Metal Pickups. with a good clean. NEWB question.

[AGWAN]

Well, I'm gonna jump in head first and ask a stupid question.

I'm a lefty... and as such my choice in guitars is limited. thusly I am considering doing a Warmoth (a white Iceman, methinks.. but that would be another thread!)

I just... have no clue where to start. but firstly...

I have to big stylistic interests. that I'd like to experiment in with one guitar. I want to go after the really melodic, but really heavy Metal.

I just need a good versatile pick-up (or... set thereof) something with a clean worthy of lead. but plenty of chug... the Seymour duncan blackouts sound interesting... but if there is a Non-Active pickup choice that would work well. I'm really all for it.

I apologize for making my first post a topic, for the obviously ignorant phrasing of this question...

and hope you guys can help me out!

 

[JaySwear]

i really really like my JB/Jazz combination. the JB is great for anything from pop rock to metal, and the Jazz does cleans better than any other humbucker i've had i think. really versatile combination! the Jazz can seem to be a little muddy with distortion though. i've heard good things about the 59 for the neck too.

thats seymour duncan. for dimarzio i love the super distortion (similar to the JB in a lot of ways i think) and there are quite a few neck pickups that could go well with that. maybe a PAF? anyway, just a few i really like

 

[Patrick from Davis]

I have a set of Bare Knuckle Nailbomb's.  I am very impressed with how nice the cleans turned out.  They are not cheap, but Who hah! they can get real mean and clean up real nice as well.
Patrick

 

[AGWAN]

wow... those Nailbombs are INSANE! of course, at about 350.00 ish dollars. I guess they should be.

as for the seymour duncans... I've heard a JB/59 combo in a Schecter Blackjack... and it was iffy. sadly youtube was my only source on that.... youtube is my only source for a lot of crap right now... so... yay bad audio? I also heard the Blackouts in a Blackjack. and they seemed good. if I go the factory route it will most likely be one of those guitars. they seem a heck of a deal... though... they look downright gaudy.... (even the Blackjack ATX has this HIDEOUS binding.)

I worry the SD/PAF will be too bright for what I want. though they do sound amazing.

thank you guys! more input will always be appreciated

P.S. is there a "Post your dream Build" thread?

 

[JaySwear]

P.S. is there a "Post your dream Build" thread?

we just call it the "Work In Progress" section. most of them are actually in progress, but a few are just builds people would like to get started. i think i've got two in the planning stages that i just don't have money for right now.

 

[Mor Paul]

]
P.S. is there a "Post your dream Build" thread?

I made one forever ago, but we generally just spam the thread that is most relevant. So, dream jazzmaster, spam the jazzmaster thread.

 

[AGWAN]

yeah... I had to necropost the Iceman thread...

also... EVERY SINGLE clip I hear of Bareknuckle pickups sounds AMAZING!

 

[AGWAN]

DiMarzio D Activators. thoughts?

 

[rockskate4x]

I'll second the JB suggestion actually. I don't need a pickup that is any heavier than the JB to do intense metal, and it's certainly good enough for Dave Mustaine. Also, IME Youtube is never a good way to decide which pickups are good/bad. Try it out in person plugged into a rig that is similar to your own if possible.

 

[The Norwegian Guy]

I'm using SH-5/SH-2. works great!

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Hannaugh really likes her SD Alternative 8  :icon_thumright:

 

[kdownes]

It depends on the rest of your rig, too.  Do you use pedals for distortion effects, different channels on your amp, etc?  I generally go for medium output pickups because effects of various types do better when the signal coming from the guitar isn't overloading everything (at least with the effects I use).  I have a Dimarzio PAF Pro (bridge) and Air Norton (neck) in my modded Dean, which sound really excellent clean but get positively nasty through distortion and fuzz pedals (particularly the Zvex Box of Metal and Fuzz Factory, both of which can do super heavy distortion).  For versatility you might want to choose medium output PUs and get yourself some pedals.  Bigger investment but more flexibility.

 

[AGWAN]

I'll second the JB suggestion actually. I don't need a pickup that is any heavier than the JB to do intense metal, and it's certainly good enough for Dave Mustaine. Also, IME Youtube is never a good way to decide which pickups are good/bad. Try it out in person plugged into a rig that is similar to your own if possible.

I agree, you tube is...okay,at best. but in this part of Utah there are not a whole lot of guitar stores, and the ones that are here, tend to stock very cheap guitars with factory pickups.
My current rig is still a godaweful crate practice amp, my next one will be along the line of a Line6 Flextone 3... I still worry the JB is too bright. but I know the 59 is a no go.

I'm using SH-5/SH-2. works great!

that. sounds like a Gorgeous Combo! sadly, youtube was my only reference for how they sounded.

Hannaugh really likes her SD Alternative 8  :icon_thumright:

Dagnabit. I cant find any decipherable audio for that pickup. though there is one horrid one on youtube... it sounded really bluesy.

It depends on the rest of your rig, too.  Do you use pedals for distortion effects, different channels on your amp, etc?  I generally go for medium output pickups because effects of various types do better when the signal coming from the guitar isn't overloading everything (at least with the effects I use).  I have a Dimarzio PAF Pro (bridge) and Air Norton (neck) in my modded Dean, which sound really excellent clean but get positively nasty through distortion and fuzz pedals (particularly the Zvex Box of Metal and Fuzz Factory, both of which can do super heavy distortion).  For versatility you might want to choose medium output PUs and get yourself some pedals.  Bigger investment but more flexibility.

Yeah, I'll be using a Line6 style Modeling amp till I really figure out what I want to do. sadly... I dont know what using a mid priced solid state Amp means for pick up choice. I know I like digital effects... so much that I'd rather get a BOSS GT8 and just go from there, rather than pick them up one at a time... (though... with a line 6, that may be redundant!)

thanks again for all your input!

 

[Death by Uberschall]

If the JB is a little too bright for you, check out the Motor City Pickup's AFWAYU. Seems to get great reviews.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

You could try an Alternative 8 for $55, if you don't like it you can sell it to get your money back.

http://www.rig-talk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=68790

 

[AGWAN]

good gravy. between the nailbombs and the Afwayus... I am Eargasming! I LOVE THESE BOUTIQUE PICKUPS!