Ballsy, LOUD pickup for old school metal??

[the rossness]

Buy a Seymour Duncan Custom or a custom custom and do an alnico 8 magnet swap. It'll get you what you want.

 

[Heritage Softail]

I have 80's era Dimarzio SD and X2N in my old school metal 76 SG Deluxe. Not to be a tone snob or claim any special magic in old gear just because it is old, but that old 1980 X2N seems to sound a little diff than the 2010 one I played recently. Could just been my ears that day but the old Dimarzio's are just money. That old SG with those Dimarzio's into SLO = extra crispy old school metal...

 

[FourT6and2]

JB. JB. JB.

 

[V-Killer]

I am leaning towards the Painkiller....and it is seriously pricey! From the reviews it seems like it may have the drive.
For any Painkiller users, how would you compare it to an Air zone?? Any experience with both??

 

[OldSkoolNJ]

Dimarzio X2N

I love my X2n, but for old school metal? We talkin Black Sabbath? Or Bathory?

Yes because to me it is a hotter more compressed JB, Tone wise it sounds like a JB to me in my Alder body guitar..
I dont see why an X2N is limited to only Death metal...Sounds perfectly fine for doing old school Metallica, Anthrax and stuff..

 

[Ventura]

BKP Warpig or Painkiller

I don't think I'll ever move on from them, bareknuckle all the way

I have been interested in the 'Knuckles. Ballsy enough??

There's another cat who posted a thread on 'hard rock' pups and I recommended the SD Distortion, because truly, it's a pup that offers an old school rockin' feel... At least in the demos I've done.

As for the BKPs, the Painkillers were named after the late great Judas Priest - and honestly, they're hell in a handbasket man. SUPER high output - almost to the point you'll wanna de-gain your amp so that the pups can do the grinding. They're loud as hell, and have a mid bite to them that tears a hole into practically any mix - live or recorded. You want old school metal??? This is it. Seriously. They're searing hot with razor bite and cut.

So there, that's my props on the BKP PK's.

Done,
V.

 

[V-Killer]

BKP Warpig or Painkiller

I don't think I'll ever move on from them, bareknuckle all the way

I have been interested in the 'Knuckles. Ballsy enough??

There's another cat who posted a thread on 'hard rock' pups and I recommended the SD Distortion, because truly, it's a pup that offers an old school rockin' feel... At least in the demos I've done.

As for the BKPs, the Painkillers were named after the late great Judas Priest - and honestly, they're hell in a handbasket man. SUPER high output - almost to the point you'll wanna de-gain your amp so that the pups can do the grinding. They're loud as hell, and have a mid bite to them that tears a hole into practically any mix - live or recorded. You want old school metal??? This is it. Seriously. They're searing hot with razor bite and cut.

So there, that's my props on the BKP PK's.

Done,
V.

Good...that's what I wanted to hear. Not too much on the bright side?? What I am looking for is that mid growl...sounds like a winner

 

[Inca Roads]

JB. JB. JB.

Finally, someone gets it!
I know there are Higher output pickups out there,
but the JB "Kills" on a High Gain Rig.
I have one in a Les Paul Custom with a High Gain Rig,
and I couldn't be happier. Mid-Cut, Harmonics,
Sweet lead tone, flat out Rocks.

 

[Inquisitor]

Dimarzio X2N

I love my X2n, but for old school metal? We talkin Black Sabbath? Or Bathory?

Yes because to me it is a hotter more compressed JB, Tone wise it sounds like a JB to me in my Alder body guitar..
I dont see why an X2N is limited to only Death metal...Sounds perfectly fine for doing old school Metallica, Anthrax and stuff..

The X2N is just a ridiculous pickup. Its the one that people go TURN IT OFF ITS TOO LOUD!!! Im just saying its over the top. Like a Manowar concert in my bedroom... I Love it. It feeds off terror or at least awkwardness and turns it into baddassery (or at least thats my perspective. Other people just ask me to switch to neck pickup). I could be sitting on the toilet with my guitar, taking a shit, cable feeding under the door, through the kitchen, past the washing machines down to the basement where the amp is at a meager volume 2. AND IT WILL STILL FEEDBACK from my shitting noises even with me muting the strings! Love it. It will feedback from a ninja dropping a pin to test his hearing. Metallica doesn't deserve it (okay old school metallica, I can definitely hear that). Hell, I dont deserve it!
I love my X2N but I realize that it is ridiculously awesome, and therefore not for everyone.

BKP Painkillers have this one higher frequency boost that just turns me off. But definitely gives it an edge in the guitar work that some people just LOVE. I hear it and I go, TOO TREBLEy (especially if mixed in an over the top lead manner). Will be supremely distinctive in a mix, and its responds like poking a bulldog in its cockles with a sharp stick, but I hear that frequency and I go: thats the Painkiller.
Maybe I should play around with one more though and get to appreciate it. I guess I was just thinking that if you want old-school metal, you dont necessarily want that one modern frequency boost. I was imagining a gruff, big sound but with appropriately fat mids, that can also clear up and go into a compressed edgy tone (maintaining good mids) so I suggested the Rebel Yell, Cold Sweat. But that would be really old school (classic rock transferring into metal era). Sending that through the right amp will make anyone turn their head in appreciation though, and it is multi purpose. (Okay maybe: From old school to maybe prog metal. and all the lighter, gayer shit not worth mentioning ie all other musical genres). All right, time for me to raise more money for more BKPs.
Now that Ive been thinking about it and listening to those bands that use great pickups, realize that whatever BKP you pickup will alter your playing to fit it. I wasent happy the day I got my Ceramic warpig, was saying, o its too bassy, dark, full, but holy crap, that is my sound now. Dont know what I'd do without it. Appropriately tight to compensate for bass, and really responsive, harmonic, and just blows whales out of the water. Which is what I want.

Now Im Gunna have to find a clean and harmonic neck pickup to go with the X2N in basswood. Sorry about being all over the place

 

[V-Killer]

I like the cut of your jib.

 

[HELSTRUME]

If you need extreme, the X2N will do it. It was like adding a gain stage to my Boogie lol.

 

[V-Killer]

I am looking for more mids/bass and a pickup that isnt too bright. I have narrowed it down to the Painkiller and Invader as absurd as that may sound

 

[Inquisitor]

I am looking for more mids/bass and a pickup that isnt too bright. I have narrowed it down to the Painkiller and Invader as absurd as that may sound

Ha ha Well said. BKPs are fantastic, I think it will surprise and outpreform your expectations! You Gotta figure out those frequency bumps just so your aware in a mix, stage and otherwise too

 

[SuperFlyinMonke]

I thought the painkiller was great sounding, except for the low end. I tried it in two different guitars and there was something about the character that I wished was different because the mid and high range sounded amazing. Try it out, if you're determined to.

 

[the rossness]

You want a loud and ballsy pickup for old metal??????????????

 

[David_kessler]

How are you setting up your VHT? Master high and level low? If not, try it. Really opens these amps up alot and oh yeah, the DD is great for these kind of tones with the CL.

Both Volumes at about 6 for practices. How similar is the DD to a Super D??? I have a SD in my sexplorer and it is a bit thicker than the Air zone. I think what I need is more output

Crank up the master to about 3 o'clock and dial in your volume with the level, this will get you a little closer to what you're looking for.

 

[V-Killer]

How are you setting up your VHT? Master high and level low? If not, try it. Really opens these amps up alot and oh yeah, the DD is great for these kind of tones with the CL.

Both Volumes at about 6 for practices. How similar is the DD to a Super D??? I have a SD in my sexplorer and it is a bit thicker than the Air zone. I think what I need is more output

Crank up the master to about 3 o'clock and dial in your volume with the level, this will get you a little closer to what you're looking for.

I did alot of tweaking last night, bringing my pickup closer to the strings, master at 3 o'clock, channel volume right at half. And bringing up the bass and low mids on the G-EQ. Sounded great!

I still may try that Painkiller.

 

[FourT6and2]

JB. JB. JB.

Finally, someone gets it!
I know there are Higher output pickups out there,
but the JB "Kills" on a High Gain Rig.
I have one in a Les Paul Custom with a High Gain Rig,
and I couldn't be happier. Mid-Cut, Harmonics,
Sweet lead tone, flat out Rocks.

Seriously. The JB is a great pickup. It's got a fantastic mid-range emphasis. A lot of people say it sounds harsh and nasally. But I don't think so at all. I have on in my LP Custom as well. And I run it through both a Diezel VH4 and a Marshall Super Lead clone. Sounds great! Ballsy, mean, and not harsh at all. But, it depends on how you EQ your amps. I generally max the mids and go easy on the treble, gain and bass. I've tried other pickups as well, like EMG's, PRS, other Duncans and a Motor City Afwayu. The JB is the best sounding pickup I've tried.

Actually, the only other pickup I've used that sounded amazing was a Lindy Fralin PAF clone wound at around 9K. That thing was sweeter sounding compared to the JB, but still had balls and a nice mid-range. The other pickup I'd really like to try is a Throbak. But those things are way too expensive.

 

[luxxtone]

Tight, old school with good mids and tight lows with a high-gain amp: BKP Aftermath, BKP Painkiller, Motor City Angel Dust, Duncan Custom 5. All these will do the job perfectly.

 

[V-Killer]

Tight, old school with good mids and tight lows with a high-gain amp: BKP Aftermath, BKP Painkiller, Motor City Angel Dust, Duncan Custom 5. All these will do the job perfectly.

I am torn between an alnico Warpig or the Painkiller right now. PK may have too much top... from what I've read at least, and my setup can get quite bright!