Recommendation for S1520 owners: DiMarzio FRED and PAF Pro

gitarrero · #1 03-05-2003, 06:15 AM

A couple of days ago, I took my Saber Prestige S1520FB and took out the Ibanez Quantum pickups and threw in my favourite (and Joe Satriani's too) DiMarzio pickup configuration: PAF Pro and FRED, both F-spaced and originally taken from an Ibanez JS1000 guitar. As you may know, the neck position PAF Pro on the JS series is a special order OEM pup and comes with chrome pole pieces instead of the usual blacks. This matches the FRED perfectly and improves the whole appearance.

Let me tell you, these new pickups squeeze even more tone out ouf the guitar. The neck pickup QM1 used to be kinda muddy and really low, but now with the PAF Pro it's much more articulate on the low notes. And by rolling back the tone just a little, I still get the jazzy mellow tone. In the bridge position, the FRED does a much better job than the QM2 and delivers much more overtones. Definitely way better for distortion than before.

The split positions 2 and 4 now sound much crispier than before. This is ideal for clean settings.

And, most important, it was a very easy re-wiring. You can use the same scheme as before in stock configuration. The Quantum series come with two wires (red and white) plus bare ground. The red one is "hot" and the white one grounds the bridge-side coil. So I just soldered the DiMarzios' white/black together to the very same switch positions as the Quantums' white. Then, I used the DiMarzio's red as a hot lead and ground the green together with the bare shield. That's it!!! It worked out great and it's just like a totally new guitar with much more character and definition!

Just a note
Oliver

germX · #2 03-05-2003, 07:46 PM

hmm.. good to read positive feedbacks on the PAF Pro. maybe this humbucker fits your guitar, i last heard it in the 3120 & it's kinda muddy.

i have 2 S540s, each advocates dimarzio & Duncan pickups. my choice of a good, clear, gain friendly neck humbucker from the Dimarzio brand is the Super2.

good to see another S-player here...

gitarrero · #3 03-06-2003, 04:28 AM

Yes, the PAF Pro is my favourite neck pickup, although many people in this forum dislike it for some reasons...

I think I have the Super 2 as a neck pickup in my Charvel San Dimas. I'm not sure, because they're supposed to be custom-made after Charvel specs, but I heard they are very near to stock DiMarzio models.

germX · #4 03-06-2003, 07:37 PM

people i talked to somehow dislike the Super2 for its treble inclinations. IMO that's important if it is to reside in the neck. they prefer the 'smooth' slightly muddy tone, but i guess to each his own...

my other fav neck humbucker is Seymour Duncan's Full Shred

gitarrero · #5 03-19-2003, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by germX

my other fav neck humbucker is Seymour Duncan's Full Shred

Have you ever tried the Duncan '59 in neck position? According to their website, it's one of the most popular neck pup in their lineup.

germX · #6 03-19-2003, 12:58 PM

oh yes. i happen to have one in the neck posiotion of one other ibanez. it's a good humbucker clean & overdriven, will suit those who aren't into excessive distortion. but IMO it is bass excessive. i prefer dimarzio's Super 2 & Duncan's Full Shred discussed in my earlier posting simply because it makes all notes stand out. if you solo in the neck, chances are you play all the strings of your guitar right? not just the bass ones...

the '59 is popular alright, it's used for all kinda tone acquisition- rock/ blues/ jazz/ clean etc... Slash swears by it...