RG7620 pickup replacement

[HamerHeaven]

I just purchased my first 7-string (RG7620) recently and I am looking to replace the pickups. I have been exclusively playing Hamer Californian Elite U.S.A. models on stage with my band (I have 4 of them), which are awesome guitars. I own several other guitars also, but these are my "work horses". I play music professionally in a modern rock/hard rock/progressive rock/metal band (Pantera, Alice in Chains, Metallica, Rush, Queensryche, etc.) All my guitars are equipted with the same pickups and I play through a rack setup with a Rocktron Pirahna tube pre-amp, Alessis effects racks, then into a Mesa 2:90 power amp. This allows me to be able to switch guitars at any time for any reason and still retain my sounds. And have the ability to dial in any new tones I might want which will work with any of the guitars. I have the Seymour Duncan Invader in the bridge position and the Seymour Duncan Cool Rails in the neck postion on all of them. Awesome tones are available with this combination (not muddy at all on either pickup). The SD Jazz neck pick-up is my favorite for the neck position, but since it's a humbucker design and my Hamers used a single coil sized pick-up in the neck position mounted at an angle, I used the SD Cool Rails which are very close to the SD Jazz pick-up. I've been thinking about putting the Invader 7-string in the bridge and the Jazz 7-string (Seymour Duncan) at the neck. But I have also been looking into the EMG 707 pickups. Does anybody have any experience with the SD's that I have in the RG7620 vs. the EMG 707?

Thanks, Mike.

[HamerHeaven]

I decided to try the emg 707 pickups.

[bammbamm]

Let me know how you like 'em. I dropped the Tone Zone and Breed 7's in mine and was not overly happy with the TZ7, it doesn't have the same output as the original nor the same output as the stock pups. I'm thinking an Evo 7 might be the next one I try.

Bamm

[HamerHeaven]

Originally Posted by bammbamm

Let me know how you like 'em. I dropped the Tone Zone and Breed 7's in mine and was not overly happy with the TZ7, it doesn't have the same output as the original nor the same output as the stock pups. I'm thinking an Evo 7 might be the next one I try.

Bamm

I'll definately let you know.
I hope they sound as good as my Seymour Duncan Invader (bridge) and Cool Rails/Jazz (neck) combinations I love so much. Once these go in, there is not turning back due to having to route the body .

[Gus]

Let us know,how sounds the SD Invader in RG7620,...

[HamerHeaven]

Ok here's the deal.

The 707 is a loud pick-up. Close to the volume of a SD Invader.
I put in the EMG 707 in both locations.

Neck position:
I really like the tone it has for the neck position, nice open sound, no muddyness at all. Clean, almost vintage type of tone, solos really well, clean or heavily distorted. Nice and warm due to being in the neck position. Reminds me of the SD Jazz neck pick-up. I also added the EMG EXG module to the neck pick-up which scoops the mids and adds low & high frequencies to the pick-up. With the EXG turned down it still sounds normal, turn it up and it gets a really nice "vintage strat neck pick-up" sound, real chimey & twangy. Use the knob to dial it in any where in between.

Bridge position:
Now the bad part, I don't like the 707 at all in the bridge position. It is bright and clean, but the natural "scooped" responce it has does not seem to do well when going after that thick, fat bottom heavy (not muddy) tone. I like more of a strong lower mid-range response from my bridge pick-ups for that reason. The stock "New 7" sounded better to me in the bridge position. I have been told the 707's are 2/3rd EMG 85 & 1/3 EMG 81 in the responce it puts out. And I believe it. It has a vintage "chimey" tone in the bridge position which comes from a pick-up that has Alnico magnets in it. I even installed the EMG SPC module on it which increases the mid range response and reduces the highs & lows, but still didn't get a sound I liked. I have a Les Paul Gothic with the Zakk Wylde pick-ups (EMG 81/85 set) and I love them. I know I would like the 707 in the bridge if it were more like the EMG 81. I don't know why EMG only makes one version of the 707. A "one trick pony" pick-up does not work well in both locations.

Since I installed these pick-ups, I bought a 03' RG1527 Prestige (I believe it was BucketBot's 7-string) and had my favorites installed (SD Jazz neck & SD Invader bridge pick-ups). I love the sounds, Much better than the 707's. I should have just went with them in the first place, but I had heard and read reviews about how the 707's were the pick-ups to go with for 7-strings, I disagree. May work for all out "buzz saw" distortion, but not much else.

I'm looking into getting EMG's custom shop to build me a 707 to the 81 specs. If they won't, I'll either swap the pick-ups to my favorites (which I would hate to do since the body has been routed) and sell the 707's or sell this guitar and get another one to replace it. If any one is interested in the guitar as it is, it's a '99 RG7620VK (vampires kiss) Just bought it new from a local music store that was moving out it's old inventory.

[7LightWithOutHeat7]

hammer get a pickgard for your 7620 to cover up the routing

[Gus]

So,i guess you like Invader more than EMG707 in the bridge becouse it has more full sound,midrange growl or something like that ?
Did you try the Duncan Distortion 7 ?

[HamerHeaven]

Originally Posted by Gus

So,i guess you like Invader more than EMG707 in the bridge becouse it has more full sound,midrange growl or something like that ?
Did you try the Duncan Distortion 7 ?

Yes. The Invader has a fuller, more rounded tone which is just asking to be distorted. Never gets muddy, always stays clear. I haven't found a pick-up I like better in the bridge position (the EMG 81 is my 2nd favorite). I own a Gary Moore model Les Paul with a SD Distortion in the bridge position and it sounds good, it seemed to have more of a top end chunk to it, brighter sound, but I still like the Invader better. The reason why I didn't use an Invader in the guitar was so I could keep it stock looking. Anyone who has seen one of these GM Les Pauls will completely understand. I put a SD "zebra" (cream & black coils) Jazz pick-up in the neck so it matches the original appearance of stock pick-ups.

[HamerHeaven]

Originally Posted by 7LightWithOutHeat7

hammer get a pickgard for your 7620 to cover up the routing

It's a matter of personnal preference, but I really don't think I would like this guitar with a pickgard on it. The pick-up routing only had to extended at the most about 3/4 of an inch (3/8 of an inch on top & bottom). So it's not really a big deal, but I take great care of my guitars, so it would bother me .

[Gus]

HammerHeaven, which strings gauges and tunings you use with your 7-strings ? Did you also try some DiMarzio 7 pickups in your guitars(ToneZone7,Evolution7,..) ? What do you think about them,compared to SD DD and Invader

[HamerHeaven]

Originally Posted by Gus

HammerHeaven, which strings gauges and tunings you use with your 7-strings ? Did you also try some DiMarzio 7 pickups in your guitars(ToneZone7,Evolution7,..) ? What do you think about them,compared to SD DD and Invader

I play 7-string D'Addario XL 10-56 strings tuned down 1/2 step to A# tuning. The EMG 707's, SD Invader/Jazz combination and the DiMarzio Blaze 7 in the bridge (it came in my RG1527 prestige when I got it) are the only pick-ups I've had any experience with in a 7-string. Other than the "New 7" pick-ups that came stock in my RG7620. Haven't tried any other DiMarzio pick-ups. A friend of mine had a DiMarzio Distortion pick-up in the bridge position of his Les Paul. It was so muddy I couldn't stand it. Since then I have really just avoided the DiMarzio stuff all together. I know there are alot of peole who would say I should give DiMarzio pick-ups another listen, but I have the tones I like with the SD stuff.