FRED-Blue Velvet-Super 3 combination - Anybody using this co

[bduersch]

Yeah, I know, for Christmas morning I've sure got a lot of questions. Why should today be different than any other day?

I have a nice looking RG570 with H-S-H Ibanez pickups and I'm looking to do something different with replacements. On the bright side, they're direct-mounted. I've already got the following bases covered, so I'm looking to branch out a bit:

- Air Norton/Tone Zone (or Steve's Special)
- PAF Pro/Tone Zone
- Evolutions
- Breeds
- EMG 89/SA/91

Anyway, one setup I'm considering is a Fred-Blue Velvet-Super 3, similar to the setup in the RG-Gear. Anybody else using this combination? I'd expect some differences, since the RG-Gear is mahogany and the 570 is basswood.

Anybody else have any creative pickup suggestions for an H-S-H setup? Not to rain on anybody's parade in advance, but I don't think I've ever played a Dimarzio that I didn't like, so if you suggest non-Dimarzio pickups I'll probably have a lot more questions.

Thanks, as always,
--Brent

[Kevan]

Brent-
The setup in the RG-GEAR sounds wonderful and I think this is due mainly to the mahogany. *The FRED is a great match for mahogany/heavy bodies. *The neck position is a perfect spot for it.*

"...you can go and have a bite and come back and you'll still be hearin' that one..."

I wasn't sure I'd like the Super 3. *Then I ran it through Ch. 3 on the Cruise amp (read: Marshall-esque). *It responds to mids very well. *More low end than the PAF Pro's in my FP. *I like it a lot.

The Blue Velvet in the GEAR is my first such single coil. *It's "fuller" than the JEM s/c, but doesn't have the high end that you can get from position 3. *It's kinda like a Str*t with balls. *LOL *Oh- I know what it's like: *the Lace Sensors...not the Red; maybe the Gold. *I really like it. *It's the only single coil I use regularly.

I was unsure of the Evolutions until I plugged in my JEM10. *Gain, gain, and more gain....but with good control. *I think of them kinda like the Space Shuttle: *thrust/gain from here to the moon, but with a pilot/player in full control. *I'm pretty sure the only hotter h/b from DiMarzio is the HFH (TAFKAKAES digs those). *Try out a VWH if you get a chance. *Run it thru a badass amp on 11. *Check out the control you have.

Someone else makes pickups aside from DiMarzio? *Hmmm...ya learn something new everyday. *:biggrin:

[bduersch]

Kevan--

Thanks... this is most helpful. I may hold off on the Fred/Super 3 combo until I have a mahogany guitar to try it out in (or until I find an RG-Gear).

The info on the Blue Velvet is most helpful. I used to have gold lace sensors in my str*t (before I replaced them with EMG's). I really liked the tone of the lace sensors, but never thought there was quite enough juice in the output department. (Have not had that problem since I switched to EMG's to say the least)

The VWH is probably the most versatile-sounding Jem I've ever seen. (I'm actually setting up an RG1200 with evolutions and a blue velvet because I like the evos that much). It is now second only to my JPM (and the JPM90, and the RG-ART, which I guess makes it 4th).

--Brent

[bduersch]

Well, I just found out (courtesy of another thread in the "Other 6 String Guitars section) that the RG570 I recently bought is alder, not basswood. Now I'm open to almost any pickup combination for it, but I'm trying to avoid Evolutions (since I have a VWH) and the PAF Pro/TZ combination (since I have a USRG30). I'm thinking about trying the Air Norton/Steves Special combination in the 570 now. Or maybe I'll put in a Super Distortion and a Super 2 so I can get my "more power" fix.

I'm thinking that alder is on the other end of the sonic spectrum from mahogany, so I'll probably hold off on the FRED/Blue Velvet/Super 3 combo until I have a mahogany-bodied project guitar.

--Brent