passive thrash metal pickups

meza_666

New member
I'm looking to replace the JE10 humbuckers in my dinky for the nazgul or Pegasus paired with a sentinent or a black winter set. I'm looking for pickups that have clear note definition all throughout the fretboard and sound good when Palm muting. I'm also open to other suggestions. Thanks for the help
 
Re: passive thrash metal pickups

I don't think you could go wrong with either set. I don't have hands on experience with either, but I spent a very long time checking out clips/demos of all the mentioned pickups before going with a distortion. I thought that the nazgul was more percussive/agressive than the pegasus. The black winter set has a pretty flat EQ and I thought it was fairly similar to a distortion, but has a grainy quality about it that made me go for the distortion instead.

Keeping in mind that I don't have hands on experience, only having heard clips, I'd personally go with the nazgul/sentient set based on what you've said your needs are. I think that the percussive nature lends itself to palm mutes and in demos I found the note definition to be fantastic on it.

I'd recommend checking out this video in HD with a good set of headphones, particularly the part around 1:50

 
Re: passive thrash metal pickups

Well... Mustaine used a JB for Rust in Peace, and for me it's THE thrash metal sound.
 
Re: passive thrash metal pickups

It's in your fingers, but really, Distortion, Black Winter, Nazgul, JB, Sentient, 59/Custom, Jazz, 59 etc. I don't want to hear only one of them, I want to hear a jam that includes ALL of them!
 
Re: passive thrash metal pickups

Well... Mustaine used a JB for Rust in Peace, and for me it's THE thrash metal sound.

That pickups been used on more thrash albums than any other duncan pickup. It gets ignored a bit with all the new comers around but it is still one of the greats.
 
Re: passive thrash metal pickups

It's in your fingers, but really, Distortion, Black Winter, Nazgul, JB, Sentient, 59/Custom, Jazz, 59 etc. I don't want to hear only one of them, I want to hear a jam that includes ALL of them!


You mean like at the same time? Or like the high gain vid that SD did a couple years ago that gave one after another comparisons of a bunch of them?
 
Re: passive thrash metal pickups

Yes, I mean like at the same time, on the same stage, like the massive Big 4 jam from a few years back, just with everyone taking a quick but tasty solo.
 
Re: passive thrash metal pickups

Yes, I mean like at the same time, on the same stage, like the massive Big 4 jam from a few years back, just with everyone taking a quick but tasty solo.

Well unless it were clones playing the exact same solo on the exact same guitar, just with the different pickups, then the nuances of the pickup would be lost.
 
Re: passive thrash metal pickups

You mean like at the same time? Or like the high gain vid that SD did a couple years ago that gave one after another comparisons of a bunch of them?

I'd like to see them do another one of those, but with everything in the catalog and go through the entire range of sounds. Make a series where you do one sound (clean) through everything. Then make a series where you do crunch. And so on. It'd take a while, but I think it'd be well worth it. I'd like to see Dimarzio do the same. Sort of surprised they haven't to be honest.
 
Re: passive thrash metal pickups

I haven't tried any of the newer offerings (Blackouts were the latest when I stopped buying humbuckers like crazy), but a 17.1k JB trembucker is the best passive metal pickup I've ever used. Everything sounded great with that pickup, and if I could have any one piece of gear back, that would be it.
 
Re: passive thrash metal pickups

What kind of amp are you using?

I've used a Distortion bridge and a Pearly Gates Neck combo for decades. Every note comes through whether I use Mesa, Marshall or whatever rented/ donated backline is at the venue.
 
Re: passive thrash metal pickups

hrrmmmm... a new amp would probably blow your skirt up more than pickups would. That amp isnt going to be the greatest for showcasing the fine nuances between pickups.

The amp will have a far greater effect on note definition and staying solid when palm muting. If it was me I would seriously consider saving up for a new amp first.
 
Re: passive thrash metal pickups

Duncan distortion or black winter, im looking either a pair of those myself for thrash, im pretty sure the black winter is near identical just slightly darker? plz someone correct me if im wrong
 
Re: passive thrash metal pickups

Duncan distortion or black winter, im looking either a pair of those myself for thrash, im pretty sure the black winter is near identical just slightly darker? plz someone correct me if im wrong

Negatory. The Distortion has a bigger, darker bottom end, and a bigger scream in the highs.

The BW sounds rather different. When I A/B d them (I have quick solderless plugs on a set of both) within 5 minutes of each other. The black winter is a much more even eq. I would say, less dark, and less spiky highs. The BW sounds more open, and has better string definition as well. At least when I play it. If anything, I would say the BW is a touch brighter overall, but with less of a spike in the highs than I hear in the distortion. They do not sound near identical. There is a common heritage apparent. I have wondered how similar a triple magnet distortion would sound.
 
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