Heritage pickup advice

[squawken]

Hi Guys,

 

I am thinking about ordering a new 150.  I already have one 150 that I like a lot.  It has very nice sound and plays most of my 70's stuff perfectly.  In the new one I want to get the most aggressive pups I can get from Heritage.  I play through a Marshall TSL 100, and am looking for the 80's Accept, Dokken, Scorpions etc sound.  Which pups do I go for-Seymour, HRW, Schaller.  I always seem to asking the same questions, so I do apologize for the same old story.

[skydog]

My 150 has a custom/custom in the bridge that has more output than the 59 custom in the neck. I like the combo.

[squawken]

My 150 has a custom/custom in the bridge that has more output than the 59 custom in the neck. I like the combo.

 

What kind of music do you play Skydog?

[squawken]

Just to follow up.  I pulled my pups in my current 150 and they are the Seymour Duncans.  Does Heritage have another pup that is more aggressive than the Seymour?

[GuitArtMan]

You can custom order prety much anything Seymour Duncan makes.  They commonly use the '59, Seth Lovers and Antiquities, but you should be able to get anything.

[squawken]

You can custom order prety much anything Seymour Duncan makes.  They commonly use the '59, Seth Lovers and Antiquities, but you should be able to get anything.

 

Thanks Guitartman.  Before I do my homework, anyone have a good experience with certain types of SD's besides the 59?

[GuitArtMan]

Thanks Guitartman.  Before I do my homework, anyone have a good experience with certain types of SD's besides the 59?

Wish I could help, but I tend to shy away from agressive pickups and go for a more traditional/vintage PAF tone.

[Thundersteel]

I prefer the Seth Lovers. In my experience, they have an "airy, woody" sound to them. The '59s have always sounded muddy to me.

[squawken]

I prefer the Seth Lovers. In my experience, they have an "airy, woody" sound to them. The '59s have always sounded muddy to me.

 

Do the Seth Lovers work for heavy metal?  I would assume so with you being Tundersteel.

[Thundersteel]

I don't know about Heavy Metal, but they sure sound good with Classic Rock & Blues. For Heavy Metal, the best ones I've found so far are the Gibson (yes, I said it!) 498/500 pickup combination.

[Gitfiddler]

Seths are not wax potted and tend to squeal if overdriven on some amps.  So they might not be the best choice for heavy metal.

[squawken]

Seths are not wax potted and tend to squeal if overdriven on some amps.  So they might not be the best choice for heavy metal.

 

Any other suggestions?  Anyone try Pearly Gates?

[davesultra]

Any other suggestions?  Anyone try Pearly Gates?

I have the Pearly Gates in my '98 150. They have a tad more output than the '59s, but not much really. I'd stick with the '59 or the Jazz model for the neck, but if you want a more aggressive sound from the bridge, try the SH-5/SH-11/SH-14. They all are the same wind but feature different magnet types. The Duncan website has alot of good info.

[golferwave]

  Slash uses the Duncan Alinco II Pro in all of his LP's and he gets a pretty agressive tone. I haven't had this set in any of my guitars so I can't speak from personal experience. Has anyone else used these?

[squawken]

Anyone have any idea what Zack Wylde uses?

[golferwave]

  He uses EMG pickups. Model HZ & H4? Not 100% sure on the model designations.

[les paulverizer]

I've just fitted a pair of Seymour Duncan Antiquity's on my H150 and they sound superb!

Because I also play Heavy Classic Rock so far I've tended to use high output pup's ( JB, Tone Zone,....) but I've recently discovered that even low/medium output pup's will do; if anything they have more articulation and definition.....more Tone to them, and that should always be the main thing!

Just listen to the last 2 or 3 Ted Nugent albums, if that's not a totally toneful killer Rock sound I don't know what it is; it's loud, modern, raunchy, even distorted, but always extremely tuneful, like turbocharged with a "vintage" vibe.

Now, that's cool!

[Stringbender]

I have SD JB & 59's (Jeff Beck)in a standard Aria PE model that sound great for Blues & Hard rock.

A set of Active EMG 81/85's (Zakk Wilde) in an old (don't laugh) Lotus LP copy. Solid & hard driving.

A set of Tom Holmes 450/455's (Gary Moore) in an Aria PE-R80 My favorite - Very articulate  Good for anything you play in my opinion.

A set Of Lindy Fralins in a 1986 Heritage H-140 and a set in an Aria PE-60 - Excellent pickup modeled after early PAF's  Blues, Hard rock & more.

A set of Gibson Classic 57's in an Epiphone LP and in a Harmony solid body I love them in the solid body but they don't seem to have the same "attack" in the Epiphone.

A set of Gibson "Tim Shaw" PAF's in a Gibson Spirit - These are different than the ones they put in the "Heritage 80" models ... They don't have the spacers the Heritage ones do most likely because of the limited amount of room to work with on the Spirit. The jury is still out on these ... They seem to be a bit weak and slightly muddy. They are highly acclaimed as the closest you can get to an original PAF. I've read they are some of the best made, very articulate. I own a few of the "Heritage" Shaws but have not yet put them in anything to test them out.

Personally, I wouldn't buy an overdriven distortion pickup and have to wrestle with it when I wasn't playing something heavy. I'd rather put a good quality all purpose pickup in and let my amp and effects handle the rest.

Beauty is in the ear of the beholder.

Here's a link to a site than has some opinions on pickups ...

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews...c+Guitar+Pickup

[les paulverizer]

....sorry, I meant the Nuge's sound is "TONEFUL" not "tuneful"!

[squawken]

Thanks for the info guys.  Actually, I bought a Marshall JVM410 last night!  And the heritage really screams!  I would still like to try another guitar (either Heritage or PRS) that has Customs or something of the sort just for the hell of it.  While I was trying out the JVM last night, I tried a few PRS's to see how they stack up against Heritage.  The Heritage has everything while I think the PRS is lacking (compared to the heritage) in the bottom end.  It might be a little more fierce on the high end though.  I also really like the neck on the PRS (Custom 24), and the whammy.  But that is for another day.  I have to go play with my new toy!

[peerless]

Zack Wylde uses EMG's...

 

Anyway, for the early eighties metal sound you seek, the most accurate sounding pickup, hands down, will be a Bare Knuckle Holy Diver.

 

peerless

www.peerlesstone.com

[SouthpawGuy]

I have Shadow EQ5s in my LP Standard, they are active humbuckers with 5 band EQ and gain / master onboard.

They also have 4 conductor wiring, i.e. they can be coil tapped.

I have push pull pots on the volume controls which gives more tonal options.

You can basically dial in any tone you want on the pickup.

As they are active they can produce serious output, they also supposedly work in passive mode if the battery is flat although I have not tried this myself.

http://www.shadow-electronics.com/viewpro.html?id=86

 

http://www.music123.com/Shadow-SH-EQ5-Acti...171732.Music123

 

Shadow SH EQ5 Active Humbucker with Built In 5-Band Graphic Equalizer

This Shadow SH EQ5 is an electric guitar humbucker with built in 5-band equalizer. 7 trim-pots on top of the pickup adjust the input level, master gain and 5-band E.Q. The active E.Q. circuit can be switched on or off and can be used to E.Q. other passive pickups in the guitar. The humbucker is fully shielded and has four-conductor output for all wiring possibilities.