help me decide

[whomeno]

I am working on a epiphone special 2. right now I have the sd hot rodded set in.I want to set this one up for heavy metal (iron maiden and such). playing through a marshall dsl 20 and a 2x12 cab.
I have been looking at the mayhem set. or could I switch out the a5 magnets to ceramic magnets. not sure what to do. any input would help.
Thanks

 

[ICTGoober]

Get something better than a plywood LP.

 

[beaubrummels]

Distortion set or Black Winter set might help that guitar get there. There are other options (like Pegasus/Sentient) but I haven't tried them and don't now how they would respond in an Epi Special.

 

[solspirit]

Get something better than a plywood LP.

Aw. . . I love my plywood lp. . If I can't heat the house this winter, it's the first thing going in the fireplace.

 

[Mincer]

The Mayhem set would absolutely work for what you want. But i am surprised the JB/Jazz isn't working for you. What don't you like about it?

 

[pskorz]

Are you saying you currently have the hot rod (JB/jazz) in it, but are looking for a little more oomph to get it to or past “eleven?” Maiden is the vibe you’re going for?

are you looking for a tonal change, or mostly looking for more power and aggression?

 

[chadd]

Maiden isn't all that distorted and a JB should be able to do those tones all day long.

 

[pskorz]

Whomeno,
depending on your situation, there’s already some good advice here.
A guitar equipped with a JB and Jazz already has-I would argue- a primo set of pickups. They definitely will get the type of vibe for Maiden and can sound really good in other styles, too. Arguably, you shouldn’t really need to change them.

But I’m the LAST guy who can give that advise. Pickup swaps are a fun thing to do, either to just change things up in general, or to go for a more specific sound. If you do decide to change out for the mayhem set it’d be a different flavor for sure. Or if you are up to the task, a magnet swap is an increasingly popular and budget-friendly way to do it. I never have-I’m too timid.

or if you have the means, a different guitar could be the way to go. When I think maiden, I think strats with humbuckers, but Adrian Smith definitely rocked Les Paul’s and SGs.

 

[whomeno]

I went with the black winter set. They give more aggression. Going to setup them up for coil split. And to answer the the comments. I do have a gibson les paul with the slash humbucker set in.
The epi is just a test guitar. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Get something better than a plywood LP.

Well, that's very appropriate/relevant...(or is it just a cork-sniffer recommendation?). I'll bet a good Gibson one-piece body would be the solution to play heavy metal.