Trying to decide on Pickups!

[Dysergy]

Hey guys, probably sick to the back teeth of these threads but here goes...

I'm looking at getting some new pickups to replace the stocks in my Ibanez S521. It's a mahogany body, wizard neck, 25.5" scale.

I play mostly Metal. At the moment entirely using amp sims due to my Blackstar IDCore refusing to power up. Basically, they're low end stock ibby pickups, they're pretty lifeless and I'm looking for some oomph but also something that's kinda style flexible.

Not interested in Actives, it's a teeny wee guitar.

There's only so far watching YouTube videos can go, people playing high end guitars with good pickups pickups into high end setups really isn't helping me, don't really have the expendable cash to go nuts and try tons of different pickups either. But then again, I'm a total novice in terms of pickups for guitars.

So, any thoughts would be really helpful. I'm seeing a lot of SD Black Winter fans recommend these, but not much of a death metal guy.

Help

 

[Dimaension X]

I recommend looking at GFS Pickups, which are low-cost alternatives. I have their Power Rails in a Schecter Omen 6, and they are LOUD pickups, great for metal, very full sounding. I believe they are the equivalent of a Duncan Dimebucker or Dimarzio MegaDrive or X2N. They also have a pickup called a Crunchy PAT, which is their version of the classic DiMarzio Super Distortion.

www.guitarfetish.com

 

[viewerfromnihil]

I have a Seymour Duncan SH-15 in my bridge position and I'm very satisfied with it. I've had it for four years and have no plans of taking it out. It's great for metal, but versatile too. Here's a decent review: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/pickups/seymour_duncan/sh-15_alternative_8/index.html And some more reviews on Musician's Friend: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/humb...lternative-8-humbucker-electric-guitar-pickup

 

[Animus67]

Hey guys, probably sick to the back teeth of these threads but here goes...

I'm looking at getting some new pickups to replace the stocks in my Ibanez S521. It's a mahogany body, wizard neck, 25.5" scale.

I play mostly Metal. At the moment entirely using amp sims due to my Blackstar IDCore refusing to power up. Basically, they're low end stock ibby pickups, they're pretty lifeless and I'm looking for some oomph but also something that's kinda style flexible.

Not interested in Actives, it's a teeny wee guitar.

There's only so far watching YouTube videos can go, people playing high end guitars with good pickups pickups into high end setups really isn't helping me, don't really have the expendable cash to go nuts and try tons of different pickups either. But then again, I'm a total novice in terms of pickups for guitars.

So, any thoughts would be really helpful. I'm seeing a lot of SD Black Winter fans recommend these, but not much of a death metal guy.

Help

I have sd Black Winter and i don't play death or black metal. I am more into prog and neoclassical metal. I thing that the Black Winter are great for any kind of metal or hard rock.

 

[JJ Jettflow]

Hey guys, probably sick to the back teeth of these threads but here goes...

I'm looking at getting some new pickups to replace the stocks in my Ibanez S521. It's a mahogany body, wizard neck, 25.5" scale.

I play mostly Metal. At the moment entirely using amp sims due to my Blackstar IDCore refusing to power up. Basically, they're low end stock ibby pickups, they're pretty lifeless and I'm looking for some oomph but also something that's kinda style flexible.

Not interested in Actives, it's a teeny wee guitar.

There's only so far watching YouTube videos can go, people playing high end guitars with good pickups pickups into high end setups really isn't helping me, don't really have the expendable cash to go nuts and try tons of different pickups either. But then again, I'm a total novice in terms of pickups for guitars.

So, any thoughts would be really helpful. I'm seeing a lot of SD Black Winter fans recommend these, but not much of a death metal guy.

Help

If you visit the SD and Dimarzio websites, they have Selector Guides that will help you choose the right pickups. That said, using the guide, I choose Nazgul/Sentient setup from Seymour Duncan. However, they seemed to be hard to get, so I went with a set of Dimarzio Dominions. They too were suggested to me by the guide. My guitar is all mahogany as well.

Once they arrive and I install them, I will see how good their guides are!

 

[Inferno!]

I have owned many guitars, Jacksons to begin with until I held my first Ibanez Prestige and fell head over heels for them. Anyway currently I own 2 prestige guitars ones an RG652k and the other is a Cobalt Blue RG655. I changed the pickups in both of them. I hate Ibanez's stock pickups beyond words. That said, I've played with a ton of different pickups both passive and active, and guitars. In my RG652k I have an 81/85 and its a nice setup.. Theres a reason why they are so overly used.. I feel like the wheel's already been invented why should I try an find a better way? Anyway for the RG655 I have an TB-5 in the bridge, SSL6 middle, SH-5 in the neck.. It is by far my most favorite guitar and its because of those pickups. It took me a while to find it but wow.. As far as passive pickups go at least for me its amazing. If you want to know what it sounds like or get an idea for how it sounds anyway there is a girl on Youtube and her name is "Tina S" The guitar she is using is an HSH Excalibur Vigier and it comes stock with the pickups I just mentioned. She plays everything from Dragonforce to Metallica to Van Halen, to Pink Floyd, to ACDC, all the way to Neo-Classical Beethoven stuff. Anyway check it out really amazing pickup and I highly recommend it. Also the SH-5/TB-5 is the same pickup just one it the Tremolo version, that confused me when I originally started trying SD pickups out. Sorry for the long post btw, I tend to be very meticulous with details.

 

[JJ Jettflow]

Got my Dimarizo Dominion set finally and got them wired in. I put them in an all mahogany guitar (similar to an SG) and immediately found them too warm. Too much bass and too little treble, although the bass was not boomy and the highs were silky but too warm for my liking.

So I pulled them a put them in one of my other guitars. It too is all mahogany but with a flame maple top. Bingo!!!

In this guitar, they are a perfect match. Bass is strong but tight. Treble is clear but not brutal. I have never heard such a great neck pickup either. Really well defined. They are dead quiet as well.

I have ordered a set of Dimarzio Titans for the all mahogany guitar and we see how they do.

Very happy with the Dominions.

 

[JavierSantanaMexicanMetal]

Bare Knuckles are expensive but i think they worth the buck.

A Miracle Man is a pickup not so famous but it's like a passive EMG 81: Same harmonics, same bass response, same scream in the treble... It may work for you.

Aftermaths are very good on staccato parts, mid punch (But still not that chuggy and aggressive as Painkillers) and have a very articulate top end. Djent or shred, a very good pickup.

Warpigs are just guttural, they have a smooth top end but very aggressive lows and mids, nice pickups for guitars with basswood bodies, i don't know how it would sound on Mahogany though.

Painkillers have a bright cut on the treble, the most aggressive mids (Palm mutes, will really CHUG) on any pickup i have ever tried and also have a good staccato bass response.

Juggernauts are good pickups if you want kind of a mixture between Ceramic an Alnico responses. Again, tight bass, aggressive mid response and smooth top end.

Nailbombs are very interesting depending on the magnet, you will get more open sounding cleans and a more different sounding bass and mid grind with a quite or somehow smooth top end with the alnico, but the bass wil tighten right up and the treble will scream with the ceramic option.

Anyway, Duncans could also be good for your project.

Dimebuckers sound awesome through a cranked Randall RG. The harmonics an treble just scream and the bass is naturally aggressive. If you are after a more modern tone though, the Dimebucker is naturally mid scooped because of the rail design, i like this pickup for thrash more than for modern styles.

Black Winters and Nazguls are more modern but i think they are equivalent to Warpigs. Guttural low end, mids, tight chugs and smooth top end.

Personally, i never used DiMarzios, so i just can't recommend an specific model. Hope my replie is useful for you, good luck in your pickup search!

 

[DarkLordofHellfire666]

I have a bridge SD Black Winter and while I do play black/death with it, it is also very versatile and sounds great for regular heavy metal and hard rock tones. The clean tones are awesome. They are more similar to a SD distortion so you'll be able to get some 80's Nwobhm or 70's hard rock no problem. Honestly I'd look around at your local guitar stores and on craigslist and see what's available for cheap cause any nice aftermarket pickup is gonna be a huge upgrade from what you have and most pickups are pretty versatile unless it's like an EMG. What style do you play?