software

Getting some new pickups and would like some opinions.
The guitar is a soloist, poplar wood, hum-sing-sing, line 6 amp
These pickups will probably be my last purchase for years so I want to get this right.
I need three different Tones.
1: 80’s trash Megadeath, Pantara, Antrax, Exodus, Slayer
2:Cleaner European type metal Iron maiden helloween ,Eric Johnson
3: and more of a full open sound for classic rock I also need them to somewhat match, I paid $250 for the blue ghost flames so appearance is important to me.
Im thinking of going with dimebucker, hot rails, cool rails. Or the EMG sa/sa/81.
Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated.

Hey Scott; First of all, you have to take my quot;suggestionsquot; with a grain of salt. I don't play professionally. I'm a rank amatuer who plays strictly at home.

However, for an HSS configuration, you may want to consider any of the following:

Quarter Pound (SSL-4/7)
Custom (SSL-5/6)

But only in the tapped version. I say that because, for just a few dollars more, and a bit of wiring, its like getting two pups in one. In the tapped mode, you get the classic, jangly, chimey, Strat sound. Switch to full-on, and get a tone that approaches a humbucker, but is still its own unique sound. Mated with the proper humbucker in the bridge, and its a lot of versatility from 3 pups.

Just a thought. My proverbial 2-cents worth.

from what you describe, I would totally go with the Dime in the bridge.
It's got that nice tight, heavy metal crunch and cleans up really well, too; the cleans are a lot cleaner than you would think!

And since it has two metal blades instead of pole pieces, you won't have to worry about buying it in a Trembucker or standard Size--a LOT of people overlook this cool feature.

I don't know a lot about single Coils, but I would go with some cool rails or hot rails in the Mid and Neck position.
If it was my guitar, then I'd go with the Cool rails in the neck.
I hardly ever use the middle pickup, so I can't really help you there.Rock on.

Im thinking of making my tone pot to a p/p vol/tone pot so i can bleed in the level of the dimebucker with the cool/hot rails.


Originally Posted by scottThese pickups will probably be my last purchase for years so I want to get this right.Ha, yeah right! Welcome to the addiction, um... I mean forum.

Ok i decided i am going with a dimebuck, hot rail and hot stack.my question now is i read some ware that if you order a hot rail for the bridge position it will have a higher output, should i try that even though it's going in the middle


Originally Posted by scottOk i decided i am going with a dimebuck, hot rail and hot stack.my question now is i read some ware that if you order a hot rail for the bridge position it will have a higher output, should i try that even though it's going in the middle

No, because it would overpower the neck pickup. Get a neck hot rails for the middle.


Originally Posted by Nite_Maresz_25No, because it would overpower the neck pickup. Get a neck hot rails for the middle.

I'm using a 17K bucker in the bridge and it doesn't overpower my 7.3K Jazz neck, even when split.

I'd say a JB or Custom in the bridge, Cool/Vintage Rails middle, and a Hot Rails/JB JR in the neck.

I mean wouldn't to 15k (ish) pickups over power one 7.5 k (ish) pickup??? maybe im just thinking something else i read somewheres.

what is the difference in tone from neck to middle to bridge is one brighter or fuller or whatnot
iv been playin the same guitar for 8 years and never questioned why my guitar sounds the way it does.witch i like pearly gates and 2 ssl-5, i just want something different


Originally Posted by scottwhat is the difference in tone from neck to middle to bridge is one brighter or fuller or whatnot
iv been playin the same guitar for 8 years and never questioned why my guitar sounds the way it does.witch i like pearly gates and 2 ssl-5, i just want something different

1. IMO you should be shot for wanting to modify one of the most collectable production Jacksons of the last 15 years, a Shannon-Soloist SHS-1 in Blue Ghost Flame. Sell that guitar to me and I´ll sell you a USA Soloist with whatever pickups you want

2. I would go EMG 81-SA-SA, perfect combop in a Soloist for the type of stuff you´re looking for. Alternatively switch the Bridge pickup for a Duncan Distortion or Duncan Custom and keep the SSL-5s. A cool Rails at the neck would also work real well.

The Dimebucker is too Mushy in a Neckthru IMO, I wouldn´t recommend you go that route. If you do anyway, I´d get the Hotrails as a Neck model and the Hot-stack as a bridge model and put the Rails@ neck and the stack in the middle. The stack will help clean up both humbuckers in pos 2 and 4, and the HR will give you nice fluid tones at the neck for leads.