EMG Setup or Other?

Ok im changing the pickups on my ESP M-100. I have narrowed it down to your nice EMG 81/85 Setup or i could go the other route and get
Seymour Duncan '59/DiMarzio PAF Pro Or Seymour Duncan JB/DiMarzio PAF Pro. I play metal and i solo so im looking for that nice hard yet nice sound. I know those sets can do them but rather get everyones opinion. Thanks

-DiMarzio PAF Pro has been used by John 5 of Marilyn Manson, for reference
-Duncan '59s aren't usually used for the same things as a 81/85 combo
-JBs, people either love them or think they're brittle pieces of junk. It's your choice to make, I wouldn't buy them without trying them out first.

What specifically are you looking for in your pickup? It's hard to give advice without knowing more clearly what you want.


For general purpose rock/lead based on the models you've asked about I would recommend a Duncan Pearly Gates in the mix (also used by John5). This is also used by Michael Angelo Batio in the neck postion, he's one of the best shredders you'll ever hear. You might also be interested in the DiMarzio X2N bridge pickup for some real balls.

Some other quick suggestions-
Duncan-
-full shred model
-invader (very popular, but not made so much for lead work. I think Static-X uses these)
-duncan distortion
-duncan custom
DiMarzio-
-tone zone (loved by many people on this forum)
-the super distortion series (including drop sonic- used by Linkin Park)
-norton

Or you might spend the extra 40 bucks or so and get your pickups handmade by http://www.bareknucklepickups.com

Hopefully some of this helps. :)

I appreciate the opinions and suggestions..good stuff. i've been listening to the sound that shadows fall lead guitarist has and i like that nice tone to pull an awesome metal shred but then a nice transfer to a nice hard riff. In the mix i know it would probably be tough and all but pickups that would also sound nice in clean. Any other ideas? Dunno if that cleared anything up really. I'm kinda in the mix really cause i like hard metal but then again i like guitarist sounds like slash, zakk wylde, randy rhoads and such.

In that case I think the one pickup I've mentioned you might like the most would be the Duncan Pearly Gates. If you like DiMarzios more than Duncans the DiMarzio PAF Pro you already mentioned is the closest match between the two companies. I'm normally more of a DiMarzio fan but as far as this individual pickup type goes I think Duncan has a slight edge. Just to repeat a little history lesson John Lowery from Manson used to use the PAF Pro (he also plays bluegrass and country professionally) and then switched over to the Duncan PG (except for the Duncan hot rails he uses on teles).

I'm assuming you want something with some vintage influence, if I'm wrong about that let me know.

No that pretty much sums things up, thanks i greatly appreciate the suggestions.

Hey all, Ive got an Ibanez rg 560, i took out the factory pickups and replaced them with this, neck (single coil) seymor duncan hotrails, and the bridge possition I put in a Seymor Duncan Dimebucker (Dimebags pickups), my guitar SCREAMS now, but tone ive ever had on my leads and riffs. Check em out man, if your lookin for a good shred sound then these are it!

Hey all, Ive got an Ibanez rg 560, i took out the factory pickups and replaced them with this, neck (single coil) seymor duncan hotrails, and the bridge possition I put in a Seymor Duncan Dimebucker (Dimebags pickups), my guitar SCREAMS now, best tone ive ever had on my leads and riffs. Check em out man, if your lookin for a good shred sound then these are it!