Pickup Changes - Opinions and Suggestions Needed

[3074326]

Hello, I've been reading the boards for a couple days and you all seem very knowledgable. So I'd appreciate your opinions greatly.

The questions/opinions that I have relate to two of my guitars - Ibanez RG220H-SOL and Gibson Les Paul Special Faded. I currently use both guitars with my Mesa Single Rectifier and 4x12 Standard Rectifier cabinet. The Rectifier is loaded with the following tubes:
=C= SED 6L6GC
V1 - Tung-Sol reissue 12AX7
V2 - JJ ECC83S
V3 - Penta Labs/Shuguang 12AX7C
V4 - unlabeled Shuguang 12AX7C
V5 - Sovtek 12AX7LPS


The Ibanez currently has a Seymour Duncan JB and a SD Jazz, and the Gibson has the stock pickups. I love the Duncans in the Ibanez. The stock pickups in the LP are a bit weak and they lack what the Duncans have. I have decided to put the Duncan configuration in my LP and buy a new set for the Ibanez.

Now the point of my thread.. finally.

I want a HOT set of pickups in my Ibanez. The JB was nice, but I want something with more sizzle and sensitivity. I'm thinking a set of EMGs (81/85). Problem is that the tone of the Ibanez is fantastic and the EMGs will cover the natural tone of the instrument. Are there any other pickup recommendations that you guys/gals think would work for me?

I know many of you have a similar setup, if you think you have what I'm looking for, could you post some recordings and let me know what you have? Any dislikes with what you have?

Apologies in advance if this thread has been repeated over and over again. Trust me, I know how annoying that can be. Also sorry for the lengthy post - I'd rather write a book and get detailed answers than write three sentences and get misunderstood responses.

Thanks in advance, I look forward to being part of this community.

 

[shredtheater]

Maybe this will help: http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=13831 Im summary dont buy EMGs. They wi...r me, the air norton is the best neck pickup.

 

[lookslikemeband]

For the "heat" and "bite" of an active pickup, I use the Dimebucker in the bridge of a few guitars.

VERY crisp and it doesn't kill my guitars' natural tone.

Just my .02 cents.

 

[nathan28]

Hey man i have emg-81,85 in my explorer pro, and just recently changed the pickups in my les paul, i put a jb in the bridge, in sounded good but it wasnt what i wanted. Fearing that the guitars would sound the same if i put emg's in the les paul, i did it anyways, and i couldnt be happier, i put a emg 81 bridge, and a emg 60 in the neck and i love it. The guitars sound totally different, and the emg 60 is probably the best neck pickup i have ever tried.

 

[ursinus]

Almico II neck and Custom 5 Bridge is a good way to go..... or for a little more dough, Suhr DSV in the neck and DSH+ in the bridge. You will be very pleased either way.....my .02 cents

 

[crestwood1972]

I'm on the same page with the OP.

On my Schecter Gryphon I went with a Duncan Jazz neck and a JB (b).

On my Ibanez RG550 I went with DiMarzio Air Norton and the Breed (b).

Depends on just how hot you want to get. Evo, Dimebucker, whatever. Me? I liked the Breed. Fat and mean. Just like my woman.

 

[ToneAddictJon]

I tend to avoid EMG's (the humbuckers anyway) because they don't seem to get along with tube amps, especially on the clean channel. If you have no need for good cleans and just want all out distortion the EMG's will work, but I'd go for Dimarzio's or Duncan's personally. I'm partial to the EVO's and PAF's myself, still waiting to try one of the new D-Activaters from Dimarzio, it's suppose to be the passive counter part of EMG's, but you still get the nuance of a passive and it has coil splitting for amazing cleans, that might be something to look at.

 

[Rocky]

I tend to avoid EMG's (the humbuckers anyway) because they don't seem to get along with tube amps, especially on the clean channel.
<snip>

Go and check out some Vince Gill and get back to me on that.....

 

[lockbody]

Depends on just how hot you want to get. Evo, Dimebucker, whatever. Me? I liked the Breed. Fat and mean. Just like my woman.

I love the Breed in my guitars for the exact same reason. :wink:

 

[srf399]

I just ordered a Breed neck pup for my strat... I've got my fingers crossed hoping it'll work well with my guitar and MKIV

 

[srf399]

OPPSSS I mean bridge pup LOL scared myself there!

 

[RJ2213]

i found that the Air Norton is by far my favorite neck pickup, its smooth and warm without getting muddy or losing harmonics.

for the bridge i'd say the Dimarzio Steve's Special is amazing in most guitars i've used them in(ibanez destroyer, ibanez rg450dx, ibanez rgt42).

these two pickups are great together, both are similar output and similar harmonic content given the application.

to hear these pickups just listen to the first 4 dream theater albums or the last 3 Sonata Arctica albums.

 

[3074326]

Great, thanks for all the suggestions everyone.

The Dimarzio D-Activater and Steve's Special sound like my two top candidates at the moment. I'm more concerned about the bridge pickup than the neck for now, but all suggestions are appreciated. Keep them coming. :wink:

Does anyone have any experience with the Duncan Distortion? I recently found out that a friend of mine uses that pickup in all of his guitars. I'm afraid they might not have enough meat.

 

[visualrocker69]

to hear these pickups just listen to the first 4 dream theater albums or the last 3 Sonata Arctica albums.

Actually he kept using custom wound Steve's Specials in his EBMM gutiars and only switched to D Sonic in 2006. So... all the DT albums except for the newest one will let you hear that pickup.

And 3074326... you SHOULD be concerned with the neck pickup. Air Norton sounds perfect for you. Good in combination with just about anything.

And you should check out the D-sonic... it'll complement it well, and it sounds like it suits you perfectly.

Don't let the Dimarzio website fool you... it's not just for lower tunings. It's an amazing pickup.

 

[Nitrobattery]

I swear by dual EMG 85's in my Ibanez RG's. Almost all of my clips will show why.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=691843

 

[visualrocker69]

^ because they compensate for the cheap tone woods in your guitars, making them all sound tonally identical?

 

[Nitrobattery]

because they compensate for the cheap tone woods in your guitars, making them all sound tonally identical?

yeah, you nailed it. everyone here knows i've never owned a nice guitar...

and my taste in amps is even worse...

If you think EMG's sound the same in every guitar...you might want to get your hearing checked. And to further get a kick out of Ibanez players with shitty tone you may want to check out some Paul Gilbert, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, and Andy Timmons. Not only can they not play, they have some of the least sought after tones in history :roll:

 

[visualrocker69]

I'm sure their cleans are amazing and anything but sterile too! Wow, I must be insane...

 

[Rocky]

Actually he kept using custom wound Steve's Specials in his EBMM gutiars and only switched to D Sonic in 2006. So... all the DT albums except for the newest one will let you hear that pickup.

Actually he DIDN'T. The bridge in the Ernie Ball JPM evolved out of the Steve Special but has a different midrange curve and overall tone. Similar but it is not the same pickup.

 

[devilrob1979]

I'm sure their cleans are amazing and anything but sterile too! Wow, I must be insane...

This comes from personal experience with the 85? It's actually a very warm sounding pickup and when it's sitting in an 89 it's probably the most versatile pickup on the market (89s are an 85 and an SA meaning three coils in the same housing). I love mine. People who say EMGs are sterile are usually talking about the clean tone of the 81 when in the bridge. Also, if it's overdriving your amp you have a little knob on your guitar which controls output.

Here are my crappy guitars with crappy tone woods.

Obviously the Legacy's gone replaced by a MarkIV