# 7 string death metal pickups



## ExousRulez (Nov 18, 2011)

Every time I look at the strictly 7 rattler I like it more and more! I'm really considering getting a 7 string one too and im wondering what pickups you guys recommend for 7 string death metal. I'm a huge fan of obscura and I am not looking for a huge thick sound but a tight as fack, clear sound. The thing I dont like about the seymour duncan dave mustaine livewires in my VMNT is that they are a little compressed and are REALLY warm. I want a uber tight bright sound for fast riffing and a neck pickup for glassy cleans and a shred tone that will make me want to play the guitar all day. The pickup that looks the best to me is the bare knuckle cold sweat set, the specs on the guitar would be either full mahogany or mahogany body maple neck and ebony board. One thing for you guys to know is I really think I would hate super middy pickups like the painkiller or something like that. I hate upper mid sounds like "djent" or anything like that and I don't care what brand the pickups are, seymour duncan, emg, dimarzio, or bare knuckle as long as it fits my description. Note-I really love the duncan jazz neck and its my favorite neck pickup so far.


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## Ishan (Nov 18, 2011)

Learn to use carriage return please, very annoying.
Painkillers are super tight but have that upper mid spike you might not like. Something not overly compress and tight would be the ceramic Nailbomb.


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## sell2792 (Nov 18, 2011)

Cold Sweats perhaps.


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## Sepultorture (Nov 18, 2011)

Ceramic Warpigs, i play death metal on them all the time and i find them tight enough for djent style riffing aswell as chugs


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## ExousRulez (Nov 18, 2011)

Ishan said:


> Learn to use carriage return please, very annoying.
> Painkillers are super tight but have that upper mid spike you might not like. Something not overly compress and tight would be the ceramic Nailbomb.


 Carriage return?


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## cyril v (Nov 18, 2011)

ExousRulez said:


> Carriage return?



He's referring to the wall of text you have going and that it's not broken up into paragraphs and such. Carriage return = Return Key = Enter Key.

Anyways, if you're looking for BKP's for death metal I have another +1 for the ceramic Warpigs. Besides that; EMG 81-7/81-7x, Blackouts, Duncan Fullshred, Duncan Invaders, Dimarzio Blaze, Dimarzio X2n, Lundgren M7.... those are all the ones I've have good results with, but it's worth noting that the choice varies a bit depending on the construction of guitar you're putting them in.


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## ExousRulez (Nov 18, 2011)

cyril v said:


> He's referring to the wall of text you have going and that it's not broken up into paragraphs and such. Carriage return = Return Key = Enter Key.
> 
> Anyways, if you're looking for BKP's for death metal I have another +1 for the ceramic Warpigs. Besides that; EMG 81-7/81-7x, Blackouts, Duncan Fullshred, Duncan Invaders, Dimarzio Blaze, Dimarzio X2n, Lundgren M7.... those are all the ones I've have good results with, but it's worth noting that the choice varies a bit depending on the construction of guitar you're putting them in.


 Yea the guitar will most likely be all mahogany with an ebony board and the ceramic warpig looks like a pickup that I would severely hate- big low mids, bassy etc is the exact opposite of what im looking for. 
I do not need a super duper high output monster of a pickup I just need a bright percussive tone for staccato riffing and nice articulation. I want the neck pickup for smooth-ish shredding and glassy cleans. 
The reason I think a 7 string would benefit for me is because Ill have the normal tuning a play in (d standard) for fast riffing, leads and cleans and the A string for slow chugging parts etc. I cant press enter twice so I cant do "carriage return" because I also do not have a return key.


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## cyril v (Nov 18, 2011)

I can't agree with your description of that pup, but it definitely wouldn't be my first choice for a mahogany guitar as they seem to be pretty dark sounding. I'd probably go for a Fullshred set for that guitar if it were me.


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## ExousRulez (Nov 18, 2011)

cyril v said:


> I can't agree with your description of that pup, but it definitely wouldn't be my first choice for a mahogany guitar as they seem to be pretty dark sounding. I'd probably go for a Fullshred set for that guitar if it were me.


I wasn't describing a pickup I was describing how I want a pickup to sound and how I don't. Do you think the jazz neck would be better than the full shred neck?


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## cyril v (Nov 18, 2011)

I haven't ever compared the FS neck vs the Jazz neck in the same sitting or even month to be honest, and I don't own any with a Jazz. Supposedly they're very similar in tone, so I'd say it's a toss up and since you say you already like the Jazz, that should be an easy choice.


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## ExousRulez (Nov 18, 2011)

cyril v said:


> I haven't ever compared the FS neck vs the Jazz neck in the same sitting or even month to be honest, and I don't own any with a Jazz. Supposedly they're very similar in tone, so I'd say it's a toss up and since you say you already like the Jazz, that should be an easy choice.


 And why do you recommend the full shred set? I really love progressive metal and I want a heavy tight percussive clear tone, not "djenty" or whatever though.


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## Inazone (Nov 19, 2011)

ExousRulez said:


> And why do you recommend the full shred set? I really love progressive metal and I want a heavy tight percussive clear tone, not "djenty" or whatever though.



I'll chime in about the Full Shred. I use the six-string (bridge) version on a couple of different guitars, and tight/percussive/clear is pretty much what it's all about. I have zero interest in djent, but I've been using the FS for years specifically because of how effective it is for such tight and clear playing. It does have some similarities to the DiMarzio Blaze Custom, in that they are both much less mid-heavy than a lot of other pickups, although the BC has what I consider a more "vocal" tone.

I love the Duncan Invader, but it can get pretty overpowering and possibly muddy depending on the guitar.


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## cyril v (Nov 19, 2011)

^
+1 to what he said and likewise I don't really do djent either, I listen to some of it, but I don't have any desire to have that type of tone.

I definitely wouldn't classify them as "djent" pickups, which typically have that over-pronounced midrange... I have them in a mahogany RG7 and their brightness balances out perfectly in that guitar and what you have left is a tight tone with lots of clarity and can get what you were asking for IMO.


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Nov 19, 2011)

+1 on the ceramic warpig. for me its the preimere DM pickup. Both of my 7 strings have a C-pig in the bridge


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## ExousRulez (Nov 19, 2011)

How would the full shred do in a 6 string alder jackson?


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## OrsusMetal (Nov 19, 2011)

To be honest, I've been able to do tech-death stuff on tons of different pickups. I find it has more to do with the amp and technique than the pickups. If you have a high quality pickup, you shouldn't have any trouble getting your Obscura sound on.

To point you in a nice direction, though and to be helpful. I have enjoyed every BKP set that I have played on and owned. They definitely are a bit more clear than other passives I have tried. I'd go for a set of those if I were you.

I have also really enjoyed Suhr's pickups and Dimarzios. All nice and clear. Grab a set of something, then start adjusting your amp.


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## Sepultorture (Nov 21, 2011)

the Warpig has tonnes of bass but never BASSY, you won't be assaulted with bass, yes it is dark low mid sounding, but it definitely sits well with the highs. i find it chugs well like a bass heavy pickups but it still has plenty tight bass, never BASSY or out of control in the low end like an Invader pickup. but yeah it's a dark sounding pickup, real nasty agressive mother. i had one in Mahogany and i found it to be an amazing pairing, Nick even recommended that pickup for Mahogany and it's really paied well, great death metal pickup.


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## astm (Nov 21, 2011)

Death Metal = Dimarzio X2N.

There's a reason why Chuck used to play with it


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## brutalslam (Nov 21, 2011)

I've also been researching 7 string pickups for Death Metal, but the more brutal styles. I've been recommended the Dimarzio DActivator 7 quite a bit. But, I'm needing a nice thick chunk, but nice and tight for tremolo and alternate picking. I still haven't made a choice. I've also been recommended the X2N7, but I don't know if it would be too noisy.

The Dactivator might be a good choice for the super tight, percussive stuff.


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## ExousRulez (Nov 21, 2011)

brutalslam said:


> I've also been researching 7 string pickups for Death Metal, but the more brutal styles. I've been recommended the Dimarzio DActivator 7 quite a bit. But, I'm needing a nice thick chunk, but nice and tight for tremolo and alternate picking. I still haven't made a choice. I've also been recommended the X2N7, but I don't know if it would be too noisy.
> 
> The Dactivator might be a good choice for the super tight, percussive stuff.


 Well I do know that 99% of brutal death metal bands all use emgs.

I also love brutal death metal too and guess I can give you some recommendations even though I started this thread  By brutal death metal do you mean bands like suffocation, severed savior, decrepit birth etc? I cant really remember all the bands I listen to.


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## brutalslam (Nov 22, 2011)

I wasn't trying to take over your thread  But, I thought the Dactivators might be good for you. I guess Brutal death metal along the lines of Defeated Sanity (my favorite band), Human Mincer, Wormed, etc...

I've always had emgs, and I love them, but these pickups will be for my Agile 727, it came with passives and I don't want to have to do routing.


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## cyril v (Nov 22, 2011)

brutalslam said:


> I wasn't trying to take over your thread  But, I thought the Dactivators might be good for you. I guess Brutal death metal along the lines of Defeated Sanity (my favorite band), Human Mincer, Wormed, etc...
> 
> I've always had emgs, and I love them, but these pickups will be for my Agile 727, it came with passives and I don't want to have to do routing.



If thats what you're after, then i'd like to point you to the duncan custom run going on in the dealers section..


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## onefingersweep (Nov 22, 2011)

Sepultorture said:


> Ceramic Warpigs, i play death metal on them all the time and i find them tight enough for djent style riffing aswell as chugs



I agree with you, Warpig sounds great for death metal. I also think the Aftermath would be a good choice.


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## brutalslam (Nov 22, 2011)

cyril v said:


> If thats what you're after, then i'd like to point you to the duncan custom run going on in the dealers section..



I checked that out, but Duncan already makes a Phase 1 Blackout, thats suppose to fit passive equipped guitars, right?

Thanks.


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## FarBeyondMetal (Nov 22, 2011)

Blackouts...they are awesome sounding


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## ExousRulez (Nov 22, 2011)

brutalslam said:


> I checked that out, but Duncan already makes a Phase 1 Blackout, thats suppose to fit passive equipped guitars, right?
> 
> Thanks.


 Yes they are, and so far duncans are the best pickups iv'e heard, the guitar I tried with EMGs sounded really hollow sounding and dead and wasn't as loud as I suspected.


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## brutalslam (Nov 22, 2011)

ExousRulez said:


> Yes they are, and so far duncans are the best pickups iv'e heard, the guitar I tried with EMGs sounded really hollow sounding and dead and wasn't as loud as I suspected.



I've read some things that said even with the phase 1's you sometimes have to route deeper in the guitar to get them to fit. I wish someone with an Agile equipped with blackouts would post whether they had to cut or not.


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## ExousRulez (Nov 22, 2011)

brutalslam said:


> I've read some things that said even with the phase 1's you sometimes have to route deeper in the guitar to get them to fit. I wish someone with an Agile equipped with blackouts would post whether they had to cut or not.


I think that would of been with certain guitar brands like carvin that have strange pickups/rings and not most pickups will fit, with your agile i'm sure they would fit because well they were made for that!


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## brutalslam (Nov 22, 2011)

Alright, yeah my Agile 727 has the Cepheus Passives in it currently, i'd love to get the phase 1 blackouts if they'll go in no problem. I posted in the blackouts thread, hopefully someone with an Agile will chime in. I also read some people changed their jacks for some reason.


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## ExousRulez (Nov 22, 2011)

brutalslam said:


> Alright, yeah my Agile 727 has the Cepheus Passives in it currently, i'd love to get the phase 1 blackouts if they'll go in no problem. I posted in the blackouts thread, hopefully someone with an Agile will chime in. I also read some people changed their jacks for some reason.


 Ight, your welcome


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## brutalslam (Nov 22, 2011)

Thanks 

So have you decided on your pickups yet?


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## ExousRulez (Nov 22, 2011)

brutalslam said:


> Thanks
> 
> So have you decided on your pickups yet?


 Well the guitar I will get is gonna be a jackson sl2ht, and if the stock pickups don't work, 90% chance of that i'm gonna try the duncan invader/jazz combination and if I feel a need to upgrade then a ceramic warpig/cold sweat combo.

hopefully ill find the right setup, most people have an exchange policy too so I can keep trying until I find the perfect match. I don't know if I want actives cause I really like to play clean, if passives don't work then of course ill try the blackouts.


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## brutalslam (Nov 22, 2011)

ExousRulez said:


> Well the guitar I will get is gonna be a jackson sl2ht, and if the stock pickups don't work, 90% chance of that i'm gonna try the duncan invader/jazz combination and if I feel a need to upgrade then a ceramic warpig/cold sweat combo.
> 
> hopefully ill find the right setup, most people have an exchange policy too so I can keep trying until I find the perfect match. I don't know if I want actives cause I really like to play clean, if passives don't work then of course ill try the blackouts.



I've heard alot of good things about the Invader, I was thinking about Invader 7's for mine, but i was told they could be quite muddy in Mahogany.


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## ExousRulez (Nov 22, 2011)

brutalslam said:


> I've heard alot of good things about the Invader, I was thinking about Invader 7's for mine, but i was told they could be quite muddy in Mahogany.


Yea they will be muddy as FUCK in mahogany, in the sl2ht though it will kick ass although I don't know if it will work for my music style.


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## brutalslam (Nov 22, 2011)

ExousRulez said:


> Yea they will be muddy as FUCK in mahogany, in the sl2ht though it will kick ass although I don't know if it will work for my music style.




Yeah, I'm glad I didn't go with those for my mahogany guitar then . Is that sl2ht a 7 string?

I wasn't aware they made one in a 7 string version. I like the slat3-7, but I don't want a trem.


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## ExousRulez (Nov 22, 2011)

brutalslam said:


> Yeah, I'm glad I didn't go with those for my mahogany guitar then . Is that sl2ht a 7 string?
> 
> I wasn't aware they made one in a 7 string version. I like the slat3-7, but I don't want a trem.



No a 6 string, the guitar ill buy after that, and probably the last will be a bernie rico jr jekyll 727 I don't like the way some people have described the strictly 7 neck profile.


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## 7 Dying Trees (Nov 23, 2011)

Thought about a lundgren M7? Very tight, nice and hot too, no mud at all, really good high end response.

P.S: I am not a djent guy and I love this pickup


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## FadexToxBlack81 (Nov 23, 2011)

ill level with you man, I play in a Death Metal band and use a Carvin 7 string. (maple neck through maple cap mahogany body) and I went through a few pickups before I found the right one. Honestly, The crunch lab and liquifire fucking KILL it for death metal. They are so fucking heavy sounding with a really nice and tight bottom end. I could not recommend them any higher for death metal. If not them, check out the X2n


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## ExousRulez (Nov 23, 2011)

FadexToxBlack81 said:


> ill level with you man, I play in a Death Metal band and use a Carvin 7 string. (maple neck through maple cap mahogany body) and I went through a few pickups before I found the right one. Honestly, The crunch lab and liquifire fucking KILL it for death metal. They are so fucking heavy sounding with a really nice and tight bottom end. I could not recommend them any higher for death metal. If not them, check out the X2n


 Yes, I am plan on trying the crunch lab/liquifire set as well as the x2n/tone zone set as well, john petrucci and micheal romeo use em so they gotta be good.


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## FadexToxBlack81 (Nov 24, 2011)

ExousRulez said:


> Yes, I am plan on trying the crunch lab/liquifire set as well as the x2n/tone zone set as well, john petrucci and micheal romeo use em so they gotta be good.



hell yeah dude. They fucking kill it


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## 7 Dying Trees (Nov 24, 2011)

Avoid the tone zone 7. Seriously, it's not at all like the 6 string version. It is awfull in both bridge and neck.


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## FadexToxBlack81 (Nov 24, 2011)

7 Dying Trees said:


> Avoid the tone zone 7. Seriously, it's not at all like the 6 string version. It is awfull in both bridge and neck.



yeah DT brings up a REALLY good point. Just because the pickup models have the same name, that doesn't necessarily mean that they retain the same exact qualities from 6 to 7. My other guitarist has a crunchlab and liquifire set in his 6 string and I was not really digging the sound but in my 7 string with the cl and lf I ask myself how anyone uses any other pickup haha ( not we have the same guitar config for that example)


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## ExousRulez (Nov 24, 2011)

FadexToxBlack81 said:


> yeah DT brings up a REALLY good point. Just because the pickup models have the same name, that doesn't necessarily mean that they retain the same exact qualities from 6 to 7. My other guitarist has a crunchlab and liquifire set in his 6 string and I was not really digging the sound but in my 7 string with the cl and lf I ask myself how anyone uses any other pickup haha ( not we have the same guitar config for that example)


 Yea, the dimarzio 7 strings aren't just 7 string versions of their 6 strings, most have ceramics magnets because they say it helps the low b string, I call bullshit on that.


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## FadexToxBlack81 (Nov 29, 2011)

Well hey if your still looking into the Crunch Lab and Liquifire, I'm recording a few soundclips of mine this weekend that I can post. Might be helpful for a good death metal sound


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## Greatoliver (Nov 29, 2011)

7 Dying Trees said:


> Avoid the tone zone 7. Seriously, it's not at all like the 6 string version. It is awfull in both bridge and neck.



Fred says the Tone Zone 7 works well in mahogany bodied guitar. I guess it works for the sound he's going for


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Nov 29, 2011)

Greatoliver said:


> Fred says the Tone Zone 7 works well in mahogany bodied guitar. I guess it works for the sound he's going for



Well, if he is shooting for a poopy sound, then it will totally work


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## book_of_lies777 (Nov 30, 2011)

the guys in Nile use the Seymour Duncan Invader - it doesn't get much more brutal/technical than Nile.


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## Sepultorture (Nov 30, 2011)

book_of_lies777 said:


> the guys in Nile use the Seymour Duncan Invader - it doesn't get much more brutal/technical than Nile.



iNVADERS ARE GOOD, BUT I FIND THEM BASSY

that's why i vote for Warpigs again cus it's the tighter brother of the invader


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## RobPhoboS (Dec 1, 2011)

7 Dying Trees said:


> Thought about a lundgren M7? Very tight, nice and hot too, no mud at all, really good high end response.
> 
> P.S: I am not a djent guy and I love this pickup



I think I'm going to get an M6 for one of my baritone guitars, I like the clarity it seems to have for very low tuning, although I don't like the price  
Then I can sling the Blackout into my Jackson r.r.
I do like the active blackout I have but I've not tried heaps.
I didn't like the Invader when I tried it, just very muddy with my tuning, probably fine for more normal tuning situations though.

ps.
What the hell is that word that keeps cropping up...
djent ?


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## sell2792 (Dec 7, 2011)

Every guitar Ive played with Invaders in it sounded shitty... What am I mssing??


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## Konfyouzd (Dec 7, 2011)

ExousRulez said:


> And why do you recommend the full shred set? I really love progressive metal and I want a heavy tight percussive clear tone, not "djenty" or whatever though.



You seem to be hell bent on tying a pickup to a particular genre and not so much how it will respond to your particular style of play. 

If Tom Delonge released a pickup today it doesn't mean everyone who uses it will sound like emo pricks.


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## straightshreddd (Dec 7, 2011)

Konfyouzd said:


> You seem to be hell bent on tying a pickup to a particular genre and not so much how it will respond to your particular style of play.
> 
> If Tom Delonge released a pickup today it doesn't mean everyone who uses it will sound like emo pricks.


 

This made me laugh. lol

But your first comment was very well put.


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## K3V1N SHR3DZ (Dec 7, 2011)

ExousRulez said:


> I'm a huge fan of obscura and I am not looking for a huge thick sound but a tight as fack, clear sound.
> One thing for you guys to know is I really think I would hate super middy pickups...



Do you mean Cosmogenesis tone or Omnivium tone? 

Stephen's custom RAN from 2010 has a 3P mahogany neck-thru, mahogany body, ebony fretboard, with EMG 707TW & EMG 81-7. The old one (6-string, probably used on Cosmo) has an EMG 81.

For what it's worth, I have gotten damn close to the Omnivium tone with an Evo7 in a 7620....


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## book_of_lies777 (Dec 7, 2011)

sell2792 said:


> Every guitar Ive played with Invaders in it sounded shitty... What am I mssing??



They've definitely got more bass thump than others, but as you'll hear in this video, they're certainly capable of useable tones:

(skip to 1:44 to hear the Invader 7 in a mix with other instruments & again at 4:35 to hear it alone)


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## ExousRulez (Dec 7, 2011)

book_of_lies777 said:


> They've definitely got more bass thump than others, but as you'll hear in this video, they're certainly capable of useable tones:
> 
> (skip to 1:44 to hear the Invader 7 in a mix with other instruments & again at 4:35 to hear it alone)


 Nothing by ola is anywhere near close to the tone you get playing in a room, he uses the same impulses and shit for every video and makes anything sound the same.

I'm just not gonna bother trying more passives and just stick with blackouts/emgs just like every band I listen to.


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Dec 7, 2011)

ExousRulez said:


> Nothing by ola is anywhere near close to the tone you get playing in a room, he uses the same impulses and shit for every video and makes anything sound the same.
> 
> I'm just not gonna bother trying more passives and just stick with blackouts/emgs just like every band I listen to.



So you make a 3 page thread with countless suggestions, only to not change? Rock dude


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## ExousRulez (Dec 7, 2011)

7 Strings of Hate said:


> So you make a 3 page thread with countless suggestions, only to not change? Rock dude


 This thread was done already and some kid bumped it, not my problem.


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## Animus (Dec 8, 2011)

sell2792 said:


> Every guitar Ive played with Invaders in it sounded shitty... What am I mssing??





Good quality guitars?


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## book_of_lies777 (Dec 9, 2011)

ExousRulez said:


> Nothing by ola is anywhere near close to the tone you get playing in a room, he uses the same impulses and shit for every video and makes anything sound the same.
> 
> I'm just not gonna bother trying more passives and just stick with blackouts/emgs just like every band I listen to.





the irony of that statement speaks for itself...


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## sell2792 (Dec 9, 2011)

Animus said:


> Good quality guitars?



The gay whats-his-face Schecters, RR-3 and RRJS Jacksons, the Blink 182 guys sig Fender Strat, and an RG570.


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## FadexToxBlack81 (Dec 11, 2011)

btw if your still curious on how the crunch lab sounds for death metal i have a clip posted at the top of this thread!

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/se...ted-ngd-carvin-option-50-content-56k-fu.htmlc


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## brutalslam (Dec 13, 2011)

FadexToxBlack81 said:


> btw if your still curious on how the crunch lab sounds for death metal i have a clip posted at the top of this thread!
> 
> http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/se...ted-ngd-carvin-option-50-content-56k-fu.htmlc



I'm curious, but I can't seem to get that link to work. Maybe post a direct link to the sound clip?

Thanks


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## cyril v (Dec 14, 2011)

brutalslam said:


> I'm curious, but I can't seem to get that link to work. Maybe post a direct link to the sound clip?
> 
> Thanks



Carvin DC727 - DiMarzio Crunchlab and Liquifire by MikeAlustrium on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free


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## FadexToxBlack81 (Dec 14, 2011)

yup thats the link^^


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## g-zs (Dec 16, 2011)

It might be hard to find, but I suggest Merlin Pickups, Hellfire model. I've got them in Schecter loomis insted of EMG 707 and also few yaers ago I kicked out my LiveWire in favour of Hellfire. Also in my custom baritone I have Hellfire. It's great hi-output pickup (no, this message isn't sponsored  )


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