pickups for heavy metal

[metal_steve]

hey guys. thru some extensive research into wot pups are the best for heavy metal it almost always comes down to the good ol' EMG81. i will probably get one or 2 of these installed soon but i just wondered if any of u guys had some input into other decent pickups. cheers

[Tone Taster]

bare knuckle pickups

[madgrinder7]

My Les Paul and Ibanez SZ both have a SD Pearly Gates bridge and a SD Jazz neck pickup. There really is no pickup designed for any type of music.

 

Its all about signal strength and "coloring". The strength comes from the number of turns in the winding (mainly... I know the type of magnet has a lesser effect, but I'm trying to keep things simple). The "coloring" of the signal comes from windings, winding material, magnet material, wiring differences (phase differences), pickup covers, pole length, etc...

 

The EMG's are fine. The reason for their popularity with metal and shredders is (let the howling begin...) A TOTALLY DRY AND ACCURATE SIGNAL OF STRING MOVEMENT. There is no real coloring of the signal, so it is the most accurate representation of the strings. With that said, the shredders and metallers want ACCURACY because of the speed. ACCURARCY DOES NOT EQUAL TONE! Tone comes from everything else.

 

Seymour Duncan offers a few with "metal" names like Full Shred and Dimebucker but what you need to know is how it actually sounds. That means trying them out on other previously-equipt guitars to see if you like them.

 

Good luck!

[revolead]

Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge and a '59 in the neck. That's exactly what most real metal players use. Unless you're going for the Kerry King/Slayer approach to guitar, you don't need active pickups.

 

I'm of the opinion, that like mustard gas and other chemical warfare, active pickups are just some of those things mankind should disinvent.

[Tone Taster]

Originally posted by revolead:

I'm of the opinion, that like mustard gas and other chemical warfare, active pickups are just some of those things mankind should disinvent.

Amen

[AeroG33k]

Agreed...but wouldn't active pickups make more sense for studio's or where you use a lot of processing since the signal is so...sterile?

 

I'd go with duncan distortions, hot rails (if it's single coils), or diMarzio evolutions...they have more character.

[Gifthorse]

Get a Duncan Distortion and call it day.

 

EMG have 0 dynamics. Every note will sound the same. When you try and pinch a harmonic it will compress and sound like shit.

[rotosound45]

Originally posted by flagshipmile:

 

EMG have 0 dynamics. Every note will sound the same. When you try and pinch a harmonic it will compress and sound like shit.

Yeah... just ask Zakk Wylde.

[Gabriel E.]

Most high-output PUs will work well - EMGs included.

 

I like the Dimarzio Evolution a lot for heavy stuff. MY PRS has a stock HFS bridge PU which is the hottest humbucker I've ever tried in any guitar.

[rotosound45]

I have been a personal fan of the DiMarzio Super Distortion for many years. I also agree with the Seymour Duncan Hot Rails for Strats that shouldn't be butchered.

[Griffinator]

Originally posted by metal_steve:

hey guys. thru some extensive research into wot pups are the best for heavy metal it almost always comes down to the good ol' EMG81. i will probably get one or 2 of these installed soon but i just wondered if any of u guys had some input into other decent pickups. cheers

Screw EMG's - they're sterile. Definitely not a metal pickup, unless you have a cheapo guitar with crappy laminate instead of real wood.

 

If you have a good body on your axe, get a high-gain like the Duncan Distortion and let 'er rip!

[Rock Soldier]

Originally posted by revolead:

Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge and a '59 in the neck. That's exactly what most real metal players use.

I got a Kramer Standard Pro with a JB in the bridge and a Pearley Gates in the neck but my stock Gibson Les Paul's pickups (498T & 490R) are a lot more powerful. They are my most metal pickups.