Guitar Pickups

Disp · 03-21-2008, 04:08 PM

Well I've been playing guitar for about 7 years now and have enver changed the pickups in any of my guitars. Just got a big bonus and I want to put new ones into one of my guitars. I've got a PRS SE, hollow body made out of mahogany, and I wanna get something good for playing thrash/speed metal, etc. I play a lot of Slayer, Iced Earth, Killswitch Engage, etc.. and want a real aggressive sound (likes lots of drive).

I've taken a look at a couple EMG's and a friend recommended the PRS Dragon II. Anyone have any ideas?

Hathe · 03-21-2008, 05:43 PM

EMG 81 / 85 for HH 6-strings. DiMarzio blaze / EMG 707's for 7-strings. Of course, that is my personal preference.

Surlok TP · 03-21-2008, 06:44 PM

I use an EMG 81 in the bridge and a 60 in the Neck, mainly play metal. The 60 is pretty warm nice for clean,but better mixed with the 81 for raunchy blues style hard rock which I am also a fan of, kinda old Aerosmith/G'n'R style.

The 81 just sears, solid bottom end with decent highs, not so good for soling but great for rythym.

Rhuobhe · 03-21-2008, 11:51 PM

I suggest the pick of destiny

Occido · 03-22-2008, 07:58 PM

Heh, I can't add to this thread... my pick ups have already been mentioned and recommended. EMG ftw.

Aria · 03-23-2008, 03:09 PM

If you don't want to use EMGs, there are plenty of great passives.

Depending on the wood of your guitar there's a few choices. There's the Dimarzio Tone Zone which I found great in Mahogany. In my Alder ESP I've been using Dimarzio EVO's in the bridge and they sound great as well. Also there's the new D-Activators which mimic the sound of active pickups but with a bit more openness to them and no batteries.

Seventh · 03-29-2008, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hathe

EMG 81 / 85 for HH 6-strings. DiMarzio blaze / EMG 707's for 7-strings. Of course, that is my personal preference.

Ugh, I hated the 707's in the neck position in my Hellraiser. For mahogany I'd go with something like a JB/59, and there's no way you'll want to route a PRS for EMG's if the stock routes don't work. If you do want to go actives, Seymour Duncan Blackouts are getting rave reviews AND fit in the same routes as passives.

Pardon the shameless plug, but the guys on my site LOVE to talk pickups, so you might want to have a look around here:

Pickups, Electronics & General Tech

A lot of it is sevenstring related, but if you post this same question there you'll no doubt get a shitload of responses.

Ceefo · 03-31-2008, 04:02 PM

Completely agree on the JB. It's so hard to beat the tone from that pickup. There are plenty that'll give you more distortion and drive, but I'd rather get that from the amps.

If you route a PRS for EMG's you should have it taken away from you.

Surlok TP · 03-31-2008, 04:11 PM

I would rather get most of my tone from the amp/pre-amp,since it's easier to shape. I find with a lot of guys they push the gain to much on their amps because they can't get it from the pick ups and this produces all kinds of noise and just added frequencies that you don't need,especially if you are going for that really clean but chunky distortion the kind that has a heavy bottom but is still very sharp .

Think like Metallica's AJFA/Black style distortion where every single note on a palmed open E is clear and pronounced. Not saying you can't get this from amps,but having pick ups that allow you to basically cut the gain on an amp by half allows for a lot more shaping on the Amp end since you aren't masking it all in amp gain.

Aria · 03-31-2008, 05:05 PM

There's a lot of debate over using medium output pickups with high gain or high output pickups with medium gain, comes down to personal preference.

Seventh · 04-01-2008, 04:33 PM

Quote:

If you route a PRS for EMG's you should have it taken away from you.

Agreed.

03-21-2008, 04:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
Disp Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: CA Posts: 531 +0 Internets	Guitar Pickups Well I've been playing guitar for about 7 years now and have enver changed the pickups in any of my guitars. Just got a big bonus and I want to put new ones into one of my guitars. I've got a PRS SE, hollow body made out of mahogany, and I wanna get something good for playing thrash/speed metal, etc. I play a lot of Slayer, Iced Earth, Killswitch Engage, etc.. and want a real aggressive sound (likes lots of drive). I've taken a look at a couple EMG's and a friend recommended the PRS Dragon II. Anyone have any ideas? Last edited by Disp : 03-21-2008 at 04:11 PM.

03-22-2008, 07:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
Occido Your money's on the dresser. Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somewhere in the Mountains Posts: 1,287	Heh, I can't add to this thread... my pick ups have already been mentioned and recommended. EMG ftw. __________________ When a man isn't busy killing another, he spends the rest of his time killing what resembles himself the most.

03-31-2008, 04:02 PM	#8 (permalink)
Ceefo Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Somewherevilletown, USA Posts: 123 -3 Internets	Completely agree on the JB. It's so hard to beat the tone from that pickup. There are plenty that'll give you more distortion and drive, but I'd rather get that from the amps. If you route a PRS for EMG's you should have it taken away from you. __________________ Ceefo

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03-21-2008, 06:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
Surlok TP Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 1,527 +5 Internets	I use an EMG 81 in the bridge and a 60 in the Neck, mainly play metal. The 60 is pretty warm nice for clean,but better mixed with the 81 for raunchy blues style hard rock which I am also a fan of, kinda old Aerosmith/G'n'R style. The 81 just sears, solid bottom end with decent highs, not so good for soling but great for rythym.

03-21-2008, 11:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
Rhuobhe all hail Rhuobhe Manslayer Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 276	I suggest the pick of destiny

03-23-2008, 03:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
Aria Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 736 +1 Internets	If you don't want to use EMGs, there are plenty of great passives. Depending on the wood of your guitar there's a few choices. There's the Dimarzio Tone Zone which I found great in Mahogany. In my Alder ESP I've been using Dimarzio EVO's in the bridge and they sound great as well. Also there's the new D-Activators which mimic the sound of active pickups but with a bit more openness to them and no batteries.

03-31-2008, 04:11 PM	#9 (permalink)
Surlok TP Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 1,527 +5 Internets	I would rather get most of my tone from the amp/pre-amp,since it's easier to shape. I find with a lot of guys they push the gain to much on their amps because they can't get it from the pick ups and this produces all kinds of noise and just added frequencies that you don't need,especially if you are going for that really clean but chunky distortion the kind that has a heavy bottom but is still very sharp . Think like Metallica's AJFA/Black style distortion where every single note on a palmed open E is clear and pronounced. Not saying you can't get this from amps,but having pick ups that allow you to basically cut the gain on an amp by half allows for a lot more shaping on the Amp end since you aren't masking it all in amp gain.

03-31-2008, 05:05 PM	#10 (permalink)
Aria Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 736 +1 Internets	There's a lot of debate over using medium output pickups with high gain or high output pickups with medium gain, comes down to personal preference.