Priest pups

[Boleslaw Gers 666]

So what kind of pickups were the boys from Judas Priest ballin' around the British Steel era? Super Distortions, I assume, but just checking.

 

[Inge Malmstein]

Re: Priest pups

I think that must be Super Distortions - i read in on an old Priest Songbook where both memebers talk about there equipment.
During this time (70's - 80) a lot of Strats were modded with super distortions.
if you take a look at the guitar you might recognize that the pickups are diMarzios.

 

[Boleslaw Gers 666]

Re: Priest pups

I think that must be Super Distortions - i read in on an old Priest Songbook where both memebers talk about there equipment.
During this time (70's - 80) a lot of Strats were modded with super distortions.
if you take a look at the guitar you might recognize that the pickups are diMarzios.

Yeah. Like Dave Murray and Adrian Smith's strats (and SG's, Roadstars, Les Pauls, Charvels, Jacksons......). They are great pickups, but don't seem to have the clean tone that Duncans have. Do the Evos have good clean tone? I was thinking about throwing a JB/Evolution neck combo in there. How would that sound? I could also go with just about anything else. I want good clean and dirty tones. I hear Duncan Distortions have nice clean tone.

 

[PRG]

Re: Priest pups

Another vote for the Super Distortions. In my SG with the Super D, I could get there tone. Razor-sharp, bright with a little fuzz. Super D's are great pickups, they've got a sharp attack and a stiff kinda character with a bit of "fizz" to the notes, hard to explain, but they're the only pickup I've tried that actually adds a little dirt to the the tone.

 

[Inge Malmstein]

Re: Priest pups

The DUncan Distortion has more output which makes the pickup more distorted, like the name says it - but not fatter.
The Super Distortion is not so bright as the DD and has more bass and mids and boosts the tone, which makes the tone fatter.

 

[Brow]

Re: Priest pups

I remember reading in a semi recent guitar magazine interview that they also use EMG 81's with the 18volt mod installed on some of their guitars.

Craig

 

[Breaking the law]

Re: Priest pups

Glenn Tipton uses EMGs nowadays. And so does KK, but I'm not sure if he has them modded. I'm not sure, but I think KK used stock pickups on his Gibson V's.

 

[Boleslaw Gers 666]

Re: Priest pups

The DUncan Distortion has more output which makes the pickup more distorted, like the name says it - but not fatter.
The Super Distortion is not so bright as the DD and has more bass and mids and boosts the tone, which makes the tone fatter.

How do you know they are higher output? I really want to hear some NUMBERS (not bars) on the output of Duncans to compare with DiMarzios.

 

[Anthem]

Re: Priest pups

I've seen many pics of their guitars. KK had a Hamer Vector in the early to mid 80's, as seen in the Freewheel Burning video, a red one with a single DiMarzio Super Distortion, I think he used that guitar alot before he got that strange looking red V with the metal studs on it (I think that was the Turbo+ era). Tipton used a black Strat alot, which also had the Super Distortion. I think his SG had stock pups. Then around the time of Defenders of the Faith he got the Hamer Phantom GT's which had a single Super Distortion....his number one had a mirror pickguard as well. Those were some gorgeous axes:32: Around the time Turbo came out he started playing those ugly ass Hamer pointy things, I can't remember the name....but they're hideous. He's always played the beautiful Phantom GT's though, even to this day. It's my favorite guitar ever! I wish I could get my hands on a few. Maybe one day I'll get a custom made one from Hamer. I think the Super Distortion is a factor in alot of the 80's metal sound. Dave Murray from Maiden always has a great bridge pup lead tone with the Super Distortion, his slurry neck pup tone is less stellar. Maiden England has great bridge lead tone from Mr. Murray, check out the opening licks of Still Life and Killers, thick as hell :headbang:

 

[Jester700]

Re: Priest pups

I like that Hamer Phantom-if I'd had the money in high school I'd have gotten one. Cool looking neck, too, with the black blocks on maple. If only that maple was birdseye...

 

[ex-250]

Re: Priest pups

I've seen many pics of their guitars. KK had a Hamer Vector in the early to mid 80's, as seen in the Freewheel Burning video, a red one with a single DiMarzio Super Distortion, I think he used that guitar alot before he got that strange looking red V with the metal studs on it (I think that was the Turbo+ era). Tipton used a black Strat alot, which also had the Super Distortion. I think his SG had stock pups. Then around the time of Defenders of the Faith he got the Hamer Phantom GT's which had a single Super Distortion....his number one had a mirror pickguard as well. Those were some gorgeous axes:32: Around the time Turbo came out he started playing those ugly ass Hamer pointy things, I can't remember the name....but they're hideous. He's always played the beautiful Phantom GT's though, even to this day. It's my favorite guitar ever! I wish I could get my hands on a few. Maybe one day I'll get a custom made one from Hamer. I think the Super Distortion is a factor in alot of the 80's metal sound. Dave Murray from Maiden always has a great bridge pup lead tone with the Super Distortion, his slurry neck pup tone is less stellar. Maiden England has great bridge lead tone from Mr. Murray, check out the opening licks of Still Life and Killers, thick as hell :headbang:

yeah thats pretty dead on. these days most of their main stage guitars have EMGs, but i think KK's red hamer V with the maple fretboard has some kinda modified duncans (modified for more midrange he said in a GW interview).....my guess for that one is a JB

 

[superpete]

Re: Priest pups

I read that they were using custom Duncan's in that GW interview as well. I asked MJ what Tipton used and she said the Scott Ian Diablo. I've also heard he is using EMG's, so who knows

 

[ex-250]

Re: Priest pups

really! wow, i havent heard that before. hmm. i still figure the covered ones are a JB and jazz or something similar, but i havent seen anything of his with an el diablo. very interesting...

 

[Inge Malmstein]

Re: Priest pups

How do you know they are higher output? I really want to hear some NUMBERS (not bars) on the output of Duncans to compare with DiMarzios.

How do i know?
I have BOTH pickups and i already compared them a few times.
The Duncan Distortion is brighter and has more distortion because of its output.
That was my impression.
The Super Distortion has a lot of mids and bass which makes the tone fatter.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Priest pups

I don't know what they used then. When I had an Explorer with its stock PAF pickups it came close as is to producing great Priest and Scorpions sound.

I don't know, but I'm guessing that any of the vintage to mid-out put pups like the Seth Lover, JB or Custom Custom will get you in the neighborhood.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Priest pups

BREAKIN THE LAW! BREAKIN THE LAW!

- Just had to say that!

 

[Breaking the law]

Re: Priest pups

You called, Aceman? lol.
I SAW WITH MY OWN EYES.. Tipton used EMGs live. Pays out to be in the front row.
I don't know about the old setups, I'll check out my DVD for any hints.

Ohh... Me so stupid.. check out the Video section of www.judaspriest.com - it has videos of both Glenn and K.K. Presenting some of their axes.