What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

  • JB

    Votes: 77 38.5%
  • Screamin Demon

    Votes: 13 6.5%
  • Duncan Distortion

    Votes: 33 16.5%
  • Duncan Custom

    Votes: 69 34.5%
  • Full Shred

    Votes: 3 1.5%
  • Invader

    Votes: 5 2.5%

  • Total voters
    200
Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

if it were me id either go with the jb or custom, however if youre looking for a more AC/DCish or Black Sabbathish (say that three times fast!!) kinda tone, a pearly gates might not be a bad idea. not too much output, not too little, and rude enough to be destinctive.
 
Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

I have a C-5 in my strat. Hard rock is definately in the range.

*EDIT* CC in a strat is wayyyy better, IMO. The C-5 needs to have 250K pots also.
 
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Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

I play a lot of rock / metal / hard rock and I use Hot strat Live wire sets in all my guitars . Great sustain but you need space for 2 x 9V batteries in your guitar .

Johnny
 
Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

I had a JB once. Talk about a flat, blah sound. I'm surprised Jackson put it in their "metal" guitars, and I'm surprised Michael Amott of Carcass/Arch Enemy fame uses one. No ooomph whatsoever. Better on the clean channel than dirty too. Kind of like Dave Mustaine's sound these days - very even, no spikes in the eq, no edge. Very safe sound. Tame. Too smooth for hard rock. Think he used one on the early albums with his BC Rich Bitch? Doubt it. I have since gone with a Duncan Distortion for hard rock/metal. Tone Zone ain't bad either, but only at full amp gain. I'd like to try a Duncan Custom - seems to get a lot of praise around these parts.

However, in checking out the sound bytes at Seymour Duncan, I'm starting to dig the sound of the Seth Lover. Sounds fuller than the rest of the clips and more in your face gritty. Maybe the potting takes away from some of the magic in the other pickups. Am I crazy on this one?
 
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Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

Dankerella said:
I had a JB once. Talk about a flat, blah sound. I'm surprised Jackson put it in their "metal" guitars, and I'm surprised Michael Amott of Carcass/Arch Enemy fame uses one. No ooomph whatsoever. Better on the clean channel than dirty too. Kind of like Dave Mustaine's sound these days - very even, no spikes in the eq, no edge. Very safe sound. Tame. Too smooth for hard rock. Think he used one on the early albums with his BC Rich Bitch? Doubt it. I have since gone with a Duncan Distortion for hard rock/metal. Tone Zone ain't bad either, but only at full amp gain. I'd like to try a Duncan Custom - seems to get a lot of praise around these parts.

However, in checking out the sound bytes at Seymour Duncan, I'm starting to dig the sound of the Seth Lover. Sounds fuller than the rest of the clips and more in your face gritty. Maybe the potting takes away from some of the magic in the other pickups. Am I crazy on this one?

i think you got the JB mixed with something else(like a cheapy squire humbucker), because that description is pretty much the opposite of the JB which is without doubt the most well known and respected rock pickup of all time.
 
Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

screamingdaisy said:
JB.

I have one in my Strat and it sounds top notch. When you install it, keep the 250k pots in your guitar.

Agreed, I have the same deal.
 
Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

BigBazz said:
i think you got the JB mixed with something else(like a cheapy squire humbucker), because that description is pretty much the opposite of the JB which is without doubt the most well known and respected rock pickup of all time.

That's the odd part. It's so well respected, I thought I would have to love it. The one I recall being very bland was one installed for me at a shop that doesn't have a very good reputation. Perhaps they pulled a fast one on me. At the time I tried it, I was in a band that played thrash (borderline death) metal, and I was looking for something hot but full of tone. The Duncan Distortion nailed it. These days I'm more into 70s rock and fusion, and would probably love the JB for that. I should give it another try.
 
Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

I put a JB into an old Kramer Striker st100 and made a would of difference. It was like a whole new guitar. and it rocked soildly
 
Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

i really cant decide between the JB and DD. maybe if i tried the DD out in my explorer i would be able to make a fairer judgement cause its way heavier than the guitar i have a DD in, but its a f*cking b!tch wiring that explorer, the pickup wire always wants to move up into the pickguard area instead of the control cavity
 
Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

I think the Custom and JB sound too hard in the midrange. The C-5 seems to be sweeter and just as good for metal.
 
Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

GuitarGuy503 said:
Just in case you need information about my guitar to decide, I have a 2004 Fender American Standard Strat, with an alder body, and a maple fretboard. :32:

snap!
 
Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

ive always liked the demon, its great for riffing, but the fullshred would be your pick for more soloing
 
Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

A strat with a humbucker? i say go with the Custom, used to have one with one in it and was one of the best sounding fat strats ive heared, great for rock or metal tho it was a rosewood neck. The Distorsion might give you a thicker sound and is good for hard rock too.. depends on what you want and the type of amp you got too, i prefer the custom especialy for the strat but both would give you great sounds
 
Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

It's hard to go wrong with a JB or a Custom. The thing about the JB is that it sounds better with 250k pots, unlike most pickups. If you're playing a strat the Fast Track 2 and JB Jr. are my favorite bridge pickups.
 
Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

GuitarGuy503 said:
I have tried an Invader and it seemed way to overkill for my taste.

no pickup is overkill your just too much of a wuss ;)
 
Re: What is the BEST Bridge Pickup for a HardRock music style?

It's about time someone posted a thread asking which bridge humbucker is best for Hard Rock!

All wiseassery aside, I have the DD in a similar axe to yours, and I have to say it's got about as much balls as you could ask for, though I haven't tried any of the others. If you do go the DD route, and I can't stress this enough, get 500k pots. Also try to rig up some sort of coil-splitting setup if you can, the DD has a great, nigh strattish sound when split which definitely makes up for not having an SC in the bridge (also makes position 4 sound a lot better, not to mention hum cancelling).
 
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