Best Metal Pickup Combo to replace stocks?

[Maynardo]

Personally I've never tryied a pickup that cleans up so well as Bill Lawrence L500-XL and pinch harmonics are killer, I mean the real one not the "bill lawrence USA" copy.

On the other Basswood RGs hand usually have no balls and L500-XL is kinda bright for E standard in a bright axe, so I'd recomend Duncan Custom, It has more low end than distortion or BL-500XL, and it's not so high output that you cannot clean up and still retains enough sharpness to play aggressive metal.

For the solos go 59 or Pearly gates on the neck

[Sodom616]

Did you have one in the neck as well?

Yes, I did. I don't really like it for cleans though...it sounds louder than the bridge lol, unless I lower it alot.

[youngthrasher9]

that is a great tone you got with it! I loved that unique growl it had?
I was always under the impression that the FS was just a custom with hex poles but after hearuin the shred with a ceramic i am not so sure about that now? doesnt really resemble the sh5 at all

Considering the custom 5 and fullshred are within .2k DC resistance of each other and are very close in resonant peak as well (per the tone chart), I think it is the same wind with hex poles. I've heard those hex poles make quite a difference in sound.

[nickSD]

One quick question, What is the output level of the Ibanez v8/v7 pickups? Does anyone know the specs? From playing them on my guitar, they sound like they have nothing compared to Duncans. I really hope the Ibanez are just crappy, because I'm concerned with how much better my distorted sound will be. I'm playing through a Vox Valvetronix VT40+ and it has great cleans, but I'm really hoping I get some power behind my distorted tones.

[Jeff5]

I always recommend the Custom as well. Does metal fantastic. For neck, take your pick, 59, Jazz, AII Pro, PG all will be fine. The Custom may clean up better as it is lower output, but I never use only the bridge for cleans, I almost always use the middle position. Outputwise the Custom will not drive your amp as hard so take that into account.

[Darth Nihilus]

The Custom/AII Pro combo is amazing, especially with a BMP-1 Blackouts preamp

[Mosher Zone]

One quick question, What is the output level of the Ibanez v8/v7 pickups? Does anyone know the specs? From playing them on my guitar, they sound like they have nothing compared to Duncans. I really hope the Ibanez are just crappy, because I'm concerned with how much better my distorted sound will be. I'm playing through a Vox Valvetronix VT40+ and it has great cleans, but I'm really hoping I get some power behind my distorted tones.

I'm not sure about spec on the v7/v8 but i put a Distortion in the bridge of my RG & it's night & day.

[KBliss]

Yes they are crappy. DD+RG = oh so happy metal, warm cleans if you kick off gain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8El0e5ksclo

[uOpt]

I've looked at so many different pickups, and I'm still undecided. I have an Ibanez RG guitar that has a basswood body, rosewood fretboard, and standard bridge. I'm wanting passive humbuckers. What I want in my sound is a big metal sound for palm muted chords and speed riffs, as well as screaming harmonics. But I also want to have a good clean tone, with almost no distortion. In other words, a very versatile combo. How can I do this???

IMHO everybody with the preferences should flip a used DD at least once.

The clean sound from it is "cold" of course but I don't see that you can do much better except maybe with a C5. But the C5 is entirely different.

[IsakaJr]

Custom 5 is a Scooped pickup by nature. If you`re going for a scooped metal sound and still maintain some clarity C5 does magic. It doesn`t distort like the distortion does but it sings under some gain!

[Jeff5]

The Custom/AII Pro combo is amazing, especially with a BMP-1 Blackouts preamp

That is my go to combo in my main axe! Swapped out a lot of bridge and neck pups and I keep going back to it.

But damn you Darth, now I want to try it with a BMP =).

[misterwhizzy]

What are the main differences in the Distortion and Custom?

Both are great pickups. For downtuned metal, I don't think it gets better than the Distortion. The Distortion cleans up pretty well, and it makes for a metal-type clean. It's not chimey and soft in the slightest. It's in-your-face at all times, and the strength is always present. It's not going to mush out, and it will never lose clarity. On the other hand, it also doesn't crunch quite as much because the pick attack will not be overpowered by the gain on the amp. It screams at all times, and although it's plenty powerful, it does not pack the lower-mid whallop that the Custom does.

The Custom is always powerful, but it's a nicer powerful. It won't have quite the clarity of the Distortion, because the pick attack isn't as prominent. That being said, I like the Custom better, and I like the Custom 8 even better than that. It is less abrasive to my ears, even for metal. Even though it's slightly more polite, it's still a beast of a pickup. I think the cleans are more manageable as well. They have a bit of warmth to them and the comparatively lower output gives the pickup more of a vintage vibe than the Distortion. I realize that's like saying Charles Manson is a better person than Hitler, because they're so far from being good people, but you get the idea. On the spectrum of vintage to modern, the Custom falls closer to vintage than the Distortion.

Honestly, you can't go wrong with either one, and if you decide you don't like one within 21 days of acquiring it, you can trade it in for the other at no charge. My favorite is the Custom, especially without downtuning, but the Distortion is also a great pickup.

[Darth Nihilus]

I've always been a huge fan of the Full Shred but I realize now that the thing I really love about the FS is it's pronounced pick attack. I've found that I prefer the tone of the Custom over the Full Shred so I'm taking Rumblebox's suggestion and ordered a ceramic-8 magnet for my FS to see if I can get the voicing of the Custom with the huge pick attack of the Full Shred.

I'm using it in my Les Paul Custom with a BMP-1 so in the words of the great Dale Cooper (Twin Peaks), it should be a DAMN FINE guitar tone!

[Darth Nihilus]

Okay, the Distortion set sounds nice, but will it clean up? I think now I'm torn between the Distortion or Custom for the bridge, and for the neck, Jazz. What are the main differences in the Distortion and Custom? Is the Full Shred much different? I figured I wouldn't do the Dimebucker or Invader because they couldn't do cleans, and were probably too powerful for what I want.

Here's the deal on the Full Shred and the Custom: Both use the same wind but the Full Shred uses a Alnico V magnet, hex screws and two metal spacers.

The Custom uses a ceramic magnet, screw/stud poles and I think it uses wooden spacers.

[uOpt]

I've always been a huge fan of the Full Shred but I realize now that the thing I really love about the FS is it's pronounced pick attack. I've found that I prefer the tone of the Custom over the Full Shred so I'm taking Rumblebox's suggestion and ordered a ceramic-8 magnet for my FS to see if I can get the voicing of the Custom with the huge pick attack of the Full Shred.

I'm using it in my Les Paul Custom with a BMP-1 so in the words of the great Dale Cooper (Twin Peaks), it should be a DAMN FINE guitar tone!

Actually I think that might work well for you is some hex screws in a Custom 5 or Duncan Custom.