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Too Many Pickup Options

8K views 103 replies 22 participants last post by  zepp 
#1 ·
So I come back to the world of guitar gear and suddenly there's too many pickup options and I'm confused because I haven't kept up. Has the Djent-Effect just led to everyone having a signature pickup or something?

I'm looking for a different flavor. I've been using DiMarzio Nortons as my go to for a long time. I'm thinking of maybe switching back over to Duncans.

I just want a nice focused, articulate, CHUNK in the bridge position and a nice full smooth sound in the neck position. Marketing words on pickup websites don't tell me much and clips usually suck.

Am I just looking for a JB/Jazz or Custom/Jazz or Distorion/Jazz set? You know, the standard pickups that have existed forever...

Is there something new I should be looking at? Is BKP still the darling of the internet?

My current guitars are all basswood.
 
#6 ·
It's no secret I swap pickups a lot. And compare them a lot. I've also had a million different guitars and try to objectively match pickups to the guitars inherent voicing.

So my two years of constant pickup swapping have boiled down to this - Suhr Aldrich in the bridge, Duncan 59 neck.

In a 25.5" superstrat that's it, there is no better for me.

Aldrich is the most toneful high output pickup going, there just isnt anything else that sounds as nice whilst ripping your face off.

59, in a 25.5 guitar, has got such awesome articulation and response to pick attack, doesnt bloat up like it can in a Les Paul neck, and matches the output of any hot bridge pickup perfectly.

I've always found Dimarzios just have a sound. They all sound so... dimarzio. Nasal upper mids, tubby low mids, cocked-wah high end, stiff feel...

Duncan are more open, natural sounding.

I'd totally just be using a JB/Distortion too btw as they're also unbeatable all-rounders, but Aldrich just has a certain special something I just cant get from any other pickups. Do it.
 
#60 ·
Ehhh... honestly, I'm a bit of a tonewood skeptic. I don't know. I will say one thing though - When I had a Distortion in my Charvel, I was borrowing Mr S's LPC to do some overdubs, and the tone between the two guitars was unbelievably close. He was also rocking a Distortion in that thing. So either my Charvel has very Les Paul-like attributes, or there's simply way more similarity in pickups than there is in wood type. I mean you couldn't really get two more opposite guitars in terms of materials and construction.

Conversely, my Jackson and my Charvel are identical spec - Alder-bodied 25.5" scale bolt-on superstrats with a Floyd - and they're very different. The Charvel is a super articulate, responsive, harmonically rich guitar with lots of top end bite and tons of mids. The Jackson is like a sledgehammer, still really responsive but has a much fatter low-mid/low-end tone, and not as much cut.

I threw Bill Lawrence L500XL's in both of them over Christmas just because I fancied giving those a whirl again. The Aldrich went straight back in the Charvel immediately as the twang and single-coil-like clank of the Lawrence just overwhelmed the tone... but the Jackson still has the L500XL in there, sounds great in that guitar. Tightens up the low end and gives the guitar some character.

I know that's not a very helpful answer :lol: But that's just it man, you gotta try shit out, and hey if it doesn't work, no big deal, you just get a better picture of the guitars tone and can adjust from there. The Aldrich though, and the Distortion for that matter, are two pickups I've had in multiple guitars and they never sound bad or don't suit the guitar. They're definitely fail-safes. If a guitar sounds bad with those pickups in, it's absolutely not a good guitar. But if it's already a great-sounding guitar, like my Charvel, the Aldrich will take it to another level.

Have you tried any of Andersons pickups? I preferred the HN3+ to the Aldrich. They are in the same vein, guitar wise Anderson and Suhr are competing for the exact same segment of the market.

You would also like EMGs Retroactive stuff. Those are souped up PAF type things.
I actually had a set of Rectroactives recently, I bought a 90's MIJ Jackson for absolute peanuts and instantly ripped all the guts out and started throwing different pickups in there. Bought a set of Super 77s from a mate of mine to throw in there, and my first reaction was they were just a wall of output. They're certainly beefier than 81's, but no real character or tone to them, just a super flat-across-the-board pickup. High output and smooth, but didn't find them very PAF-y at all (not that I care whether a pickup is PAF-y or not, but still... that's how they're always described and I just didn't *get* that from them personally)

Duncan all rounder would be the Custom as a good starting point. For a versatile metal pickup. The Distortions and the Black Winters are cool, but I think the Custom is probably a better general choice for most people.
Custom is very cool yeah, gotta agree there, it's definitely a very good all-rounder. Didn't work for me in my Charvel, but sounded great in the aforementioned Jackson. Can have a bit of a sterile top end and/or a boomy/chewy low end in the wrong guitar I think, so definitely one to try in a couple of guitars before you make your mind up.
 
#9 ·
6 or 7 string? Is there any specific kinda tones you go for as a reference? There's literally no hiding what my favourite pickups are, since they're literally the only pickups I own in any of my guitars now :lol: The only time you'd make Blackbirds sound shitty is if your guitar is shitty. I'll smash some MF raw clips together if you give me a reference tone you want.
 
#10 ·
6 and 7 string. Good question on reference tone... uhh... Tyr's tone has stood out to me lately. I've started to have trouble telling the difference between one ultra high gain, gated, and produced tone over another. A lot of shit just sounds the same once it gets to the record :shrug:

The tone in your latest clip is 100% not what I go for :lol:
 
#16 ·
Depends a lot on how you use your 6s and 7s, tbh. As much as I wanted to be an exclusively 7-string player (since it's just a 6-string guitar with another low string added), I can't get around the fact I want to chug that fucker and if I want to play leads, I pickup my guitars that have a thinner neck (meaning 6s). So in my case, I'm more inclined to put my more versatile pickups in the 6-string and something that's chug friendly in the 7-string.

Also worth noting that Dimarzio insists on putting ceramic mags in all their ERG pickups, including 7-string versions of popular AlNiCo pickups. Hence why the 7-string Tone Zone sounds like ass. I'm still a Dimarzio guy but if you want anything besides high output as far as 7-strings go, I'd definitely go with someone else. I've had some luck with using a D-Activator neck in the bridge position, as well as the Abasi neck pickup for more moderate output on a 7 or 8 string, but they still have some of that ceramic bite and compression you can't get around.

The Nortons are a good pickup but I always felt they were a little 'middle of the road'. 'Jack of all trades, master of none' kinda thing. If I was shopping 6-string and wanted something versatile that did metal to hard rock, I'd consider starting at the PAF Pro as my lower output choice, to maybe an Andy Timmons in the middle and either a TZ or an Evo on the high end. Basically overwound Alnico or medium wound ceramic.

As far as SDs, I'm not a JB hater but I've had meh experience with it. EQ and output-wise it's ranked similar to a Tone Zone but everyone I've had sounded like a super overwound ceramic pickup, and it only "worked" in maybe one of a half dozen guitars I tried it in. I've always had great luck with the Distortion though, but that's a grindier, wouldn't say HIGH output pickup but 3/4 of the way there. I've always had good luck with the '59 in the bridge if you want a good clean tone and to let the amp or OD handle pushing the amp into compressing.

Back specifically to 7s, obviously the Blaze or similar set I mentioned before. If you want something that's not "All metal, all the time", the SD Pegasus is a nice overwound Alnico 5 pickup. The Distortion 7-string is pretty mean, you're not gonna get the best clean tones out of it but it's a 10/10 metal pickup and also sounds good through a classic rock/crunch setting as well.

I joked about the Fluences but they're honestly worth a look, if you haven't checked them out before. They're expensive and flavor of the week, but the technology is legit and if you're looking for "versatile" they have two or three 'modes' per pickup that legit turn them into a different pickup.
 
#27 ·
If you want a "JB" that has all the mythical qualities people ascribe to the JB (vintage JBs) and you specifically want an SD, Seymour Duncan makes the RTM. Which is a fancier JB closer to the older ones.

I believe it's only special order. It's Warren Demartini's signature pickup. RTM = "Rattus Tonus Maximus".

As far as SDs go, if you didn't already know, there is variance between the 50mm and 53mm versions on many models. It's arguable how much it is, but there are many people who believe there is a substantial enough difference that one is clearly preferable to the other, even to the point some people find one unusable and the other a great pickup.

The Black Winters are definitely one pickup that has it. The 50mm and 53mm bridge versions are noticeably different.
 
#28 ·
If you want a "JB" that has all the mythical qualities people ascribe to the JB (vintage JBs) and you specifically want an SD, Seymour Duncan makes the RTM. Which is a fancier JB closer to the older ones.

I believe it's only special order. It's Warren Demartini's signature pickup. RTM = "Rattus Tonus Maximus".

As far as SDs go, if you didn't already know, there is variance between the 50mm and 53mm versions on many models. It's arguable how much it is, but there are many people who believe there is a substantial enough difference that one is clearly preferable to the other, even to the point some people find one unusable and the other a great pickup.

The Black Winters are definitely one pickup that has it. The 50mm and 53mm bridge versions are noticeably different.
If you're ordering out of the Duncan custom shop anyway, then ask for an MJ JB. That's the old one that everyone love so much, sine Marciela Juarez winds magic.

MJ - Pickup Perfectionist | Tales from Custom Shop

Personally, I'm partial to the Wolfetone Timbre Wolf. It's basically an old school JB without the honk in the midrange. Fantastic hard rock and trad metal pickup.

Wolfetone Timbre Wolf | Wolfetone Pickups
 
#38 ·
I will sell you a 6 string timber wolf for $75. Very lightly used.

Mike and Dave love them, they don't work for me, but I tend to use pickups in the 8-10k dcr range and the TW is up in the 14s.

Worth noting, Mike plugged my guitar with the TW into his rig and it was great.

I also have a JB/Jazz combo, a custom set, a Rebel Yell set, and a EVH Duncan custom shop I don’t need. That’s for sixes. For sevens I have a painkiller and warpig I’m not using.

Not to make this into a FS thread 🙂
 
#40 ·
I will sell you a 6 string timber wolf for $75. Very lightly used.

Mike and Dave love them, they do t work for me, but I tend to use pickups in the 8-10k dcr range and the TW is up in the 14s.

Worth noting, Mike plugged my guitar with the TW into his rig and it was great.

I also have a JB/Jazz combo, a custom set, a Rebel Yell set, and a EVH Duncan custom shop I don't need. That's for sixes. For sevens I have a painkiller and warpig I'm not using.

It to make this into a FS thread 🙂
Can't buy anything right now, but I'll stay tuned for the FS thread :)

I'm not a big BKP fan, but the Rebel Yell set friggin' smokes.

I'm pretty sure you played my '92 LP after I put the Dr Vintage set in it. Those are in the 7.5-8K range. Todd's old Custom has a Marshallhead MK2 set, which around 9-9.5K. I'm with you on lower output pickups these days, even though the Dr Vintages didn't work for metal; they are wide open sounding, with no compression, so they don't chug well. They absolutely smoke for soloing, though.
I had a Rebel Yell set in one of the guitars I used in Withersoul. Can't remember exactly which one, but I no longer have either guitar.

I remember those pickups being badass. Maybe I should give them another look...
 
#39 ·
I'm not a big BKP fan, but the Rebel Yell set friggin' smokes.

I'm pretty sure you played my '92 LP after I put the Dr Vintage set in it. Those are in the 7.5-8K range. Todd's old Custom has a Marshallhead MK2 set, which around 9-9.5K. I'm with you on lower output pickups these days, even though the Dr Vintages didn't work for metal; they are wide open sounding, with no compression, so they don't chug well. They absolutely smoke for soloing, though.
 
#43 ·
I see them talked up all the time by the Les Paul guys on the DB groups. In the metal world, yeah not so much.
 
#50 ·
The Rebel Yell and MS Queen combo in my LP is amazing, and won't be coming out, particularly because I managed to get Steve Stevens to sign the headstock :lol:

My favorite Duncan combo right now is in my mahogany Tele (Jim Root sig), a 59/Custom Hybrid in the bridge, and a Phat Cat neck. The hybrid is pretty bright, very articulate, but I love how touch-sensitive it is.

I've recently tested a few pups from Railhammer. I have an Alnico Grande and Gnarly 90 in my Hamer standard. Very cool pups, the rail-side keeps the low-end in check, and the fat poles add beef to the unwound strings. My Warmoth SG has a Chisel bridge (hot and ceramic) and Tel 90 neck (meant for a tele bridge position), and that guitar is mahogany, 24.75" scale length, and tuned to drop B. That bridge pup cuts like a knife, even though I'm running 10 gauge strings :lol:

I don't think there are any DiMarzio's that I'm excited to try anymore.
 
#52 ·
Oh, and I had Wolfe rewind some Duncan Designed 7 string pups to match that "80's spec" JB/59, and loaded them in a LP-style 7 string (Dean Evo 7). They were really, really awesome :). That guitar was ultimately stolen, though :(

My next guitar will have true P90's I think, and for them, I'll be going to Wolfe.
 
#53 ·
Oh, and I had Wolfe rewind some Duncan Designed 7 string pups to match that "80's spec" JB/59, and loaded them in a LP-style 7 string (Dean Evo 7). They were really, really awesome :). That guitar was ultimately stolen, though :(
That truly sucked.

My next guitar will have true P90's I think, and for them, I'll be going to Wolfe.
That's actually what he's best at. His other pickups are great, but the P90s are a work of art. :yesway:
 
#55 ·
Distortion 7 is a great pickup in my DK-7, it has the neck version too but I never use it so I couldn't say what it sounds like.

Nazgul 7 was cool in my old Schecter V7 but that guitar was terrible, I have that pickup and the distortion neck soapbars still if you want them. It's lower output than you'd expect.

Custom 7 was pretty sick in my old H-207.
 
#56 ·
I don't understand what the Nazgul and Sentient pickups are for. Like, which kind of music are they suited to? From the naming it seems like they're marketed towards black metal guys???
 
#57 ·
Those pickups were back from Keith Merrow was doing R&D with them, so that has more to do with the naming than the what they expect you to do with them. The Nazgul is just a medium hot ceramic bridge pickup with a mid range bump, and the Sentient is in the model of the '59 and the Jazz.
 
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