replacement bridge pickup for a neckthru guitar i.e. rgt3120

[rguser]

I am going to get a neckthru finally, and it's very likely to be a rgt3120.
I'd like to gather all the opinions regarding a bridge pickup on a neckthru.
I personally don't like the sound ceramic pickups. They just don't sound natural to my ears.

The only Duncan pickup I like is the new Custom5 model, but it's not a hard rock pick up. ( I would like to talk about it if anybody is interested, because it's really good for anything that's NOT high distortion related. I have it on my Ibanez Talman TC825!!!)

My favourate DiMarzio is ToneZone on my rg3120. It's very dark and powerful and sounds comfortable to me. For this next neckthru, I am looking for something more tasteful for soloing. All my experiece with neckthrus came from playing varies jackson models, alder and mahogany. They sound fairly bright both plugged-in and acoustically. So my first question is: are all neckthrus bright sounding? including rgt3120?
If so, I would like a pickup that can make it softer and warmer but keeping the sustain. According to Dimarzio website, BREED model was designed for that purpose and its output is lower than tone zone which is good for me. I have never used BREED unfortunately. So I'd like to know what everybody thinks about that and other DiMarzio pickups for a neckthru like FRED, NORTON, AIR ZONE and PAF PRO etc.

All points are welcome and thank everybody in advance.

ps
speaking of talmans, is it just me or ibanez really didn't know what they were doing when they discontinued talman serie. jesus, talman is the best original design ibanez ever had. it combines everything good about every model fender ever had. anyway.

[ScottB]

The PAF pros that come standard on the RGT3120 are very tasty. Try them out. You won't be disappointed if tasteful soloing is your goal.

[gkelm]

ScreamJem7's got a point...I typically don't care for the PAF Pro, but they're growing on me in the RGT3120. Yes, it is a bit brighter in tone (quite a bit of maple on that guitar), but it still has a meaty sustain. From the description/specs on Dimarzio.com, the Breed sounds like a great option.
Greg

[Soloist]

I love the paf pro in the neck, I am sure that the PAF Pro sounds great in the bridge but I have always liked the tighter sound of the FRED and the Steve's special in the bridge position. I have read the Norton (not the air norton) description and I would be very interested in trying it out as a bridge pickup, check out what dimarzio's website says about the norton it sounds like it might fit your application perfectly.

[pri0531]

I must say that when I got the rgt3120 I did not care for the paf pros, but they have really grown on me. I would suggest that u get the guitar and play it for a while and see how you like them.
Out,
GP

[BrianH]

When I eventually get my next rgt I'm going to put a Fred in the bridge and an Evo neck in it.

[vaijem777]

In my RGT3120TV, I've now got a ToneZone in the bridge and a FRED in the neck. I couldn't ask for a better-balanced combonation! GREAT warm, tight tone in the neck, and screaming, focused leads in the bridge.

[RGN]

I had a Jackson Soloist with a Duncan JB for a lot of years. Great pickup in a neck-thru guitar. Lately, I have switched to the Custom Custom pickup and love it. I also like the Tone Zone but generally used it in guitars that were tuned down. I don't know if you can get more tastefull than a Custom Custom.

[rguser]

I like the paf pro in the neck of my rg3120. It's bright. But since I don't use too much distortion with any neck pickup, so it is ok. In my opinion, bright pickups don't sound good with lots of distortion. For the same reason I don't like Duncan JB. I think when I get a neckthru, I am going to try with Breed or maybe tone zone.
Also, for those of you who do like paf pro or Duncan Custom Custom in neck, you should really try this Duncan Custom5 I mentioned. It has the same coil as Duncan Custom and Custom Custom. The difference is that Custom has Ceramic magnets, which I don't like and CustomCustom has Alnico2 while the new Custom5 has Alnico5 as all those other pickups like ToneZone, pafpro, breed, fred and JB. It's bright on the top and very very deep on the bass side.

[vaijem777]

I actually started out with a custom-ordered purple/gold Breed in the bridge of my RGT. It turned out to be far too bright to really be of much use. I replaced it with the ToneZone which has a bit more "beef" to it. Still cuts through really well, but it's not nearly as shrill.

[rguser]

Originally Posted by vaijem777

I actually started out with a custom-ordered purple/gold Breed in the bridge of my RGT. It turned out to be far too bright to really be of much use. I replaced it with the ToneZone which has a bit more "beef" to it. Still cuts through really well, but it's not nearly as shrill.

that was surprising!
I need to get my hands on one of these to try it out. But that really depends on the local dealers.
I got interested in BREED because of the sound files in dimarzio website. As the sound sample of BREED, they list the first song of vai's new record, Blood and Tears. I have that CD and I love the tone of that. To me it's much better than the tone of evolution. I guess that has more to do with the Jem than the pickup.

[ripl3y]

Originally Posted by rguser

The only Duncan pickup I like is the new Custom5 model, but it's not a hard rock pick up. ( I would like to talk about it if anybody is interested, because it's really good for anything that's NOT high distortion related. I have it on my Ibanez Talman TC825!!!)

I'd love to hear your opinions on it, I'm slightly intrigued by a pup somewhat designed "By the people"
Seems like it's based more around vintage tone as opposed to a high output distortion pup.
Can you compare it to anything?
Got any sound clips?

So my first question is: are all neckthrus bright sounding? including rgt3120?
If so, I would like a pickup that can make it softer and warmer but keeping the sustain

My experience is the opposite.
I've always found neck thru's to be deeper and more rounder sounding, but the choice of wood does impact on this.
If you're after a little more soloing clarity have you thought of something like a Steve's Special? (Dimarzio)
Personally I think the BREED might get just that little bit mushy on a neck thru.
You'll mostly find that when soloing in the higher registers a neck thru will be deeper and rounder and a bolt on thinner and slightly sharper, you may be better looking for a pup with more clarity on a neck thru.
I can imagine the Steve's Special will sound slightly warmer up top on a neck thru as oppposed to the bolt on JPM but will still retain some clarity.

Steve

[rty13ibz98]

the rgt3120 is a dimarzio only guitar. i am about to pick one up from rich and am going to swap immediately. i looked hard at the options i would have. if you notice the routes for the rgt3120 as well as the rg3120 plus the usrg's, all have the slender pickup screw ears for mounting, a dimazio trademark. duncan's are big square like ears. other ibanez direct mounts like the pgm, jpm, and rg700s were the larger routes.
sorry for the limited options. when i get mine, i won't give the paf pros a glance. my favorite pickup combination is the air norton and tone zone. for the rgt3120, i want the wood to breathe a bit more, so i a going to get the air zone for more control and sustain. i want the rgt to be a super sustainer-without the battery and switch! for options i also looked into the breed neck and tone zone for bridge if i had wanted that much power, but alot of my tasty dynamics come more from my right hand and i wanted to let that mahogany ooze out of that guitar. i feel that the air norton and air zone would make this guitar be versatile and super creamy.


rich

[kirk]

Bob Lynch sold me on the combo of a Tone Zone and a Humbucker from Hell. Give it a shot - it sounded great in a RG520QS.

[rty13ibz98]

had that combo in my old PGM500. great setup, the HFH is true to their word: single coil in a humbucker sized. sounds great, but lacked meat really nice when split. i love the TZ so that is a given. i never played on the air norton before and was working on a friend's s470 that he bought used(and knew nothing about gear) when i found out that he had an air norton and super distortion in it. i personally hate the SD, but fell in love with the AN. that was when i saw what was going on in petrucci's mind when he first heard the AN. the TZ will be permanently held as a staple of my rig, as will the AN.


rich