will high end pickups make a huge difference on my guitar?

Question

will high end pickups make a huge difference on my guitar?

Answer 1

The pickups on a guitar will account for at least 95% of your tone coming from your guitar. I don't know where someone else figures it's only 10%. You take a certain set of pickups, put them in one guitar and do the same for another, and they will sound almost identical. Only a well trained ear after experience with better pickups and different guitar will hear the differences. Once you add in your effects, amp and cables and stuff, then as a whole, the pickups account for more like 45% of your tone. Your amp another 45%, your technique 4.5% and everything else is 0.5%... lol



That other 5% difference (on your guitar) comes from strings, hardware, wood type and fretboard type. The hardware that comes into play, is basically the bridge, like if you have a string through, or a floyd rose type bridge. A string through will carry an increase in sustain because the strings are actually touching the body. The wood type will affect your tone and depending on the wood type, not necessarily the quality, will affect the tone and sustain (quality of wood accounts for an insignifant amount of tone, when you're talking about an electric guitar. When you see an expensive guitar, it's usually because it has a nice flamed maple top or something like that). Fretboard type will affect tone, but only maybe 1%.



After your guitar, the effects, cables and amp used will affect your tone. You can't put a percentage on this really, as some people use clean tones, and others use distorted tones, have EQ's, OD pedals, and other things that will factor in.



Truth is, is that yes, your pickups WILL affect your tone and sustain. I can't beleive that some guys said it wouldn't. You can buy a piece of crap guitar, drop really nice pickups in it, and your guitar will sound just as good as it would if it was in an expensive guitar... assuming it has the same type of wood and style of hardware.



For example, an expensive $3000 Gibson Les Paul will and a $500 Epiphone LP. Put the same pickups in both guitars, and only a super well trained ear will tell the differences between the two guitars. That means there is less than 1% difference.





Buy new pickups, and get some kind of pedal, like a nice tube screamer OD pedal. Another good pedal to buy is an MXR 10 band EQ pedal, so you can dial in a good tone. I guaruntee your crappy little amp will have a crappy EQ.



The last thing that will affect tone and sustain is simply, technique. For instance, you can have two guitar players play the exact same amp and guitar, and they will both probably sound a little different. It all depends on how you hold your pick, how hard you hold it, what angle it is hitting the string, and where you're hitting the string at.



Edit: Having a poor guitar with bad pickups, then going out and buying a nice tube amp, will still yeild a terrible sound. Likewise, good pickups through a crappy amp will do the same thing. Your nice pickups will unmask your amp, and show you just how terrible of a sound that it has.



Edit #2: Also, it really does sound a little more like technique to me. And if your guitar really is a piece of crap, it's not beneficial to put in $200 pickups if your guitar is only worth $150. Your guitar might just be bad, to where it's harder for you to play. Go to a guitar store, grab a super nice guitar and play through your same amp that you use. See if you can tell if there is a difference in how you play, as well as your tone.



Edit #3: Active pickups do not require you to route out a spot for the battery. That is just ignorant to say. Most guitar shops will put them in the electronics cavity with some padded yielding around it so it doesn't bang around. And Seymour Duncan Blackouts are a lot better than EMG's anyways. You will love the Blackouts, if you're an A7x fan, or a fan of metal.

Answer 2

Most Expensive Guitar Pickups

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

will high end pickups make a huge difference on my guitar?

when I try to solo on my guitar, the notes just seem to die out. it sounds weak. I have a low end schecter and solid state amp. could it be that I need a tube amp or could it be the stock pickups? how much do good pickups go for?

I'm using a metalcore pedal from boss and I can riff some pretty...

Answer 4

Well if your problem is a lack of sustain, better pickups won't fix that.



Of course, it could just be you! All those guys like Carlos Santana, Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani, etc that had that incredible and seemingly endless sustain MADE that happen. It wasn't just their guitars. They used vibrato and their volume control to keep that note ringing at a stable volume.



Better pickups would certainly give you more tone to work with, but a low-end guitar is still a low-end guitar. The player makes a bigger difference than the equipment though. Stick your guitar and rig in the hands of a master and they could make it sound awesome!



There ARE times when the instrument is the problem, but people often try to blame their equipment before themselves. Great musicianship trumps all technical shortcomings.

Answer 5

The amp is probably the biggest culprit here. Solid state amps generally sound okay when distorted and playing chords or riffs, but they tend to sound thin and nasally when you start playing distorted single note lines.



I had a lower end Schecter myself (Diamond Series Omen 6), and I had the same problem until I upgraded my amp. In my experience, low end Schecters are as good as some guitars at twice the price from other companies.



Your technique has more to do with it than people think too. Two people can play the same guitar, through the same amp, with the exact same settings, and sound completely different, because they don't play the same way.



Since you asked for percentages: Technique - 40% Guitar - 20% Amp - 30% Pickups - 10%



If you want to upgrade your pickups to get the AX7, BFMV tone on your solos, I suggest DiMarzio D'Activators. AX7 and BFMV both use active EMGs in their guitars, so you aren't going to get the same amount of gain out of passive pickups. DiMarzio D'Activators give you a similar tone without having to route holes in your guitar for a battery case (which active pickups require)



So - Get a tube amp, maybe upgrade pickups, and above all else work on your technique and you'l be shredding with the best of them before you know it.



Edit: What I mean about technique is how you're actually sounding the notes. You can have the fastest hands in the world, but if you're not hitting the notes clean you're going to sound like crap and have tone/sustain issues. It kind of sounds like you're so focused on playing fast that you're letting yourself get sloppy. You said your chords and riffs sound good, if your pickups were the problem, your chords and riffs would sound bad too. That's what makes me think your technique has more to do with it.

Answer 6

High-end pickups will make an improvement, but only maybe 10%, because your guitar's materials, hardware, and construction impose a 'ceiling' of how good the guitar can possibly sound.



I would invest in a good guitar first (50%), and then a good tube amp (40%). For metal, I recommend Mesa/Boogie, Engl, Bogner, or even Peavey. If you get a head, try to get an Orange cab if you can afford it.

Answer 7

You have several problems. Let's address them one at a time. I'm not going to try to make up false percentages. Instead, I am going to offer you real knowledge gained over nearly 40 years of playing and some real life examples. I hope you will find this helpful.



The guitar's construction it's self has a lot to do with how it will sustain. I have never been impressed with the sound of a Schecter. The Schecter's are not something you hear being played by the kings of sustain. Santana, the king of sustain and tone, started out using Les Paul's and SG's, as well as a Yamaha SG. He now plays a custom PRS, of which PRS offers a signature model.



Santana does not use many effects pedals. he's known to use Ibanez Tube Screamer, Dunlop 535Q wah pedal and a T-Rex Replica delay pedal and then through a customized Jim Dunlop amp switcher which is connected to different amps/cabinets. Santana uses 2-3 different amps to achieve his legendary tone. Most prominently is the Mesa/Boogie, of which Santana's comment during it's development "This little thing really boogies", which in turn, brought the full name of the brand to fruition.



A big factor in sustain is strings. Most of the kings of sustain play with 9's or 10's and change them often. Bad strings are often the culprit of poor strings. Cheap strings will give you a cheap sound. Buy name brands, not big box store specials. If you are going cheaper than Ernie Ball, therein may lie a part of the problem. If you use good strings, how long have they been on your guitar? If they came on it, they were shot before you started. If you can't remember when you last changed them, or if it has been more than 90 days, your strings are dead and a big part of the problem.



How much would putting better pickups in your guitar help? Some. To determine how much, go to a music store and ask to try a similar Schecter that has higher end pickups in to your amp, compared to your guitar with new strings. Is there a noticeable difference? If you can honestly say yes, then pickups would help, but I'm thinking you'd much better benefit from selling the Schecter and getting a guitar more known for it's sustain.



On the question of amps: While "solid state" amplification has greatly improved over the years, Most long time players will agree that the best solid state amp can't ever quite compare to a good tube amp. You can only get natural overdrive from a tube amp, which was originally discovered when the primitive tube guitar amps would get slightly damaged, causing increased gain. Soon, musicians and designers were purposely modifying their amps to create and control the overdrive, which became to be also known collectively as fuzz and distortion. Solid State stomp boxes can emulate this, but it's not quite the same as natural tube overdrive, though these boxes are useful in enhancing it. You're going to get more natural amplifier sustain from a tube amp. If you need more sustain then that, a compressor is the answer.



Fingering and fretboard control are also a big factor. You do not say how long you have been playing, but it doesn't sound like it's been a very long time. You may wish to review some tutorials on bends, pull offs, hammer ons and harmonics. A little technique goes a long way.



So, let's just break this down simply, so that you may find the enlightenment you need.



Strings: You have to have good quality and recently replaced strings to get good tone. You may have to experiment with a few brands to find out which have the tone and response you want. Just stick to the gauge your guitar is set up for, or you will have more problems. Santana, as well as myself, preffer Di'Adarrio .09-.42 ffor electric guitar.



Guitars: Think about the guitars that the kings of sustain and tone use. The guitars most commonly denominated to this are Gibson's 335, Les Paul, SG and their less expensive Epiphone brothers. Fender's Strat and Tele. PRS' SE and Signature series. Ibanez's Artist and many of the Artcore models. If you think of the guys that are known for their killer tone and sustain, like BB King, SRV, Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, Frank Zappa, Robert Fripp, David Gilmour, Buddy Guy, George Benson, Slash, etc, You'll more than likely find their main guitar listed above.



Amps: You just can't go wrong with a good tube amp. However, you can find some good solid state, with today's technology. But, if you ask most pro's and seasoned amateurs, you can't beat a good tube amp.



On Shredding: Many seasoned guitarists agree that "shredding" is just flash to hide lack of ability and musical knowledge. take some time to understand the theory behind your scales and how comping works with alternate chords and harmony notes in riffs. There is a big difference in a quick articulated solo and shredding. The former will impress more people in the long run. Being fast with your fingers means nothing without theory and technique behind the speed.



xx

Answer 8

If you can't make crap sound half way good, its YOU, not your gear. Eddie Van Halen had a decent tube amp, nothing spectacular, and a homemade guitar made with junk basically, and the man has an unmistakable playing style. Tone ALL starts in the hands, both picking and the fingering hand, PERIOD. Don't give a damn what anyone else says, they're WRONG, if they say otherwise...

Answer 9

First: understand that bands' recorded songs have undergone not only studio 'magic' but the gear they use is light years ahead of what you have. So cut yourself some slack or go to yonder music shop & be prepared to blow $1200+ on just audio gear, i.e. amps, effects, etc..



That written: sure you could change the pups to something with a little more bite. And maybe you could upgrade the amp (i.e. you don't list how powerful the amp is; so if you're playing through a 10 watt amp, you really shouldn't expect epic results).

OR!! you could simply blow $50-60 on a Compressor/Sustainer pedal.



Its a nifty little effect that will boost your guitar's signal and possibly give you the bite you need when you play solo stuff. Put it after the distortion effect in your chain (i.e. guitar ->distortion pedal -> compressor/sustainer -> amp), and play with the overall sound, hitting the effect & shutting it off in order to hear the difference when its not on. If you're on good terms with the shop you choose to go to, they may just let you borrow the effect for a night or 2 to play with it & see if you like it.

Answer 10

Sam and Henre are definitely on the right path. If you are trying to emulate Synyster Gates, he doesn't really use anything for sustain because his notes typically last for a fraction of a second. Padget is the same thing. He plays a lot of arpeggiated sweeps which is picking the notes of a chord individually. This technique takes a lot of time to get down clean, trust me, Im still working on it!

As for your sound, Henre is on the ball there, your amp and guitar (and effects) definitely work together. I don't think you will really find much of a difference with tube amps. Most "good" solid state amps today sound remarkably similar to tubes. Tubes sound a little warmer, however they only sound really good when turned all the way up. Solid states sound very good at any power level. So for a practice amp, you are better off with solid state, and they are far cheaper.

For your pickups, a good pickup will sound much better. Pickups are good for 2 things, tone and output. A hotter output may give you a little extra sustain, but if the string isn't moving, you aren't getting any output. That will boil down to your technique which is what Sam was saying.

I have been the owner of many guitars (over 60) that have come and gone (sold some). A cheaper guitar can benifit by far from installing a good pickup. I would estimate that around 85%-95% of your guitars tone (coming from the guitar) will be from the pickup you used. 85% for passive, 95% for active. What you do with that tone/sound after it leaves the guitar depends on your pedal and amp. Ive been using the Boss metalcore exclusively for a few years. I own around 20 distortion pedals and that is my favorite sound aside from my Marshall amps distortion sound. The Metal Zone is a runner up. But definitely try a new pickup. If anything, you can always take it out of the guitar if you ever decide to get a new/better one.

So, to touch on your technique a little... what gauge strings are you using. I use .10's, and those are a good balance to me. I do sometimes use 9's also. I find that the thinner the string, the easier it is to do hammer on's and pull off's. There are 2 things you should check yourself when you play hammer ons and pull offs. First is, are you hitting the strings hard enough to keep the notes moving and flowing. Secondly, (this part takes some work) a big mistake players make is hitting the strings normally too hard. Developing a lighter touch for playing leads is sometimes tough to get used to. But in hitting the strings a little lighter, you conserve energy, but more importantly have the ability to turn up your gain a little bit and have more dynamics in hitting the strings.

Here is what you can do to work on your dynamics. Use a box battern scale with mostly 3 notes per string, any major or minor scale will work, not pentatonic. Run up and down it, but done just do it ascending and descending, try starting on the high string and run up on the low E (in the box shape) using a pick on the first note and hammer ons on the next note or two. Run up using the notes and then back down until you switch strings. On the B string, pluck the first note and the use pull offs. Do this for the entire shape. The goal here is to have your notes legato, continue to ring AND to have the volume the same for your picked notes and hammer on/pull offs. When you first start this exercise, you will hear that your plucked note is probably much louder than everything else. You can do this with your amp on, but its also good to practice it with your electric guitar unplugged! This will help with your dynamics as well as making sure your hammer ons and pull offs are clean.

As for the sweep picking... well, you can watch the video below with Herman Li. Im serious, you have to be really patient with this kinda stuff.

For any of these techniques, your pickups/amp will not help you with them. They will shape your tone and sound, but not help you play the runs/styles. Both Padget and Syn spend all day practicing. It took me 6 months to get my first sweep to sound somewhat clean. The shapes get harder from there on. If I only played guitar all day, it probably would have taken a month or two, but hey... I got work!