Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

[darthphineas]

Re: Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

Somebody forgot to tell Scott Ian and Dave Mustaine that they werent playing metal with their JB's...

^^^ this ^^^


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[jaybonitrane]

Re: Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

I have applauded the JB in many ways including grunge metal. Its a pup that has lots of hidden potential.
But considering the warmness that the OP desires and that his strat is Alder with maple neck; it just wont work out that way with JB....but on Swamp Ash OMG.
and then there's the JEM axe....but OP is not looking for a new axe.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

You actually need ALL of them.

The JB for Ratt and Jake E Lee
The Distortion for Dokken
The Super Distortion for Kiss and Randy Rhoads
The Custom Custom or 78 for Van Halen
The Slash Set for Guns-n-Roses
Tone Zone and Paf Pro for Gilbert
Double Paf Pros for Vai
Paf Pro and Fred for Satriani
Perpetual Burn for Becker
YJM pickups for Malmsteen

I know I'm forgetting some...

 

[Phantasmagoria]

No one's talking about actives & it obviously was'nt around in the 70's/80's, but the AHB-2b Blackout Metal pup is excellent for 80's metal stuff too. It's got a really meaty, wet, harmonically rich, honky/middy kind of tone, with a tight, chunky bottom & sweet, singing (not shrill like an EMG 81 can get) highs which is totally 80's.. and I mean stuff like Accept, Priest, Saxon etc (not the GnR/Crue/Poison thing..)

This is an old clip from when I first got my 15 watt lunchbox head. Just random sloppy riffs that are'nt really supposed to sound 80's/or like anyone lol, but give a general idea of the pickup's sound.

Recorded with a handheld recorder/2x10 cab & no NR/reverb/FX/Post-prod ....straight into the amp.

 

[elelpe]

Re: Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

Crazy demands for alder/maple strat require crazy pickup.

Crazy 8.

Nuff said.

 

[toneseeker74]

Re: Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

For 70's and 80's sounds use pickups, guitars, and amps that actually existed then. I don't know why people recommend gear from the 90's and beyond.

 

[Bodeanicus]

Re: Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

For 70's and 80's sounds use pickups, guitars, and amps that actually existed then. I don't know why people recommend gear from the 90's and beyond.

Pretty much. Those were the days before everyone and their brother made super hi-gain amps. You needed a stomp box and a distortion pickup. These days, you can sound great with bone stock PAF's through any hi-gain amp.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

Pretty much. Those were the days before everyone and their brother made super hi-gain amps. You needed a stomp box and a distortion pickup. These days, you can sound great with bone stock PAF's through any hi-gain amp.

Its still not the same sound. A high gain amp + Pafs =/= A medium game amp + distortion pickup. Creating your gain earlier in the chain vs in the middle or end is a different feel and sound. Not better not worse just different.

 

[blacksoulpreacher]

Re: Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

Tight metal tone with a JB... An old MJ wound JB with roughcast Alnico 5 (stock) and Celestion Greenbacks to boot!
Don't let the naysayers

bs you... It's a "sound" metal pickup!

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

A few options:
1. DiMarzio Super Distortion
2. Rockfield Mafia (can be found very cheap, used on eBay)
3. Gibson 500t

+1 To the Gibson 500T. I was born in '88 so granted I wasn't alive to experience the OP's "70's/80's metal tones" live. BUT, I have to say my 500t in my Mahogany Strat thru a Rat2 and Rat Solo coming out of a Fender Hod Rod Deluxe definitely hits that mark.

I would also say the JB but not with an Alder body and Maple neck, IMO.

 

[Archer250]

Re: Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

+1 To the Gibson 500T. I was born in '88 so granted I wasn't alive to experience the OP's "70's/80's metal tones" live. BUT, I have to say my 500t in my Mahogany Strat thru a Rat2 and Rat Solo coming out of a Fender Hod Rod Deluxe definitely hits that mark.

I would also say the JB but not with an Alder body and Maple neck, IMO.

Funniest thing is that one of the beefiest aggressive tone (as opposed to mellow tones) I've ever produced came from my alder+maple Jackson with a JB through a modded RAT, sent through a Kustom amp and to the PA.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

I would also say the JB but not with an Alder body and Maple neck, IMO.

Wait what? A JB in alder with maple is classic. What about this specific combo do you find so distasteful?

 

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

Anyone else love the JB in ash? Just recently tried it.

 

[blacksoulpreacher]

Re: Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

Lmfao "not in Alder body / maple neck" ... I guess a Warren DeMartini has bad tone!

 

[blacksoulpreacher]

Re: Pickup for 70's/80's metal tones.

Anyone else love the JB in ash? Just recently tried it.

I have it's the ticket to old Van Halen...