Recommend a pickup for me.

[youngthrasher9]

Here's the deal: One of my guitars has a maple through neck, an ebony fretboard, a maple top, and mahogany wings. I installed a '59/custom hybrid with an A8 magnet, and it is bright, to an almost ear-bleeding extent. I basically just want a pickup where I can play Highway to Hell and not cringe. I hear the JB is awesome for maple, but I'd appreciate more suggestions. I love the Alt. 8's lead tone in my all mahogany guitar, so if that kind of ability to clean up and perform creamy stuff with a little gain but also being able to pull off Slayer and Metallica when I have the gain up a bit that would be perfect. (btw I'm talking Reign in Blood era Slayer and Ride the Lightning era metallica- none of that EMG crap they have now. [however slayers tone is alright still, it was just better in that era])

[Jocelyn]

As much as I love the JB , I would not go with it for that application. I think a medium output Pickup will work better. Highway to H is IMo just overdrive and generally clean. You can always turn up the gain and use pedals for boost. I think Alnico II pro.

[tonello]

I'd probably say either a custom 5 or a custom 8. Those will give you almost a CoC tone. If you're really insistant on having a Ride era Metallica sound, then I would go with an invader. But if you want more versatility than a tribute band guitar then definitely go with the Custom 5 or Custom 8. I love those. A JB isn't what you want but if you're looking for a good pup for anything, with nothing that it does bad or exceptionally good, then the JB is for you.

[youngthrasher9]

I am thinking about just shelling out the cash for a custom pickup. Something along the lines of a JB wind on El Diablo blades.

[Edgecrusher]

I am thinking about just shelling out the cash for a custom pickup. Something along the lines of a JB wind on El Diablo blades.

Not trying to dog you or anything but what makes you think this combo would be magic? Hard to say without sounding like a doosh but I'm curious as to the reasoning for coming up with this. If your willing to shell out for a custom pickup why not just go to them and tell them exactly what you need and let them decide on the wind, mags, etc?

[symptom]

Highway to Hell works fine with my Custom 5. All you have to do is: either roll the tone back a little or find the lead tone and put the volume at 5 or 6

[youngthrasher9]

Not trying to dog you or anything but what makes you think this combo would be magic? Hard to say without sounding like a doosh but I'm curious as to the reasoning for coming up with this. If your willing to shell out for a custom pickup why not just go to them and tell them exactly what you need and let them decide on the wind, mags, etc?

Well, I like the idea of the blades being the magnets, and the JB seems to be the wind of choice for maple guitars. Other than that, I could just let them handle it.

[Dark Order Lord]

Here's the deal: One of my guitars has a maple through neck, an ebony fretboard, a maple top, and mahogany wings. I installed a '59/custom hybrid with an A8 magnet, and it is bright, to an almost ear-bleeding extent. I basically just want a pickup where I can play Highway to Hell and not cringe. I hear the JB is awesome for maple, but I'd appreciate more suggestions. I love the Alt. 8's lead tone in my all mahogany guitar, so if that kind of ability to clean up and perform creamy stuff with a little gain but also being able to pull off Slayer and Metallica when I have the gain up a bit that would be perfect. (btw I'm talking Reign in Blood era Slayer and Ride the Lightning era metallica- none of that EMG crap they have now. [however slayers tone is alright still, it was just better in that era])

The perfect pickup: PA TB2 Parrallel Axis Distortion

This my last album with it in my all mahogany string thru the body V straight into a Marshall TSL 100, no FX whatsoever, just a littel normal post EQ during mixing:

http://www.myspace.com/darkorder/mus...ondor-71567751

By the way, during the reign in blood era Slayer used dimarzio SD's and megadrives, and in an interview in an old guitar world mag, Jeff Hanneman says he 'thinks' he used a duncan distortion or something.... who knows.... I hate EMG 81's as well... no aggression. BTW I have friend who used to be in Dimmur Borgir who let me try his EMG loaded guitar and the PA TB2 Parrallel Axis Distortion just ate it up like Allosaur golping down on Sauropod flesh !!!

[youngthrasher9]

I might try an invader next... any objections?

[Dark Order Lord]

I might try an invader next... any objections?

PA TB2 Parrallel Axis Distortion

[dr. ad]

has anyone suggested the use of a welding visor..?
it doesn't have a floyd on it, does it?!

i wouldn't recommend the JB; even the invader may be too bright in this beast.
wouldn't go custom shop either, yet (try more stock pickups first)

have you swapped the alt8 and 59/custom over? i'd do this first, then re-evaluate.

[marvelous_seven]

^ I think the guitar he's talking about is PRS Torero. That one has a floyd. Dark Order Lord recommendation might be worth a shot.

[blueman335]

I installed a '59/custom hybrid with an A8 magnet, and it is bright, to an almost ear-bleeding extent. I basically just want a pickup where I can play Highway to Hell and not cringe. I hear the JB is awesome for maple, but I'd appreciate more suggestions.

JB's are a bright PU, not what I'd consider for your guitar. I'd try a C8 or a C5 with an UOA5 magnet.

[youngthrasher9]

JB's are a bright PU, not what I'd consider for your guitar. I'd try a C8 or a C5 with an UOA5 magnet.

I usually would assume you to be correct.
But this doesn't make any sense, because maple is supposedly known to attenuate treble and bass, but sounds bright due to the amount of upper midrange it retains.
This would lead me to assume that a custom 8 might not be right unless it has a lack of upper midrange.

[Franknfilms]

Does it have to be a duncan? Dimarzio excels in making high output pickups that are heavy on the bass and mids and very easy on the treble. Crunch Lab comes to mind, also Breed, Super Distortion...or you could be one of the first guys on the block to own the new "Gravity" or "Dominion".

[Franknfilms]

The perfect pickup: PA TB2 Parrallel Axis Distortion

This my last album with it in my all mahogany string thru the body V straight into a Marshall TSL 100, no FX whatsoever, just a littel normal post EQ during mixing:

http://www.myspace.com/darkorder/mus...ondor-71567751

Great stuff!