Ok I own a Jackson Kelly Performer with Jackson stock humbuckers and I was wondering if I should keep them in or put in some Seymour Duncan's? I want to get an Iced Earthy like effect with the really heavy palm muting distortion......Can anyone help me?
Pickups question!
- Thread starter GuardianInFlames
- Start date
do the stock humbuckers give you what you wanna hear? if so then stick to them. otherwise, if there's anything lacking, in your opinion, do swap them. chances are, high gain pickups from Duncan & Dimarzio will suit the bill & sound even better.
for low end chugging, Duncan's Distortion & Invader models will be the better candidates
for low end chugging, Duncan's Distortion & Invader models will be the better candidates
Sunbane
Metalistic Madman
Hmm...a performer series Jackson. I would guess that the stock pickups are producing a less-than-ideal tone for muted riffs. At least that has been my opinion with the two import Jacksons I've had in my possession. Usually the bottom end is too untight, resulting in a very muddy sound as soon as you hit a muted chord that includes the top E string.
I'm not a big cat on either DiMarzio or Duncan - EMG is my thing. I will warmly recommend the EMG-85 any time of the day: They have a very tight low end and clear highs - perfect for muted riffs. If you want some midrange, you can easilly add it with a bit of EQ. Note: Stay away from the EMG-HZ pickups. I have yet to hear one positive comment about them.
As for Duncans, I'm guessing that an Invader would be nice. I just don't dig the looks of them. =P DiMarzio makes a few interesting models. I've personally only tried the MegaDrive, but that was a looong time ago, and I think that model is only available through custom order nowadays.
'bane
I'm not a big cat on either DiMarzio or Duncan - EMG is my thing. I will warmly recommend the EMG-85 any time of the day: They have a very tight low end and clear highs - perfect for muted riffs. If you want some midrange, you can easilly add it with a bit of EQ. Note: Stay away from the EMG-HZ pickups. I have yet to hear one positive comment about them.
As for Duncans, I'm guessing that an Invader would be nice. I just don't dig the looks of them. =P DiMarzio makes a few interesting models. I've personally only tried the MegaDrive, but that was a looong time ago, and I think that model is only available through custom order nowadays.
'bane
My ESP F200 comes with a pair of EMG HZs, I think they are quite good... Although I'd probably replace them with a 85 and 81 if it weren't for the fact that I'm unsure if any other EMG's work with the Afterburer on my ax...
Sunbane
Metalistic Madman
Hmm, yes. Coupled with an onboard preamp of some kind, I've heard that the HZ's actually are decent. But word is they don't quite cut it on their own.
'bane
'bane
I really like Duncan pickups. Great tone and sustain and this shit that a great pickup have.
EMG is also a great pickup, but its a nightmare to install them.
EMG is also a great pickup, but its a nightmare to install them.
Sunbane
Metalistic Madman
Ehh? But they even come with everything pre-soldered and with quick-connect cables.
I'd say that nowadays, installing EMG's isn't much harder than installing any other pickup. Unless you call having to swap the pots and jack nightmarish, which I can't understand at all.I have rewired many guitars/basses and installed EMG's in dozens. Of course there are issues sometimes, but nothing overbearing unless you're having very tight routes in the guitar...
'bane
Fifth_Horseman
Watch out, it's sharp!
Totally agreed.
The EMG-HZ3 pickups came stock in my Jackson DKMGT together with an EMG turbocharger.
Without the preamp the pickups were just weak and lacked everything a pickup could lack.
With some added gain from the preamp they were ok, but still quite muddy and cold sounding.
I swapped them for a Seymour Duncan JB/'59 combo and now I am in tone heaven.
I'll never need a gainboost again... when I tried the new combo for the first time I could right away reduce the gain on the amp by two steps.
Draconamis
Super Zombie
Fifth_Horseman said:
I too recently bought a Jackson (mine was a DKMG though, I prefer a floyd rose over a tune-o-matic anyday) and my EMG-HZ's suck...I was just getting ready to post a thread about it actually....
and what I'm gathering from this one is that I need to change them since all I have is a little Johnson Marquis Amp....
Should I go with an EMG 85 in the bridge and an 81 in the neck?
And if so, can I change them out by pulling out my current pick-ups, and just plugging the new ones into the port inside the body?
Basically, do all EMG pickups have the same connection method?
Sunbane
Metalistic Madman
That is what I would do.Draconamis said:
I can't say, since I never actually used the HZ's myself, but it doesn't sound too likely. I'd guess that the HZ, being passive pups, are using 250kohm or 500kohm pots, while the active EMG's use 25kohm ones. So, if my hypothesis is right, you'd still have to swap the guts of the guitar.
On the topic of pickups, I've just been recommended to try a brand called "APC". They're supposed to be "EMG killers", but passive and apparently only half the price...heh... I'll try them and post my findings in a new thread here.
'bane
Sunbane said:Ehh? But they even come with everything pre-soldered and with quick-connect cables.
I have rewired many guitars/basses and installed EMG's in dozens. Of course there are issues sometimes, but nothing overbearing unless you're having very tight routes in the guitar...
'bane
Oh, I meant the active pickups with batteries and stuff.
Sonnenritter
Active Member
Quick question, how would you rate the EMG-60? I was thinking about replacing it with a EMG-85 when I got the guitar, but I've never heard a 60 in action.
Sunbane
Metalistic Madman
MrMajs said:
That's what I meant too. As long as you're following the wiring diagram, there should be no troubles out of the ordinary.
'bane
I've only been playing guitar for about a year now and I have an Epi LP. I've always been curious, though, what is the deal with active pickups? Will someone give me the low-down on how they work and some opinions? They seem to be popular in the metal scene.
Sunbane
Metalistic Madman
i acnt spell said:
Well, active pickups solve a problem that traditional, passive pickups have.
When you're playing metal, you typically want a high-output pickup, to drive your amp to distortion more easilly. The traditional way of achieving this, was to build a pickup with a very strong magnet. The disadvantage is that the magnetic field pulls at the strings ("string pull") and this usually affects sustain negatively. The closer to the strings you position the pickup, the more likely you are to have problems like this, but as you back the pickup away from the strings, you lose some output. You'll have to find the "sweet-spot" of the pickup, where output level is acceptable and "string pull" from the magnet is not too bad.
An active pickup gets around this by actually being a weak pickup with a built-in pre-amp that boosts the output signal. Thus, you get very little string pull from the magnet and can position the pickup as close to the strings as possible, to get maximum output.
You can also use weak, passive pickups coupled with an active preamp to achieve a similar result.
'bane
Nocturnal Emperor
Why so serious ?
those are quite bland... IMO they don't react well to high gain settings. i've changed my RG pickups too.
Nocturnal Emperor
Why so serious ?
what pickups did you replace them with im thinking of duncans or dimarzios what do you recommend
my stock RG pickups are swapped for the following:
neck: Seymour Duncan Lil '59
middle: Dimarzio Fast Track 2
bridge: Dimarzio PAF
however, my other ibanezs sport duncans. my current fav is my S540 which sports an Invader bridge humbucker + a Full Shred neck humbucker. for Emperor/ Mayhem etc.. the Invader will reward you with ear candy. it reacts well with high levels of gain & the harmonics are easy to attain. i'm the type who solos in the neck, the reason i went with the full shred- clear, no-mud tone :zombie:
neck: Seymour Duncan Lil '59
middle: Dimarzio Fast Track 2
bridge: Dimarzio PAF
however, my other ibanezs sport duncans. my current fav is my S540 which sports an Invader bridge humbucker + a Full Shred neck humbucker. for Emperor/ Mayhem etc.. the Invader will reward you with ear candy. it reacts well with high levels of gain & the harmonics are easy to attain. i'm the type who solos in the neck, the reason i went with the full shred- clear, no-mud tone :zombie:
Silverhaze
Little Piggy Slasher
Well, I just picked up (electric) guitar #7...One of those ESP LTD V350's. I've always wanted a Flying V for the collection, but not too interested in dropping a ton of cash on it. Since they went on clearance, I figured I'd pick it up (they were $629 spring 2001 - now $299).
Anyway, it came with those EMG HZ pickups. They have got to be the crappiest pickups I've ever heard in my life!! I have a low end Ibanez EX160 who's PUPs sound better. Even my Jay Turser blows them away.
SO, they gotta go. I'm not interested in going with EMG active pickups, so what else should I think about? I want the bridge PUP to be metal crunch...don't care how it sounds any other way, but I want the neck to be more on the creamy side, with a decent clean tone. Any suggestions? Price doesn't really matter.
'BANE - Any word on those "APC's"?
Anyway, it came with those EMG HZ pickups. They have got to be the crappiest pickups I've ever heard in my life!! I have a low end Ibanez EX160 who's PUPs sound better. Even my Jay Turser blows them away.
SO, they gotta go. I'm not interested in going with EMG active pickups, so what else should I think about? I want the bridge PUP to be metal crunch...don't care how it sounds any other way, but I want the neck to be more on the creamy side, with a decent clean tone. Any suggestions? Price doesn't really matter.
'BANE - Any word on those "APC's"?
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