Favorite pickup for metal.

I tried a ton of different pickup's in my Les Paul and ended up sticking the one that came with the guitar back in it . I was shocked that every pickup I tried sounded so much like the one that came with the guitar .

For a while I really thought changing pickups would vastly change the sound of that guitar but I found the opposite was true.
 
MetalThrasher said:
If you're referring to the SH5 model, then yes! That's my favorite passive pickup for metal in E flat or D standard tuning along with an EMG 81. Never got along with a JB and I like the black winter but for some reason I keep coming back to the SH5 custom! I guess I like a ceramic pickup :unsure:
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Yep, me too. SH-5 indeed. I've used one in everything, pretty much, from TB-5 in a Super Strat, or SH-5 in a Les Paul. That's a killer pickup in an LP. It has a disposition. Tight, percussive, does everything well.
 
Rex Rocker said:
More lower mids, though, which means more stuffy.

I like both the 81 and 85, personally. But I prefer the 81. The 85 has this kind of subdued attack that sometimes works, sometimes doesn't.

Also, pretty sure the Het Bridge and the 57 are hotter (from the standard line). At least from the ones I've tried. You're right, though. The 85 is pretty hot. Hotter than the 81 for sure.
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My Statement of the 85 being the hottest is due to a video of the designer/creator/owner of EMG Rob Turner being asked which is the Hottest Humbucker in the EMG Line & his answer was the 85.
 
ive tried so much shit in the last several years, and for tech/death/grind, the nazgul beat all of them. seems to be a love it or hate it pup for some reason, but it kills for me.
 
Anyone who loves the SH-5 should at least give an old 498T a try. They’re very similar but the 498T seems to be less hollow in the mids to my ears. It’s why I went with a 498T in the bridge of my LPC I’m restoring. I had no qualms putting Duncan’s in it if it meant it would have sounded better and I went A5 swapped 496R in the neck with a 498T in the bridge. I do also have an 81/85 combo in another LPC and love that thing too - so easy to play and sounds great.
 
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The One said:
My Statement of the 85 being the hottest is due to a video of the designer/creator/owner of EMG Rob Turner being asked which is the Hottest Humbucker in the EMG Line & his answer was the 85.
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Yeah, I've seen that. Don't agree. My experience have been the 57 is slightly hotter than the 85, and the Het is quite a bit hotter.

Technically, they're all the same output since they run on the same preamp, but the Het puts out a lot more juice before the preamp, so it clips a whole lot more internally.
 
Bram576 said:
Also, anyone know what’s with the new trend of hating on EMGs?
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The 81 is a bit of a one trick pony IMHO, but what a trick! However if you're wanting something that cleans up better or whatever, probably not the best thing out there.
 
Tonenerd Roxy, Wagner godwood and ice bucker, Duncan sh-14, emg retroactives

Don't really care for the super high output stuff, especially for rhythm tones it seems to flatten everything out.

That being said, there's a time and place for an X2N or bill Lawrence.
 
For E to D standard tuning metal tones, I consistently come back to either the JB or the SH-5 Custom pickups.
JB is an all around great pickup for this though I do know it doesn't always agree with certain guitars and settings.
The SH-5 Custom however I've had the most consistent success with through a variety of guitars and rigs.
It's basically become my go-to pickup for most situations lately. So I highly recommend that.
If you're looking at other options I also have found the Suhr Aldrich and the DiMarzio Super Dist. to work quite well for this scenario.
 
Subsonic73 said:
For E to D standard tuning metal tones, I consistently come back to either the JB or the SH-5 Custom pickups.
JB is an all around great pickup for this though I do know it doesn't always agree with certain guitars and settings.
The SH-5 Custom however I've had the most consistent success with through a variety of guitars and rigs.
It's basically become my go-to pickup for most situations lately. So I highly recommend that.
If you're looking at other options I also have found the Suhr Aldrich and the DiMarzio Super Dist. to work quite well for this scenario.
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Those are the tunings i use & sometimes Drop C. I Will have to try both of those. I've been an EMG Guy for a Long time & recently started switching to passives. I started with an Afwayu & i'm soon to be getting a New to me MCP Solution. I like big warm and fat tones with Clarity so everyone can hear that i suck.
 
I always go back to the EMG 81 or 57 when it comes to metal. It just sounds right to me. As far as passives go I really like the Duncan distortion.
 
I might add in the Anderson H/HC3+ now. I just picked up an Angel Player, it has the a HC3+ and is an absolute beast for metal. Works well for rock and hard rock too. I assume the H/HC3 would work well too as it is just a bit less powerful.
 
I've used Dimarzio Super Distortion for years, but having listened to a few clips I fancy a Tonenerd Roxy for the bridge in the Cali - see what happens around Christmas!
 
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