Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

L

Lorenzar

New member
I own one Jackson JJ4 (the japanese version of the old Scott Ian signature model).


I currently have the SH2/SH4 combo installed on it. It's alder body, maple neck (bolt-on), rosewood fingerboard. Pretty light guitar, along the lines of an SG standard, maybe even a little bit lighter.


I'm gonna dedicate this guitar to thrash and metal only so to speak. Of course, I'm never against versatility and I know what I currently have is pretty versatile (more over I can split the pickups).


I was thinking of putting an SH-6 in the bridge instead, but I wonder if it's gonna be too bright maybe with alder/maple.

Also, when split, can you get a decent clean sound from something as hot as an SH6 ?
 
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Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

maybe the dimebucker or the screamin demon are things you should look at, although you might turn down the treble a bit. I'm using the demon in a basswood jackson dinky and its awesome
 
Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

I use an SH-6 in my guitars and it's an absolutely fine bridge pickup for thrash and such. Despite the name, it actually makes a great clean pickup too.
 
Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

Oh god, tonewood. I thought everyone knew this was debunked for solidbody electric guitars by now. Please know im not trying to start an argument just saying.
 
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Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

? What institute of science provided evidence that wood doesn't have a tonal influence in solidbody electrics?

I'm not sure what Scott Ian actually used in his JJ, probably his signature/Custom Shop thing with the thick rails/bars.

A distortion-class pickup into a high-gain amp is not a necessity for Thrash. If you were running into a medium-gain amp and needed the pickup to slam the front, then yeah, but you may end up with an inarticulate mush instead of an articulate mosh if you try to push an amp that doesn't need it.

In all settings, all instruments work together, and with Thrash, they should be tight, with no extraneous fizz or grind.

As for clean, wasn't that the 2-hum model? If so, you want a neck pickup for cleans. 59 or JB in parallel, maybe a Jazz, maybe a P-Rail. A cleaner pickup in the bridge will get good cleans, of course, but a Distorion-class will have some breakup that may detract from the cleanliness of the clean tone. Depends on your definition of "clean" also.
 
Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

Sorry I forgot about the Amp.

Right now, I use a Marshall SL5 with a Maxon OD9 as a clean boost (no gain, max level) for thrash metal tones.

I plan on trying one 6505 MH head as soon as I found them into french stores.

That one would probably have way enough gain to turn a low input pickup loaded guitar into a monster.

So that's defintely a thing to consider for sure. Maybe I should wait for setting my amp situation first.

With the MArshall, I do need high output for metal applications.
 
Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

The Invader is also a good option, james hetfield used it for kill em all and ride the lightning with a modded jcm 800. But anyways what kind of thrash tone do you want, listing a band as a reference may help us get the tone you want.
 
Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

DrNewcenstein said:
A distortion-class pickup into a high-gain amp is not a necessity for Thrash. If you were running into a medium-gain amp and needed the pickup to slam the front, then yeah, but you may end up with an inarticulate mush instead of an articulate mosh if you try to push an amp that doesn't need it.
Click to expand...

Totally depends on the amp/pedal you're using. Some can deal, some can't.
 
Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

Distortion, JB, Custom, Custom 5, Alt8, 59.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
 
Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

KINGV02 said:
Here is my best source. https://youtu.be/svmOQuNC1Uw If this is wrong please tell me so I don't go waltzing around the internet making a fool out of myself.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Admittedly I have not gone through the entire video, but at around 19:30 he babbles something about the two anchor points (bridge and nut) being the only factors that govern tone, completely ignoring the influence that the density of the wood they're mounted on has. I'm also seeing a string of rebuttal videos between him and some others. Should be an interesting headache.

Math must consider variables, and nearly 20 minutes into it, he has not referenced that key variable.
 
Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

KINGV02 said:
Here is my best source. https://youtu.be/svmOQuNC1Uw If this is wrong please tell me so I don't go waltzing around the internet making a fool out of myself.
Click to expand...

Asinine garbage. It is quite obvious wood influences sound. It can be demonstrated easily. take two identical necks, same scale, same hardware, same fret materials, etc. Say make one Wenge, and one maple, you should hear a difference. It tends to be obvious. IMO, I prefer the cheaper, less exotic option between those. I have built a few dozen guitars and woods matter.

Also, black winters are a great option. I have a Bridge one in a single pickup strat hardtail with alder body, maple neck, ebony fretboard. It is awesome.
 
Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

As far as thrash sound, it's for old school, standard/eflat tuning thrash. Stuffs like Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Death Angel, Testament etc...

Not going after a polished modern sound at all.

The JB I have does the trick. I know the SH6 would add some tightness and thickness for palm mute chuga chuga stuffs. Was just concerned if it would be a good choice with this guitar.


As far as tone wood goes, I wish my alder japanese Jackson could sound like a Mahogany Explorer...not the case though ! Way brighter and thinner.


For the pickup, maybe I should wait to see if the 6505 is to my liking. Only issue, I'm looking for the mini head and it's not available yet in France. With the SL-5, I need high output pickup. Maybe not with a 6505 I guess, and well, the JB is already pretty hot. But for thrash, ceramic might be a good option I guess, especially since my other standard tuning guitars (LP and SG are with alnico magnets).
 
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Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

Lorenzar said:
The JB I have does the trick. I know the SH6 would add some tightness and thickness for palm mute chuga chuga stuffs. Was just concerned if it would be a good choice with this guitar.
Click to expand...
Now you're talking specifics. Good. The DD is going to grow some muscle in the low + low mid parts as compared to the JB. However, its top end is also somewhat sharper. You can, to some degree, control it by choosing the volume pot resistance. Lower value will flatten the frequency peak and tame the tone somewhat.

Lorenzar said:
As far as tone wood goes, I wish my alder japanese Jackson could sound like a Mahogany Explorer...not the case though ! Way brighter and thinner.
Click to expand...
In brief, if it were meant to sound like that, it would be built differently.
 
Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

I play a lot of similar music and have tried most of the pick ups listed here. The Black Winter is bar far the best.
 
Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

DrNewcenstein said:
A distortion-class pickup into a high-gain amp is not a necessity for Thrash. If you were running into a medium-gain amp and needed the pickup to slam the front, then yeah, but you may end up with an inarticulate mush instead of an articulate mosh if you try to push an amp that doesn't need it.
Click to expand...

While I don't necessarily disagree with you, a high output pick up, even into a high gain amp, will give a certain tone and feel that a lower output pick up won't give. You are correct that with a high gain amp you don't absolutely need a high output pick up, but it is not the same using lower output pick ups. Its not so much about more gain or less gain and more about how you want your amp and guitar to feel. High output pup/high gain amp will not mush out as long as the pick up is good and the amp is EQ'd properly.
 
Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

I love my Invader set. It's a one trick pony but it does the thrash metal trick nicely.
I'm not gonna argue about it but wood affects tone. That you tube video is retarded swill and anyone who actually believes that guy probably believes that Bernie Sanders is gonna give em free college and a pony.
 
Re: Metal/Thrash bridge for Alder body/Maple neck

Thanks guys for all your advices.

Looks like Distorsion is the safe bet (the one I had in mind initially).

Black Winter and Invader could do it for sure, maybe more "risky" ?

As far as tone, for thrash, I wouldn't be very meticulous. As long as I get huge palm mutes and enough clarity, I'm ok with this !

I say I'd like old school tones, but modern tones like what Tommy Victor has on the last 3 Prong records (carved into stone, ruining lives, no absolutes) is great too !

Like I said, looking for a bit of clarity and big/tight palm muting basically.
 
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