HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

A-Ro

A-Ro

New member
I have a Carvin Bolt HSS (alder body, maple neck, ebony fretboard) and plan on switching out the pickups...going for a hard rock/metal tone here.

My thoughts are leaning toward the Dimarzio Super 3 for the bridge.

Where I need the most help is the neck and middle and what combos work best for that genre. The tone wizard suggests cool rails in the middle with hot rails in the neck...

Thoughts?
 
Re: HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

Cool rails? Dunno. Very hifi. Shortest lifetime of pickup ownership for me me.

I'd put a little demon in the neck if this is about HM high-gain neck pickup solos.

A Quarter-Pounder in the middle gives you some nice "catch the rainbow" like Blackmore cleans without having to build a second rig.
 
Re: HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

I guess I should mention I prefer hum cancelling pickups...and the shreddier the better ;-)
 
Re: HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

Go hotrails neck if you like dave Murrays solo tone. Could throw one in the middle position too?
 
Re: HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

Personally, I love the Cool Rails. If thats what the wizard suggests, it might be worth a try. I had three in a Strat at one time.
 
Re: HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

uOpt said:
I'd put a little demon in the neck if this is about HM high-gain neck pickup solos.

.
Click to expand...

Well, if you are open to regular single coils you have a lot of options I think. If you want hum-cancelleing, then maybe what Im considering for a high gain neck pickup- a Lil Demon bridge ( at 11K+) in the neck. < It seems to be the a very viable high gain option for a hum cancelling single coil in the neck to balance out a VERY hot high gain bridge humbucker ( like a Crazy8 for instance)..but I don't know..

EDIT- just doin some checking and the Lil Demon Bridge is probably too hot to sound good in the neck at 13+ K ( for comparison, the p90's go about 12K and the Distortion full sized Humbucker is at 12.7K).
The Lil 59 bridge looks like a good choce in the neck at 11.78K.
 
Last edited:
Re: HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

No, I actually used the little Demon (there's only a bridge version) in the neck. If you want that fat, liquid, singing sound it comes out very well.

The regular size Demon is one of the best bridge pickups, too, if you want to get a guitar with problematic neck position under control.
 
Re: HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

uOpt said:
No, I actually used the little Demon (there's only a bridge version) in the neck. If you want that fat, liquid, singing sound it comes out very well.

The regular size Demon is one of the best bridge pickups, too, if you want to get a guitar with problematic neck position under control.
Click to expand...


The Tone Chart shows both a neck and bridge position Li'l Screamin' Demon: 9.72 k and 13.35 k.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones

Also neck and bridge are available at Musicians Friend on clearance:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Seymour-Duncan-Lil-Screamin-Demon-Pickup?sku=300130
 
Re: HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

A-Ro said:
The Tone Chart shows both a neck and bridge position Li'l Screamin' Demon: 9.72 k and 13.35 k.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones

Also neck and bridge are available at Musicians Friend on clearance:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Seymour-Duncan-Lil-Screamin-Demon-Pickup?sku=300130
Click to expand...

Dunno, then. There's no bridge full-size demon and I've never seen either neck in the wild.

Either way, to my ears the little demon came out better than the little '59, both compare to the big brothers.
 
Re: HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

uOpt said:
Dunno, then. There's no bridge full-size demon and I've never seen either neck in the wild.

Either way, to my ears the little demon came out better than the little '59, both compare to the big brothers.
Click to expand...

So it sounds nice for both lead and rhythm with lots of gain?
 
Re: HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

I used to have a Quarter pounder in the middle and a hot for strat in the neck, which was great for assorted rock tones just don't expect a stratty bell like clean tone.
Still a nice clean tone mind :)
 
Re: HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

I have a MIA Strat with a JB/Hot Stack/lil59 combo and it covers a lot of ground.
 
Re: HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

A-Ro said:
The Tone Chart shows both a neck and bridge position Li'l Screamin' Demon: 9.72 k and 13.35 k.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones

Also neck and bridge are available at Musicians Friend on clearance:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Seymour-Duncan-Lil-Screamin-Demon-Pickup?sku=300130
Click to expand...

thats not much of a clearnace. thats regular price. but i was speaking speciafically of useing the bridge lil demon in the neck postiton, which UPOT siad he has done with good results.
 
Re: HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

+1 for li'l 59 in the middle and lil screamin demon in the neck. and throw duncan custom in the bridge.
 
Re: HSS suggestions for Hard Rock/Metal

What about staying with Dimarzio and using super distortion bridge, pro track middle and chopper neck.
 
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