Help me convert my explorer back to passives

[Dahla]

Ok guys, I'm looking for some advice.

I have long had an itch for some lower output pickups to see what the fuzz (badom tisssch) is all about.

I've decided that my Gibson Explorer is the guitar that will be changed. Currently, it has the EMG Het Set. The previous owner had EMG's installed, but at least left the ground wire from the bridge, so it will be an easy swap back to passives.

Sound-wise, the explorer is a typical mahogany body and neck, rosewood fretboard guitar. It's not overly bright and snappy, but it's not completely muffled either. Balanced and warm? Yes.

Musically, I play music from Foo Fighters and up, with original thrash-esque music being the main focus. I'm on the distortion channel 80% of the time. I like a good, chunky tight rythm sound. And I like mids. Not necessary screaming high mids, but definitely mid mids. James Hetfield, Scott Ian and Max Cavalera are huge influences on my playing. I do not play leads in band settings, I'm not good enough.

My rig is a Kemper. The amps I'm mostly drawn too is Marshall's and Mesa's (rectos). I SOMETIMES like an EVH 5150III, but they are a little too gainy and fizzy for me most of the time. I use probably less gain than you would think. I like it right where it sustains and is distorted, but I like the chunk and definition of a "cleaner" distortion.

In the past I have always gone for high output ceramic pickups. I love the JB. I love the het set. I love the BW and I loved the distortion. But it's time to try something I haven't tried before, so what do you guys recommend for me? What pickup that I wouldn't normally go for would suit me?

(I have experience with the screaming demon, and I liked the sound but I felt it lacked sustain. That was in a Fender though).

 

[El Supremo]

Re: Help me convert my explorer back to passives

Maybe some Suhr Aldrich pickups. Classic rock kinda sound, yet super tight and cleans up incredibly with a singel coil kinda chime to it.
Does rock obviously, but also nails that Anthrax rhythm sound perfectly.

 

[Dahla]

Re: Help me convert my explorer back to passives

Oh, cool. Thanks! I didn't even consider other options than Seymour Duncan. This forum has brainwashed me. Haha

 

[Ptolemaeus]

Re: Help me convert my explorer back to passives

I like the Duncan Custom for what you're going for. I put it in my buddy's Explorer with a Full Shred neck and it sounds awesome. He plays in a cover band, and he says it'll do anything from Coldplay to Death.

If you can afford it, Bareknuckles are really good. I had a ceramic Nailbomb in a PRS a while back. It's great for thrash. I also like the Juggernauts, but they might be too modern sounding for what you want.

 

[Brandenburg]

Re: Help me convert my explorer back to passives

Maybe some Suhr Aldrich pickups. Classic rock kinda sound, yet super tight and cleans up incredibly with a singel coil kinda chime to it.
Does rock obviously, but also nails that Anthrax rhythm sound perfectly.

i looked up the suhr pickups.. they have a pretty big selection IMO.. more than what I thought they would of had anyway

 

[El Supremo]

Re: Help me convert my explorer back to passives

Oh, cool. Thanks! I didn't even consider other options than Seymour Duncan. This forum has brainwashed me. Haha

Another Duncan to try for Thrash is the Full Shred. Very tight for rhythm and a great sound for leads.

 

[Dahla]

Re: Help me convert my explorer back to passives

I like the Duncan Custom for what you're going for. I put it in my buddy's Explorer with a Full Shred neck and it sounds awesome. He plays in a cover band, and he says it'll do anything from Coldplay to Death.

If you can afford it, Bareknuckles are really good. I had a ceramic Nailbomb in a PRS a while back. It's great for thrash. I also like the Juggernauts, but they might be too modern sounding for what you want.

Custom is certainly on the short list. They seem pretty versatile, with mag swaps and all I mean. But the Custom is a little similar to what I already have though, isn't it?... Maybe it's the right choice, I dunno. Thanks though!

I used to have an alnico Nailbomb/coldsweat combo in an epi explorer. It was not for me.

 

[Dahla]

Re: Help me convert my explorer back to passives

Another Duncan to try for Thrash is the Full Shred. Very tight for rhythm and a great sound for leads.

How are they for other genres? Could it pull of Chevelle or Slash if I wanted too? (Fakin' it is allowed, lol).

 

[El Supremo]

Re: Help me convert my explorer back to passives

How are they for other genres? Could it pull of Chevelle or Slash if I wanted too? (Fakin' it is allowed, lol).

Never tried playing Slash on the FS. Had it paired with a Jazz that was a rockin' combo for thrashing and shredding. The FS neck version is basically a Jazz with hex poles (as far as I know) and probably a bit too bright and articulate for Slash's lead tone. I'd look at the Slash APH neck or regular A2Pro neck for that.

 

[InbredJunk]

Re: Help me convert my explorer back to passives

I've got a dimarzio 36th anniversary paf set in my explorer. They are vintage output and sound great for metal styles. Punchy with a nice balance between highs and lows. They are not as loose sounding as you would expect, and they are crystal clear. My favorites by far.

The neck pup has a single coil esque quality to it. It's got plenty of girth to it, but at the same time it has that strat neck pup kind of vibe to it. It's strangely awesome sounding.

The bridge pup is tighter than you would normally associate with vintage style pafs. It's balanced and super dynamic. When you hit the strings hard, it really opens up. A healthy dose of harmonics as well.

Like you, I play with minimal gain. I've tried many different pups, and I have found that the vintage style pups work best for lower gain metal styles. It just makes it a bit easier to achieve the types of sounds I want. And these pups work very well with drop tunings.

 

[Dahla]

Re: Help me convert my explorer back to passives

Never tried playing Slash on the FS. Had it paired with a Jazz that was a rockin' combo for thrashing and shredding. The FS neck version is basically a Jazz with hex poles (as far as I know) and probably a bit too bright and articulate for Slash's lead tone. I'd look at the Slash APH neck or regular A2Pro neck for that.

Not his lead tone, but rythm for his style of music.

I've got a dimarzio 36th anniversary paf set in my explorer. They are vintage output and sound great for metal styles. Punchy with a nice balance between highs and lows. They are not as loose sounding as you would expect, and they are crystal clear. My favorites by far.

The neck pup has a single coil esque quality to it. It's got plenty of girth to it, but at the same time it has that strat neck pup kind of vibe to it. It's strangely awesome sounding.

The bridge pup is tighter than you would normally associate with vintage style pafs. It's balanced and super dynamic. When you hit the strings hard, it really opens up. A healthy dose of harmonics as well.

Like you, I play with minimal gain. I've tried many different pups, and I have found that the vintage style pups work best for lower gain metal styles. It just makes it a bit easier to achieve the types of sounds I want. And these pups work very well with drop tunings.

Awesome! I will check these out. It sounds like what I am after (now). :thumbup:

 

[El Supremo]

Re: Help me convert my explorer back to passives

The 36th Ann. set also does the Slash thing great btw. Thought they were a bit too vintagey sounding for Thrashy stuff, but damn good pickups in a blues, (classic) rock kinda setting.

 

[jonsick]

Re: Help me convert my explorer back to passives

I went through a few pickups with my Explorer. The downside is that there is a lot of mahogany to work with, so some pickups just sounded way too bassy for me.

I'm settled on the Alternative 8 in the bridge. It's got a good amount of output. It seems like a lot on paper but it doesn't seem to translate to being too overly hot when in use. It's versatile enough to get Foo Fighters "Exhausted" kind of tones (I like playing that track) but fierce enough to respond to some extra gain from the amplifier to pull off some pinch harmonics and the like.

I tried out a Screamin Demon, Jazz and a 59 as a neck pickup and eventually settled on the 59. I also have the tone pot as a push pull. I really like the north coil of the 59 when split, it's got a really deep character to it that's pretty much my staple clean tone these days.

I also tried out the DiMarzio PAF 36th set. I liked them fine but felt they were a little too dark. Everything else was fine though.

Hope this helps.

 

[Dahla]

Re: Help me convert my explorer back to passives

Awesome! Thank you!

Right now I have a short list of 36th, Custom and (tadaaa..) the WLH.

I'm actually leaning towards the 36th. Just to try something I wouldn't normally try. They were hard to find here in Norway though, so looks like I'm heading to ebay.