Southern Hardcore players, which pickups do you use?

[CaptainWhizz]

Anyone out there who plays Southern Hardcore style, which pickups do you use?

 

[Mincer]

Not being familiar with this music, can you post a video example?

 

[ragamuffin]

Not being familiar with this music, can you post a video example?

It's just like regular hardcore except all the lyrics are about pickup trucks and dirt roads

 

[Securb]

I was thinking Hank III

 

[CaptainWhizz]

I guess it’s kind of like if Metalcore players grew up listening to a lot of The Great Southern Trendkill by Pantera.

These are some of the songs I like that I would consider Southern Hardcore:


https://youtu.be/jplo_0P1XnY

https://youtu.be/sUP2GLtvFXQ

https://youtu.be/PqaxnznOfC0

https://youtu.be/-90oDP-PvmY

https://youtu.be/eDe7HoOzoZA

https://youtu.be/6_MtW_VXeyc

 

[3'scompany]

Adam Tanbouz (He Is Legend) uses an SD Sentient/Pegasus in the neck/bridge of at least one of his ESP Eclipses, if his Instagram is to be trusted.

I used to play music similar to Maylene and HIL quite a bit. I played a PRS Singlecut with a Custom 5 in the bridge (if I remember correctly) through a Mesa Rectifier and/or a JCM 2000. It was pretty convincing. Then again, my ES335 with 57 Classic pickups also sounded huge and awesome through the Mesa once I retubed it with 6V6s and seriously dropped the wattage so I could crank it and not kill my eardrums. In my opinion, I think your amp is going to be the biggest factor, so long as you're using humbuckers that don't totally fall apart under heavy-ish gain or have really extreme EQ profiles.

 

[Securb]

Almost any med - hot pickup can get you there. When I was playing with a post-hardcore band I was using the WLH set. My tone was more about my Marshall and the pedal I used to push it.

 

[CaptainWhizz]

I’ve read that Adam Tanbouz used EMGs earlier on, then Pegasus & Sentient (which some LTD EC-1000 models come with as standard), and I’ve seen a video of him doing a demo for a Mojotone (I think it was) overwound ceramic set.

I think Jordan from ETID mostly uses EMGs in Eclipses, whereas Andy seems to use a whole bunch of everything. He claims to be a JB guy, but he seems to just go through gear like crazy, and I think he’s on Fluences.

I have seen in a couple of places that one of the guys from Maylene plays a Tele (Custom I’m assuming) with lil ‘59 & Jazz.

Scott Middleton from Cancer Bats I’m sure has used EMGs, as well as some German pickups in his Nik Hubers I think.

So basically, it seems like as long as it’s an active humbucker, or an alnico 5 or ceramic passive, it’s good

 

[idsnowdog]

Corrosion Of Conformity have used the Anderson H3, and Duncan Invader. Other pickups that would work well are the Duncan Distortion, and Custom 8. The Dimarzio X2N, and Super Distortion. The Gibson Dirty Fingers. The Kent Armstrong M213, and M214. The Mighty Mite Motherbucker.

 

[Masta' C]

I agree with the medium-hot designation if staying passive. Pickups like the Custom 5, Gibson 498T, JB, etc. are great for this.

EMGs are classic simply because they cut through so well, are very "crunchy" and really articulate single note runs, but passive pickups with a bit of a scoop and/or an upper-mid emphasis can really get that dirty, chunky flavor with decent clarity.

If I could make only one recommendation, though, it would be the Gibson 498T.

 

[Securb]

If I could make only one recommendation, though, it would be the Gibson 498T.

That was my go-to until I discovered the WLH set, I still have the 489T in a ton of guitars.

 

[CaptainWhizz]

That was my go-to until I discovered the WLH set, I still have the 489T in a ton of guitars.

That’s interesting; I was definitely interested in seeing what people on here actually used to play that kind of stuff, and the 498T is what I currently have in my LP DC, but I find it a bit lacking in “chunk”. I picked up a second-hand ‘59/ Custom Hybrid a while ago, but haven’t put it in yet. But the WLH set was under strong consideration, as I also use that guitar for hard rock/ punk.

 

[3'scompany]

I'm a big fan of medium output pickups if running into a high gain amp. I find that the sound is a bit more open and organic to my ears, and I'm never lacking for gain as the amp has it in spades. And as is often repeated here, your favorite artists probably use less gain than you think. My favorite hard rock/metal guitar is my ES335 with 57 Classics (alnico 2) - go figure. Plug it in to a good high gain tube amp and it sounds monstrous. It might have something to do with the construction of that guitar, but I'd 100% choose an ES over a Les Paul for big, heavy sounds 8 days a week.

 

[chris effect]

I prefer The sh-6 mayhem set above all others. For all kinds of hardcore, from NYHC to Hatebreed style stuff to Southern Style hardcore.

 

[CaptainWhizz]

I prefer The sh-6 mayhem set above all others. For all kinds of hardcore, from NYHC to Hatebreed style stuff to Southern Style hardcore.

I’ve considered that set, partly because it’s so cheap in the UK; it’s about the same price new as a single WLH. The neck pickup sounds a little too “‘80s metal” in videos I’ve seen of it though.

 

[CaptainWhizz]

Does the WLH bridge only come in standard spacing?

 

[Mincer]

No, I've seen a Trembucker version available.

 

[CaptainWhizz]

No, I've seen a Trembucker version available.

Awesome. Now to hunt one down in the UK.
I’ve seen TB Pearly Gates, but not Slash, WLH, or SNS.

 

[Masta' C]

No, I've seen a Trembucker version available.

Didn't realize that myself. Makes it even more tempting to give one a try at some point! :scratchch

 

[CaptainWhizz]

Didn't realize that myself. Makes it even more tempting to give one a try at some point! :scratchch

Doesn’t appear to be listed as an option on the product page, so I guess maybe it’s a shop floor custom?

Unfortunately, this link redirects to the home page:

https://www.seymourduncan.com/dealers-international