Combining the FRED and Evolution pickups...

satchman888 · #1 07-14-2002, 12:58 PM

I own an Ibanez Joe Satriani JS100 and I want to replace both of the stock pickups. I want to combine the Satch FRED and the Vai Evo pickups, but I don't know which to put in the neck and which to put in the bridge. Also, which should be F-spaced and which regular. I play heavy metal and also instrumental rock. Please help me find the best way to combine this pups. Thanks!

RSVampire · #2 07-14-2002, 05:31 PM

Well it's mainly a bridge pickup...so I'd leave the Fred in the bridge Position. Then I'd stick the Evo in the Neck. F spaced or un F-spaced is fine for neck...bridge needs to be F spaced if you have a trem.

Lonely Raven · #3 07-14-2002, 06:21 PM

IMHO Freds aren't as nice in the Neck Position as they are in the bridge
position. The harmonics that Satriani had them focus on are very rich
in the bridge position, and not as usefull in the neck position.

I prefer smoother pickups in the neck position. The PAF Pro has proven
itself well there...but I too am considering an Evolution in the neck of
my Root Beer Jem.

I would go Evo=Neck Fred=Bridge

I'm sure you will LOVE the sound compaired to stock.

While those JS-100s may look the part, they certainly don't sound it.

satchman888 · #4 07-14-2002, 07:45 PM

Thanks for the suggestions! I think I will go FRED=bridge and EV0=neck, but I have a doubt. I play heavy metal, and I would like a very heavy sound for rhythm and playing powerful mutes. Will the EVO neck do this? What other pickups could I put there. Thanks a lot.

Optimus Prime · #5 07-15-2002, 03:58 AM

satchman888 · #6 07-15-2002, 02:01 PM

Thanks to all your suggestions. I am also considering the Air Norton/Tone Zone combination. How would this sound for leads? Or should I try Air NOrton/Fred?. Thanks a lot

Drew · #7 07-15-2002, 02:46 PM

Well, the combo rocks on my 7620... i absolutely LOVE the sound of the air norton in the neck. it's very clear and detailed- you feel like you can really hear the sound of the string against the fretboard when playing with distortion, and it produces a very airy clean tone- vaguely single-coil ish, actually. I'll be recieving a 2027 in the next few days with a paf pro in the neck, so i can tell you how the two compare then (body wood aside). the Tone Zone is a great pickup, too; not much in the way of airy-ness or sparkly when used clea, but it's very cutting, and thrives on distortion. Roll back the volume knob a touch, click on a wah, and you're basking in satchy goodness... think the intro to "cool #9" off the G3 disc. I personally would hold on to that Fred- Joe's got a custom fred-7 prototype that i'm dying makes production; i hear it just KILLS in mahogany.

-Drew

rty13ibz98 · #8 08-10-2002, 11:35 PM

uh...for the record, the FRED needs to be in the neck(f spaced or not, doesn't matter) and the evo in the bridge(bridge pickups "should always" be f-spaced). the reason is for output issues. also the fred is an overgrown paf pro, while the evo is a hot distortion class pickup. i have this setup on my rg550. and it proves that they compliment each other. if you have any doubts about what i'm saying, go to dimarzio's site and look at the specs.
as far as the air norton/tone zone setup...that is my all time favorite combo. on my new rgt3120, i am immediately swapping the paf pros to it(if GC gets me the air zone before it comes in...it'll be air norton/air zone. pickup dynamics like a mu-fugga!). i currently have a pair in an rt650 and god it rocks. so versatile and the inbetween split 5 is so sweet sounding.

rich

Bar_Hook · #9 11-27-2002, 01:27 PM

howe much are evos and freds going for nowadays ?

Sephiroth000 · #10 11-28-2002, 07:20 PM

By reading this thread.i have gotten that ALL pip's should be F-spaced if you have a trem..Any type of trem..And on all guitars?

jkeithc82 · #11 11-28-2002, 07:26 PM

I just got a Fred/Evo combo and its in the shop now being installed. I did not get the Fred (neck) F-spaced, but I did get the Evo F-spaced. I'm anxious to get it back

LimHae · #12 06-07-2003, 03:02 PM

You can look up FREDs and Evos on e-bay. They're selling for $50-65 new.

E

Jslegacy · #13 06-11-2003, 01:59 AM

Out put shouldn't be an issue hear because the evolution neck pickup has less output then a fred so that shouldn't b an issue also if your looking for that crunchy responsive palm mute. dont b worried about a neck pickup for that. Who uses their neck pickup when doing a metalish palmute rhythm i know i dont. I'd go Fred bridge/ evo neck.

Phil

vaijem777 · #14 06-11-2003, 01:36 PM

Actually, the FRED is a KILLER neck pickup in my RG-GEAR. Incredible tone, great clarity, perfectly balanced. I've found that the FRED really comes into it's own when used in a mahogany-bodied guitar though. I've had FREDs in a dozen or so mahogany guitars, and they've always sounded far better than they do in the basswood JS'. Likewise with the JS6s I've had, but...the fixed bridge kind of changes things in that case.

Mandrak · #15 06-17-2003, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vaijem777

Actually, the FRED is a KILLER neck pickup in my RG-GEAR. Incredible tone, great clarity, perfectly balanced. I've found that the FRED really comes into it's own when used in a mahogany-bodied guitar though. I've had FREDs in a dozen or so mahogany guitars, and they've always sounded far better than they do in the basswood JS'. Likewise with the JS6s I've had, but...the fixed bridge kind of changes things in that case.

Could you compare it to, let´s say, the PAF Pro ?