Last Updated: November 19, 2019
While metal is a broad term covering so many individual styles, the genre is defined by one thing – energetic, aggressive, and colossal guitar sounds. It doesn’t matter whether it’s nu metal or Djent, retro or modern, Slipknot or Metallica, all metal bands share an immense guitar tone you can’t help but thrash along to.
Another thing they all tend to have in common (aside from the talent to create and play such epic music) is a good guitar pickup.
You can forget
single-coil pickups – even though some artists have made good use of single-coils in metal, this genre is best known for its heavy use of robust
humbuckers to produce the powerful sound required.
So, to help metal players make an informed decision, we’ve selected six of the best pickups for metal, representing some of the most popular choices among guitarists in this genre. Some are active, some are passive, some are modern classics, some are newer signature models, but all will deliver an awesome metal tone.
Then stick around for our short guide on what makes a good metal pickup!
The Top 6 Metal Pickups:
What Makes a Good Metal Pickup
As we mentioned earlier, 99 percent of artists in modern metal use humbuckers – which is why our chart above represents only humbuckers. The power on offer from humbuckers is what metal guitarists crave, while their noise-cancelling abilities are perfect for when the volume and gain increase. For gigging metal guitarists, humbuckers are pretty much essential.
It’s also vital that the sound doesn’t get too muddy, especially when tunings get low and distortion is piled on. It’s easy for deep metal rhythm playing to become lost in a sea of noise, so a pickup that ensures a defined low-end is another must-have in this genre.
It’s worth remembering that metal can be very melodic, so raw power must also make some room for tonal quality and warmth, with a mix-cutting treble sound that’s not too shrill. We’re not asking for too much, are we?
Do I Need Active or Passive Humbuckers?
It’s a question that’s very relevant in metal, although which style you go for will depend on what you want from your pickup. Let’s have a quick look at the pros and cons of both active and passive electronics to help make your decision easier.
Starting with the advantages, active pickups – before the preamp is engaged – have a lower natural output, so they are less prone to hum and background noise. When the pre-amp is on, active pickups have an unrivalled output – they can be unbelievably hot, while remaining very clear and detailed. This is one reason why metal players favor active electronics.
Passive pickups, on the other hand, may have slightly lower output (although don’t be fooled – some can be hotter than you’d ever need), but they have a bigger dynamic range, suiting creative lead players. Passive pickups also tend to have a slightly warmer and more natural tone when compared to their active counterparts.
The disadvantages of the two should now be pretty obvious. Active pickups tend to have a lower dynamic range, and have a slightly colder tone. Passive pickups, meanwhile, are more affected by background noise, and can be more prone to feedback when the volume really increases.
However, we’re being pretty general in our descriptions because ultimately there are so many models in so many price ranges, all of which have their own tonal qualities. The best way to truly understand the difference is to play around with both styles or, at the very least, listen to others play them.
The Final Word
After reading our chart and guide, you should have a better idea of what makes a good pickup for metal and which brands deliver the best models.
If you are planning to replace your pickups – whether upgrading from stock humbuckers or just fancy a change – make sure you read reviews and watch videos of the models you’re interested in, to get a real feel for how they sound, and whether they’re suitable for the style of metal you play. Good luck with your hunt!