Members warriorxtman Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 We all know there is a lot of gain/distortion going on there but how important are the pickups? I have 2 different kinds of Duncan Designs in my 2 main guitars. They seem to do everything fine except for Drop tunings like Lamb Of God, Devil Driver, etc. Should I put EMG's in my mahogany/maple Ibanez string thru or not? I'm using the gear in my sig and yes I have tweaked every possible combination of everything. Seems like top E string is too bassy or muddy or everything sounds like there's too much presence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members superpoo Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 why would you want nu metal tone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wezman2k Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 Originally posted by superpoo why would you want nu metal tone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members curseoftruth Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 So you are really looking for the sound of Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit then? That is the nu-metal tone. PRS through a Mesa Triple Rec will get you there. Extreme stuff like L.O.G. and stuff, EMGs should work fine. 81/85 combo is what most of those guys use. I would find a band you like and search the net for the kind of gear they use, that would help you with pup selection. Also, a Cube 60 doesn't strike me as "the extreme metal tone machine!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alchemist Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 Originally posted by superpoo why would you want nu metal tone +1 ......... its not really an ideal tone to shoot for, its overly distorted, scooped and muddy, not much definition....... now you may say "well I like that"....... sure, but it truthfully doesnt sound that good, its admittedly better in a band context where the guitar at least fades into the drums and gets behind the vocals somewhat..... the main downfall of practicing or bedroom jamming with this type of tone is that all that distortion and inherent mud really cover up your mistakes, its a bad way to get better, just my .02 and to answer your original question, no pickups dont really matter, you need better Pups for more definition etc, but for Nu metal that isnt a true concern IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members warriorxtman Posted November 11, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 It's not all that I play so don't worry about my playing not getting better. Thanks for the "help". You do not know what nu-metal is but I didn't expect too many people here to know who Devil Driver or Cradle of Filfth is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alchemist Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 Originally posted by warriorxtman It's not all that I play so don't worry about my playing not getting better. Thanks for the "help". You do not know what nu-metal is but I didn't expect too many people here to know who Devil Driver or Cradle of Filfth is. actualy I have been listening to metal and playing it for years, I dont consider those bands particularly good, nor do I consider their tone particularly good. I think COF is a mockery of what could be considered "black metal". As far as good really heavy metal tones, In Flames "whoracle" is excellent for what you are shooting for in essence, but with much more definition, I particularly like that biting saturated tone on Amon Amarth - Versus the world, my current favourite listening is Insomnium - Since the Day it all came down (very nice heavy tone), also check out the tone from their first album especialy the song THE ELDER......... oh and very early sentenced, the song Nepenthe, but what do I know,.... after all I dont even know what metal is right;) ... for the tones noted above, the ideal setup would be EMG actives into something akin to a 5150:wave: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rabblerabble Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 Bands like COF, IN Flames, Amon Amarth, Dimmu, Dark Tranquility, At the Gates, are..... NOT!! Nu-Metal Nu-Metal to me is finger of one hand, super scooped, ultra-saturated BLAH (ala disturbed). If it's the style of COF type stuff your after, most of those listed are of the Gothenburg mentality. And please lets just say that the Viking Metal that Amon Amarth cranks out is just sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rabblerabble Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 We all know who Devil Driver is too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alchemist Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 Originally posted by rabblerabble Bands like COF, IN Flames, Amon Amarth, Dimmu, Dark Tranquility, At the Gates, are..... NOT!! Nu-Metal Nu-Metal to me is finger of one hand, super scooped, ultra-saturated BLAH (ala disturbed). If it's the style of COF type stuff your after, most of those listed are of the Gothenburg mentality. And please lets just say that the Viking Metal that Amon Amarth cranks out is just sweet. exactly, the tone he actualy wants doesnt seem to be actual nu metal, but just gothenburg style or mostly melodic death............... if he wants nu metal, then he needs a randall stack and he can start crankin out godsmack tunes or somethin lol and yes, amon amarth is just {censored}ing sweet!, I listened to versus the world 3 times today, (long bus rides around town lol), I love that album, my favourite of theirs, the perfect mix of melody, bone crushing riffs, and the drums are incredible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rabblerabble Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 Odin would be proud Originally posted by Alchemist exactly, the tone he actualy wants doesnt seem to be actual nu metal, but just gothenburg style or mostly melodic death............... if he wants nu metal, then he needs a randall stack and he can start crankin out godsmack tunes or somethin lol and yes, amon amarth is just {censored}ing sweet!, I listened to versus the world 3 times today, (long bus rides around town lol), I love that album, my favourite of theirs, the perfect mix of melody, bone crushing riffs, and the drums are incredible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zen Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 99.9999999% of people who want EMGs actually want Mesa Dual Rects. m/:evil:m/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rabblerabble Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 and we can't afford them either:cry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Armitage Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 With enough gain/distortion/EQ going on, they all start to sound the same. Why bother with nice gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave_Mc_2 Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 Originally posted by Zen 99.9999999% of people who want EMGs actually want Mesa Dual Rects.m/:evil:m/ seconded x 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,001 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chimairob Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 the bands you describe as nu metal are most certianly NOT nu metal.... if your going straight into a cube 60 i think a new amp is what youll want. also dont just buy emg's because people tell you there good and because alot of bands use them, there not for everybody, id recomend trying out a few after market brands such as real duncans or some dimarzios aswell as emg's and just pick the ones you like most. i have emg's in my sz but i only chose them after id played around with lots of different pickup combinations and amp combinations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SHIVmongrel Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 short answer: not very why don't you just eq your amp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Help!I'maRock! Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 Originally posted by SHIVmongrel why don't you just eq your amp? the fact is that with enough distortion, it doesn't matter what pickups you use. yes, EMGs will distort your amp more easily, but these days it doesn't matter because everything distorts so easily anyway. the way to get good tone is to focus on getting a really good clean sound. when you can do that, then you can add all the massive gain and EQ you want. but if you don't have good clean tone, it doesn't matter. i can get a good nu-metal sound out a RAT 2 and an EQ pedal. if you want a heavier attack, get a danelectro fab tone. but clean tone is really the most important thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LaXu Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 Originally posted by Help!I'maRock! the fact is that with enough distortion, it doesn't matter what pickups you use. yes, EMGs will distort your amp more easily, but these days it doesn't matter because everything distorts so easily anyway. I agree. With enough gain the difference between the low output pickups in my strat and the high output humbuckers in my LP isn't that big. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members k4df4l Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 I disagree with the idea that pickups and tone are not important when playing with gain....just because some of you don't like the music in question, gear or tones, it doesn't mean you have to fall into pulling out these tired cliches. IMHO pickups are very important depending on the type of high gain tones you want especially considering they provide the baseline for what the rest of your rig is distorting/amplifying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TomCTC Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 Nu-Metal tone is really dependant on the bass guitar itself too. Bands like Nickelback, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park etc. all play with simple basslines that usually follow the root of the powerchord on the 'heavy' parts. Thats what adds to the girth, and adds to the bunch of kids who crank up their bass and drop their mids to try and replicate that tone... hehe Your best start is to buy a Rectifier-ish closed-back halfstack, and find a bassist that plays through an 8x10. Should get the ball rollin' nicely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave_Mc_2 Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 Originally posted by k4df4l I disagree with the idea that pickups and tone are not important when playing with gain....just because some of you don't like the music in question, gear or tones, it doesn't mean you have to fall into pulling out these tired cliches. IMHO pickups are very important depending on the type of high gain tones you want especially considering they provide the baseline for what the rest of your rig is distorting/amplifying. i didn't say pickups weren't important, but with the amp he has, a new amp is more important, IMO... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members warriorxtman Posted November 11, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 All I can do is play my amp's clean channel with effects. I can't buy a tube Rectifier or anything like that right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave_Mc_2 Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 you don't have to buy a recto though- any tube amp (reasonably high gain) will sound better with emg's- i'm just not sure that emg's will make enough of an improvement through your current amp to justify their purchase- i'd put the money into a new amp fund, if it were up to me it's up to you, of course... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members brunog Posted November 11, 2005 Members Share Posted November 11, 2005 I suggest you check out the discussion in the amps forum because that's where everyone talks about getting a certain tone. You amp may have more overall effect on your tone, but you can't really forget about pickups. There are quite a few metal players who played single coil stock strats and got some big sounds because of how they overdrive their amps or chain together distortion or overdrive pedals. If you have a good hi gain amp, you may need to play with the tone controls of your amp. Playing a Mesa Boogie I found that I could get all kinds of tones from just doing that, but your amp might require you to add an OD or some other pedals depending on what it is. Now if you have a guitar with lousy pickups then you might have to change them to get the sound you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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