pickups for my rg550

ShReDdA · #1 08-19-2003, 11:46 AM

Im after some rad new vivid green p-ups for my 550,would paf pros be cool for the bridge and neck p-up,
Also does anyone know what pickups paul gilbert used in his mr big days, that guy has killer tone!how would i get a similar tone from my 550?i was thinking paf pros for the bridge and neck, then a hs-2 or wotever for the singlecoil?
if anyone has any suggestions please let me know!
cheers guys

Jem7RB MK · #2 08-19-2003, 12:09 PM

PafPro's are gorgeous,I love the set in my JemDPV,i'm also a big fan of Evolutions,differant beasts but both apt at many differant styles

Might not be as much help as you wanted,But Steve Vai used paf-pros for long enough before designing/co-designing the Evo

Rob

MicJustMic · #3 08-19-2003, 08:54 PM

I've had both PAF Pros, Super Distortions and Evos in my 550 . . .

Sticking with the Evos, so far they are my favorite pickup to date.

The neck Evo is like a PAF Pro, only louder and not quite as bright, and the bridge Evo is like . . . well . . . no other pickup I've ever played through.

Very LOUD, but sweet and responsive at the same time.

However, given a 550 with PAF Pros in it I'd still be VERY happy with the sound.

Try everything, listen to samples and buy a few. Dimarzio well exchange them if you don't like them.

Mic

freewheeler · #4 08-19-2003, 09:21 PM

I have in my RG 550L the Dimarzio's Paf Pro in neck and ToneZone in the Bridge.

I used to have EMGs (81 bridge and 85 neck) as well as Evolutions (bridge and neck) and Tom Anderson H3 (bridge) and Dimarzio Superdistorsion (neck), neither of these combinations was what I looked for tonewise. I tried out and now I prefer Dimarzio's Paf Pro neck and Dimarzio's ToneZone in the Bridge. Sounds amazingly great!!! Awesome tone and an excellent combination to have when recording leads and rhythms.

Mick90 · #5 08-21-2003, 05:51 AM

Hi,

I had the same question just a few month ago...

I was hesitating between Evo, Tone Zone and EMg 81 in the bridge position, and Evo, Paf Pro and EMG85for the neck.

You should be very attentive to your amp, and at what sound do you really want.

My problem was that I had a very muddy sound (Marshall JCM200 TSL), at high gain distortion. It appear that evolutions (especially in the bridge), is balanced with lots of highs, so it wasn't the solution for me. Tone Zone, less powerful than the evo, is balanced with more low and mids, and after triying it on a RG Deluxe on my amp, the sound was... Whooow cool ! It has a lots of harmonics, a very linear distortion (in the good sense !), and not muddy.

You could also tried the Breed Pups. It's similar to the TZ, with more harmonics.

earthman · #6 08-21-2003, 05:55 AM

in his early mr big days, paul was using paf pros! well, that's what's on the PGM100 and PGM300 anyway.

he soon moved to tone zone in the bridge and a humbucker from hell in the neck (PGM500), and since then I've lost track.
--c.

**jim777** · #7 08-24-2003, 10:54 PM

There are some great sounding older Dimarzios floating around, too. A PAF, without the "Pro", is a beautiful neck pickup, as is the Al DiMeola neck pickup. I'm trying to get an Al D for my 550 now, so wait a week to go looking for one

I was thinking I might go with a Hot Rails for the bridge pickup, I don't know yet. I was thinking I want something different from everyone else.

jim

vai n maiden · #8 09-08-2003, 06:50 AM

yeah paul used PAF pros in his post racer x and early mr big days, but he started getting into the tone zone pups pretty soon.

If you're interested in his earlier mr big stuff paul was also known to use super dists (but wired together in parallel i think) dunno where i heard this, think it mightve been dimarzio.

EDIT: sorry typo when i typed mr big i meant racer x

nuno · #9 09-08-2003, 07:26 AM

get a Super Distortion (bridge) and a PAF Pro (neck)

the SD is the best sounding pickup i've ever heard and played, it's got big MF ballsy tone YET not muddy sound, and it's very very very balanced, and not as trebly as Evos.

and the PAF Pro is just the best neck pickup ever built. period.

the.godfather · #10 09-08-2003, 08:59 AM

I too would go with a ToneZone in the bridge and a Humbucker From Hell in the neck, or maybe a PAF.

But you defenitely gotta have a ToneZone in the bridge!

ShReDdA · #11 09-10-2003, 09:44 AM

well i think ive d n the decided on the paf pro for the neck, not sure about the bridge???i want some thing that is quite fat and punchy but brings out the harmonics realy well?

Jem7RB MK · #12 09-10-2003, 10:01 AM

You've just described a FRED pickup :-) I love Freds too,But never owned one,altho i did have my mate js1000wh for 3 months as he now lives in AK(usa) and could'nt take it with him first trip :-)

Lovely sounds,Great harmonic range and very well matched to the pafpro neck (JS)

Rob

Ralph khoury · #13 09-12-2003, 10:36 AM

actually i heard a JS with a fred! its sounds gr8 for metal! my 7vwh lacks a lot in heaviness

VOLTAGE · #14 09-18-2003, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShReDdA

Im after some rad new vivid green p-ups for my 550,would paf pros be cool for the bridge and neck p-up,
Also does anyone know what pickups paul gilbert used in his mr big days, that guy has killer tone!how would i get a similar tone from my 550?i was thinking paf pros for the bridge and neck, then a hs-2 or wotever for the singlecoil?
if anyone has any suggestions please let me know!
cheers guys

tone zone set away from the strings to about 1/4" and a paf pro in the neck or humbucker from hell is PG's set up on his RG's

pickups for my rg550

Re: pickups for my rg550