Mid pickup suggestion for RG

[SV300]

Im completely stuck here on choices for replacing the single on my RG.

Ive currently got a Duncan Distortion with an alnico V magnet (instead of the stock ceramic) in the bridge, and a Duncan Full Shred in the neck. The Distortion is fat and ballsy, and by comparison, teh Full Shred is quite tame.

For the mid pickup, i want a single sized humbucker thats something between the Distortion's ballsy fat sound and the Full Shreds tamer sound! Yes i know im asking for a lot! I know that single in teh mid position will give me more versatile tone, but the full shred wired in parrallel gives a real sweet tone which i absolutely love, and I hardly use singles in my playing anyway.

Please keep suggestions to Dimarzio and SDs, theyre the only ones i can get in Hong Kong. Ordering off hte net is not an option, my parents will slaughter me. SDs preferred, I get a discount from the dealer, hence they come out cheaper but ill happily take a Dimarzio if they have one that fits my needs.

[frankfalbo]

Many of the duncan rails pickups should do, you might have to experiment. The Cool Rails , either neck or bridge, Hot Rails neck model only, and the lil 59 might all do the trick. Since you have already discovered the joy of parallel wiring, you could try that with the rails pickup in the middle. It could be just what you're looking for. My first recomendation would be the Cool Rails neck model, and my last choice would be the lil 59.

[Mandrak]

Originally Posted by frankfalbo

Many of the duncan rails pickups should do, you might have to experiment. The Cool Rails , either neck or bridge, Hot Rails neck model only, and the lil 59 might all do the trick. Since you have already discovered the joy of parallel wiring, you could try that with the rails pickup in the middle. It could be just what you're looking for. My first recomendation would be the Cool Rails neck model, and my last choice would be the lil 59.

I suggest you the DiMarzio Fast Track 1, after years (5 years) of research.

[frankfalbo]

I 'm not sure why I was quoted, but the fast track is indeed a great pickup, and I have one in the middle and love it. Two main points in his post were that first, he'd like to stick with Duncans because he gets a discount on their products locally. Second, he admits to the versatility of a single coil in the middle, but doesn't want that sound. To me, the Fast Track is very good at reproducing a clean single coil tone. And it's output is lower than the Duncan products I listed. These are the reasons most of us, including me, like it very much, but he describes his ideal tone as one that's between his two current pickups. I thought the Cool Rails could do the trick.

[SV300]

Thanks guys.

Listening to the sound clips, I think I prefer the lil 59 tone a bit more though. INteresting, and it requires a lot of thinking. I asked over at the duncan forum, and got the same response, Cool rails of the lil 59.

[erikm5150]

Leandro and frankfalbo,

could you tell me how the fast track 1 sounds when split?
does it retain its characteristic single coil tone?
does it still have "decent" output to keep up with humbuckers?

i am also looking to put one in the middle position
it will be split in positions 2 & 4, and used in combination with the neck and bridge humbuckers (a paf pro and super dist.)

thanks

[frankfalbo]

If you're going to split it in positions 2 and 4, then the only usable humbucking mode is 3, when its all by itself. And lots of people don't really use that position. So I would say just stick with a straight single coil, because the Fast Track is really thin, glassy, and low output when split. I do use it split, but I have a push/pull, so either both pickups are split to still cancel hum, or neither is split. If you're going to wire it to split with the humbuckers automatically, then a straight single coil wil sound better with stronger output than just one coil of the fast track. I guess I'm saying that I split my fast track out of necessity for hum-cancelling, not because it's some magical great tone that way.

[Mandrak]

Originally Posted by erikm5150

...and used in combination with the neck and bridge humbuckers (a paf pro and super dist.)

thanks

Excellent combination ! Good luck