Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
So, for those not aware, I play in an 80's hair metal tribute band. As such, we use a lot of guitar (big hair, big guitars, blah blah blah). For more info - check here (www.hollywoodblvdband.com). We play all your classic hair bands: Poision, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Warrant, Ratt, etc...
All played into a Mesa Stiletto on 50 watts, bold setting, using the tight gain channel (Silicon rectifier for those who care...)
Here is a rundown of my guitar/pickups that I use and my general thoughts:
White Dean Cadillac: PG/Custom - I never use the neck on this guitar. Usually use it for Def Leppard, Quiet Riot, Scorpions, Twisted Sister and some others. Occasionally Motley Crue. The Custom is just an all around winner here. All the scream needed for solos, and decent booty where appropriate. If too much bass (like quiet riot) I adjust by adding some crunch with a tight metallic delay.
Cherry Sunburst Cadillac: PG set (custom 9k PG in bridge). I use this guitar almost always on Poison/Ratt and Sweet Child. Contrary to what people may think, it sounds great in this roll. Again - delay and chorus get used a lot. The PG maybe is a little light in the top for Ratt, but whatever. Still sounds great. On Sweet Child, I roll the tone down to maybe 3/4 on the neck and it just slays!
Silverburst Cadillac: HB103N/JB-8 Bridge - I *might* use this guitar for anything. However, I often use it for Lay It Down in drop D. Very crunchy, cool high end - somewhere between a Distortion/SuperDistortion in my opinion. I use it lot on Scorpions also (arguably a better Scorps guitar than the Custom). I actually like this guitar on any of the heavier stuff like Cinderella, Motley Crue, and a few others. I have not tried the 103 neck yet (just installed)
Kramer Shredstick: Screamin' Demon - I use this on Dokken (duh!) although I play no leads. Also on Poison/Warrant/Van Halen. It is just fantastic on all of those. This is a touch quieter than the Custom or JB (like the PG's) but cranked through amp it doesn't realer matter/show. This is just a fantastic pickup for anything. decidedly a touch more rock than the PG's, and definitely a slightly sportier thing than a stock 59. Could play all sorts of stuff on this. Leads really come through nicely.
Jackson Jenna Jameson King V: HB103 set - So this is basically a 59 and a Distortion. I've been playing it a lot lately. Songs it typically gets used on are Edge of a Broken Heart (Vixen), Looks That Kill (Crue), Heartbreaker (Benetar), Girls Girls Girls (Crue), Hate Myself for Loving You (Jett) and occasional others. I could easily play the whole show with this bridge pickup (except GnR). There are a number of songs where it might be a touch too crunchy, but I could fix that with a quick EQ change on the amp. But this guitar is really all about the Distortion. Just sounds crunchy and mean and screams for leads.
Obviously I am an advocate of both the Custom and Distortion. Honestly, the Custom is the better all around IMO. But I could be super happy with the Distortion as well. Again, one has thump and one has chunck. Both scream.
The PG works amazingly well and while you don't consider it metal per se, through a cranked Mesa, a Seth is metal....I probably like the sound of that guitar best over all.
Never underestimate Duncan Designed if you are on a budget! And the Demon is really growing on me as a great all around pickup too. I could fairly easily do Sweet Child with one of those in the neck as well!
Some other things I also have are a 335 with Jazz/JB (no feedback-squeel!) Another HB103 loaded Jackson Strat, A Custom Custom loaded Dean 350 and some stock Dean guitars and a Tone Zone in an Ibby RGEX4.
* I am currently using a Zoom g3 in the loop for assorted flavors of delay, chorus, flange, and reverb, as well as a Moreley Steve Vai Liberty Wah.
All played into a Mesa Stiletto on 50 watts, bold setting, using the tight gain channel (Silicon rectifier for those who care...)
Here is a rundown of my guitar/pickups that I use and my general thoughts:
White Dean Cadillac: PG/Custom - I never use the neck on this guitar. Usually use it for Def Leppard, Quiet Riot, Scorpions, Twisted Sister and some others. Occasionally Motley Crue. The Custom is just an all around winner here. All the scream needed for solos, and decent booty where appropriate. If too much bass (like quiet riot) I adjust by adding some crunch with a tight metallic delay.
Cherry Sunburst Cadillac: PG set (custom 9k PG in bridge). I use this guitar almost always on Poison/Ratt and Sweet Child. Contrary to what people may think, it sounds great in this roll. Again - delay and chorus get used a lot. The PG maybe is a little light in the top for Ratt, but whatever. Still sounds great. On Sweet Child, I roll the tone down to maybe 3/4 on the neck and it just slays!
Silverburst Cadillac: HB103N/JB-8 Bridge - I *might* use this guitar for anything. However, I often use it for Lay It Down in drop D. Very crunchy, cool high end - somewhere between a Distortion/SuperDistortion in my opinion. I use it lot on Scorpions also (arguably a better Scorps guitar than the Custom). I actually like this guitar on any of the heavier stuff like Cinderella, Motley Crue, and a few others. I have not tried the 103 neck yet (just installed)
Kramer Shredstick: Screamin' Demon - I use this on Dokken (duh!) although I play no leads. Also on Poison/Warrant/Van Halen. It is just fantastic on all of those. This is a touch quieter than the Custom or JB (like the PG's) but cranked through amp it doesn't realer matter/show. This is just a fantastic pickup for anything. decidedly a touch more rock than the PG's, and definitely a slightly sportier thing than a stock 59. Could play all sorts of stuff on this. Leads really come through nicely.
Jackson Jenna Jameson King V: HB103 set - So this is basically a 59 and a Distortion. I've been playing it a lot lately. Songs it typically gets used on are Edge of a Broken Heart (Vixen), Looks That Kill (Crue), Heartbreaker (Benetar), Girls Girls Girls (Crue), Hate Myself for Loving You (Jett) and occasional others. I could easily play the whole show with this bridge pickup (except GnR). There are a number of songs where it might be a touch too crunchy, but I could fix that with a quick EQ change on the amp. But this guitar is really all about the Distortion. Just sounds crunchy and mean and screams for leads.
Obviously I am an advocate of both the Custom and Distortion. Honestly, the Custom is the better all around IMO. But I could be super happy with the Distortion as well. Again, one has thump and one has chunck. Both scream.
The PG works amazingly well and while you don't consider it metal per se, through a cranked Mesa, a Seth is metal....I probably like the sound of that guitar best over all.
Never underestimate Duncan Designed if you are on a budget! And the Demon is really growing on me as a great all around pickup too. I could fairly easily do Sweet Child with one of those in the neck as well!
Some other things I also have are a 335 with Jazz/JB (no feedback-squeel!) Another HB103 loaded Jackson Strat, A Custom Custom loaded Dean 350 and some stock Dean guitars and a Tone Zone in an Ibby RGEX4.
* I am currently using a Zoom g3 in the loop for assorted flavors of delay, chorus, flange, and reverb, as well as a Moreley Steve Vai Liberty Wah.
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