Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

[stevensatch]

I have just bought a new guitar which has the following woods:

- Maple Neck
- Ebony Fretboard
- Mahogany Body

The guitar is great and comes with an Duncan Full Shred on the bridge.

The issue is that I play in as 80's hair metal tribute band and the guitar seems to sound more for metal.

The first pickup that came to my mind is the JB SH4 but I want to know which pickup would be better with the type of wood's my guitar has.

Also, I love the tone of the JB SH4 but I would love a pickup with just a bit more distortion than the JB SH4 but with the same type of tone.

Can anyone give me some pickup options that I could look into?

 

[BlueSnMettle]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

Go with the JB and get yourself a transparent overdrive/distortion pedal.
You love the tone of the JB, that's the most important thing. They make
overdrive/distortion pedals for a very good reason. I don't see to many
"tone" pedals for sale. Good luck.

Peace,

Darrin

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

JB practically defined the sound of the 80s. I think it's the one you want.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

I love the tone of the JB SH4 but I would love a pickup with just a bit more distortion than the JB SH4 but with the same type of tone.

Can anyone give me some pickup options that I could look into?

Suhr Aldrich for JB with a bit "more" of all the right stuff

or, on the flip side of the '80s rock/hair metal coin, a DiMarzio Super Distortion

I'm willing to bet you'd be really happy with either one

 

[Ascension]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

I have just bought a new guitar which has the following woods:

- Maple Neck
- Ebony Fretboard
- Mahogany Body

The guitar is great and comes with an Duncan Full Shred on the bridge.

The issue is that I play in as 80's hair metal tribute band and the guitar seems to sound more for metal.

The first pickup that came to my mind is the JB SH4 but I want to know which pickup would be better with the type of wood's my guitar has.

Also, I love the tone of the JB SH4 but I would love a pickup with just a bit more distortion than the JB SH4 but with the same type of tone.

Can anyone give me some pickup options that I could look into?

ALT 8 and a Sentient in the neck!! Think JB Jazz on a BIG dose of steroids!! Tighter bigger meaner and smoother that the JB in the bridge with less of that spike in the high mids but keeping hat singing solo tone with the Alt. The Sentient is bigger sweeter and smoother than the Jazz with a GREAT singing solo tone.
Just dropped this combo into a 1992 KOA Carvin DC 127 and LOVE IT!!

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

ALT 8 and a Sentient in the neck!! Think JB Jazz on a BIG dose of steroids!! Tighter bigger meaner and smoother that the JB in the bridge with less of that spike in the high mids but keeping hat singing solo tone with the Alt. The Sentient is bigger sweeter and smoother than the Jazz with a GREAT singing solo tone.
Just dropped this combo into a 1992 KOA Carvin DC 127 and LOVE IT!!

very interesting Bro!! I have the Jazz and 59 or 59b models in the neck of most of my dual bucker guitars and lately Ive been.... Well, alittle bored with the Jazz. Nothing wrong with it, but compared to most of my bridge buckers, it just seems alittle flat/weak/boring. So was looking for something else to use. And you know by now I trust your recommendations. I just dont have the funds these days to buy and try.. So trying to hit the nail on the head first time.. Been thinking bout Black winters as hearing great things about those for many genres..
Think the Sentient would blend well with Custom 8s??

 

[Ascension]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

very interesting Bro!! I have the Jazz and 59 or 59b models in the neck of most of my dual bucker guitars and lately Ive been.... Well, alittle bored with the Jazz. Nothing wrong with it, but compared to most of my bridge buckers, it just seems alittle flat/weak/boring. So was looking for something else to use. And you know by now I trust your recommendations. I just dont have the funds these days to buy and try.. So trying to hit the nail on the head first time.. Been thinking bout Black winters as hearing great things about those for many genres..
Think the Sentient would blend well with Custom 8s??

Works well with the Alt I know that. The sentient took a little dialing in in this guitar as it had a pretty big jump in bottom response in a very narrow point in height to strings. Wonder if it had anything to do with the Solid KOA body and neck through? Was bigger fatter and sweeter than the Jazz or 59 without being overly hot and muddy + has a really good singing solo tone.Would think it should pair well with both a Custom Custom or Custom 8.
I had planned to run a 59/Custom or a Perpetual burn in this guitar but had the Alt on hand so though what the hey lets try it. Glad I did as this combo works VERY well in this guitar!

 

[Aceman]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

I do this, and use a variety of Pickups - PG's, Custom, JB8, others. Other guitar player uses Ibanez shred sticks, Floyds and JB's. However....as said, hard to argue with the JB here. Or a SuperD.

If the JB has too much snap/bite/Ice pick - try 250k pots first, or swap to an a2 magnet.

But....before we go any further, what amp, what fx, what guitar?

Honestly, get a good delay, and don't worry so much about the pickup.

 

[stevensatch]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

I do this, and use a variety of Pickups - PG's, Custom, JB8, others. Other guitar player uses Ibanez shred sticks, Floyds and JB's. However....as said, hard to argue with the JB here. Or a SuperD.

If the JB has too much snap/bite/Ice pick - try 250k pots first, or swap to an a2 magnet.

But....before we go any further, what amp, what fx, what guitar?

Honestly, get a good delay, and don't worry so much about the pickup.

Well, the guitar is a Schecter Blackjack SLS C-1 FR S with Mahogany body, Ebony fingerboard, a full shred on the bridge, sustainer on the neck and original floyd rose.

I have an Fractal AX8 (Same effects as the Axe Fx 2)

As an amp I have a Marshal 8008 power amp and 4x12 Marshall cabinet.

Hope this helps

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

What do you like/don't like about the Full Shred that's in there now?

 

[Aceman]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

Well, the guitar is a Schecter Blackjack SLS C-1 FR S with Mahogany body, Ebony fingerboard, a full shred on the bridge, sustainer on the neck and original floyd rose.

I have an Fractal AX8 (Same effects as the Axe Fx 2)

As an amp I have a Marshal 8008 power amp and 4x12 Marshall cabinet.

Hope this helps

oh yeah - get the JB

 

[emaccarthy]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

L500XL

This things runs it all


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

Honestly, get a good delay, and don't worry so much about the pickup.

Can you elaborate on this a little? I don't play this music style but I listen to the Hair Metal Sirius station a lot and I did not realize there is a lot of delay going on in there?
Sorry to hijack.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

Can you elaborate on this a little? I don't play this music style but I listen to the Hair Metal Sirius station a lot and I did not realize there is a lot of delay going on in there?
Sorry to hijack.

Every one of those guitars had delay on it, mostly using Lexicon or Yamaha SPX 90's. Often multiple taps (one short one long)
- they used them to get a really crunchy metallic sound, they used them to get lead echo and reverb-ish tones, they used them for doubling, for faux speed licks....

I have 4+ delay settings programmed into my FX and ran 4 on my board, one with multiple settings marked.

 

[Van Noord]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

If the full shred is sounding to metal I would actually go lower output with a cleaner meaner lower or medium output PAF style pickup for a more open, classic sounding crunch tone.

 

[Joey Voltage]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

the full shred was designed in the 80’s for that style of music, especially when running through myriads of stuff that would muddy up the tone back then. Come to think of it most of Duncan’s and DiMarzio’s classic line was used back then by various people, so I think you shouldn’t have too much trouble nailing 80’s with just about anything you use. Just use a rig more suited to that style of playing and you should be all set.

 

[stevensatch]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

the full shred was designed in the 80’s for that style of music, especially when running through myriads of stuff that would muddy up the tone back then. Come to think of it most of Duncan’s and DiMarzio’s classic line was used back then by various people, so I think you shouldn’t have too much trouble nailing 80’s with just about anything you use. Just use a rig more suited to that style of playing and you should be all set.

I understand what you mean but the issue is all my other guitar's have either SD Distortion or JB's on it so my setup is going to stay the same, but when I plug this one in the difference in tone is quite noticable.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

How would you describe the difference in tone? Is it an output thing, or more of a basic sound? I am not someone who thinks the Full Shred is a whole lot different than a JB- both were designed for 80s-ish music.

 

[stevensatch]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

How would you describe the difference in tone? Is it an output thing, or more of a basic sound? I am not someone who thinks the Full Shred is a whole lot different than a JB- both were designed for 80s-ish music.

It's sounds a bit more dirty than my RG1570 and my Charvel San Dimas ... maybe I just need to give it a bit more time using it and get used to it

 

[Aceman]

Re: Question about best pickup for Hair Metal / 80's Rock for certain guitar specs

It's sounds a bit more dirty than my RG1570 and my Charvel San Dimas ... maybe I just need to give it a bit more time using it and get used to it

You know, a lot of pickup dis-satisfaction comes from two places IMO
1) Not enough listening time - you don't like it just because it's different
2) People don't change the eq/knoibs on the amp.

And - FYI....I say go with the JB still. Would this guy know 80's metal? This is me: