Replacing pickups in Jackson

Den_M · 19-09-2006 2:55pm #1

I'm thinking of replacing the EMG HZ's in my Jackson with something a bit beefier. The EMG 81/85 set, Seymour Duncan JB/59 and DiMarzio Super Distortion/something else sets are what I'm looking at.

I know that there's been much debate here before on the virtues of each brand, but would any particular combination suit my guitar more than another?

My guitar's body is alder, the neck mapel and the fretboard is made from rosewood. I play metal mostly but need to have nice clean and blues-y sounds also. A friend of mine has an Epiphone SG with stock pickups, I might give him the HZ's afterwards, would this make much of a difference to his sound?

Doctor J · 19-09-2006 3:20pm

I really like the SD JB, I think it's a great pickup which would have the versatility you desire. However, you are better of getting into a shop and trying a guitar with one if at all possible.

When it comes time to buy, this place sells SD sets (neck and bridge) at prices that will make you want to burn down some of the Irish shops. I've bought from them before, they were great to deal with.

Karl Hungus · 19-09-2006 3:22pm

I'd say you'd need to be a little more specific about what you listen to there.

DiMarzio seem to be favoured by 'Shredders' like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert, aswell as some much heavier players like Chuck Schuldiner.

EMGs are favoured more by the likes of Metallica, Slayer, Slipknot, Disturbed, Fear Factory, Machinehead and suchlike.

Duncans would be used by the likes of Opeth, Dimebag, Slash, Iron Maiden.

Really depends on the sound you're going for. I mostly use DiMarzios, but have one guitar with some Duncans, which are still very nice. I wouldn't recommend EMGs, I had a 81/85 set and was very unhappy with them, definetly not if you'll want cleans.

Den_M · 19-09-2006 3:40pm

Thanks for the link Doctor, those prices put most other stores to shame.

I'm mostly listening to black (Mayhem, Emperor, Immortal), and death (Decapitated, At The gates, Kataklysm, In Flames) metal at the moment. The difference between Metallica's and Pantera's guitar sound was always obvious, I guess this has a lot do with the difference between EMG and SD? Metallica's seemed to be a 'wider', brighter distortion while Pantera's seemed more biting.

DiMarzio do seem to be used by shredders a lot, something that i'm not that into, are there any well known rhythm metal guitarists that use them?

Doctor J · 19-09-2006 3:45pm

I wouldn't say Pantera is representative of the sound of a JB. Listen to some Megadeth or Anthrax albums, Mustaine and Scott Ian used JBs for many years. There's a nice mid bite to the JB.

SirLemonhead · 19-09-2006 3:54pm

Den_M wrote:

DiMarzio do seem to be used by shredders a lot, something that i'm not that into, are there any well known rhythm metal guitarists that use them?

They're just pickups

Don't consider them shredder pickups at all. Will work perfectly well for rhythm.

Check around for sound samples...I know there are a couple of Seymour Duncan comparison sound clips floating about the net somewhere.

Check the tonal charts on the seymour duncan site to see what kind of pickup would compliment the wood in your guitar, depending on whether you want a dark tone or bright tone etc etc.

Karl Hungus · 19-09-2006 3:55pm

Den_M wrote:

DiMarzio do seem to be used by shredders a lot, something that i'm not that into, are there any well known rhythm metal guitarists that use them?

Well both John Petrucci and Paul Gilbert are fantastic rythm players, but if you need more then think Sepultura or Death, and then there's me of course.

Quattroste · 19-09-2006 5:25pm

alway the standard mainstream recommendations

Go Bareknuckle....... go on........ be brave......

http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/

Den_M · 19-09-2006 8:38pm

The Bareknuckle Warpig humbucker looks promising. Apparrently it has the same or even more amount of output as the EMG 81 but is passive.

david · 19-09-2006 9:39pm

Would you not get a nice crunchy warm 'bucker instead of a nasally scooped metal one? You can add dirt with pedals/amps you know these days. I do alternative/metal on a tele.

Den_M · 20-09-2006 12:57am

freakonaleashx wrote:

Would you not get a nice crunchy warm 'bucker

(A la Pulp Fiction) : Example?

!_Brian_! · 20-09-2006 5:02am

The EMGs would get my vote. Put 81's in an Epiphone SG and a Jackson RR3, much improved tone espically for metal and beautiful clean tones IMO. Only draw back in my book would be for when you want a real bright lead sound, real pinchy kinda sound. The EMGs can be a bit too warm for it.

david · 20-09-2006 1:34pm

Example Seymour Duncan JB in bridge with either a Jazz or '59 in the neck. You can make beautiful clean tones dirty but you cant make uber high output pickups cleaner.

Den_M · 20-09-2006 1:46pm

my first post...

Den_M wrote:

I'm thinking of replacing the EMG HZ's in my Jackson with something a bit beefier. The EMG 81/85 set, Seymour Duncan JB/59 and DiMarzio Super Distortion/something else sets are what I'm looking at.

:rolleyes:

I'm considering the JB/59 set, will try to get my hands on a guitar with them installed first though.

Rustar · 20-09-2006 2:42pm

My second guitarist came to practice the other day with his Ace Frehley sig LP, and played a solo in the middle of 'Do you feel like we do'. Afterwards I said, "that's the most beautiful sound I've ever heard!"
I asked him what the LP had in it for pickups and he told me it was DiMarzio SuperDistortion hb's.

I'm a fan now. Might remove the 'Duncan Designed' pu's in my Schecter and throw some DiMarzio's in there!

Patricide · 20-09-2006 6:08pm

Emgs are nice, but tbh they lack charecter(SP?) dimazrios are nice i found the jb without enough bite for my likeing, its a really smooth distorsion, well through a hughes and kettner anyway(thats all i played it on).

If your looking for the pantera sound go get a bill lawrence XL-500 flip it upside down for the bridge and get your self a seymore duncan 59 for the neck(IMO the HOLY GRAIL of neck pickups).

david · 20-09-2006 6:23pm

I heartily endorse both SD Custom Custom for the bridge, and a Jazz in the neck... sooo smooth

Replacing pickups in Jackson

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