need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

We are playing metal. I just don't think this is that hard.

Serious Thump AND screaming highs = Custom (and scooped mids)
Serious crunch AND screaming highs = Distortion (with tight bass)
Serious crunch AND screaming highs = 500T (same as Distortion, more expensive)
Mega-bottom AND monster power = Invader (so I hear....)
Just nasty fizzy dirty insanity = Dirty Fingers

Honestly, the amp means more than the pup IMO - and lower output will do more for you than mega output, IMO. But the right feel and tone curve is important. fave metal pup = Distortion. If I had a 500t in a guitar, I wouldn't change it.

500t/Distortion+ Les Paul = :headbang:
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

still undecided on the pickup. custom? distortion?
figured ide make a video to let you guys see where im at so far. 2010 trad pro, sh-4 pickup, ts-9(drive set on "0"), jcm 800 2204, 1960b cab, mxr 10 band in metro zero loss loop(+2db on last two bands),
spikes tone;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mid1LPj4Y9M
my tone;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ6cDSzJGXk
please pardon my playing. octoberfest is out now!
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

ive already said my two cents, but most of these folks know of which they speak. when i was in your shoes hunting for an 80s metal pickup, it was so clear to me which pickups were metal and which werent. So im gonna throw out some sloppy mindless shortcuts, full of opinion and inaccuracy, and maybe the drift of it will support my thesis: you should start with the Distortion (or swap out the magnet to ceramic). EMG81s are prob perfect, they equal metal, but not all dissers are snobs.yes, they make playing metal easy- pedal notes, pinch harm, hell, you can solo with your left alone. the only factor is letting the chord or note ring out. maybe it does the job for you, so start there, however many folks with good ears find them lacking character. me included, but great invention. the Custom is beefy, usable, you wont regret it. but i rate a tad too versatile. Like the JB it can do more than metal. The Invader is Master of Puppets, the leads are ok- its def mighty. But the Distortion, i still maintain is Capital of thrash metal territory- the cleans are warm and usable, the pinch squeals arent TOO pure& cartoonish, but very toneful almost like your jb. leads can be shrill but have great sustain that sings with its own voice. the mids are scoopable (while the jb mids are not) and roar. the bass is tight, not boomy. altogether, tis the Italian cuisine of 80s metal tone. Slayer did use Dimarzio SD & megadrives, but Hanneman thinks he had a DuncDist. I have a Dimarzio, but I prefer playing Slayer w the DuncDist- its more powerful, it puts your fingers in control, and while the dmarzo distortion is a smooth growl, DuncDist is a cacophonous slab of destruction. if you say slayer, megadeth, exodus and maybe RidetLightning Metallica, i reach for a DuncDist (JB with ceramic). to sum up: its got fingers in control, ch-ch-CHunkin palm mutes ,violent chords, singing leads, natural pinch harmonix, character,... if your name is oldschoolthrash, someday u need to know what this pickup is about. it makes-you- Meh-'Uhll.
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

I'll still throw in a recommendation for the Custom. To me it's just a bit more versitile than the Distortion and has more of a classic tone. Power chords are just MEAN and huge with it and it takes high amounts of gain very very well. It is a also a very tight and articulate pick up with a lot of gain. (as is the Distortion) It does have lower output than the Distortion which means you may have to do more with your Tube Screamer or turn your amps gain up a bit higher. I liked Ace's summary of pick ups, although I will disagree that the Custom has scooped mids. The mids are very present, and it's EQ is quite balanced across the whole spectrum. (the tone chart is quite accurate for it's EQ imo)
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

I think the duncan custom is ther best choice for metal. old and new school. it is tight,punchy,has great low thump, has amazing clarity and defintition for a hotter pickup.
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

I would go with a 59b and let the marshall, tubescreamer, and loop eq do all the heavy lifting.
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

im going to order the distortion. i need less growl and more crunch. the jb to me sounds real boomy, have have to set the bass on my amp around 2 when i turn up the volume.
i have emg81's in my two other guitars(alder bodied strats). they are super bright compared to my lester with the jb.
im looking for something era correct. emg's were later.
thank for posting. hopefully the search ends here, if not, ill order the custom.
i will post an update when i get one installed. thanks.
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

Also might want to try some Tung Sol and EH 12ax7s and a 12ax7LPS in the pi. Might help to reduce the JJ woof and brighten things up.
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

Also might want to try some Tung Sol and EH 12ax7s and a 12ax7LPS in the pi. Might help to reduce the JJ woof and brighten things up.
Click to expand...
please tell me more. the jj's are dark but definetly sounded better than the sovteks it came with. looking for more treble and gain.
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

oldschool thrasher said:
please tell me more. the jj's are dark but definetly sounded better than the sovteks it came with. looking for more treble and gain.
Click to expand...

Then Tung-Sols may just be the ticket. Of the new production tubes I've tried, I like Tung-Sols the best and JJs the worst. I think the Russian factory tubes are just better than the ones coming out of the JJ factory. (For reference, at least the Tung-Sols, ElectroHarmonix, Mullard Reissue, and Sovtek brands come out of there.)

I just cannot get along with the JJs. They don't have any clarity, to my ears. The Tung-Sols are gainy and full, but still bright. The Mullard RI are pretty smooth, but still with a grainy character. A lot of people like the ElectroHarmonix, but to me they sounded a bit thinner than the Tung-Sols.

Anyways, good luck, and seriously consider getting the amp into top working shape before you do too much to the guitar. Once you can hear the guitar properly, then you'll know what to do with it.
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

Anyways, good luck, and seriously consider getting the amp into top working shape before you do too much to the guitar. Once you can hear the guitar properly, then you'll know what to do with it.
Click to expand...
aready up to speed there. new F&T power supply caps and Sprague Atom bias supply caps. amp is biased to 25w*.7/B+
i threw the jj's in cause i had them and they sounded much better that the sovteks. it also has sovtek 6550we wich i might switch out for some winged =C='s. when i bought the amp it was biased at 98ma!!! its now running around 37ma w/464v on the plates.
i check out the tubes. thanks
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

Sovteks and jjs are not all bad. They have their purpose. The 12ax7LPS is the best phase inverter tube IMO. JJs work well in some gain stages to add beef and mids, and they do well in cathode followers, but not as a V1 or main tone stages. Unless that's your thing of course. Ya gotta mix n' match 'em til' ya git the right ballance!;)
 
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Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

got the duncan distortion in my guitar today. only played for a little bit but its definetly different from the jb. i will post clips with the same amp settings to show the difference tomorow if anyone is interested.
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

Varg said:
Jeff Waters had the Custom in his Ran signature guitars, I would call his tone crisp rather than round.
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he also uses the Distortion in his Rans. I met him at a music expo and he explained one Ran was set-up for leads (Custom) and another Ran set-up for rhythm (Distortion). these were his single pup Ran models. have no idea what he's using these days. I heard rumors of a signature Epiphone V?

at any rate, Jeff is a really nice and humble guy...and one badass mofo metal axeman.
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

rotting casket said:
have no idea what he's using these days. I heard rumors of a signature Epiphone V?

at any rate, Jeff is a really nice and humble guy...and one badass mofo metal axeman.
Click to expand...

He has a signature Epiphone V, yes. It has Gibson made pickups in it, which he described as not being super-hot, but I think that was in comparison to actives, rather than saying he uses a set of PAFs.
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

videos comparing jb pickup vs. distortion. same guitar same amp settings same crappy webcam mic. i think the distortion could sound better but i recorded it with the settings i use for the jb to get d.r.i. four of a kind tone. i usualy use more mids but these setting got me closest to the sound i was looking for with the jb. anyeays...
jb;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk2x16mbuTI
distortion;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnfCeSt1yso
 
Re: need pickup recomendation for oldschool metal

Stock Gibson P-90.

Oh yeh. And a Decimator G String to go with it. :D
 
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