Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

[Demon X]

Hi everyone, :headbang:

I think maybe you could help me here. I'm going to upgrade the pickups of my squier jim root telecaster. I know it's just a guitar made in china, but i picked one that's really really nice, great tone and all. So i think it deserves the upgrade, coz the pickups are the only part that's a bit weak.

The body is mahogany, with a bolt-on neck w/ rosewood fingerboard. It has the mahogany/rosewood depth, but it's still very clear, not muddy at all.

Now, i was thinking of a Duncan Distortion for the bridge for metal rhythm and stuff. I'm pretty much 100% sure about that choice.

The problem is pickug the neck pickup. I already know that the jazz and the 59 are pretty recommended for a more vintage tone on the neck leads, and DD neck and the full shred for more high gainy stuff.

What i would like is a neck tone for great metal and hard rock leads. Something that scream but also can make some warm sounds to play modern metal and rock. (i like the tone of dan swano, opeth, CoB, but also melodic stuff like Europe and videogame soundtracks)

Specifically, i also like a lot those square-y or synth-like sounds you can get with the neck pup when you roll back the high frequencies and put hi gain on the amp/pedal. I don't how you call that, it sounds very fuzzy but synthetic and tight at the same time, and a bit vintage, like old synth sounds (it sounds like the porta effect when you make slides). I hope i'm expleaning myself here. Well, i want a pickup that can make modern metal leads but some psychadelic synth-ey tones like that also. To achieve those sounds you need more output neck pup or lower output?

Finally, not very worried about getting organic/woody cleans. Something that can pull some complex chords and sound nice and clear is fine for me.

What duncan neck pickup would you recommend for all that?? Thanks!

 

[Gibson 1964]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

Hi everyone, :headbang:

I think maybe you could help me here. I'm going to upgrade the pickups of my squier jim root telecaster. I know it's just a guitar made in china, but i picked one that's really really nice, great tone and all. So i think it deserves the upgrade, coz the pickups are the only part that's a bit weak.

The body is mahogany, with a bolt-on neck w/ rosewood fingerboard. It has the mahogany/rosewood depth, but it's still very clear, not muddy at all.

Now, i was thinking of a Duncan Distortion for the bridge for metal rhythm and stuff. I'm pretty much 100% sure about that choice.

The problem is pickug the neck pickup. I already know that the jazz and the 59 are pretty recommended for a more vintage tone on the neck leads, and DD neck and the full shred for more high gainy stuff.

What i would like is a neck tone for great metal and hard rock leads. Something that scream but also can make some warm sounds to play modern metal and rock. (i like the tone of dan swano, opeth, CoB, but also melodic stuff like Europe and videogame soundtracks)

Specifically, i also like a lot those square-y or synth-like sounds you can get with the neck pup when you roll back the high frequencies and put hi gain on the amp/pedal. I don't how you call that, it sounds very fuzzy but synthetic and tight at the same time, and a bit vintage, like old synth sounds (it sounds like the porta effect when you make slides). I hope i'm expleaning myself here. Well, i want a pickup that can make modern metal leads but some psychadelic synth-ey tones like that also. To achieve those sounds you need more output neck pup or lower output?

Finally, not very worried about getting organic/woody cleans. Something that can pull some complex chords and sound nice and clear is fine for me.

What duncan neck pickup would you recommend for all that?? Thanks!

I would actually go with a Black Winter set. The black winter neck will do that well, and I like the Black Winter as a more open/clear Distortion. The neck sounds you are describing sound more to me like a function of a fuzz pedal to me. The black winter is not just a death/black metal pickup.

 

[Demon X]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

thanks man!

but, do you think that the black winter neck gonna be right with a DD bridge? i heard the BWb is similar to the DD, but a bit treblier. So i´m thinking it's gonna be a good match anyways!

any pros in comparison with the DD neck in your opinion? :O maybe the BW loses some versatility for being extreme metal oriented... or it can pull some sweet melodic metal neck leads anyway?

any other opinion?

 

[Nacho8807]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

I think he means to go with a BW set rather than a DD and BW combo. A Black Winter set is definitely a great choice, but if you are truly set on the DD, I don't see any reason not to use the DD neck also. That's what I use in my Les Paul, and it's perfect. Lead tones cut through anything, and are very fluid. When you roll the tone off it gets very creamy and smooth. It's only downside is the clean tone being compressed and not very dynamic, but since you don't care about that I think it's a really good choice.

 

[Gibson 1964]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

thanks man!

but, do you think that the black winter neck gonna be right with a DD bridge? i heard the BWb is similar to the DD, but a bit treblier. So i´m thinking it's gonna be a good match anyways!

any pros in comparison with the DD neck in your opinion? :O maybe the BW loses some versatility for being extreme metal oriented... or it can pull some sweet melodic metal neck leads anyway?

any other opinion?

Both BW Bridge and Neck are actually MORE versatile than the DD in my opinion. A bit treblier than a DD would not be how I would describe it at all. It has less low mid hump than a DD and less of a high end scream. (On the bridge pickup, it has been a while since I used the DDn) In short, the BW is a bit flatter on the response than a distortion IMO. The DDb is a dark pickup with a high pitched scream on top according to someones description here, and it fits with my experience with it. The Black Winter is very, very balanced. I would say it is far more versatile overall than the distortion. It has more mids, and a more open character. In short, the BW has pretty nice cleans and low gains as well. It is brighter in that the DD could come across as dark, overall but with a high end sizzle as well.

The Black Winter should not be thought of as just an extreme metal pickup, because it isn't. The neck pickup can pull off some nice melodic leads as well.

 

[Demon X]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

Thanks for the advice guys!

My only problem with the black winter, by watching the promo videos in SD website and yotube, is that I find it very dry sounding in comparison with the DD. And yes, it sounds more balanced, but i think that makes it sound a bit generic and with less personality on its own. So i´m still leaning more towards the DD.

My last question: i know they use it a lot with the DDb, so how's the Jazz neck for high gain leads? can it sound cool for stuff like Insomnium or other cool melodeath leads? can it scream when i need to? or should i go better with the DD pair?

Thanks !!

 

[Gibson 1964]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

I will say this, the BW demos are pretty dreadful. Oddly, I would very much not describe it as dry. It is a very cool pickup, but it really needs to be tried to be appreciated. The first demo almost made me stay away. It does have some character, though it won't take over your tone at all. I would describe it as being very versatile and seems to know what I want out of it. It does really let your guitar's wood shine though.

The Jazz neck truly can be somewhat generic. I would go with either a BW Set or a Distortion set. Personally, I vastly prefer the BW, as it feels like an improved distortion to me. However, YMMV.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

If you don't want the Black Winter neck how about a Full Shred neck?

 

[jonsick]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

I'd love to see a bunch of passive pickup comparisons in a video where the guy doesn't use a B tuned guitar with the driest signal known to mankind, playing some horrible djent rubbish.

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

Throw a Screamin Demon in there

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

I'd use a Jazz. Chances are your gain is coming from the amp so you dont need or want anything hot....go for clarity and the Jazz is super clear

 

[Zombiemetl]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

judging by the sound you are describing, I would also have to go with the Black Winter.... also, ive heard many great things about the bridge Screamin Demon used in the neck position

 

[Demon X]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

Now i'm really thinking puting the DD bridge with a BW neck. I've read good things about the bwn that makes me prefer it over the DDn, but i still don't like very much the sound and the description of the Black Winter bridge. Seems more middy and more djenty, a quality i don't like very much. I think the DD is similiar but with a bit less mids and less djenty sound, which i prefer because i don't like very much that dry stringy metallic sound. So i think de the DD will deliver a fuller voicing, which i prefer.

So, what you thin, DDb x BWn? good or no?

thanks again =)

 

[Gibson 1964]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

Now i'm really thinking puting the DD bridge with a BW neck. I've read good things about the bwn that makes me prefer it over the DDn, but i still don't like very much the sound and the description of the Black Winter bridge. Seems more middy and more djenty, a quality i don't like very much. I think the DD is similiar but with a bit less mids and less djenty sound, which i prefer because i don't like very much that dry stringy metallic sound. So i think de the DD will deliver a fuller voicing, which i prefer.

So, what you thin, DDb x BWn? good or no?

thanks again =)

Well, you are really quite wrong on your assessment of the black winter bridge. It isn't middy, dry, stringy, or metallic. It isn't particularly a djenty pickup at all! Try reading the Back winter thread here. I don't play Djent, and my metal is pretty much limited to playing a bit of thrash metal. I am not a black metal player at all.

The BWb definitely also delivers a much fuller voicing than the DDb. It just might seem a little bit more of a natural voicing as it doesn't particularly have any strange humps or spikes in the sound which the DDb definitely seems to to me. I have used the DD for well over a decade as well.

http://www.iguitarmag.com/magazine-.../reviews/seymour-duncan-black-winter-pickups/ Is a good demo of the BWs. This thread also has a fair number of sound clips. https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...Feedback-so-far/page18&highlight=black+winter

While they will match, I just want you to actually give a listen and hear past the stereotypes of the BW marketing. BWs dethroned some BKPs for me and really are what I would expect from a boutique pickup that cost twice as much. A DDb might be appropriate for you, but when you describe it with the terms you have, I suspect you have heard the terrible demos of it that are out there.

 

[LonePhantom]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

Full Shred neck or Black Winter neck will be your best bet. Both fantastic pickups.

 

[siuling337]

Re: Neck pickup for modern metal/rock guitar, combo with DD bridge

:dance::dance::dance::dance::dance::dance: