Hot pickups with nice cleans

[Fzau]

I'm looking to put two humbuckers in my next build but I have no idea which ones..
Mainly using it for metal (trash, metalcore,...), the bridge humbucker should provide a crunching and bassy rythm tone and a sweet and full lead sound in the neck, both very articulate.
The only problem is that I'd like them to be able to do nice cleans as well, which is the reason EMG's aren't my first choice..
Any idea's for some good combinations?

* note: my main influences are Metallica, Megadeth, Killswitch Engage, Marty Friedman,...
* And maybe good to know, the guitars made from alder

Thanks a lot!

 

[Xplorervoodoo]

Metallica and I believe, Killswitch Engage are EMG's...

Dave Mustaine used Seymour Duncan JB and Jazz in his guitars for years (and probably still uses them) but is now endorsing his Dave Mustaine SD Livewires

Not sure what Marty uses, but the metal community seems to think highly of the new Seymour Duncan Blackouts... :dontknow:

 

[Fzau]

Damn, I had no idea Joel Stroetzel used EMG's.. I thought he used those Caparison humbuckers.. shame on me  :sad1:
Anyway I checked the 81/SA/85 combo and I think it turns out rather well! Killer crunch on the bridge, smooth lead on the neck AND nice cleans on the SA  :toothy10:
That sorts it out  :icon_thumright:

 

[dmraco]

I have an 81/85 combo and it cleans up nice.

DiMarzio Evos crank and clean up well too.  Not sure if the tone is to your liking though.

 

[Xplorervoodoo]

Damn, I had no idea Joel Stroetzel used EMG's.. I thought he used those Caparison humbuckers.. shame on me  :sad1:

You're probably right, I might have been thinking about a different band.  The rest of the info I gave you is accurate though  :laughing7:

 

[GoDrex]

Marty Friedman used JB's as well.

One thing I've learned about JB's  - they supposedly were meant to be used with 250k pots.

 

[NonsenseTele]

Bare Knuckle Alnico V Warpigs

 

[GoDrex]

Bare Knuckle Alnico V Warpigs

too expensive

 

[shanejw]

I'm not big on EMG pickups, but I remember really liking the clean tones they gave up.  Damn near single coilish.  Very nice and clean.

 

[Orpheo]

blackouts are GREAT for clean AND distortion.

but my favorites are the duncan distortion, the duncan custom (great for cleans, either in series or parallel or split!). the air norton is great for heavy metal too; it wont give a lot of voltages, but its resonancepeak is such that is feels VERY hot (like an EMG81) but passive, and a much sweeter, punchier tone; not just gain. its great for clean; so spanky and jangly and well... they're my favorites, and for a good reason I guess... I also like the motherbucker (one of my favorites), the bareknuckles too (painkiller, CERAMIC! warpig!, miracle man), but they're VERY expensive. I also like the dean Schenker pickups.

 

[DocNrock]

Try a Tone Zone in the bridge and an Air Norton in the neck.

 

[riverbluff]

Bare Knuckle Alnico V Warpigs

too expensive

Not with the current exchange rate!  Order them direct from BKP website.  I just got a calabrated Riff Raff set for $190 with shipping after the exchange rate.  All the US suppliers are still selling them for 375 or more.

 

[Superlizard]

Why not use a low-output humbucker, and then when you need to crank, hit a stomp box?

 

[GoDrex]

Bare Knuckle Alnico V Warpigs

too expensive

Not with the current exchange rate!  Order them direct from BKP website.  I just got a calabrated Riff Raff set for $190 with shipping after the exchange rate.  All the US suppliers are still selling them for 375 or more.

thanks for that. I guess anyone that buys them from a US supplier is getting reamed. How long did it take to get them?

 

[m4rk0]

so how about those David Gilmours we were talking about last week?
I posted a clip in that topic of a guy shredding on single coil emg's, which sounded really good.

 

[riverbluff]

Got them in about 3 weeks.  Can't say enough about the service I have gotten from them.  Tim Mills is very good about providing you with great feedback on selection.  If you e-mail him with the specifics on what you are looking for with specifics on type of guitar you are installing the pups in, he gives spot on suggestions as to what pickup to get.

Bill