Need Some advice for possible pickup combinations

[JacksonDK2FS]

I have a JacksonDKFS2 with a Humbucker - Single Coil - Single Coil configuration. The guitar body is Alder with a maple veneer on the top. The neck is bolt on rock maple. The fingerboard is rosewood and it also has a JT580 LP Double Locking 2-Point Tremolo. The pickups that are currently installed in the guitar are duncan designed and i feel as though they lack definition and clarity as well as crunch. I really enjoy playing lots of metal like megadeth and metallica. I want to achieve a heavy crucnh tone for playing these songs but i don't want my sound to be so distorted that it becomes unclear. My considerations so far have been a TB-4 or SH-6 duncan distortion in the bridge position and a SHR-1 hot rails or SDBR-1 Duckbuckers in the middle and neck postition. If anyone could please tell what they think might be best based on the specs of my guitar

BODY: ALDER WITH MAPLE VENEER
NECK: BOLT ON ROCK MAPLE
FINGERBOARD: ROSEWOOD
JT580 LP Double Locking 2-Point Tremolo

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Need Some advice for possible pickup combinations

I had the Duckbuckers in the neck and middle of a strat, and didn't like them under a lot of gain. I felt they lacked defination and tended to mush out. Just my experience.

For the bridge, I'd recommend a Custom based on the tones you mentioned, although the Distortion wouldn't be a poor choice either. The Custom will rock heavy with the best of them, and will still clean up nicely when you roll back on the volume. I think with the maple top the JB might have too many upper mids and highs.

I think rails would be a nice touch in the other slots. Perhaps a Vintage Rails in the middle, and a Cool rails in the neck.

Welcome to the forum by the way! :dance:

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Need Some advice for possible pickup combinations

I didn't like the voicing of the mids in the DD in my alder DXMGT. The JB sounds much better. The DD's mids wen't "chink chink," where the JB's go "chunk chunk," so to speak

As for neck, I'd go for a Hot Rails...I'm not too big on middle pickups though.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Need Some advice for possible pickup combinations

I'd install a Cool Rails in the neck, for a smooth, fat humbucker like sound from that position, a Hot Stack in the middle, for some pseudo-strat tones, and a Custom in the bridge. This combo will cover all of your high gain needs and still provide great clean tones when you need them.