Pickup question

[Welcomehome]

I just bought a Mark V head and it is supposed to arrive two days from now - I ordered it online to save 300 bucks tax, just a tip for anyone who doesn't have the money, or want to pay it - I'm really excited. Although, I have lame Duncan Designed pickups that I want to change. They sound okay, but they also sound cheap. It's hard to look up different brands online as everyone is so biased towards one brand. My guitar isn't that great, so I figured I would go with an EMG 81x (I just want a bridge pickup btw) as the tone comes from the preamp mainly than the guitar, right? I was also looking at Dimarzios and the Barenuckles that everyone seems to love.

Here's a link to my guitar - http://www.amazon.com/Schecter-S-1-Electric-See-Thru-Cherry/dp/B001NMT72Q
and the specs

Construction: Set Neck
*
Body: Mahogany
*
Neck: 3-pc. Mahogany
*
Scale: 24.75"
*
Fingerboard: Rosewood
*
Frets: 22 Jumbo
*
Inlays: MOP & Abalone Crown
*
Binding: Creme (neck)
*
Pickups: Duncan Designed HB-22
*
Electronics: Vol/Vol/Tone (tap)/3-way switch
*
Bridge: TonePros TOM System
*
Tuners: Grover
*
Hardware: Chrome
*
Color: See-Thru Cherry

I play Metallica, Children of Bodom, Dream Theater and everything within those lines. Classic rock and blues also, but not as much. All help is appreciated ^_^.

 

[nyeguy]

Dimarzio D sonic or the new Crunch Lab! Its like what a JB is to a Marshall.

 

[lesterpaul]

oh boy, look out! pickup advice is about as biased as it gets/I have many sets of 'knuckles, and they are kick ***..however, there are lots of real good pups out there these days
...I will offer info on the knucks...they are expensive/ you can email the owner/designer (Tim Mills) and tell him exactly what you have and exactly what you are looking for-he will nail it...a BK "Miracle MAn" is his passive take on the emg style pups(ceramic mag)-they are powerful-i personally dont like the super powerful pups in conjunction with high gain amps(too compressed for my tastes,but it might be what you are looking for..)are there other great pups out there for less?yes!but i do know the 'knucks...
have fun chasin' that tone

 

[JOEY B.]

I just bought a Mark V head and it is supposed to arrive two days from now - I ordered it online to save 300 bucks tax, just a tip for anyone who doesn't have the money, or want to pay it - I'm really excited. Although, I have lame Duncan Designed pickups that I want to change. They sound okay, but they also sound cheap. It's hard to look up different brands online as everyone is so biased towards one brand. My guitar isn't that great, so I figured I would go with an EMG 81x (I just want a bridge pickup btw) as the tone comes from the preamp mainly than the guitar, right? I was also looking at Dimarzios and the Barenuckles that everyone seems to love.

Here's a link to my guitar - http://www.amazon.com/Schecter-S-1-Electric-See-Thru-Cherry/dp/B001NMT72Q
and the specs

Construction: Set Neck
*
Body: Mahogany
*
Neck: 3-pc. Mahogany
*
Scale: 24.75"
*
Fingerboard: Rosewood
*
Frets: 22 Jumbo
*
Inlays: MOP & Abalone Crown
*
Binding: Creme (neck)
*
Pickups: Duncan Designed HB-22
*
Electronics: Vol/Vol/Tone (tap)/3-way switch
*
Bridge: TonePros TOM System
*
Tuners: Grover
*
Hardware: Chrome
*
Color: See-Thru Cherry

I play Metallica, Children of Bodom, Dream Theater and everything within those lines. Classic rock and blues also, but not as much. All help is appreciated ^_^.

EMG's and other active pickups are designed to be installed as a set (neck and bridge) with special pots. I have the idea that your guitar tone starts at its core, the wood. In my opinon, a mahogany, set-neck, 24.75 scale guitar should not need active pickups played through a Mark V or similar high gain amp. A hot wound passive in the 12-16K range should work well in your guitar. Make sure that it is wax potted to help combat the squeeling feedback monster.

 

[MesaDCLP]

FWIW Your tone definately starts with the guitar!!! The Duncan Design pickups are all modeled from a specific SD production model. I see that you put DD H-22. Haven't heard of that one, so I'll assume it's a typo and possibly the HB-102 set. These would be modeled after the Seymour Duncan Jazz in the neck and The JB in the bridge. This at least gives you a point of reference when looking for something new. Personally I would play the guitar through the amp first and then decide to change something if need be. Like it's been stated, passive pickups will do just fine. Actually they will probably sound better than actives for most types of music through the Mark V. Mesa actually uses Tom Anderson pickups to test their new amps, so I've heard. Another point to make is that most major pickup manufacturers will let you exchange your new purchased pickup within a few weeks, if it doesn't sound right to you. They try to help you out there, because no one can tell you exactly what a pickup will sound like through your guitar and amp. Play first, get an idea of what needs to change, and then change things.

 

[th0rr]

EMG's and other active pickups are designed to be installed as a set (neck and bridge) with special pots. I have the idea that your guitar tone starts at its core, the wood. In my opinon, a mahogany, set-neck, 24.75 scale guitar should not need active pickups played through a Mark V or similar high gain amp. A hot wound passive in the 12-16K range should work well in your guitar. Make sure that it is wax potted to help combat the squeeling feedback monster.

I wouldn't say "need" is the right word. I have Les Paul with EMG's in it not because it "needed" it but because I wanted the clarity it gives when playing high gain. I have other guitars with passive pickups that sound just great with my Mark V. All depends on the sounds one is looking for. Not bagging your opinion, just adding mine.

 

[espmaster1]

You need to be more specific to what sound you want. What are tone characterisitics that you want to hear the most? Bright, warm, dark tone?

 

[Spewnz]

My guitar isn't that great

the guitar is fine its just those pickups are a little lame get some usa made duncans or if you can afford it the bare knuckles but it will be like night and day

 

[lesterpaul]

My guitar isn't that great

the guitar is fine its just those pickups are a little lame get some usa made duncans or if you can afford it the bare knuckles but it will be like night and day

...not Joey's guitar,for **** sure :lol: she is B-A-D(that quote function can be a *****!)
...JB's "greentop" has voodoo in the vibes,fer sure

 

[Heritage Softail]

The Crunch Lab Liquid Fire in the JP6 guitar love the MKV. I have an ESP Skully EMGs and it seems to get a tad compressed compred to the JP6. Like the tone is a grilled cheese sandwhich that the girl at waffle house pressed down on with the spatula. IMO the MKV likes ceramic double coils. It does single coils well for clean/blues sight breakup but I don't like the stock strat pups in ch3 MKIV mode. Your mileage may vary. My opinion is to work toward 2 good guitars in time. One excellent for one purpose and then the other later. I did not think the guitar was SO critical in the sound until I got a Music Man JP6. Excellent tone wood, tight build, great p-ups nothing else I have is close. Maybe a nice PRS or Suhr will be my next purchase. Sorry for rambling but money is too hard to come by to waste on a weakass guitar that you won't like in 3 months. Good luck on your tone quest. 8)