard in interviews with James and Kirk. And I don't believe they ever had 100% of all guitars or recording done with actives.

 

[EDX]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

if you had enough gain the pearly gates can do thrash ridiculosly fine, it has enough sharp highs and bright to nail the thrash tone, if you don't believe me, here is a demo of my band, our vocalist sucks (i do the guitars and vocals)


pd. sorry for my english, and the crappy vocals (if anybody hears the song)

www.mediafire.com/download/s0cmbb24t9nu1o8/Zombie.mp3

 

[p4vl]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

Also, Kirk started using EMGs on records before James did. Possibly as early as Ride the Lightning. Kirk's first guitar with EMGs was his Jackson custom shop RR1 which I believe he had during this period. Remember though, Kirk only recorded leads on the early records, no rhythms at all. James switched to EMGs sometime around Garage Days EP/AJFA.

Forgot about the Rhoads. D'oh. He also used 3xsingles in that Fernandes Strat thing.

 

[SlappyTappy]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

And I don't believe they ever had 100% of all guitars or recording done with actives.

With the possible exclusion of Garage Days EP and AJFA, you're definitely right. Certainly nothing past and including the Black Album is all EMG. There's plenty of layering and overdubbing with lots of different tones and textures.

 

[dominus]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

if you had enough gain the pealy gates can do thrash ridiculosly fine, it has enough sharp highs and bright to nail the thrash tone, if you don't believe me, here is a demo of my band, our vocalist sucks (i do the guitars and vocals)


pd. sorry for my english, and the crappy vocals (if anybody hears the song)

www.mediafire.com/download/s0cmbb24t9nu1o8/Zombie.mp3

The Pearly Gates is the *only* low output pickup that I've been able to get metal tones from. I got some *great* black metal tones out of it, but yes, you do have to have a high powered amp.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

Custom too loose for thrash? Im gonna have to respectfully disagree

I have to disagree with you. I've played Customs in several guitars, and the amount of palm muting I had to do was insane.

 

[Inder_Cine_Mann]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

I have to disagree with you. I've played Customs in several guitars, and the amount of palm muting I had to do was insane.

To each their own. But now im curious

Are u saying you have had to palm mute more than normal compared to other PU's?

You arent exactly describing what you disliked. I am just curious!

An insane amount of palm muting? I can completely understand if the PUwas not down your alley. Trust me man, im the last guy to start an arguemanet, i just really wana know where you are coming from!

I just do not understand your side of the story

 

[Inder_Cine_Mann]

Re: Good passive SD pickup for thrash metal?

I have to disagree with you. I've played Customs in several guitars, and the amount of palm muting I had to do was insane.

Or are u tapking about just muting the strings from ringing because of high gain and hot bridge pickups?

 

[cmorris975]

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.

Thanks for posting this because I went back and had another go with my stock Jackson RR5. It definitely can get a respectable thrash tone using just the JBs. But I still feel the tone leans more towards a general purpose metal tone whereas other pickups seem a little better for thrash. But you are right, it can still do thrash and sound decent at it as well.