Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

J

JarickL

New member
Alright, so for some odd reason, I never listened to Iron Maiden until recently. Now I know why everyone loves them. :) Their tone really does rock, and everything I've heard from them is that they use humbuckers in single-coil guitars.

Now I've got a Strat that is quite neglected. I was originally going to do some SSL's and a TwangBanger, but I'm thinking I still may not dig it. I'm a humbucker guy, and right now I'm LOVING my JB/C5 hybrid bridge and Jazz neck PRS-knockoff. I put two and two together, and now I think I want humbuckers in my strat.

How would the everything axe (JB Jr, Duckbucker, Little '59) in an alder body/maple neck/rosewood fretboard Strat sound? How is the volume compared to standard humbuckers?

Which would you say sounds better: full-size or single-coil-size humbuckers? I believe I have a swimming pool rout, and I'm getting a new pickguard anyway, so I'm open on that.

Thanks for the help!
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

Iron Maiden have three guitarists...

Dave Murray uses 3x Hot Rails in a Fender Strat. Now, the problem with these is that they do not clean up very well. However, Dave manages to get the sweetest of clean tones from his (ie, intro to Brave New World), but maybe my amp just doesn't appreciate cleans as much.

Adrian Smith has a DiMarzio Super Distortion in the bridge of a Fender Strat. In earlier recordings (pre 1988) Dave also has a Super D in a Strat. I personally like his tone the best, and I am actually planning to get a Super Distortion for my next Strat.

Janick Gers uses a JB Jr in the bridge and neck of Fender Strats. His tone in the studio is good, but live, he has horrible tone. Also, from experience the JB Jr is thinner than the full JB. It also lacks the warmth of the Lil' 59 in my opinion.

The everything axe set is ok, but I would rather have Hot Rails/Cool Rails in the bridge. If not, a Super D. I like the Lil' 59 in the bridge, but have never tried it in the neck. ErikH has some sweet clips of the Lil' 59 in the bridge of his Strat if you can track him down.
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

I might add that I'm running it into a Univalve with an EL34 and a couple OD pedals but nothing too huge. So output isn't a bad thing, and regular Strat pickups are a bit weak...
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

The tone you hear in a lot of iron maiden songs is basicly the combined tone of all three guitarists playing the same thing except in harmony. IMO dave murray's tone is the most dominant in studio recordings in songs like the trooper, etc. So if your looking for that type of thing defiantly go for hot rails. My favorite tone would probably be adrian smiths. Both work nicely if you want to play iron maiden. Don't bother with Janick
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

Pecan said:
The tone you hear in a lot of iron maiden songs is basicly the combined tone of all three guitarists playing the same thing except in harmony. IMO dave murray's tone is the most dominant in studio recordings in songs like the trooper, etc. So if your looking for that type of thing defiantly go for hot rails. My favorite tone would probably be adrian smiths. Both work nicely if you want to play iron maiden. Don't bother with Janick
Click to expand...

only in the trooper he uses a Super dist ;)

My fav maiden tone is Daves early deal, which would be a Super distortion in the bridge and a PAF in the neck.
But if you like his newer tone better then go for 3x hotrails, they kick ass too.
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

The Hot Rails rocks and the JB jr is cool as well. For my everything Strat I went with a JB, a Hot Stack in the middle and a lil59 in the neck.

Killer sounding guitar and it does the Iron Maiden thing easily.
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

Most of Dave's solos are done with the neck pickup.
Most of Adrian's solos are done with the bridge pickup.


So... Hotrails in the neck, SuperD in the bridge... and whatever in the middle! :)
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

D'oh! Clarifications and questions:

1. I'm not looking to cop their tone (or anyone's)! I just really liked the sound of humbuckers in a Strat. I almost never play the guitar in stock form, and don't want to sell it for sentimental reasons, but I do want to mod it.

Anyways, that sound they have on their early to mid 80's stuff (especially Powerslave and Live after Death)...it's got the balls and sustain of a humbucker, but with that weird Strat bite and attack. That's what attracted me to the sound, not necessarily the voicing.

2. Let's say I have a swimming pool rout. Should I go for the "real deal" full-size humbuckers or should I try the stacks?

3. I've got alder/maple/rosewood on the guitar. Let's say I go JB/59 (full size)...what do I put in the middle? What if I went JB Jr. and Lil' 59?

4. As for splitting the tones, they'd be mainly for screwing around and not for the main purpose of the guitar...can you wire up split coils in positions 2 and 4 only? Or can you get an on-on switch and have it trip the single-coils in all positions and wire from there to the 5-way?

Thanks a lot for your help...you guys steered me right on the JB/C5 hybrid and the Jazz neck...so this guitar ought to see a lot more "face time"!

:banana:
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

Dimarzio now makes a single coil sized super distortion which might be a good idea if you don't want to alter the strat too much. Or you could go with JB jr's. I have been toying with the idea of the new single coil sized super distortion in the bridge and two jb jr's for neck and middle. The jb jr neck is an amazing pickup!
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

Jarick, I have an MIJ Ibanez RG 550 with a JB in the bridge, a JB jr in the middle and a 59 in the neck. That combo also makes for a killer guitar.

I have played on Hot Rails, Cool Rails, JB Jrs, lil59s, lilSDs as well as both Stacks (all three actually - Stack Plus) and I have tried all three Customs and the JB in the bridge position of a Strat. The lil/jr/Rails pickups sound awesome and the Hot Rails in particular is very convincing but none of them have the girth of a full sized humbucker. It has to do with the magnet size, coil winds and the physical size of the traditional humbucker. I like a full sized humbucker best in the bridge.

The neck slot is different and the lil series pickups, because they have a smaller apature (area of string the pickup is effected by) and I like those for a closer to single coil tone with a humbucker thickness and output.

The Hot Stack in the middle is cool. Hum cancelling and it is hotter and a bit warmer than a traditional single coil so it keeps up with the humbuckers better.
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

That strat snap/bite is likely from the 25 1/2 inch scale plus a maple board. Also, while I dog this pedal over in amp central, weren't maiden MXR Dist+ users?
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

What era of songs did you liek the tone the best?

Also remember Daves awsome assed '57 strat with Super D's had an ash body!
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

I can hear the Strat tone coming through...it's the snap of the strings and the trem/nut combination. Partly the woods, maybe the bolt-on neck, but it's a more aggressive and snappy tone. I've got a 25.5" scale set-neck mahogany guitar that sounds closer to a Paul but it nice with the lower tunings.

I was digging around, and now I'm thinking that maybe I ought to try some vintaged voiced full-sized hums...they always sounded too dark in my mahogany 'Paul, so they might work in my alder Strat.

Anyways, what about a Pearly Gates in the neck? I like how the vintage pickups on the SD clips were a little open, especially in the neck position. And a little hair and brightness would rock in the neck. As for the bridge, maybe a Custom or C2 or C5 (or C8, as I've got a pair of A8 bars laying around)? JB?

And what do I stick in between?
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

I love replying to my own threads...

What about a Screamin' Demon in the bridge and a Pearly Gates in the neck...

...with A8 magnets? :)

A rock pickup with a little lower output in the bridge, a clear pickup on the neck with some balls, then thicken up the mids, up the sustain, and roll off the highs with the A8's...
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

There are sooo many choices out there and I've tried a bunch of pickup combinations in my franken fat strat until finally settling on this setup: A full size JB in the bridge, a JB jr in the middle and a DiMarzio Chopper in the neck. Nothing vintage about this sound unless you think 80's Kramer with a neck pup. The JB in the bridge is the bomb, finally. With the JB jr in the middle, I've now have a use for that position. Sorry guys but the DMZ Chopper matches the other buckers output and sounds great in the neck both clean and dirty. Everyone has an opinion and this is just my 2 cents worth. Have a good one.
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

Basically Live after Deatrh era maiden tone is Super Distortions...PERIOD. Dave or Adrian.

Adrian RARELY used a neck pup. Murray, not as often as you'd think. He tends to use the wah more like Schenker to get the deeper, smoother tones. (Back in the day, now I've no idea)

If you actually go take LAD and pan hard, left or right, you'll find Adrian has the ballsy nasty raw sound (Gibson style instruments) and Dave has the typical smoother sound of a SuperD loaded strat... Gibsons get a little more raw and crunchy with a SuperD.

And yes, MXR Distortion Plus. Adrian also used a Tube screamer on occasion when he had the Ibanez endorsement.

So if ya want old maiden tone (and IMO far better tones than the current stuff), go for a SuperD/PAF combo. Or try a Single coil size SuperD.

If you want newer maiden tone, ehh..I'm no big fan of the HR (too hot) or JB (though I don't think it soudds too bad in an alder strat)...so I'd prolly go lil' 59 for a single coil size bucker, it will do a good job and be a bit more versatile than the JB/HR. In fact I'd prolly go Lil 59/CoolRails/Lil59

Don't bother with Janick
Click to expand...

You got that $hit right! :laugh2:

I'm sure he's a nice guy and all, but I think he totally messes up the band...he does more posing than playing, his playing doesn't fit the band's style (usually a bunch of noise and noodling and very little interaction with Dave as a "team" player)), and his tone is just not very good either. Maybe' he's a good songwriter? Cos I really don't what he brings to the band that Adrian didn't/couldn't do 1000 times better.
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

I like using a full sized Hber in the bridge position of strats. A full size Humbucker just works better there. I usually just use a PAF strength bridge position HBer in, such as the Pearly Gates. If you install a Super D in the bridge, the singles in the neck and middle may be drowned out. This may require hotter pickups for neck and middle. Somthing like the Lil59 in the neck would balance well with a high output bridge pickup like a Super D.
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

*cough*

I might have to start a new thread...maybe I shouldn't have mentioned Iron Maiden :smack:

Anyways, right now, the PG neck and Screamin Demon bridge with A8's to boost and smooth them out sounds like a plan. Screw the middle pickup. That's for people that can "play."

Thanks for the responses! Hopefully this won't fall too far down on my priority list...

Now I've just got to figure out what color pickguard to do...

:dance:
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

Robbiedbee said:
Iron Maiden have three guitarists...

Dave Murray uses 3x Hot Rails in a Fender Strat. Now, the problem with these is that they do not clean up very well. However, Dave manages to get the sweetest of clean tones from his (ie, intro to Brave New World), but maybe my amp just doesn't appreciate cleans as much.
Click to expand...
#2 position on the super switch, probably set to split, with a dif patch on the preamp ;)

Adrian Smith has a DiMarzio Super Distortion in the bridge of a Fender Strat. In earlier recordings (pre 1988) Dave also has a Super D in a Strat. I personally like his tone the best, and I am actually planning to get a Super Distortion for my next Strat.
Click to expand...
he's got a dimarzio PAF ;)

Janick Gers uses a JB Jr in the bridge and neck of Fender Strats. His tone in the studio is good, but live, he has horrible tone. Also, from experience the JB Jr is thinner than the full JB. It also lacks the warmth of the Lil' 59 in my opinion.
Click to expand...
w0rd
The everything axe set is ok, but I would rather have Hot Rails/Cool Rails in the bridge. If not, a Super D. I like the Lil' 59 in the bridge, but have never tried it in the neck. ErikH has some sweet clips of the Lil' 59 in the bridge of his Strat if you can track him down.
Click to expand...
hot rails bridge, cool rails middle/neck if ya want it ;)
 
Re: Is this a dumb idea? Iron Maiden/Strat content...

Davey, when you say 'he', you mean Adrian, right? I don't wanna sound arrogant or anything, but where did you hear that from? I am not trying to say my sources are any less credible than mine, because in reality they are probably both the same (both internet). I am his biggest fan (no arguments) and I have looked at all the fansites I could find, all the guitargeek esque websites and so on, and I always thought it was a Super Distortion.

Forgive me if I am wrong, but it throws the plans for my new Strat totally out if I am.
 
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