Replacement for Ibanez V7 neck humbucker in RG570CT

[Scali]

Well, it appears that my neck humbucker has died... it gives barely any signal in humbucking mode... only the coiltapped mode still sounds normal. So I think one of the two coils is broken (I already replaced the switch, and tried to rewire it, but to no avail).

Anyway, I've been using my RG570CT for over 10 years now, and I've gotten very attached to the sound of the V7.
Since my guitar is a reasonably rare model (it has a Wizard II neck, maple with rosewood fretboard, and an alder body with figured maple top), I'm not quite sure what pickups would go with it.

I could go the safe way and just get an Ibanez V7 replacement, either new or secondhand... But it's not that easy to get hold of them, I think... especially new.

Or, I could replace it with some aftermarket pickups (I'd probably replace the whole set at once then... I have the standard V7-S1-V8 set now). If so, any suggestions to what would sound good in my guitar? I'd want them as close to the original as possible, I suppose.
I had been thinking of DiMarzio Evolution, because they go in the Jem7V, which also has an alder body (although it doesn't have a maple top), and they aren't extremely hot, and have a reasonably 'vintage' edge to them.

Oh, perhaps useful information: I play all kinds of music, but my main styles are pretty much Satriani/Vai/Petrucci-like 80s hi-gain soloing, and completely clean funky chord work and things. So I don't want too much output, to keep stuff nice and clean... and have a good warm 'vintage' sound to it aswell... And I like enough dynamics to be able to roll back the volume from hi-gain to vintage bluesy/crunchy stuff.
For sounds with my original RG pickups, you could listen to some stuff on http://www.soundclick.com/scali
Most recent stuff is recorded with the RG (except for the new 'Sexy Jam' stuff, recorded with my Les Paul when my RG broke down) and a Marshall 6101 amp.

[Scali]

So far I found an ****-advertisement where the seller claimed that the V7 was based off the DiMarzio PAF Pro.
So I did some checking in older Ibanez catalogs, and I found that in the year my RG570CT was built, there were also US RGs that also had an alder+maple body, and used PAF Pro and Tone Zone pickups.

So that may be the right direction... Chances are that the V7 and V8 are Ibanez' low-budget versions of these pickups... and else I can at least assume that the PAF Pro and Tone Zone probably work well in an alder+maple RG, since the high-end models used that.

[Shredder87]

You should be able to pick up a V7 from somewhere, I spotted a V7/S1/V8 set on the 'Bay a while back.

[Scali]

Yea, I did see some on **** here and there... but they were either complete sets (I only need the neck humbucker, the rest still works), or they were very expensive, especially with shipping included...
So I would just aswell buy a DiMarzio for about the same price... if I can be reasonably sure that it sounds more or less the same. It will probably be of better quality than stock Ibanez pickups (although I find these pickups to be even less noisy than the Gibsons in my Les Paul).

I've also been looking at Bareknuckle pickups... somehow their whole approach appeals to me, I think it would suit my style (vintage yet modern). But they don't sell H-S-H sets, so I'll have to contact them and see what they can do for me.... or just buy a H-H set, and keep the stock S1.

[Shredder87]

Originally Posted by Scali

Yea, I did see some on **** here and there... but they were either complete sets (I only need the neck humbucker, the rest still works), or they were very expensive, especially with shipping included...
So I would just aswell buy a DiMarzio for about the same price... if I can be reasonably sure that it sounds more or less the same. It will probably be of better quality than stock Ibanez pickups (although I find these pickups to be even less noisy than the Gibsons in my Les Paul).

I've also been looking at Bareknuckle pickups... somehow their whole approach appeals to me, I think it would suit my style (vintage yet modern). But they don't sell H-S-H sets, so I'll have to contact them and see what they can do for me.... or just buy a H-H set, and keep the stock S1.

From what I hear Bareknuckles have an excellent reputation, I don't know what they'd be like in an Ibanez but you can try it. They are very good pickups.

There are loads of DiMarzios to choose from too... pick carefully. I'm not really an expert, but most people seem to go for the PAFs or Air Norton.

[Scali]

Hum... someone offered me his V7 out of his RG1570... however, the pickup doesn't have the V7-mark on it... so it's not 100% sure that it is in fact a V7 pickup... Either Ibanez forgot to print it (the S1 and V8 were printed on the other pickups in the guitar though), or they accidentally put in the wrong pickup in the guitar.
I've never seen a V7 without markings, is that normal?

[waylay00]

IIRC, that is not normal. I would go with a PAF Pro. I used to overlook it, as I was into all those "exotic" pickups (X2N, D-Sonic, Air Norton etc). I just tried a PAF Pro recently and it is by far my favorite neck pickup. I have a V7 in one of my RG's and I think the PAF Pro has a very similar vibe. Go with a PAF Pro.

[Scali]

Yea, thanks for the input... I don't think those "exotic" hi-output pickups are for me either... I have plenty of gain on my amp, I'm not interested in output, I just want tone... and it seems that all those hot pickups have a rather sterile sound to them.

I've narrowed my choices down to two possible sets:
1) The Evolution set, with an Evo2 in the bridge.
2) Tone Zone in the bridge, blue velvet in the middle, PAF Pro in the neck.

But I'm currently leaning towards the second option. Possibly even an Air Zone instead of a Tone Zone... not sure.

[Scali]

By the way, I need F-spaced for both bridge and neck, right?

[Scali]

Okay, I went with the second option: Tone Zone in the bridge, blue velvet in the middle, PAF Pro in the neck.
I've ordered them yesterday, now I'll just have to wait and hope they'll turn out good.

[JRBain]

I'm in a similar situation (except for the fact that my V7 is in an RG1570 and isn't broken). Basically the thing I like about the V7 is it's presence - I'm looking at an Air Norton, on the basis that i'd like something that's warm and fat, but the only insight i've had as to whether it has the presence that i'm after is listening to John Petrucci, so i'd like to see for myself. It'll be either that or the PAF Pro. What do you guys think? (any differences between the two, not just these issues)

Thanks a lot :thu:

[-Rhaab]

Originally Posted by Scali

By the way, I need F-spaced for both bridge and neck, right?

yupp

i have a 570 too
i also think my neck pickup broke, or wired wrong, i havent used it in so long

[Scali]

Actually, I didn't like the DiMarzio's all that much.
The ToneZone sounded too dark and the PAF Pro sounded too bright.
I ended up getting a secondhand V7 off **** and returned the pickup configuration to stock.