Pulling the trigger on pickups for death metal

[DarkWolfXV]

I want to buy pickups for death metal, and auction on something like polish ebay has miracle man bridge. I have also considered seymour duncan blackouts, and its full set + pots. My guitar has already got passives so it would be easier to put in miracle mans, but its no biggie since i can solder pretty decently so putting in new pots wont be hard (did this in bass guitar already). So please, honestly tell me, which are better for brutal death metal, i dont need a lot of clarity, and i need bit more treble because it feels like my current pickups lack it, plus more attack for slam parts. I heard Miracle Mans are good, probably even great for more technical side of death metal because they have got lots of clarity. SD Blackouts seem to be kind of more brutal EMGs with more output, low end, high end, and suprisingly less noisy. Also buying the MM i would only have bridge pickup and i kinda use neck one a lot. So, i am awaiting your judgement and thanks in advance.

[EffigyForgotten]

Almost every single band in that genre uses EMG's so if you haven't tried them and not liked them like me, I would go for the ceramic warpig or the blackhawk set which seems to be able to do everything.

[DarkWolfXV]

The problem is i can get only MMs or SD Blackouts, you didnt anwser my question. I would like to get warpig but im in Poland and i dont want to pay lots of money for currency exchange and shipment, so only these two are an option since they are on sale in my country.

[ericsabbath]

miracle man then

[DarkWolfXV]

miracle man then

Could you expand your response please? Why exactly MM instead of SD Blackouts?

[EffigyForgotten]

miracle man then

Could you expand your response please? Why exactly MM instead of SD Blackouts?

Blackouts sound like shite, they sound like EMG's with looser bottom end response and not enough mids to cut through the mix, the miracle man is also scooped and is more tailored to "modern metal" styles, like metalcore or groove metal kind of stuff. I have no idea what you talking about when you say the blackouts have LESS NOISE then EMG's, that's one of the most crazy things I've ever heard.

Here's something for you to remember, higher output does not equal more "metal" tone.

[DarkWolfXV]

Well i bought the MM bridge, just matter of time till i get them.
Besides, EMGs have only 10k ohms while Miracle Mans have 17.5k ohms.

[EffigyForgotten]

Well i bought the MM bridge, just matter of time till i get them.
Besides, EMGs have only 10k ohms while Miracle Mans have 17.5k ohms.

What's your point? The EMG 81 will still feel hotter than any BKP.

[RuleBySecrecy]

I think a lot of people get confused by the ohm rating compared to actual output. An example is Yngwie Malmsteen's old Dimarzios. They are rated at around 21k, if I'm correct, but their output is pretty low.

[GuitarIv]

Regardless of the output and the hotness of the EMGs, every passive pickup, be it a BKP or a Duncan will sound better. At least to my ears. In my opinion, actives are a good solution for a quick, uncomplicated metal sound, no fumbling on the amp or the guitar, straight in your face tone. On the downside of course, no dynamics, absolute sterile, the hassle with batteries and the same plain sound no matter how much you turn down the volume or the tone knob. Someone (whoever it might be) said once: batteries are for flashlights, not for guitars. And you might have guessed it: I don't like actives.

It's true that passives might not give you the same amount of output. It's true that it's harder to find the right passive pickup to suit a certain wood combo and a certain sound. But once you found your holy grail (considering your general amp, cab, effects setup) you don't want to ever go back. It's the same with the Axe FX. Good allround solution, but or me it lacks the character and the warmth of a tube amp.

Long story short: I'm sure you'll like the Miracle Man.

Cheers

[wolfenstein]

That´s always question...It depends on the rest of equipment you use...Amp,cab etc...If you use mid heavy amp as recto or 5150 + oversized dark sounding cabinet and even dark mahogany axe for go straight to amp with no boost you´ll find EMG´s sound better...81 lacks many thing of passive pickups but in some situation it could be benefit...About sugestion for brutal death metal go for MM...But if you can afford spent some more money please order C pig...It´s monster...BTW what gear you use?Trzymaj sie...

[kahawe]

Maybe I am wrong but I have no idea why people care THAT much about "output" anyway... if you have a bad amp and find it hard to get a good "br00tz" tone then chances are a higher-output pup hammering the preamp isn't going to magically change that into a slaughter-fest anyway and you should rather go for a good hi-gain amp+cab first. To me good pups matter and they matter a lot but they won't paradigm-shift a 5W blackstar into a Diezel Herbert but some people seem to think that's what's going to happen once they slap some EMGs into their axe.
You shouldn't be fixing in pups and overdrives what your amp+cab isn't giving you, at least that's my personal philosophy so I am as far away from dropA+EMGs+OD808+dualrecto as possible. But that's just me.
And kOhm don't really mean anything anyway.

[DarkWolfXV]

That´s always question...It depends on the rest of equipment you use...Amp,cab etc...If you use mid heavy amp as recto or 5150 + oversized dark sounding cabinet and even dark mahogany axe for go straight to amp with no boost you´ll find EMG´s sound better...81 lacks many thing of passive pickups but in some situation it could be benefit...About sugestion for brutal death metal go for MM...But if you can afford spent some more money please order C pig...It´s monster...BTW what gear you use?Trzymaj sie...

Dzięki:)
I use 6505+ 112 combo. I would buy warpigs but they are 125 pounds per pickup now (IIRC the price was lower before), and this is ordering from UK so i would have to pay a lot for shipping and for currency exchange. Its easier to buy stuff in Poland for me.

Maybe I am wrong but I have no idea why people care THAT much about "output" anyway... if you have a bad amp and find it hard to get a good "br00tz" tone then chances are a higher-output pup hammering the preamp isn't going to magically change that into a slaughter-fest anyway and you should rather go for a good hi-gain amp+cab first. To me good pups matter and they matter a lot but they won't paradigm-shift a 5W blackstar into a Diezel Herbert but some people seem to think that's what's going to happen once they slap some EMGs into their axe.
You shouldn't be fixing in pups and overdrives what your amp+cab isn't giving you, at least that's my personal philosophy so I am as far away from dropA+EMGs+OD808+dualrecto as possible. But that's just me.
And kOhm don't really mean anything anyway.

I didnt want EMG's/SD Blackouts for output, a lot of people said they are good for death metal, and i liked the reviews and videos so i wanted to buy them, liked MMs so i wanted them too. In the end i bought MMs so the topic is over. Also, my stock pickups in guitar are EMG HZ and they dont cut it for me, so im buying new pickups. I play in B standard, and i see nothing wrong with drop A.

[Dr.Pain]

I have blackouts in a 7 string tuned to B.  I do like them but I find that in certain conditions I have to adjust their volume.  I have a Blackstar HT-5RH and 212 cab and I find I run the blackouts at full volume on that but I also use Peavey's Revalver software for the 6505 and I find the blackouts on full volume sounding like shite, crazy over the top distortion.  I pull them back to about 75/80% and they work well.  EMG's wouldn't fit my 7 string and I would have preferred an X series 81.  Blackouts are good, if you like them, but they are noisy so a noise gate is a must.  I have EMG's in other guitars and I think they are a better product.  I like death metal and blackouts do it fine.  I've tried a ceramic warpig in my 7 string and too much bass but an Aftermath would have been the go for it.  I'd like to try a 7 string with Aftermaths but I don't want to be changing my 7 string just in case I don't like it.  If BKP do an active I think that would be a hell of a thing and something I'd really consider trying.

[Alex]

I am a fan of the EMG81 personally - it is a classic sound that just worked very well on many of my favorite recordings ever. I actually prefer it over every higher output Seymour Duncan.

I think the Miracle Man is a great choice for death metal, as it has a great and cutting top end.