Passive pickup suggestion for Thrash Metal

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DannyM

DannyM

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I am looking to picking up another Jackson USA with maple neck, alder body, ebony fretboard.
I am a die hard EMG 81 + EMG SPC addict.....but I want a "retro" guitar that is old school....LOL.

For what ever reason I do not like the JB. The first thing that I do when I get a new jackson is take it out.
I dont know if i dont like it because I'm kinda set in my ways or if there is something about it that I truely dont like.
I'll give it a chance when the guitar arrives but I am kinda sure that I wont like it. It sounds loose, weak, and unfocused in the low and mids compared to a 81.

Right now just by looking at their websites the DiMarzio Super 3 and Duncan Synyster Gates Invader and Blackouts Metal/Livewire Metal are what I think I'd like.
The ceramic BareKnuckles War Pig sounds interesting on paper.
Jacksons are bright so I do not think I want a pickup that has alot of highs....I think I want mids and low end to counter the Jackson brightness.

What are the best passive pickups for Testament, Exodus, Slayer, StormTroopers of Death type thrash?
 
Bare Knuckle Miracle Man will be in your EMG 81 ballpark, no doubt.
 
My suggestions would be the Miracle Man and War Pig. I have great results using the Invader in my old school Charvel from the early 80's back in the day. I should pull that guitar out and play it and see how she holds up today.
 
for a tight aggressive and sinister tone i always liked the duncan distortion :rock:
 
Bareknuckle miracle man if you want a sound close to an 81 and definitely warpig if you just want a grinding thick beast death pick up.
 
here is what to expect from a duncan distortion
(left channel) :rock:
 
Might want to look at the dimarzio d-activator and the d-activator x.
 
I'm still looking for the right guitar at the right price. Once I get it I'll bust out the soldering iron and go thru a bunch of passive pickups to see what works best.
 
Lundgren M series is close to EMG81 but less compressed with more clarity.

Here is a clip of a M6:

https://soundcloud.com/dead-pan/kemper- ... ssion-test

Lundgrens are less forgiving and very precise with more lows and less honky mids. I have an 81 and M6 in identical guitars and like both. 81 is more compressed and better for leads in a way.
 
Distortion, Rio Grande stuff, Lace Dissonant Aggressors, Lawrence 500L
 
Manlius Ceramic Asphalt is my favorite pickup ever. This is coming from a 20+ year user of the EMG 81. I say stay away from the Lundgren M6. I hated that thing. It's nothing like an EMG IMO. The Miracle Man is also a killer pickup.
 
Motor City Afwayu is hot and tight, with a ton of low end that would counter the brightness of the Jackson. Manlius Asphalt and Custom Hot are also excellent pickups for heavy tones. The Asphalt is the looser of the two, having an Alnico 5 magnet. A little hotter and looser than the Afwayu, with a very pissed off snarl to it. Great pickup. The Custom Hot is ceramic, very hot (18.7 k) and tighter and also sounds very pissed and aggressive. Any one of these would kill for thrash tones.
 
Beyond Black":3m8cm7nf said:
Motor City Afwayu is hot and tight, with a ton of low end that would counter the brightness of the Jackson. Manlius Asphalt and Custom Hot are also excellent pickups for heavy tones. The Asphalt is the looser of the two, having an Alnico 5 magnet. A little hotter and looser than the Afwayu, with a very pissed off snarl to it. Great pickup. The Custom Hot is ceramic, very hot (18.7 k) and tighter and also sounds very pissed and aggressive. Any one of these would kill for thrash tones.
Click to expand...

You can get the Asphalt custom made as ceramic. That what I did. Love that pickup and the have great customer service.
 
Some really great suggestions being made. A Bare Knuckle Painkiller is one of my favorite pickups to use. I use a Miracle Man and Warpig in a few of my other guitars and the Painkiller will get you a solid thrash tone no problem.

Other possibilities to consider would be a Duncan Custom TB-5. I have that in my E-II LT-27 and that pup does surprisingly well with thrash/speed metal.

DiMarzio's X2N should be on the menu too.
 
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