Need pickup advice...

[learningtolive]

I love my RGT3120, but I'm not that happy with the overly bassy PAF Pros. The neck sounds incredibly beautiful when clean, but with any OD it becomes a mess. The bridge sounds good when playing single note lines, but when you try full overdriven chords (a la Paradise City) it loses any definition it had.

Can anyone reccomend a new set of pickups for this beauty (mahogany body, maple top w/neck thru for anyone who doesn't know) that have a great soloing voice and chord definition, but don't sound thin? I was thinking maybe an Air Norton in the neck, with maybe a Steve's Special or Tone Zone in the bridge. Can anyone comment on this combo in this type of guitar?

How do Evolutions sound in mahogany guitars like this?

Thanks for the help.

[Algiman]

Be warned, you are about to get loads of contradictory advice! I’d suggest you do a search on the forums as well, there has been a lot of discussion recently along these lines

Personally, I’d go with the Evo – it retains good definition of each note in a chord.

[Gurj]

Yep, love the evolution and I would consider that (although I also like the PAF Pro and wouldn't dream of taking it out of my JS).
If it doesn't have to be a DiMarzio, try a Bill Lawrence 500-XL (cheers Rob ). In my opininon it has a good range, either playing clean or dirty. I have one in my Jackson SL-1 (neck-thru) and I prefer it to the SD in my other soloist.

[lyconxero]

Well, you've got a lot of choices. The Steve's Special and the Fred have really good definition in the bridge to me and even though the Tone Zone sounds really good, I don't think you'll get that same level of clarity. But if you want the basic "tone" of the Tone Zone with better definition then I would suggest the Air Zone for the bridge. As for the neck, the Air Norton is a good choice or you might even want to try out a Humbucker from Hell.

[learningtolive]

I went and played a Jem7V today and fell in love with the sound. One of the first guitars I've ever played where the tone knob was incredibley useful. Now obviously these 2 guitars are made of very different woods, but has anyone ever played a mahogany guitar with a set of Evos in?

[Jem7RB MK]

Originally Posted by Gurj

Yep, love the evolution and I would consider that (although I also like the PAF Pro and wouldn't dream of taking it out of my JS).
If it doesn't have to be a DiMarzio, try a Bill Lawrence 500-XL (cheers Rob ). In my opininon it has a good range, either playing clean or dirty. I have one in my Jackson SL-1 (neck-thru) and I prefer it to the SD in my other soloist.

Glad to see ya made it Bro, The Lawrence range are nice, the 500xl is awesome and i love em to bits, I'd be very tempted to suggest breeds, Slightly hotter and a little more definition than the PafPro's but not quite as balls to the wall as the Evo's.

Evo's Sound OK in Mahogany, But my old 3120 had Breeds and bloody rocked mightily, Having said that, The X2N Bridge and Paf (not Pro) Neck combo in my dissmantled 520 is very Very versatile and rocks, and purrs with some amazing cleans too. Thats 5 differant pickups choices so far, The choice is almost endless, But Breeds/Evos/X2N's/500xl's will all enhance the bass, they just have a little more prominant mids, to my ears anyhow, hope in there somewhere there is something you'll find usefull

Rob

[Jemwielder]

I'd go with a seymour duncan JB in the bridge and a Jazz in the neck. Evolutions are great too. You can't go wrong with either set up. I have the SDs in my mahogony/FMT Telecaster and it sounds great. The only reason why i didn't go with Evos is because i wanted something that sounded different than my JEM

[Andy43]

I would go with the Super Distortion. They sound great with mahog bodies. Just listen to some electric AlDimeola stuff, i love his tone he gets with super distortion and a les paul.

[Dazza1004]

Bareknuckles (bareknucklepickups.co.uk). Talk to Tim, he'll sort you out

Darren

[Sabbath]

I'll probably get slapped for this, but I have an EMG 81 - 85 combo in my current 1570, and I absolutely love the tone. And I'll definately be putting EMG's in my other Prestige as soon as I get it.

[Globbits]

*slap*


I would definatly second the Al Di Meola tone comment- Yow! But Seymour Duncans in an Ibanez just doesnt seem right to me! *I personally* would put in Evos.

[JTM45]

Originally Posted by Sabbath

I'll probably get slapped for this, but I have an EMG 81 - 85 combo in my current 1570, and I absolutely love the tone. And I'll definately be putting EMG's in my other Prestige as soon as I get it.

There's nothing wrong with EMG's !!!!!!

It's a matter of prsoanl tase really. If the music you play is suited to the sound of EMG's there's not much else that'll give you the same sound.

I personally love them!

Did you manage to fit the battery in the existing cavity or did you have to route a new one?

[Sabbath]

Originally Posted by JTM45

There's nothing wrong with EMG's !!!!!!

It's a matter of prsoanl tase really. If the music you play is suited to the sound of EMG's there's not much else that'll give you the same sound.

I personally love them!

Did you manage to fit the battery in the existing cavity or did you have to route a new one?

That's what I say. I love the clarity and bite of the EMG's. And the battery fits inside the cavity just fine. I just have a little strip of padding wrapped around the 9v so it doesn't rub against any wires.

[guitarshredder7]

get the evo

[red5]

I dont think PAF Pros are overly bassy, but you could give Evos a shot. As Algiman said they have great smoothness and definition, and hold their transparency even with a lot of gain on them which is very cool!!