Has anyone put JEM pickups on an RG and compared how it...

cool9 · #1 05-24-2001, 03:11 AM

For anyone who has put JEM pickups into RG's and know what real JEM's sound like, how do the 2 compare sound wise with both having JEM pickups?

davenit · #2 05-24-2001, 10:21 AM

IMO, you really can't tell the difference except in the VWH.

The other Jem models are basswood and a rosewood board. Just like an RG.

The VWH on the other hand is a little warmer due to the alder body and ebony neck.

I have swapped pickups in and out of all my guitars. For the type of music I play (metal/fusion - hard rock - metal) the pickup is the key unless you get into radically different woods (Mahog, Koa etc).

Dave

kennydoe · #3 05-24-2001, 10:52 AM

I had a paf-pro necka nd EVO bridge in my RG for years and they sounded great.

I now have the same combination in my BFP and for some reason, it sounds better. *The PAF especially - much smoother - i can hit a distortion power chord and it sounds nice 'n smooth - never got that with the RG. *That was actually one of the first things i noticed aboutt he BFP when i first got it.

I don't know the physical differences are between the RG and the BFP (actually, they look exactly the same as I look down on them from above!), but i do know the sound is better with the same p'up config.

~Kenny

Project Guitar · #4 05-24-2001, 03:34 PM

I put the flouresent Pinks out of my FP into my first RG 550 and it sounded the same as the FP use to as I recall. Then I sold it cause a Laser Blue Rg 550 with Pink Pup's looked kinda whacko Paul Gilbert without the painted F holes......

frankfalbo · #5 05-24-2001, 09:31 PM

The wood difference is a big part of it. But I've noticed that wizard necks, because they are so thin, can both resonate and sustain differently than a thicker neck. The Jem neck is a little thicker, and I think just thick enough to stabilize it. The wizards are always "rubbery", so you might think the pickups are wimpier. But the theory is that there would be no difference. I'm about to put Jem-ish pickups into an RG560. I have to rout the neck for a humbucker so it'll be awhile but I'm counting on it getting me the sound of an older Jem so we'll see.

jem7vwh · #6 05-25-2001, 01:17 AM

I have a JEM7VWH and an RG-450 with EVOs. *They do sound quite a bit different. *The RG sounds sharper and has even more bite to it while the JEM has a brighter more full sound. *With that said, I have a friend with a JEM77FP and an RG-550 with PAF Pros and they sound identical. *

As long as the wood and pickups are identical, I would presume you'd HEAR very little difference, however -you'll feel a ton of difference if you're playing one. *Even the nicest RG's I've played have rarely had such a nice neck as my JEM. *I'm also in love with the thin, fast, wide JEM7VWH neck so very little else compares. *Greg, and Bob and I all said last week that for just plain feel, the JEM/UV contour neck just feels right. *So while you might get the same tone, don't expect it to play as well.

FWIW, the closest neck Ibanez makes to the JEM7VWH neck (spec-wise at least) is the Wizard II.

cool9 · #7 05-25-2001, 03:44 AM

Does anyone have evo's an a mahogany guitar? I'm planning on buying a new RG520QS soon and the body is mahogany, rather than basswood that most rg's use. I really want to get the sound the jem7vwh gets, without having to pay $1800 for a new one. Besides, I think the jem7vwh is pretty ugly imo.

anuj · #8 05-25-2001, 06:40 AM

aaah.. the 7vWH is lovely, imo.. and 1800 is a ripoff if youre in the us no matter how you cut it

~A

jem7vwh · #9 05-25-2001, 12:57 PM

yup. *I paid what I consider to be fair $1399.99. *Not amazing but not horrible either. *But there are people 'round here who've found them for $1100.00 *so $1800.00 is an uninformed buy.

Pablo · #10 05-28-2001, 06:58 AM

Cool9.
I just bought a 520 and will be putting an evo and a PAF in it to see how it sounds. I won't be doing this for a few weeks for work related reasons.

I'll let you know how it sounds

bachle7 · #11 05-29-2001, 11:13 PM

I put a bridge EVO in my RG570 and it sounds a lot different than a Jem7VWH. *But if you're getting a 520 with a mahogany body, that will probably give you a richer tone.

Guitarmattms · #12 04-15-2009, 05:29 PM

Since this thread is about pickups. I'm thinking about getting a rg350ex and putting a Air Norton in the neck and Breed pickup in the bridge.

**jim777** · #13 04-15-2009, 05:44 PM

Holy Thread Resurrection Batman!

intini · #14 04-16-2009, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim777

Holy Thread Resurrection Batman!

The thread was from 2001, eight years ago!!!

But I am curious about the results with the Air Norton...let us know.

toneboy · #15 04-16-2009, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davenit

The other Jem models are basswood and a rosewood board. Just like an RG.

The VWH on the other hand is a little warmer due to the alder body and ebony neck.

Um, what you're saying contradicts the tonal characteristics of the woods.

Alder is brighter sounding than basswood. Basswood also has more midrange.

For fingerboards, rosewood sounds the darkest, maple is a lot brighter and ebony is brighter than maple. That of course only matters if you can here a difference between fingerboards to begin with which some folks can't.

I've got (4) guitars that all have the same bridge pickup (Tone Zone). 2 of them are basswood with maple, one is alder with maple and one is alder with rosewood. The basswood with maple boards sounds darker and thicker than the alder w/maple. The alder with rosewood is in between them.