Help with good lead and rythm tone

Time Stood Still

Time Stood Still

New member
I've tried a bunch of pickups over the years an feel as if this journey will never end or maybe I have too much time on my hands today.

I'm considering the Dimarzio Air Zone/Air Norton combo or a SH-1b/Jazz neck combo. I've used the JB for years and want to try something different.

I'm looking for a warm smooth jazz lead tone rich in harmonics for the neck and a full rhythm tone that distorts well and cleans up nicely in the bridge. Alex Skolnick's lead & rhythm tones come to mind but I don't want the PafPro presence spike.

My gear is solid body: Maple neck-thru, Walnut wings & ebony board or Maple neck-thru, mahogany wings with rosewood board. > Wha > TS-9 > Marshall 800 > cabs. D'addario 12-52 strings

Am I correct in assuming less (med) output will translate to better tone?
 
Re: Help with good lead and rythm tone

With your rig and guitar, I'd go with the Dimarzio combo. The Jazz was not warm at all in my all maple neck thru Carvin.
 
Re: Help with good lead and rythm tone

Jay 77 said:
Why not a pair of A2P's?
Click to expand...
i agree, I have the A2P's in my guitar and i love them. They aren't too high output but IMO they get a nice crunch tone (that's probably why slash uses them!). They clean up great as well. They also have an amazing tone to them. I always seem to get compliments about my tone if nothing else!
 
Re: Help with good lead and rythm tone

The best clean tones usually come from low output PAF HB's. Your guitar's wood is probably on the bright side, and you should pick your PU's accordingly. For a warm jazzy bridge, a PU with an A2 magnet would work well, like a PGB.

For the neck you could use a PGN or '59N. If the PGN is a little dark, an A3 or A4 would give a little more treble, and likewise, those magnets would warm a '59N if need be.
 
Re: Help with good lead and rythm tone

Thanks for your help.

At the moment I'm fried. I've been reading the descriptions and listening to sound clips all day and I'm worried I'll pick something that'll be too raw for Thrash Metal (ie:Testament/Exodus).

Is is possible to have pickups that are warm & smooth with a lead tone rich in harmonics or am I trying to cross two opposing forces here?

Here's some of the combo's I've been considering.

1. Duncan Custom(sh-5)/ '59(sh-1) The sh-5 goes against my initial post BUT it's not an X2N
2. '59 / Jazz(sh-2n)
3. Custom Custom(sh-11)/PG(Sh-11)
4. Alnico II Pro (Aph-1)/Aph-1

or
5. Stick with the Dimarzio's I've got in there:
X2N/SuperDist and SuperDist/PAF
and swap out the X2N and SD(b) for a Steve's Special
 
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