Best Pickups for (thrash) Metal, but versatile

[Sonolin]

Hi guys,

 

I'm stumped. I mostly play Thrash metal (think 80s thrash like Slayer & Megadeth type stuff), as well as some more modern stuff (Lamb of God on occasion, & some newer metallica stuff, 3 inches of blood, bonded by blood). All in standard tuning, 6 string. My guitar is an alder bodied Fender Blacktop HH strat with floyd rose.

 

The problem is, I want very versatile pickups. This guitar isn't going to be a mainly metal axe, but I do play a lot of thrash metal so I definitely need low end tightness and a heavy sound. I also play a lot of hard rock - trying to get more into playing Van Halen stuff, and I'm a very big fan of Paul Gilbert. I also love playing Joe Satriani stuff (the melodies at least lol...). I also play a decent amount of blues stuff, so the pickup must have a good coil split sound.

 

Here's my favorite pickups I've found:

 

• Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz set: I like these pickups, but they are a little compressed sounding from what I've heard, and while I've heard a lot of good sound clips there's also a lot of bad sound clips with a really nasaly mid range tone I don't enjoy at all. What I like: Heavy sound, very good for rock, pretty articulate, good cleans. Dislike: Seems to sag a little at higher distortion levels (I need an articulate & clear pickup!), a little worried it will sound noisy at high distortion levels

• Seymour Duncan Distortion set: I love these pickups for metal. If I was making a pure metal axe, I'd probably go with these. Unfortunately, I haven't heard much good demos of the clean tone, and I'm very hesitant to believe it has a good clean tone. What I like: very articulate ceramic pickup, very heavy pickup. What I dislike: potentially, the clean tone (which I guess could be counteracted by putting a jazz in the neck?), afraid its not very versatile and wouldn't hit those hard rock tones.

• Bare Knuckle Holy Diver set: I absolutely love what I have heard of these pickups, and the internet seems to be raving about Bare Knuckles. Unfortunately, they are very pricy, BUT I am willing to pay the money if its worth it! I'm just not so sure they're that much better than a Distortion or JB. What I like: Very articulate, very clear, seems to have a better EQ range, amazing clean tone. What I don't like: $$$, worried it isn't as "heavy" as a JB/Distortion.

• Dimarzio Crunch Lab & liquifier: I like these pickups, but Dimarzio pickups (from my opinion anyway) seem to color your tone more than other pickups and I'd rather have a "plainer" sounding pickup that I can manipulate to do my needs. That being said, I do like the thrash sound these give, and love petrucci's tone, but not so sure this is the pickup for me. What I like: Chunky tone, seems pretty articulate. What I dislike: Don't care for dimarzio's as much I guess, worried it is a 1 trick pony moreso than the other pickups (if I get a 1 trick pony, it'd definitely be the Distortion).

 

I'm probably going to go for the holy diver set ... but I'm really looking for some opinions based on my play style & choices so far. Does anybody think the Distortion would handle less-gain stuff fairly well? Maybe pair it with a Jazz, and have a pretty darn versatile guitar? Or, maybe just stick to the lower-gain alternatives?

 

Thanks. I've been really thinking about "finishing" my rig for a while now, and by far the hardest thing for me to pick is the pickups! Probably silly to a lot of people, but I think they're a pretty crucial piece of your tone, that you can't easily replicate.

 

EDIT: Oh, and if it matters to any of you... I play through a 6505+ combo. Not the best, but a pretty darn good metal amp for the price range.

[LesPaulFetish]

Any of those wold work, though not sure how "chuggy" a JB would be. Bare Knuckle would be a good choice I'm sure, or look around in the Dimarzio catalog. Honestly, when you have the much gain anyway the subtleties won't matter (speaking from experience, lol).

[linthat22]

Why not check out what Mille Petrozza uses? He still has best of both worlds.

[killthehippies45]

Lace Matt Pike set

[danswon]

I've read that these 2 sets of pickups are VERY hot and very clear. i'd definitely want to check them out if i was playing that kind of music (they're cheap too)

http://www.irongear.co.uk/irongear_024.htm

http://www.entwistlepickups.com/pickup.php?puid=Dark+Star+ND

 

but regardless, if you want power and versatility i would just get a very hot humbucker set with a series/parallel switch

[Spike Li]

IMO, the Gibson 490r/498t combo which can be found in the LP studios are the most versatile pups I've ever come across

[kayd_mon]

I think that a Gibson 496R/500T ceramic set will work. The pickups are powerful enough for metal, have good response in the low end, and they also sound great clean. Not sure how they'll do in a Strat, but I'm guessing they'll be fine.

[greatmutah]

I have used 3 out of those 4 combinations in different guitars. I'll try to help as best as I can. The JB/Jazz combo is a standard in a lot of alder body, maple neck guitars. They can get pretty heavy but their articulation can be lacking. I like a higher output neck pickup than what the Jazz offers, generally. Or maybe I just find the Jazz bland to my ears.

 

The Duncan Distortion is everything the JB wants to be. It's very articulate, excellent mid response and surprisingly does not have a huge low end to it. Much tighter than expected. I personally love these in mahogany body guitars. The darker tone of that wood offsets the high output and higher treble response of the pickup. I have the full set in my Gibson V. I haven't tried them in an alder body guitar, although I've thought of ditching the JBs in my RR5 for a Distortion set. They are great at what they do for sure, but they clean up very, very nicely with a little help from your volume and tone controls on your guitar. Just rolling the volume back a little is the ticket for me.

 

The Crunchlab/Liquifire combo is interesting so I'll attack each pickup individually. The Liquifire, IMO is the star of this set. It's a very smooth neck pickup and not too far removed from the Air Norton, which is what John had been using in his guitars prior to this set. I have an Air Norton S stacked humbucker in my HM strat in the neck position that I love. While somewhat a higher output pickup, it has a great smoothness to it that makes it sound amazing in the neck position. Very excellent and versatile pickup. The Liquifire takes those qualities and just improves on them in every way. I love that pickup. The Crunchlab is an interesting beast. Depending on which way you have the bar of the pickup facing can either tighten or loosen the tone and make it more aggressive. I've only used it in the position that John uses it (as it was to complete my import Sterling JP50). It's very high out put and you get a ton of harmonics coming through. It can clean up quite well also, depending on your amp and EQ settings and of course utilizing your volume and tone knobs to compensate if needed. It is a versatile pickup for sure and does respond very well to your own pick attack and playing, much like the Distortion.

 

Finally, a word of advice and some suggestions you might not have thought about. DiMarzio makes a wide range of pickups, some of which are one trick ponies, some of which are very versatile. I rock an Evolution in my HM Strat with that Air Norton S and I can get thrashy as hell and still play more melodic, VH inspired stuff. It is the pickup for Steve Vai after all. I have no experience with BKPs but I hear they are wonderful if you're willing to pay for them. I have yet to pony up the cash for a set yet, so the jury's out on that one. For the type of guitar you have, if you're really looking into Duncans, you may want to consider the Custom or Custom Custom. The Custom Custom may actually be a better bet as it utilizes an Alnico magnet as opposed to a ceramic magnet. For as high output as both are, the magnet difference affects the voicing and overall compression of the pickup. Also, in terms of dropping it an alder body guitar the CC has a smoother top end so it won't sound so heinously bright. Both pickups get pretty thrashy for sure but you can get some amazingly vocal tones out of them as well.

[deanmass]

Take a look at the new Naylor Railhammers. Worth consideration..

[Mesa/Kramer]

 

IMO, the Gibson 490r/498t combo which can be found in the LP studios are the most versatile pups I've ever come across

 

 

This!

[alientrainwreck]

Bill & Becky wylde L-500's.. I use L-500r in the neck and 500L in bridge they are versatile yet abile to handle massive amounts of gain. I suggest a good eq pedal like mxr-108 and the blackstar deul tube dist pedal.

Thats what I use.. amazing pickups handmade by an 83 yr old german that knows what he's doing, at a fraction

of what barrknuckles cost.. here are sum famous users, curt kobain, joe perry, dimebag, dave mustain to name a few

[surpriselunch]

I would go with a Duncan JB or distortion in the bridge and a 59 or pearly gates in the neck, that is my personal preference. Doesn't it suck not having an array of guitars with the different pickup configurations you are thinking of in your position to try out? haha

[DaleH]

Epiphone ceramics should do it.

[IbanezJon]

Your musical tastes sound exactly like mine, as does your pickup choices.. can't help you much.. but a good read for me too.

 

Well I guess I can add the pickups I like or am looking at..

 

JB/Jazz

Suhr Aldrich bridge/SD Pearly Gates

 

Or a Dimarzio Norton in the bridge with either of those neck pickups.

[Dehumanize]

Have you looked at '59s? I'm about to put one in the bridge for a versatile "metal" guitar. I've got Duncan Distortion in another and if you want versatility, that pickup is definitely NOT what you want. It can be irritating even for metal actually, the constant cocked wah sound can be muddy.

[craigny]

ToneZone....versatility personified.

[Sonolin]

Very helpful replies, thank you everyone!

 

I'm surprised everybody is recommending gibson pickups... I definitely do not think they do thrash metal well at all, maybe some classic 80s metal but they can't tip their hat to thrash metal. I just was never a fan of them, except in the classic rock & blues area.

 

I'm heavily leaning towards the duncan JB. I think I might like it a little better than the holydiver for thrash, actually. The holydiver high gain clips I've heard are almost too articulate, if you could believe that! I like a little bit of looseness to my tone, but at the same time being articulate.

 

BKP makes great pickups for sure, but I like the JB. From what I've heard of it, it can handle almost all the genres I play and well. So, I can't see myself paying over double the price for BKP atm. Maybe next guitar, who knows.

 

I like the tonezone & the distortion as well, and I might stick them in some guitar in the future, but for now I think the JB is a good fit for me.

 

I still stand by the fact the distortion would probably be the best pickup for a pure thrash metal guitar, but this isn't quite a pure thrash metal guitar. Maybe my next guitar (if I get tired of the emgs which inevitably are fitted in almost every metal guitar in the market), I'll try that pickup out.

 

Thanks everyone for all the help!

 

EDIT: Oh, and I do like the Custom. But, I'm still leaning towards the JB a little there's something to the custom I didn't like... I think it was the rock tones it was getting. But I'll take a look at some more clips, it did sound a lot tighter than the JB.

[kayd_mon]

I have a JB, and it'll do the job. The good thing is that they're easy to find used for a good price, since it's a popular pickup.

[IbanezJon]

 

ToneZone....versatility personified.

 

 

Norton is a combination of Fred (Satch) and Tone Zone. It's very underrated and said to be "possibly Dimarzio's most versatile pickup".

 

It's all preference obviously. Tone Zone is great but it can be bottom heavy (good for basswood) and lack a bit of high end.. which kills versatility a bit IMO. Or maybe it's just that I don't mind trebly pickups cause you can always roll off with the one knob. I hate guitars without tone knobs.

[IbanezJon]

 

Very helpful replies, thank you everyone! I'm surprised everybody is recommending gibson pickups... I definitely do not think they do thrash metal well at all, maybe some classic 80s metal but they can't tip their hat to thrash metal. I just was never a fan of them, except in the classic rock & blues area. I'm heavily leaning towards the duncan JB. I think I might like it a little better than the holydiver for thrash, actually. The holydiver high gain clips I've heard are almost too articulate, if you could believe that! I like a little bit of looseness to my tone, but at the same time being articulate. BKP makes great pickups for sure, but I like the JB. From what I've heard of it, it can handle almost all the genres I play and well. So, I can't see myself paying over double the price for BKP atm. Maybe next guitar, who knows. I like the tonezone & the distortion as well, and I might stick them in some guitar in the future, but for now I think the JB is a good fit for me. I still stand by the fact the distortion would probably be the best pickup for a pure thrash metal guitar, but this isn't quite a pure thrash metal guitar. Maybe my next guitar (if I get tired of the emgs which inevitably are fitted in almost every metal guitar in the market), I'll try that pickup out. Thanks everyone for all the help! EDIT: Oh, and I do like the Custom. But, I'm still leaning towards the JB a little there's something to the custom I didn't like... I think it was the rock tones it was getting. But I'll take a look at some more clips, it did sound a lot tighter than the JB.

 

 

I think I'll be getting one guitar with JB in bridge, another with Suhr Aldrich in the bridge.. they aren't that different from each other.. I wish I could tell you my impressions but by then it sounds like you'll have already have your JB. It's funny because I used to be a Dimarzio guy but as I've matured I've valued versatility more and it seems for the lower gain styles, those other pickup brands excell more. Especially into EL34 amps (which I use).

[Sonolin]

I think I'll be getting one guitar with JB in bridge, another with Suhr Aldrich in the bridge.. they aren't that different from each other.. I wish I could tell you my impressions but by then it sounds like you'll have already have your JB. It's funny because I used to be a Dimarzio guy but as I've matured I've valued versatility more and it seems for the lower gain styles, those other pickup brands excell more. Especially into EL34 amps (which I use).

 

I don't really know much about the Suhr Aldrich, but I heard some sound clips and it didn't really sway my opinion much. I'll keep an ear out though

 

And yea, pretty funny how your tastes changed... when I first got into guitar all I wanted was a brutal heavy metal axe with EMGs in it. Since then, I've started to really appreciate passive pickups. And heck, Mustaine & Friedman used a JB so that's good enough for me .

[Sonolin]

I think I'll be getting one guitar with JB in bridge, another with Suhr Aldrich in the bridge.. they aren't that different from each other.. I wish I could tell you my impressions but by then it sounds like you'll have already have your JB. It's funny because I used to be a Dimarzio guy but as I've matured I've valued versatility more and it seems for the lower gain styles, those other pickup brands excell more. Especially into EL34 amps (which I use).

 

I don't really know much about the Suhr Aldrich, but I heard some sound clips and it didn't really sway my opinion much. I'll keep an ear out though

 

And yea, pretty funny how your tastes change... when I first got into guitar all I wanted was a brutal heavy metal axe with EMGs in it. Since then, I've started to really appreciate passive pickups. And heck, Mustaine & Friedman used a JB so that's good enough for me .

[truckdub]

Alex Skolnik of Testament has a Duncan JB bridge pu in his signature Heritage guitars. He has used it on the last 2 Testament albums and has used it on tour the last several years. Great all rounder. I also like the 490R/498T as a "do anything" combo.

[Sonolin]

 

Alex Skolnik of Testament has a Duncan JB bridge pu in his signature Heritage guitars. He has used it on the last 2 Testament albums and has used it on tour the last several years. Great all rounder. I also like the 490R/498T as a "do anything" combo.

 

 

Ah yup! Forgot about him. One of my favorite metal lead players.