old metalheads I need your pickup advice

[eat at stuckeys]

hello,

I'm looking for a bridge humbucker that would sound good for old-school metal and shred. warmth, fatness, but with excellent clarity for tremolo and sweep picking, power chords, etc. just good string articulation. also, it would be a plus if it could pull off some lower-the-guitar-volume half-ass clean tones.

the guitar is a 25" scale neck-thru Carvin DC125, with mahogany neck and sides, ebony fingerboard, and an original Floyd tremolo and locking nut. it has just a single humbucker at the bridge and 1 volume pot, no tone or active electronics. the guitar sounds pretty balanced and thick (with endless sustain mg, but it's a tad on the bright side.

the stuff I like to play most is NWOBHM. Mercyful Fate/King Diamond, Venom, Iron Maiden, Grim Reaper, Witchfinder General, Saxon, and even the North American bands they influenced, like Anvil, Exciter, Metallica, and Megadeth. but I also like some shred. I was thinking perhaps a medium-output humbucker would probably get me there? but with ceramic or alnico magnet?

thanks! :beerchug:

 

[walt]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

I owned a DC 125 and remember it as a bright guitar. You are probably going to want either a Parallel Axis Distortion, Distortion or a Custom,Custom for the style of music you're doing (I'm thinking the first 2 mentioned and the Custom,Custom for last). I had a JB in mine and it was the ice pick in the forehead for tone. Two things happened when I did that, 1. I sold the guitar, 2. I started to hate JBs.

 

[Aceman]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

Ahhhhh - the classics. Distortion. 300k Volume. You'll love it. It's what you're all about.

 

[DracoAran]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

I was gonna say 500T until you said you had treble issues. I think a Gibson Iommi pickup should have the output and the compensation for the bright ass SG.

But you need to look into a PATB-3 Blues Saraceno trembucker. It rocks.

 

[tone4days]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

yup, patb-3 was first thing that came to mind

but i must admit i boggle at reading 'endless sustain' and 'original floyd' as describing the same guitar

 

[DracoAran]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

A good setup and quality construction can do wonders.

 

[Usurper666]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

A Duncan Custom or Distortion would be perfect. By the way you have EXCELLENT taste in REAL Metal!

Cheers,

CJ

 

[BigBazz]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

I would say a "Full shred".

 

[theodie]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

The custom would be a great starting point. The other suggestions are good though. Just giving you my personal favorite.

 

[BigDreamer]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

don't kill me folks...but as soon as you said warmth and fatness i thought Dimarzio Air Zone or Tone Zone

 

[sufferinrewind]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

don't kill me folks...but as soon as you said warmth and fatness i thought Dimarzio Air Zone or Tone Zone

I was thinking those, and also a Super Distortion. Ace Frehley used Super Distortions. Paul Gilbert used the Tone Zone. He also used dual Super Distortions in his earlier years.

He said medium output, though, so I'd say Air Zone.

 

[DracoAran]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

Too heavy in the low mids for that mahogany Carvin though.

Maybe a Breed neck in the bridge position.

 

[sufferinrewind]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

Too heavy in the low mids for that mahogany Carvin though.

Maybe a Breed neck in the bridge position.

Doh! Forgot about the Breed. :smash:

 

[eat at stuckeys]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

hey thanks for all the replies. I made a list of your suggestions...the journey begins. (does it ever end? :damnit: )

 

[eat at stuckeys]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

but i must admit i boggle at reading 'endless sustain' and 'original floyd' as describing the same guitar

lol yes, I agree! but this DC125 is amazing. and it's got the plain ol locking nut, too, and not locking Sperzels. but I'm telling you, this guitar sustains like a mofo. played unplugged, the whole guitar just resonates right up through the neck. Carvin neck-thru axes are known for their sustain, which is why I ordered one. I just don't like their pickups.

 

[eat at stuckeys]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

Ahhhhh - the classics. Distortion. 300k Volume. You'll love it. It's what you're all about.

that sounds like a very cool suggestion. in fact, I'm going to try that setup first. since I don't have a tone pot, a 300k volume may be the ticket for the brightness issue. I read the Distortion description and it sounds just like what I'm looking for (especially the clarity).

 

[eat at stuckeys]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

By the way you have EXCELLENT taste in REAL Metal!
Cheers,
CJ

:beerchug:

:headbang:

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: old metalheads I need your pickup advice

yeah i am very happy with the Duncan Distortion.By the way ,try the parallel axis...it might be good for your style.Patb-2!!!Duncan parallel axis distortion