Shred and Metal Pickups

[RorySRV]

Anyone recommend any pickups for stuff like Malmsteen, Satriani, Vai, Metallica, Dragonforce and Zakk Wylde.

I am looking to put this into a Ibanez S470 when I eventually get one (Theres loads of stuff I wanna get but I need to prioritise it all :P )

Anyway, I want the pickups to be able to do great Zakk Wylde type pinch harmonics and to have that shred tone of Dragonforce,  Malmsteen, Vai  Satriani etc whilst being able to handle the galloping rhythms of Dragonforce and Metallica  :twisted:

I was thinking Miracle Man (Bridge) and Nailbomb (Neck) or that reversed

Or

Miracle Man (Bridge) and War Pig (Neck) or the other way round

Or

Nail Bomb Calibrated Set

Or

Miracle Man Calibrated Set

So what would all you guys suggest?

Look forward to your recommendations   ,

RorySRV,

[deg0ey]

Miracle Man bridge + Cold Sweat neck gets a lot of recommendations, but I've not actually played any of the high gain pickups so i can't help you there I'm afraid

[RorySRV]

Hmm... I havent looked into Cold Sweats yet, but I will check em out.

Anyone else got any recommendations?

[Crazy_Joe]

Miracle Man bridge + Cold Sweat neck lol

[RorySRV]

So you reckon that would be good for the kinda stuff I want to play, and for getting a good tone when mucking about with a Floyd Rose etc?

Any other different suggestions?

RorySRV,

[Crazy_Joe]

Definatley

[RorySRV]

Sounds good.

Well I have been listening to some sound samples of the Cold Sweat and I have to say i'm impressed...

The only trouble is is the s470 is H-S-H,

So I have five questions:

1) How much better are these pickups when combined?

2)How much will it affect the sound when combined with the single in the middle?

3) Are they good pickups to just use individually, like set to neck on its own or bridge on its own instead of 1 coil of neck and middle?

4)Is there any point in me changing the middle pickup or might I aswell just keep it stock as the mm and cs have such a tonal varation the middle one is useless anyway?

5) And if the answer to number four is yes then what pickup do you recommend?

Thanks for all your help,

I am a strat player by trade see (3 Singles) and I have recently got back into metal and would love a metal guitar  

RorySRV,

[Antag]

I've not actually played any of the high gain pickups

ummm, unless I'm mistaken that's a Holy Diver in that guitar in your pic? :)

[Neemo]

anything with a ceramic magnet will be your cup of tea ;)

[fps_dean]

Miracle Man for the Zakk Wylde pinch harmonics, but they're probably the last pickup.... well okay, the last BKP, to do Satch or Vai.  For Satch/Vai, I think a VHII is a good bet, however the Nailbomb may be a good comprimise.

[Antag]

Miracle Man bridge, definitely - a fantastic pickup for metal.  You get very high output, massively heavy (yet very clear/defined) sound & screaming harmonics.

Although I don't actually own a Cold Sweat neck yet, it seems to be the favourite metal neck pickup.  The only other thing I'd even consider for lead work would be a Miracle Man calibrated set - the pickups in sets will be balanced & work really well together.

As for the middle single coil, I guess it depends on whether you ever use it?  If you really want to have something there you can either go for a Trilogy Suite (high output) or something like an Irish Tour (lower output for occasional clean work...)

Enjoy :twisted:

[RorySRV]

Miracle Man for the Zakk Wylde pinch harmonics, but they're probably the last pickup.... well okay, the last BKP, to do Satch or Vai.  For Satch/Vai, I think a VHII is a good bet, however the Nailbomb may be a good comprimise.

Yea my intentions was to try and decide between a Cold Sweat and a Nailbomb...

Miracle Man bridge, definitely - a fantastic pickup for metal. You get very high output, massively heavy (yet very clear/defined) sound & screaming harmonics.

Although I don't actually own a Cold Sweat neck yet, it seems to be the favourite metal neck pickup. The only other thing I'd even consider for lead work would be a Miracle Man calibrated set - the pickups in sets will be balanced & work really well together.

As for the middle single coil, I guess it depends on whether you ever use it? If you really want to have something there you can either go for a Trilogy Suite (high output) or something like an Irish Tour (lower output for occasional clean work...)

Enjoy

Well as far as the middle pickup when I get some BKs (whatever they may be) I dont think I will use it...

I mean I have heard the CS I think it was doing some great clean stuff that James did  

Anyway I will email Tim and see what he thinks would be best for the neck pickup out of a CS, NB or VH2  

Thanks again for all of your help,

And I will update you when Tim replies ,

RorySRV,

[deg0ey]

I've not actually played any of the high gain pickups

ummm, unless I'm mistaken that's a Holy Diver in that guitar in your pic? :)

:lol: Yeah, but I don't count that for some reason - I meant the "I play metal and I'm gonna $%&#in' well let you know it" pickups :drink:

[RorySRV]

LoL.

Yea Holy Driver doesnt have the same metalish ring to it as Warpig, Nailbomb or Painkiller does it.

But then again neither does Miracle Man and yet that pickup is amazing!!

RorySRV,

[deg0ey]

LoL.

Yea Holy Driver doesnt have the same metalish ring to it as Warpig, Nailbomb or Painkiller does it.

But then again neither does Miracle Man and yet that pickup is amazing!!

RorySRV,

Yeah, but the point being that the pickups you mention are styled after metal bands, whereas the Holy Diver is styled for Dio :lol:

It does do metal no problems, although in your case there are pickups better suited :drink: