Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

X220

X220

New member
I have a guitar with a maple bolt on neck, mahogany body with a Floyd Rose and an H-S-S pickup configuration. I decided to put EMGs in it, but after playing it for a few weeks I'm kind of wanting to swap them out for something else.

I'm into metal, but for this guitar I'd like for it to be an "all around player" that I can do some mellow stuff on or, when the mood hits, shred on it. I have experience with a few SD humbuckers but I'm not really knowledgeable when it comes to single coils.

So, given the basic info I've shared here, what would you guys suggest I try out? I'd like something warm and mellow (but not muddy) in the neck, and I don't know what to do about the mid pickup...I have considered just leaving it out and putting a 3-way switch in for the bridge/neck combo but I'll gladly take suggestions and opinions on that. Then, I'd need suggestions for the bridge humbucker. I've used an Invader there before and it was pretty sick, and I'm tempted to slap another one in there.

EMGs do work in some guitars quite well, but in this one they just sound kind of sterile. They aren't doing the guitar any justice and they sound kind of thin to me.

Thanks in advance for your help!
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

Crap, never mind then I guess! I'll figure it out myself...
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

An Invader or Screamin Demon in the Bridge, and a Quarter Pounder in the Middle. As for the neck, I really don't know. You might like some kind of single-coil-sized humbucker in there, but I don't have any experience with those so I really couldn't tell you
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

Hmmm would you say that your guitar is on the brighter/thinner side as opposed to being more warm and mellow? You say you liked the Invader but it would kill your clean tone, unless you had a coil tap. A duncan Distortion would have the same sick tone as the Invader but with more cut. Cleans won't be fantastic but they'll be passable. Also check out the Sh-5 or the SH-15. They're pretty good all-arounders that still have killer distortion but the SH-15 will have better cleans and a sweeter tone for lead work. The screaming demon will be the more versatile bridge pickup with the best cleans but its output isn't as nearly as high as the other pickups I mentioned. I'm not sure if that matters to you in case you have an amp with lots of gain on tap.

As for single coils I have no clue. A hotrails in the neck will give amazing shred and lead tone but its going to suck for everything else.
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

X220 said:
I have a guitar with a maple bolt on neck, mahogany body with a Floyd Rose and an H-S-S pickup configuration. I decided to put EMGs in it, but after playing it for a few weeks I'm kind of wanting to swap them out for something else.

I'm into metal, but for this guitar I'd like for it to be an "all around player" that I can do some mellow stuff on or, when the mood hits, shred on it. I have experience with a few SD humbuckers but I'm not really knowledgeable when it comes to single coils.

So, given the basic info I've shared here, what would you guys suggest I try out? I'd like something warm and mellow (but not muddy) in the neck, and I don't know what to do about the mid pickup...I have considered just leaving it out and putting a 3-way switch in for the bridge/neck combo but I'll gladly take suggestions and opinions on that. Then, I'd need suggestions for the bridge humbucker. I've used an Invader there before and it was pretty sick, and I'm tempted to slap another one in there.

EMGs do work in some guitars quite well, but in this one they just sound kind of sterile. They aren't doing the guitar any justice and they sound kind of thin to me.

Thanks in advance for your help!
Click to expand...

Hmmm. The tone wizard says Custom 5 or Custom for the bridge. I've never tried either so I can't comment.

It does say '59 neck, though, and I've tried one. It's like a Les Paul neck humbucker but with more dynamics and soul. It will have the same warmth and mellowness, so I'd suggest it.
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

Have you looked at a Custom Custom? Pair that up with SSL pickups and you got it!
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

Which EMG's ya got?? I have a 85/H60 A set in my Washburn prototype and it is not what you expect to hear in tone from a guitar with EMG's. This guitar is pretty sweet and warm sounding with these EMG's. Both of these are Alnico 5 mag pickups where most EMG's you see like the 81 for example are ceramic. The 81 IMO is a one sound wonder and great for crushing distortion using a lot of effects but thin and hash for anything else.
With the quick connector swapping the newer EMG's is a BREEZE. You may want to look at swapping in another EMG rather that changing all the electronics back to passive.
 
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Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

I have a SA/SA/85 set in my Washburn Mercury. It's a very versatile set with plenty of thickness, punch, and mojo. it's definately not thin or sterile.
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

If you are looking for versitlity, you may want a lil 59 neck, duck bucker mid and a C5 bridge. I think that would be a pretty versital combo.
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

Benjy_26 said:
I have a SA/SA/85 set in my Washburn Mercury. It's a very versatile set with plenty of thickness, punch, and mojo. it's definately not thin or sterile.
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I agree that is a great sounding combo!
If you have a S/S/81 EMG set currently I can see the sterile on the cleans big time!
The S/S/81 set would be all ceramic mags. The A in SA stands for Alnico and the 85 is also a Alnico 5 pickup. Those are MUCH warmer than the S/S/81 set up will be.
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

Ascension said:
Which EMG's ya got?? I have a 85/H60 A set in my Washburn prototype and it is not what you expect to hear in tone from a guitar with EMG's. This guitar is pretty sweet and warm sounding with these EMG's. Both of these are Alnico 5 mag pickups where most EMG's you see like the 81 for example are ceramic. The 81 IMO is a one sound wonder and great for crushing distortion using a lot of effects but thin and hash for anything else.
With the quick connector swapping the newer EMG's is a BREEZE. You may want to look at swapping in another EMG rather that changing all the electronics back to passive.
Click to expand...

Right now I have the SA/SA/81 combination. I'm not saying it's horrible, but with this particular guitar I feel I can improve it somehow. It's actually the SA's that I'm not really impressed with that much...they are just kind of "blah." You guys have given me some ideas here that I will look into further. There are so many pickups and pickup combinations, and I want to gather as much info as I can from those in the know before I buy anything.
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

i love my emg81 dude! sucks to be u haha ...you should play with the tone and volume knobs before you scrap that whole installation job - that is alot of work. im never taking my emgs out of my guitar. thin and sterile happens if you dont tweak the height of the pickup, the tone/volume guitar knobs, and depending on the amp. goes for any emg! thinness for any pickup!
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

If you like the 81 in the bridge but want to go passive, I would go with the DD in the bridge (it cleans up in a cool way and has a super cool split sound) and put Cool Rails in the middle and neck - the CR in the neck is exactly what you are looking for according to your desciption.
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

Dunno (or care) about the singles, but if you want an "all around" bridge humbucker pickup, consider the Custom. I like the Distortion, sounds fantastic covered with 350k pots. Distortion has more lowermid grind, Custom more uppermid "bite"...does AC/DC like nobody's business...The Custom is "Classic Rock to Moderate Metal", and the DD is "Moderate Metal and Above".....
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

I have 81/85 combos in 2 other guitars and I'm ok with those...it's just this particular guitar. I don't like the work involved in pulling out the EMGs, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do I guess. I will try dabbling more with the height of the pickups and all that prior to taking the big step.

Heymcz...I know what you're saying! I only have one other guitar with a single coil in it besides this one. Usually I'm not much into the single coil sound, but I love these particular guitars so I need to work that issue out! Might as well diversify every now and then, you know?
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

i used the emg sv single coils for a long time, not bad at all. i liked em much better than the sa
 
Re: Pickup Gurus, I need opinions...

You can't go far wrong with a Custom five.
Single coils a QP in the middle is a great pup. Really good for switching from all out rock from you're humbucker in the bridge to a more classic rock sound in the middle.
Neck depends on how much you use cleans, although you could always go for another QP.
 
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