Pups for metal Strat?

Ok, so I currently have a 2004 MIM HSS, and I was thinking that instead of buying a decent (read: another $500) guitar to play rock/metal, i could simply swap out the pups for something else. any suggestions? I've seen some good reviews about the SD.. SH-5? i think that was it

I'll be buying another Strat (SSS) for blues/country in the future. my current Strat will be for strictly rock/metal tones, so no real worries about keeping a classic Strat tone.

I would suggest the pickups in the Yngwie Malmsteen strat. I think that they are made by dimarzio.

Have you tried using a clean overdrive pedal (volume on full, no distortion) running into a high gain amp? The overdrive pedal will boost your guitar volume into the preamp. Something like and ibanez tubescreamer or maxon od are popular choices.

Fender american strat (all single coils) > Boss overdrive (set as stated above) > mesa boogie rectoverb on modern mode

Used this setup with metal band i jammed with. It sounded great.

BUT it won't be the same as having high output pickups, ideally, yes get some higher output pickups, but just be aware there are other options if you wanted to avoid modding your guitar

I have had really good experiences with both EMGs (81,85,60) and duncans (JB) for rock and metal

Duncan JB works for me!!

if you can get them the ultrasonic pickups.
they are verry silent strat style, no poles humbuckers
(you have them in humbucker to)
see you get the ones with the big U on them

I really like the Seymour Duncan Custom 5. It's a hot pickup but it doesn't sound like one. I'm not sure what to suggest for the neck pickup. Is the body routed for a humbucker? If not, you might go for something like a Little 59. I've never tried 'em but heard good things about 'em. I'm kind of in your shoes when it comes to a single coil sized neck pickup because I'm getting ready to put together a Kramer Tele with an HSS pickup config and a Floyd.

I've got a set of Ibanez V pickups I'm dying to use. They sounded good in the RG they came out of. A few other issues has kept me from using them, though, so I don't know if I can recommend them.

I try to stay away from really hot pickups because you lose so much of the high end that gives you the definition and punch. Of course, I have a 5150 Combo, so gain isn't an issue.:mrgreen:

Have you tried using a clean overdrive pedal (volume on full, no distortion) running into a high gain amp? The overdrive pedal will boost your guitar volume into the preamp. Something like and ibanez tubescreamer or maxon od are popular choices.

Fender american strat (all single coils) > Boss overdrive (set as stated above) > mesa boogie rectoverb on modern mode

Used this setup with metal band i jammed with. It sounded great.

BUT it won't be the same as having high output pickups, ideally, yes get some higher output pickups, but just be aware there are other options if you wanted to avoid modding your guitar

I have had really good experiences with both EMGs (81,85,60) and duncans (JB) for rock and metal

well, i don't have a high gain amp, nor the money to spend on something like a Rectoverb. it's a good suggestion, though. in the future (read: when i get a better job) i'll probably pony up for a good Mesa.

i have a Boss BD-2 and a ML-2, and i'm not really worried about modding my guitar.

What type of "Metal"?
Sabbath metal or Slayer metal?
If for the latter (Slayer type of heavy)? I'd go for the highest output humbucker you can get - Duncan SH-6's or above (there's so many heavier rock models).
For the singles, the Duncan Hot Rails or Hot Strats.

If you're after a more traditional 'hard rock' to Sabbathy metal tone, go for more of the "slightly higher output" pick ups.

I really like the Seymour Duncan Custom 5. It's a hot pickup but it doesn't sound like one. I'm not sure what to suggest for the neck pickup. Is the body routed for a humbucker? If not, you might go for something like a Little 59. I've never tried 'em but heard good things about 'em. I'm kind of in your shoes when it comes to a single coil sized neck pickup because I'm getting ready to put together a Kramer Tele with an HSS pickup config and a Floyd.

I've got a set of Ibanez V pickups I'm dying to use. They sounded good in the RG they came out of. A few other issues has kept me from using them, though, so I don't know if I can recommend them.

I try to stay away from really hot pickups because you lose so much of the high end that gives you the definition and punch. Of course, I have a 5150 Combo, so gain isn't an issue.:mrgreen:

yeah it's an HSS Strat from the factory. i read some reviews on the Custom 5 earlier and it sounds like it's pretty good. i just need to find a website that has sample clips

What type of "Metal"?
Sabbath metal or Slayer metal?
If for the latter (Slayer type of heavy)? I'd go for the highest output humbucker you can get - Duncan SH-6's or above (there's so many heavier rock models).
For the singles, the Duncan Hot Rails or Hot Strats.

If you're after a more traditional 'hard rock' to Sabbathy metal tone, go for more of the "slightly higher output" pick ups.

Just metal in general, like Metallica, Three Days Grace, Judas Priest, old Ozzy, Bloodsimple... the list goes on.

I would go for the "hotter" stuff ... especially in the H position. Duncan SH-6 or even the George Lynch 'screamin demon.

All right, I'm pretty set on what I want for the bridge, what would you all recommend for the neck and middle?

What did you decide? I have the Duncan Custom 5 in my Ibanez RG 560 (HSS). It was in an LP type guitar, but I wanted a lower output pickup in that so I exchanged it with the Duncan Alnico 2 that was in the RG (it was used). The Custom 5 sounded great in either guitar. It's like a beefed up Duncan 59, so it can do classic rock and heavier rock. Actually sounds good split also. The used RG came with a Duncan lil 59 in the middle, I put it in the neck and it sounds good. Doesn't sound like full size 59, doesn't sound like a single coil, but still sounds good to me. The JB is cool too, but I like it better in LP style guitars than strats. Sounds too thin to me in strats.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Seymour-Duncan-SH-5-Duncan-Custom-Guitar-Pickup-300040-i1127374.gc

Probably that one right there. I've listened to a few sound clips, and that sounds really good to me.

Hope it works for you. I'm not usually a fan of ceramic mags in a pickup.

So do i. it's kind of hard to judge what something will sound like, even with sound clips. it's highly unlikely they're using the setup i have :)

so does anyone have suggestions for the neck and middle? i kinda liked that lil '59, but I'd like some more suggestions

Kinda surprised that no one mentioned SD Invaders

I think the DiMarzio YJM single coils for neck and middle would be a great idea. Also, HotRails would do the trick and give you humbuckers everywhere.

I recently removed a SD JB from my Charvel because it was a bit too hot for me most of the time. That's a solid high-gain pickup that sounds very good dialed back, too.

Thanks for the suggestions, everybody, keep them coming!

Kinda surprised that no one mentioned SD Invaders

Yeah those would be an uber-high output choice. Personally though, I think they're too much metal for what he may be going for. I really didn't like the pickup that much because I could get a classic sound out of it. I'd rather start with something like a standard fender humbucker and use pedals and amps to heavy it up

I have a Seymour Duncan Lil '59 for Telecaster in my bridge position of my '86 squier strat with a crazy fulcrum pseudo-floyd whammy bar on it. I had to do some cutting and chiseling to get that huge pickup in there, tele pickups are more than a little larger than strat pickups. This thing is not a pickup for clean tones. It likes overdrive and distortion a whole lot. Nice conversation peice too.

EMG anybody? Classic metal pickups. I know metal dudes who swear by them.

for sure thhe hot rails. humbucker, lots of volume, will drive really nice.

youtube andy timmins, he uses 3 hotrail type pickups in his ibanez. he gets really hot tones, although not metal.

Iron maiden's strats are using the hot rails too.

i get some Sims videos when i search for andy timmins

i'm definitely considering the hot rails

maybe that and a hot stack for neck/mid. i dunno, i got plenty of time to decide

I'd suggest getting something like a Duncan JB bridge pickup and a Duncan Lil' 59 neck pickup (for those clean and quiet passages).

thanks for the suggestions everybody. i think i'm gonna go with the JB in the bridge. as for the middle and neck, i was thinking hot rails for middle and either cool rails or a little 59 in the neck for when i need to go clean.

also... does anybody know anything about this (http://www.super-vee.com) ? it's supposed to be like a FR for a Strat that doesn't require any body modification

I'd suggest getting something like a Duncan JB bridge pickup and a Duncan Lil' 59 neck pickup (for those clean and quiet passages).

SD doesn't suggest this pick-up for brighter wood guitars. I'm no expert so I asked a couple places and was told the JB would be a trebly pup in a Strat. So I swapped that out when I dropped it off for install to a DiMarzio(f-space) Fred. It has a little more mid & lower treble than a JB according to "stats" on both boards. I was installing a complete SD set up in there but was told those things. The full size JB has more treble than the JB SC's do that is used in so many Strats.

So this is what's going in my MIM HSS Strat:
SD Alnico II Pro - ASP-1 in the neck: (It's a SC even though the pic shows otherwise) http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones/view/14
SD Custom - SSL-6 in the mid: This is basically the same pup except I have even poles,same basic specs,etc.http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones/view/28
DiMarzio "Fred" HB in the bridge: http://www.dimarzio.com/site/#/pickups/

My stock HB was pretty lifeless & had no sustain compared to my DiMarzio HB in my Ibanez or just in general. I chose the SC's for a bluesier sound and the HB for heavier tones or at least that's what I was shooting for:oops: Oh the wait:sad: