Most versetile pup for METAL ?

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RACER X

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DD, JB, Custom, Deamon, C5, Dime, and what about the DiMarzios. Super D, Super 2 & 3, Fred, Norton, Breed, Moorse, etc. Its enough to drive you crazy. To each his own, but who likes what and why, id realy like to know. :headbang:
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

It's a cliched answer, but the JB is the best (IMO). It can do nearly everything you throw at it and it's never too extreme. The problem I have with a lot of metal pickups is that they do one thing well and other things in a sort of mediocre way. The Invader, for example, has thick low end, a lot of output but it's not the best clean pickup. The Dimebucker is really powerful but I'm not a huge fan of ceramics because they can be too shrill.

With the JB, you get nice solid lows and really crunchy low-mids. I think the JB is the perfect metal pickup.... I'm not surprised that it's what Dave Mustaine uses, as he has what is arguably the best metal tone ever.
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

I'll go with the JB as the most versatile, altho tonally, I'll take the Screamin' Demon, baby!!
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

kill your scene said:
With the JB, you get nice solid lows and really crunchy low-mids. I think the JB is the perfect metal pickup.... I'm not surprised that it's what Dave Mustaine uses, as he has what is arguably the best metal tone ever.
Click to expand...

The JB is a little light on lows if you ask me....it's an upper end pickup if anything. Not to bash Mustaine but his tone blows IMO although I love his playing...his tone is WAY too thin. There are other factors besides the JB in this of course but I would not call the JB the thickest pickup out there by a long shot. It is however good for more upper-end crunchy thrash IMO.
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

Yeah, but you can't blame his tone purely on the pickup, man!! Listen to the TON of other guitarists using JBs (easily in the 10s of thousands) ... there is a reason the JB is probably the best-selling/most popular after market pup of all time ...
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

IMHO, the most verstile is going to be the one that works best for YOU!
this sounds real obvious but it is so important and often overlooked :rolleyes:
yeah this guy and that guy get a great tone with a JB and this other guy sounds great with a DD,and dime sounds great with a dimebucker BUT put one in your guitar and throught your amp and the whole story changes :yell:
I am still looking for the best for me :laugh2:
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

If you ask me, Mustaine isn't even CLOSE to thin-sounding. His tone is metal defined. It's at least a lot better than Metallica's EMG-powered clankiness or Dimebag's yelping, squealing lead tones. You're right about one thing for sure, though.... pickups are only PART of the equation.

For the record, I get really solid low-end from JBs. I don't know how heavy your power chords possibly need to be, but JBs work for my version of metal tone.

TwilightOdyssey - I agree that Screamin' Demons are awesome pickups. I have one in my Strat right now. I don't know if I would call it a metal pickup, but you could if that was the tone you wanted from your metal. The only reason I didn't mention it is because I use it mainly for hard rock, blues and punk.... It's an awesome pickup, though and very very versatile. It's a lot warmer and dirtier than the name lets on.

EDIT: Ranalli - I'm not trying to start an argument... I'm just curious.... What's your choice for versatile metal pickup?
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

when i tried the JB it had ample amount of low end through my bogner amp.
i guess those that find it to not have enough should use a para eq or other eq?
my prob with the JB was not bass but too much upper mids :smack: :laugh2:
i tried to dial then out but no luck :yell:
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

paul gilbert had one of those in parallel i think, and his tone smoked!

if your saying versitile for metal i'd say the custom, its got a cool tone to start off with, a decent amount of bass but not too much
it seems to get better the more gain you add to it as well
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

the JB definitely for duncan. it has the perfect blend of gret overdrive and great cleans. split it for a pretty good single coil tone.
for dimarzio, i'd say the super distortion. im able get a good clean out of it.
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

kill your scene said:
If you ask me, Mustaine isn't even CLOSE to thin-sounding. His tone is metal defined. It's at least a lot better than Metallica's EMG-powered clankiness or Dimebag's yelping, squealing lead tones. You're right about one thing for sure, though.... pickups are only PART of the equation.

For the record, I get really solid low-end from JBs. I don't know how heavy your power chords possibly need to be, but JBs work for my version of metal tone.

TwilightOdyssey - I agree that Screamin' Demons are awesome pickups. I have one in my Strat right now. I don't know if I would call it a metal pickup, but you could if that was the tone you wanted from your metal. The only reason I didn't mention it is because I use it mainly for hard rock, blues and punk.... It's an awesome pickup, though and very very versatile. It's a lot warmer and dirtier than the name lets on.

EDIT: Ranalli - I'm not trying to start an argument... I'm just curious.... What's your choice for versatile metal pickup?
Click to expand...


Definitely the JB IMO. I'm not anti-JB by any means...I love em.

However, I think Mustaines tone at least up until RIP is thin as hell and part of that has to do with the fact that the JB (while an evenly EQ'd pickup in the lower frequencies) does not have the abundance of bass that a Super Distortion or other pickup might have. Look at the tone chart for yourself...you'll see that bass isn't one of it's strongest points.

Can I get a heavy bassy sound with a JB?? Of course....but if I turn all the knobs on my amp to 12:00 it's not nearly as chunky as let's say a Custom or something. But then again, every amp is different....a JB with a Mesa might be very bassy...I haven't tried that combo though.
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

Well, so far it seems like a Deamon or a Fred might be the ticket.but dont count out a custom either.
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

With my JB (in strat) i can do everything.. i have nice cleans, and almost every type of distortion i want... If you're not a fan of mid-scooped sound this pickup is for you..
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

I'd go with the Custom. I've only tried the JB and the Custom, and I never got a clean tone with the JB that I really liked. The Custom just sounds better balanced for what I wanted: more bass, less upper mids/highs than the JB, and SMOOTH. I am not bashing the JB, I just like the Custom better.
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

Actaully, on Rust In Peace (the masterpiece IMHO), Dave used X2N's.
 
Re: Most versetile pup for METAL ?

Great posts guys, keep um comeing.
 
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