Ibanez Rg321 with PAF Pro combo?

[shredfreak]

I've tried the older Rg321, the one with basswood body. Really nice guitar and really cheap so I am very interested in that guitar. I think about 330 euros or under. Actually I am thinking of getting the newer model with mahogany body and oil finish which looks ultra cool.

I already started to think what kind of pickups I would put to it because I am pretty sure I will do that anyway. The first combo that came to my mind was PAF Pro in both positions. I was just thinking that how PAF Pro will fit with the mahogany body. Are PAF Pro's any good with mahogany body? I also was thinking Air Norton in neck position.

So how would Steve's Special Air Norton combo sound in mahogany body? And will Air Norton get too messy or muddy with mahogany body because I really don't want that happening? And is Steve's Special good with this body?

Basiclly PAF Pros are fine if they fit with the mahogany body but some other pickups with slightly higher output and just little bit more mid range would be also nice. But I want some clean sounding pickups like PAF Pro but just slightly more output and mid range. So what do you suggest?

Btw black fake f-holes would look also cool with this guitar just like Paul Gilberts.

Thank you very much!

[Shredcows]

Well... I did a review of the Breed neck in the bridge... Dimarzio says its a warmer, hotter and bassier PAF Pro. Go check it out... you might like it.
Its in the same section, just a few threads down.

Oh and yeah, the demo guitar was a mahogany S520EX.

[King Knall]

Okay, I'm not a fan of fake F-holes, but I'll say yes to a set of Paf Pros. I tried one in the neck position in a JS1000, and it sounded sweet. But if you're still not keen on the Paf Pfo and Basswood combination, remember that the early Jems used them, and the current PGM301 has them. It may not be your choice for a pickup, but the Paf Pro is everything I wanted in a humbucker.

[lyconxero]

Personally, I'd go with the Tone Zone/Air Norton combo. It is a tried and true pickup combo in mahogany and those two pickups split excellently together. Those two pickups on a 5 way switch with atleast two coil splitting options in a mahogany body will give you every kind of tone that you could want out of one guitar.

[shredfreak]

Originally Posted by Kamikaze_1

Okay, I'm not a fan of fake F-holes, but I'll say yes to a set of Paf Pros. I tried one in the neck position in a JS1000, and it sounded sweet. But if you're still not keen on the Paf Pfo and Basswood combination, remember that the early Jems used them, and the current PGM301 has them. It may not be your choice for a pickup, but the Paf Pro is everything I wanted in a humbucker.

Well I like PAF Pro there's no question about that. But I was just thinking how it would sound in mahogany because it's little different, I guess it's also fine pickup with mahogany. And yes, Paul Gilbert, Satch and Vai has used them so they fit to many different styles but they used them only in basswood bodies. Thanks for the help!

[rty13ibz98]

the paf pro's sound really woody in mahogany. this is due to the "aw" sound they have. with the scooped mids of mahogany, it tames it slightly. not to the level of killing it, but ends up smearing the "aw" over more of the tonal spectrum. that is a cool feature. i currently use a paf pro in the neck of an sc420. that is a killer neck tone. not as fat as my air nortons, but more "vintage" with slightly more presence in the upper mids. like a more neutral SD 59. i have it with a TZ in the bridge. now i did have double paf pro's at one time in my rgt3120. i was not a huge fan of the paf pro in the bridge, but that was personal preference. it wasn't mean enough for me. felt like playing a tamed down duncan jb. the distortions were very "friendly". pretty flat response from all frequencies and with the smeared "aw" amidst it all. been awhile since i used the paf pro in basswood, but i remember the jem7dsy and fp had paf pro's sounded good, but had alot of upper mids. great for the old hair metal tone, but i go more for low end. to each his own.


rich

[Praetorian]

I had PAF Pros in my old Schecter C-1+ a couple years ago. They both sounded great, but it was a hardtail. They sound great in the neck of a basswood RG, in the bridge they can be a bit tame for me. Now I've never had a mahogany RG but I did try out a 3121 (or was it a 3020?) in a music store about a year ago and it had them and it was mahogany. I recall it sounding great too, I think they sounded a bit louder than normal. Keep in mind with that oil finished one that it will increase the low end too, which you may or may not like. Evos sound weird in mahogany I think. I don't know if you're into Seymour Duncans but the Pearly Gates with a 59 in the neck is an awesome mahogany combo. Also the AN/TZ...the list goes on and on. I'd actually look into either a Breed neck model or Fred in the bridge if you wanna keep the PAF pro sound with more mids. It will rock bananas.

[Roadstar]

Originally Posted by rty13ibz98

the paf pro's sound really woody in mahogany. this is due to the "aw" sound they have. with the scooped mids of mahogany,

rich

so mahogany has a scooped tone?

[rty13ibz98]

mahogany typically has a more scooped tone, but certain factors go into that as well: maple caps, neck attachment, and paint. for the most part mahogany has more neutral/scooped mids with lotsa bottom and a bit of presence in the high end.


rich

[shredfreak]

Originally Posted by Praetorian

I had PAF Pros in my old Schecter C-1+ a couple years ago. They both sounded great, but it was a hardtail. They sound great in the neck of a basswood RG, in the bridge they can be a bit tame for me. Now I've never had a mahogany RG but I did try out a 3121 (or was it a 3020?) in a music store about a year ago and it had them and it was mahogany. I recall it sounding great too, I think they sounded a bit louder than normal. Keep in mind with that oil finished one that it will increase the low end too, which you may or may not like. Evos sound weird in mahogany I think. I don't know if you're into Seymour Duncans but the Pearly Gates with a 59 in the neck is an awesome mahogany combo. Also the AN/TZ...the list goes on and on. I'd actually look into either a Breed neck model or Fred in the bridge if you wanna keep the PAF pro sound with more mids. It will rock bananas.

I didn't know that finish can affect to sound, well good to know. And yes, I like Seymour Duncan pickups I have used them and I like them vey very much. Pearly Gates and '59 is probably good combo so I will be considering it too. Btw Pearly Gates '59 with mahogany and hardtail reminds me of Les Paul so I think I would like it, ofcourse there is differences between Les Paul and Rg but anyway.

[buddroyce]

Why not go Paf Pro in the neck and a TZ in the bridge? (or how about Tone Zones in both neck and bridge like the PGM10th).

Everyone needs fake f-holes on thier guitars, it makes you play 10x faster because you gotta get people to look at your hands and not your guitar *wink* .

[Praetorian]

psshh...I'd rather have real f-holes on a good looking archtop any day . On that subject, I'd put an SD 59 and Pearly Gates in an archtop in a second, as well as an alder or mahogany solid body. They're quite the combination, although in an RG I prefer to have the nasal crunch sound you get from Evos or PAF Pros as opposed to the TZ/AN combo or the SD combo. It depends on the guitar really, my UV has her stock Blazes, my RG has Evos (and will have an Evo2 soon), and my soon-to-be Artcore will probably get PAF Pros stuck in it till I find something better. If I could get my hands on some Super 58's or George Benson pups I'd be set lol.