new pups for my Schecter

Praetorian · #1 06-02-2004, 03:19 AM

Ok, I have a Schecter C-1+, it's my first electric, and I really love it, though I also love my RG550 very much also. A few months ago I did what I always said I would and put in EMG's to replace the just OK Duncan Designed pups it had. As far as how that went, the 81 has grown on me, at first I didn't like it, but with a little messing with the eq on my solid state Fender, I got it to sound pretty nice. With the 81 in the bridge, there's definately no lacking in power, but what bugs me is that now I can't use it for it's intended purpose, which is jazz. I have an 85 in the neck, and I just can't seem to squeeze any good jazz sounds out of the thing. It also doesn't seem at all affected by the tone knob, it mutes but not like I hoped it would. Seeing as this guitar is my baby, my first, and my favorite, I have to get it sounding good. Another thing is that by switching to passive pups I can also do a push/pull coil split, which I can't do with the EMG's. My question is this: what pups should I put in this mahogany, set neck, string through body guitar? I've been looking for pups for my RG550 so long that I don't even know what to look for for this one. I was considering Seymour Duncans since that's what Schecter seems to use the most, and if that's the case then I'll probably be thinking about getting a George Lynch Screamin' Demon in the bridge and a 59' in the neck. Those are my choices according to the sound clips they have. But what does DiMarzio have laying around over there? What pups of theirs sound good with a mahogany guitar? Keep in mind that the neck is going to be used for jazz, but also know that I want the bridge to have some substantial power. This is my only hardtail guitar, so it has to sound good in drop d or even drop b. I like the sound of the Screamin Demon quite a bit, it has lots of nice crunch and a lot of treble, which I want in this guitar, but I'm worried that it doesn't have enough output and that there isn't enough bass. I want something that sounds sort of like it, but that has that extra bass. I was actually thinking about the Tone Zone also, but I've heard it has too much midrange for mahogany guitars. I want your guys' input.

Kontalonis · #2 06-02-2004, 08:20 PM

As far as your shector, if you want the jazz sound in the neck i would go for an Dimarzio Air Norton. If you like the EMG in the bridge, keep it there.

As far as the 550 i would go with Dimarzio Evolutions or if you are into Satriani go for a Dimarzio FRED in the bridge and PAF Pro in the neck.

Praetorian · #3 06-02-2004, 11:04 PM

As far as my RG, I already ordered a set of Breeds and a Blue Velvet single coil. I also have an EMG afterburner that's going into it, so that's sure to be a fun thing to mess with. The RG's not the issue though. It's finding the right match for my Schecter. As I mentioned before, I think I want to switch to passives so I can do coil splitting. Otherwise I guess I'd keep the EMG, though it's power might drown out the neck pup. As far as the sound I'm looking for...well, it's sort of my own, I don't really sound like Petrucci or Satch or Vai (that's for sure). I have a flavor more for hard rock and maybe a little punk. Don't get me wrong, I need to have a pickup that can solo it's butt off, but my style tends to be more rythm with fills than shred metal or Vai stuff. Though I'm learning FTLOG and classical stuff too, but that's why I need a good solo pup too. What I was thinking in general was that the neck pup needs to have a very creamy, vintage sound, like a Gibson 57' when it's clean. Lol...maybe I should just get one of those, eh? But I really like DiMarzios, so I sort of want to stick with them. As far as the bridge, it needs to have lots of bite, treble, clarity, while still having very chunky solid bass. For this reason I was thinking that the best bet for the bridge would be an Evolution, a Super 3, a Tone Zone, a Super Distortion, or heck...maybe even an X2N. Might have a bit too much power though. Out of those, I'm most interested in the Super 3 and Evos, and I'm also thinking about a Steve's Special. I want it to have high output, so those are likely to be my best choices, what do you who have tried them think?

RSVampire · #4 06-03-2004, 06:08 AM

for jazz those are a lot of power (IMO) if you want a good jazzy combo check out the seymour duncan pickups. Maybe a Pearly Gates combo, or a Jazz in the neck and a JB in the bridge, as for Dimarzio pickups maybe an Air Norton (love that in the neck), try checkin out Satriani's new combo with a Fred and Paf Joe in the neck.

Kontalonis · #5 06-03-2004, 01:14 PM

I would go with the Dimarzio Tone Zone in the bridge and the Dimarzio Air Norton in the neck. You have a great crunch pickup in the bridge and then a nice jazz pickup that can still get dirty in the neck. Agreed vamp?

RSVampire · #6 06-03-2004, 05:44 PM

that would be a good combo too.

Praetorian · #7 06-04-2004, 02:57 AM

yeah, I agree about the Air Norton in the neck, although I may well put some Seymour Duncans in it...but as far as DiMarzios go, I thought a Tone Zone wasn't good for mahogany because of all the mids it has. I know that the Jackson Phil Collen (who is that dude?) signature has two single coils and a Super 3 in it and the body of that is mahogany as well. Wouldn't that do just as well in the bridge? Or is it the whole thing about trying to get some balance in the level of output from the two pickups? I know the Evo set has a 400 mV ouput bridge and a 200some output neck...isn't that about the same as the Super 3 and Air Norton? I'm looking for specifics here.

Kontalonis · #8 06-04-2004, 07:51 PM

Email Dimarzio and ask them.