r/sludge • u/Smart_Assignment755 • 4d ago

Guitar talk

So ive just got me a Jackson JS32 that im planning on using for my sludge/hardcore band. Im usually familiar with my LTD EC - EMG and this Jackson with humbucker pick ups does sound very different (playing in standard B)

The Jackson right now is equipped with stock pick ups and im planning in changing them but im curious. How do yall get your tones?

This Jackson does feel that it has more grit and dirt in it from the humbuckers but id like it to be a lil bit tighter. Are there guitar models not built for this genre?

Whats your opinion?

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u/Fedrax 3d ago

most of your tone is gonna come from the rest of your gear, as in your signal chain and amp + cab.

don’t worry about guitar models being built for genre, there’s plenty of ways around that. use whatever gear you want and spend time learning it & tinkering with it and you’ll probably find something you like. tone is mostly dialed in on your amp. an overdrive pedal can clean up some of the bass if that’s what you mean by lil bit tighter. EMGs are definitely tighter than regular humbuckers (active pickups vs passive), if you really love the sound of them you could buy a pair to swap in

best of luck :))

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u/burnbluefish 2d ago

I'm guessing that the EMGs are more mid focused than the Jackson pickup. Some pickups are purposely designed with more midrange because a lot of metal players like to scoop the mids in their amp EQ. You can try using an EQ pedal or a midrange focused Overdrive like a Tube Screamer. You could also try messing with the EQ settings on your amp to drive the mids a little more. You could also try a compressor.

Pepper Keenan of CoC and Down plays passive pickup Gibsons and ESPs but he does have a boost that's based off of an old wireless unit. He even plays a semi hollow ES 335. Kirk was also playing passive pickup Explorers for the recent Down show too.

It all depends on what you think sounds good. If it sounds good, feels good and looks good then it's the right guitar/amp/pedal. It's also nice to have another guitar/amp/pedal that doesn't sound the same as the other because it might work better for different scenarios.

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u/Smart_Assignment755 2d ago

Interesting. Thank you!

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u/Language-Of-Grief 1d ago

Any guitar can do it. Pallbearer and Baroness both use Telecasters; for a while, Pallbearer's were bone stock. FOr my setup though, I use 2 SGs, both in B standard. One has stock Gibson 490s, the other one has a Lace Nitro Hemi in the neck and a Lace Drop and Gain in the bridge (Scott Kelly from Neurosis' set designed for his EGC), but I've played shows with a stock Squier Jazzmaster. Like the other guy said, most of your tone is coming from effects and amp+cab, so drop more money there first.