software

I'll try to make it original though :P
I'm new here but I've been spending hours on the site, even before I actually got my first guitar, in order to know which pickup to put on it. Far from being put off by all the choices, I pretty much learnt about them all! But now of course I can't chose...
I have a Charvel model 4. It's a MIJ basswood strat shape (not super strat) with individual pickup switches, active electronics (volume, 6DB midbooster, tone) and a HSS configuration (Jackson J50BC, and 2 Jackson J200 Single Coils). I like the sound but I need more output especially from the humbucker. This means that I'll want more output out of the single coils too, to balance the sound.
I like to have a very thick tone, Zakk Wylde like for the distorsion.
So far, I'm hesitating between a JB, Custom or Distorsion for the bridge. But I'm affraid it'd be pointless to get a Custom or a Distorsion, because of the midbooster I have (those pickups seem to throw out quite a good amount of mids)
For the single coils, I was thinking a cool rail for the neck, and a hotrails for the middle position. However I'm not sure the hotrails and coolrails will bring a true single coil, and will bring humbucker warmth. I love Single Coils especially for mid and neck position and I wouldn't want to lose their sound. I play clean on the middle position, and Blues on the neck position. I barely ever combine the two to get a humbucker. I don't know where I'll play lead yet, simply because I only started soloing very recently and my amplifier is still in Edinburgh (where I study, I'm at my parents' at Amsterdam now)

Here's my EQ
Bass, treble: 10
Mid: 2
gain: between 8 and 10 usually.
For Blues, I select the neck pickup and roll off the guitar's volume, midbooster is low.
For metal, bridge pickup, volume all the way up, no midbooster
For Punk, volume a bit down or very low depending what kind, midbooster all the way up.
With this, no need to touch the amp, except when I want to play clean.

I hope I haven't forgotten anything... Though it most likely looks like I said too much already! Thanks for reading this guys

Also, how would the lil' screaming' Deamon and JB junior sound in basswood?

The J-50BC is very similar tonally to a Duncan ´59 with a ceramic magnet.... The Custom may well be just up your alley, stomps ass in my model 6 (which by nature of construction has more midrange than your Mod4)....May be exactly what you´re looking or...

I also had good experiences w/ the Distortion and DImebucker in that axe.....

The Coolrails, as you stated, will not sound like a single coil...But in my experience the J-200s can hold their own with most hotter pickups as well. They were also batched w/ the J-90C, for example, which is like a JB w/ a ceramic magnet (or a Distortion w/ a normal size magnet) ......

I was stupid enough to not consider this hehe! I'll try the Custom first then, cheers! It seems like the SCs will stay. I really do like them so far...

Anyone else can advise good pickup for basswood that'll give me a solid, Zakk Wylde ish tone?


Originally Posted by PierreAnyone else can advise good pickup for basswood that'll give me a solid, Zakk Wylde ish tone?

UH EMG 81 is what you need

I wanted to say 'aside from an EMG81' on the previous post and I forgot
The EMG81 would be decent I guess... But the Single Coils are passive, though I have active electronics. I'm worried about an unbalance in output.
Though I sure am considering one but shhh

I've got a Distortion/Cool Rails/Hot Rails set in my Charvel 650xl which has the same boost as your model 4. All 3 of those pickups work very well with the boost. The Distortion especially sounds amazing. I would pick it over a Custom for the sound you're looking for. The Hot Rails and Cool Rails are great pickups and a great match for the Distortion. But if you're looking for a true single coil tone, I might suggest a Vintage Rails or split the Hot/Cool Rails. For a while, I ran my Charvel with a Distortion/stock/Hot Rails and the J200 just didn't cut it. It was nowhere near powerful enough to stand out. It was good for cleans, but there was a major volume drop off. Just some stuff to keep in mind.

YAH, i agree with ZERBERUS..
Duncan distortion trmebucker BRIDGE OR Duncan Custom Trembucker Bridge.
and keep the single coils.
Q
J.P

I'll definitely keep the single coils for now.
However I think I'll get a pickup with decent mids, like a Distorsion or an EMG81. This way the midbooster will definitely kick ass. I love the Custom's tone chart so whenever I get a LP, it'll go there Thanks guys!

Oooooooooops something I forgot to ask:

How would an EMG 85 there be? Instead of the 81. I hear they are a hidden talent at EMG.

I figured I'd throw out some SC ideas even though you're plannin on keeping them for a while.

I'd look at the Duckbucker if I wanted a passable SC sound with no hum The stacks are also a good idea if you want no hum and passable SC sound

Hot or Custom for more output in the Neck and Middle position.

I like flat polepiece strat style pups, that way I can raise them up high without knocking the tuning out of wack, and therfore get more output. I really like my APS's in my strat, but they maybe to warm with too little glass for your tast, in which case you might want to look at the Vintage Staggered.

Luke

I had the vintage staggered in option for the neck first, but then I thought the output would really not pay justice to my different music styles. All the SC with a lot of outputs are well, er, humbuckers :P SC size humbuckers like the JB jr or hotrails style like the cool rails and hotrails. I'd like something you know, standard single coil sound, that can take a lot of distorsion