Seymour Duncan pickup suggestions to replace EMGs

[anotherguitarguy]

Hi all,

I am looking for a new set of pickups to replace my old 81/85 EMGs. I want something that is good for metal and softer cleans. I would also like something that is very different from the EMGs. I don't want to go through the pain of buying new pickups only to have it sound the same as before. I have subdivided this thread post into different sections to make it easier to read.

Gear:
Kramer Assault 220 Plus EMG (Mahogany core and neck with ebony fretboard, 25.5 scale)
Fender Mustang III and IV amps
Dunlop 3mm Big Stubby picks

Sound:
Current: I feel the current sound I have is simply too hot for the tone I'm going for. I am personally a heavy metal player, (Metallicaish, Panteraish). I do a lot of heavy chugging and galloping. I also solo a lot and would want something that is clear in the mix and live. My band and I play some of the chugging but we are more laid-back and venture into the classic rock and blues territory. We also play a lot of clean sounds, (more of the warm cleans as opposed to cold cleans prevalent in metal). In other words, we play a lot of chords that could easily be played on an acoustic.

Desired: I'm looking for a pickup set or two different pickups that will be the best of both worlds. I feel that the EMGs are too hot and shrill for the cleans I do. I want something that can hang and doesn't turn muddy when high amounts of preamp gain are introduced, (I think Alnico IIs have this tendency when palm-muting and galloping? I'm not turned away by it though if they are tight enough for chuggs and gallops). I would like to keep the heavy stuff tight and clear, but I don't want it to be shrill or synthetic sounding. I want my cleans to have enough warmth or roundness to them so I don't split my earmdrums when I play it. I just want something that will give me the chugginess I need and the warmer clean I require.

Guitar wood EQ:
I know that my mahogany core and neck already give the guitar some warmth. I believe the ebony fretboard and the 25.5 scale give my guitar brightness too. I almost have reason to believe the guitar I use is fairly middle-of-the-road. This makes me wonder what the EQ on the pickups I want should be. Do I need something with a higher bass and treble response with scooped mids? Or do I need something that mimics the EQ of my guitar?

Recap:
Heavy metal player who plays blues and clean passages
Want something very very different sounding from the current EMGs
Looking to replace EMGs with a set of pickups or two different pickups that will allow for both tight/clear heavys but smooth/warm cleans
Unsure of the EQ the pickups would need to be to get the most out of the guitar

Do any of you good folks have any suggestions for pickups? If there is anything I need to clarify, I'll be happy to.

Thanks!

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Seymour Duncan pickup suggestions to replace EMGs

I'm thinking Custom/'59 might be what you want. They're way different from EMG's EQ-wise, and the output is more laid back, while still being tight and versatile enough for what you want.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Seymour Duncan pickup suggestions to replace EMGs

Rex made a solid suggestion for passives

If you'd like to stay active, you should definitely check out the Fishman Fluence line, particularly the Classics. Each pickup has 2 voicings, which makes them really versatile.

 

[anotherguitarguy]

Re: Seymour Duncan pickup suggestions to replace EMGs

Are you referring to the 59/custom hybrid or a 59 and one of the customs? And I'll check out those Fishman's!

 

[EmiAba]

Re: Seymour Duncan pickup suggestions to replace EMGs

I'm thinking Custom/'59 might be what you want. They're way different from EMG's EQ-wise, and the output is more laid back, while still being tight and versatile enough for what you want.

+1

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Seymour Duncan pickup suggestions to replace EMGs

Are you referring to the 59/custom hybrid or a 59 and one of the customs? And I'll check out those Fishman's!

Nah, I mean the standard ceramic SH-5 Custom in the bridge and a '59 in the neck. The '59 Custom Hybrid would be cool as well, but the Custom is more of a metal pickup. Not that the Hybrid can't do metal, or that the Custom is a metal-only pickup, but if metal tones are your priority, I still think the Custom would be meaner while still retaining versatility.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Seymour Duncan pickup suggestions to replace EMGs

If you want a plug and play swap try the EMG 57 and 66 they are very different from the 81 and 85.

If you do decide to go passive make sure there is the ground wire is there to the bridge. Many guitars that come from the factory with actives have that part skipped.

 

[EmiAba]

Re: Seymour Duncan pickup suggestions to replace EMGs

If you want a plug and play swap try the EMG 57 and 66 they are very different from the 81 and 85.

I was thinking to EMG 57/66 too (or to retroactive fat55 set as easy, quick replacement). But he said, he wants "something that is very different from the EMGs". I take this sentence like "I want go passive". But, yes, 57/66 is really a good set and, in my experience, far enough tone-wise to 85/81 pair

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Seymour Duncan pickup suggestions to replace EMGs

I was thinking to EMG 57/66 too (or to retroactive fat55 set as easy, quick replacement). But he said, he wants "something that is very different from the EMGs". I take this sentence like "I want go passive". But, yes, 57/66 is really a good set and, in my experience, far enough tone-wise to 85/81 pair

He didnt specify I want to go passive so I wasnt going to assume it as such. My suggestion is rooted in the fact that they are the easiest to swap, literally plug and play. To go passive he has to gut his guitar and put in all new controls. If hes cool with that, fantastic. If he wants a fast way to a different sound that will do the sonic territory he wants then the 57/66 fit the bill.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Seymour Duncan pickup suggestions to replace EMGs

The Fishmans are a drop-in (i.e. plug-in) replacement for the EMG's also. You only loose the multi-voice switching if you don't upgrade the harness, which EMGs don't have to begin with, so it's really no loss if you're ok with limiting yourself that way.

Also, pickups like the Fluence Classics are more "not like the 81/85" than even the 57/66

 

[weepingminotaur]

Re: Seymour Duncan pickup suggestions to replace EMGs

Custom 5/Jazz if you want to go the scooped route, or Pegasus/Sentient if you want more clarity with high gain. Either would work fine for you IMO.

 

[Cynical]

Re: Seymour Duncan pickup suggestions to replace EMGs

The fly in the ointment here is the Big Stubby picks. Those things make pickups react really differently -- avoiding boominess is going to be at a *real* premium here (which disqualifies every Custom variant, IMO), and you're going to want a pickup that's a bit deader on the top than usual to fight the chirp. The Pegasus/Sentient set is a possibility, but with those Mustang amps... why do you even care about output? You're not actually driving the front end of an amp, it can be as hot as you want. Combine all of this with a 25.5" scale, and you get a recipe that just screams "JB/Jazz" to me.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Seymour Duncan pickup suggestions to replace EMGs

I'm gonna go WAY outside the box here;

1. Dimebucker / 59. Wire the Dimebucker in series/parallel for the softer cleans.

2. DiMarzio X2N wired Series/Parallel/Split for Chug/Soft clean/Blues. PAF neck for no reason.

 

[allstarrme]

Re: Seymour Duncan pickup suggestions to replace EMGs

I’m loving the fishman fluence classics I put in place of some emgs. I had to wire a push pull for the 2 different voicings, but they drop right in.

And the sounds are more Duncan than even Seymour could make. The first voicing is classic Seth’s, just clear and bright pafs. The second voicing is hot rodded for a JB in the bridge and a really good neck with some thicker mids than the Seth.

If you get the open core version (no cover) they also have a third voicing for single coil. The regular ones are splitable as well but run through voicing 1 or 2’s preamp, they don’t have their own profile with different resonant peak.

The options on these make them super versatile and they sound just like the Duncan’s. I have compared the bridge to a real JB I have and the only difference I hear is because one has a Floyd rather than string through.

The JB can still shred, but with a super switch or push pull you can get super clean and bluesy and everything in between.