Suggestion on Seymour Duncan set...

[Ljbarbeau]

I'm almost ready to order a VIP. But I'm undecided on the pickups. I know I want to use SD's but not sure which one. I'm playing lots of different style of music from pink Floyd to death metal.

In the neck position I'm thinking jazz or 59 4 cables.
The bridge either invader or distortion.

Any input if this would be a good match would be very appreciated.  Also I'm uncertain if I should use trembucker or regular humbuckers with the setup I'm going for.

Wenge neck with ebony 1 1/16 nut
Black korina body with wilkinson tremolo.

Also would using a Floyd rose instead, change the spacing needed on the PUs?


Last question has any1 ever tried black face dots on a dark wood fingerboard like ebony?

 

[mrpinter]

Here's a suggestion for your bridge pickup that might be a better match for a Jazz or 59 neck: a George Lynch Screamin Demon. I'm not thinking of it so much for really heavy stuff like death metal, but for Pink Floyd/classic rock styles it's IMO an under rated pickup. It might be the name that suggests it's something it's really not. It's a moderate output pickup (like your neck choices) that has it's own special glassy kind of complexity in the med to high overtones (especially when it's overdriven or distorted). It's kind of like turning up a brilliance knob on a tube amp (compared to other pickups). It's a sound I find addictive. The sound samples on the SD website are actually pretty accurate for this pickup - if you want to get a general idea what it does.

 

[rapfohl09]

I'm almost ready to order a VIP. But I'm undecided on the pickups. I know I want to use SD's but not sure which one. I'm playing lots of different style of music from pink Floyd to death metal.

In the neck position I'm thinking jazz or 59 4 cables.
The bridge either invader or distortion.

Any input if this would be a good match would be very appreciated.  Also I'm uncertain if I should use trembucker or regular humbuckers with the setup I'm going for.

Wenge neck with ebony 1 1/16 nut
Black korina body with wilkinson tremolo.

Also would using a Floyd rose instead, change the spacing needed on the PUs?


Last question has any1 ever tried black face dots on a dark wood fingerboard like ebony?

Well changing from a wilkinson to a floyd wouldnt change the spacing needed. Just make sure you get F-spaced pickups and your good. I cant really comment on the pickups but I am looking into getting black dots on my next neck with a rosewood board. I saw a piece in the showcase that was black dots on a dark pau ferro and it looked really awesome. Ebony much be a bit dark though, but who knows.

 

[Ljbarbeau]

Kool thx for the spacing answer.

For the pickup I need this guitar to be really aggressive I do death metal first and that's what I play with others.  The blues stuff I play for myself alone at home.  So I need to be sure a bout the heavy stuff before the bluesy stuff.  I was concerned about this mix because one is high outpu and the other is a low output pickup.  I was wondering if this would be trouble in the future or it doesn't matter..

I didn't have time to go on SD site today I'll look into it more tomorrow if times allow..

 

[Ljbarbeau]

Ok I'm more confused then I was now.

Atleast I've decided on the jazz pickup for the neck.

I went on the sd site and listened to all the options.  First let's talk about the invader. When I read the description this should be the one for my kind of music and on top of that it looks kool. But the sound clip is the one that less impressed me.  Any1 tried this PU with black korina body?

Other options I found was the  jb and I was also surprised by the George lynch one.  Distortion sounded ok as well.  Very tempted by the JB at this point.

Problem I think is all those sound clip aren't heavy enuff for my taste.  Watching different PU on YouTube isn't the best either as every1 has different setups it's really hard to hear what's making the difference in sound... 

Any ideas or reviews of those PU?

 

[mrpinter]

Well, I originally suggested the Screamin Demon as more compatible with your neck pickup choices than something like an Invader, and I still think so. It should also pair well with a Jazz. I have a guitar with the Lynch pickup at the bridge, and I love it - it sounds great clean but especially distorted. But in thinking about it, if your main focus is heavy metal/death metal, the Demon's abundant overtones might be a little too "fizzy" for that kind of music. You might want a stronger fundamental in your sound so notes don't get lost with really heavy distortion. If so the JB would maybe work better.

Just a thought: have you listened to the Full Shred? I think it meets your criteria. I have one in the neck of the guitar with the Demon, and to me the combination sounds surprisingly good. A Full Shred bridge might overpower the Jazz a little bit. I'm curious why you're not looking at two high output pickups instead of just one (the Full Shred comes in both neck and bridge).

I'm still really big on the Screamin Demon, though, just for myself.

 

[Ljbarbeau]

Just checked the full shred but I think I'm gonna go with jb in the end.

It's not that I want to mix high and low output it's just that I want the best pickup that fits my style. They must be very versatile...
If there is something wrong about combining high output and low output PU please do tell me before I buy...

Thx for the help.. 

 

[mrpinter]

I think the combination of Jazz neck and JB bridge is just fine. A lot better balanced harmonically than if you used something like an Invader in the bridge. The Duncan website calls the combination "Seymour's favorite", so it must be a safe well balanced pair. Also, I think this kind of combination will be a lot more versatile than using the "heavy metal" style pickups, which almost always to me sound muddy when played on cleaner settings. You can always get all the distortion you need with amp or pedals.

 

[pabloman]

I really hate to make the recommendation but JB and Jazz is the way to go. I say I hate to only because I have had three of these setups. I keep trying to get away from it but they keep sucking me back in. It just works. They do everything well. ccasion14:

 

[rockskate4x]

I really hate to make the recommendation but JB and Jazz is the way to go. I say I hate to only because I have had three of these setups. I keep trying to get away from it but they keep sucking me back in. It just works. They do everything well. ccasion14:

+1 this just about sums up my feelings about it...

 

[Ljbarbeau]

kool thx all.  Im sure its gonna be this setup now.  all your inputs helped reassure my decisions..  probably gonna order tomorrow or today if i can set my mind on some other tiny details..

 

[Superlizard]

I always say if you're gonna do different genres where you need to go
from clean to mean & in-between, go low output ("vintage") and let the amp/stomp+amp
take care of the distorting.

 

[Strat Avenger]

I'd go for a '59 bridge and a Jazz neck ('59 for versatility).

I am currently running a Screamin' Demon bridge and a Jazz neck in one of my guitars, and that sounds pretty good too.
I also have a JB  bridge and '59 neck in a LP style guitar, and I wish it had the Jazz in the neck position, as the '59 is just a little too bassy.

 

[Ljbarbeau]

Kool thx I was afraid that would be the case for the 59.  That's why I ordered the jazz and jb.  Now just have to wait...

 

[felipeak]

Jazz + JB........ The classic combination. I'll go for those ones

 

[Strat Avenger]

Jazz + JB........ The classic combination. I'll go for those ones

I have a Jazz in the neck-position of a 24-fret super-Strat with an alder body & maple neck , and I don't think it has enough bass or mids. I am considering sticking a Dimarzio Air Norton in there.

My "LP" with a mahogany body & neck (not a Warmoth) has a '59 in the neck position, and I think it's a bit too bassy. I actually think the Jazz would be perfect for it.

For the bridge-position, it really just depends on your style. You pretty much can't go wrong with a '59,  Screamin' Demon, or JB in any electric guitar.

 

[The Norwegian Guy]

I've got a Sh-2 (jazz) in the neck and a Sh-5 in the bridge on my alder body strat. It sounds amazing!
Here's some videos.
Watch them in HD (720p)

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs3CcLOHzyE[/youtube]

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgOKLWEPqG0[/youtube]

 

[Ljbarbeau]

thx for all the reply guys.  also thx to the norvegian guy. especially like the second video.  like I said before I set my mind on the jazz & Jb.  my order still hasnt shipped though.  Ill be sure to report here when everything is assembled after a test drive.

I know for sure those pickup sound great.  big question is will they sound great in this guitar.  the wood does make a big difference.  I had a set of dimarzio breed here on a basswood guitar and hated them.  I installed them on an alder guitar and I totally love them.... 

 

[The Norwegian Guy]

thx for all the reply guys.  also thx to the norvegian guy. especially like the second video.  like I said before I set my mind on the jazz & Jb.  my order still hasnt shipped though.  Ill be sure to report here when everything is assembled after a test drive.

I know for sure those pickup sound great.  big question is will they sound great in this guitar.  the wood does make a big difference.  I had a set of dimarzio breed here on a basswood guitar and hated them.  I installed them on an alder guitar and I totally love them.... 

That's what she said! :laughing7:

no problem with the videos, man

 

[Ljbarbeau]

lol