Ibanez JEM Forum banner

"new" quantums?

2K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  FireEagle 
#1 ·
Just wondering, are these quantums out on cheaper models the same ones that were used on older higher end models? I cant imagine so, but seems a weird thing to call them otherwise.
 
#4 ·
I don't know if they are the same as the old ones but I have an Ibanez with Quantums and I won't replace them. I thought I would because I've read that they are trash but I actually like them. I can see why other people would disagree, though. They are a bit grainy and they pronounce the pick attack a lot - which is what I really like about them. The bass response for chugga chugga riffs is pretty good, too.
 
#5 ·
LOL yeah, thats actually kinda what I was vibin em for too. Thats why I was wondering if they would be the same, because I see em dirt cheap lol.

BTW, if youre into that uh ... "djenty" stuff, the best pickup I've ever had the pleasure of using was a dimarzio titan NECK in the BRIDGE position. Didnt care for the titan bridge at all.
 
#6 ·
There may be a difference between the old and new ones. They were originally introduced as QM1 and QM2 in the mid '90's and phased out in mid 2000's. They were later brought back in 2014 as the QM6 and also QM7, 8 & 9 referring to the number of strings. I know they all use ceramic magnets and are wound pretty hot. Outside of that I couldn't find much on the specs to compare so there may be some differences.

I have a guitar with a QM1 & QM2. I thought they were decent for stock pickups. They had good articulation but I found them a bit sterile. I swapped the ceramic magnet with an Alnico 9 which kept the articulation, but make them sound more organic. I like them much better with the A9 magnet. The magnet swap made them go from okay to pretty good.
 
#7 ·
I recall that these pickups first featured in guitars where the previous year’s equivalent model had had the IBZ/USA pickups so these were seen as a cost cutting measure and not really ever given a chance. That said this was at a time when the Internet is not what it is today and so my sample size for this understanding is a LOT smaller and influenced heavily by the passage of time, like 25 or so years of it! ;)
 
#8 ·
My venture into wanting to try a 7 string ended up with me buying an RG7421PB w/Quantum7 pickups... Found one for a steal locally, pretty worn. Bought it after watching this demo:



Of course Lee Wrathe can make any guitar sound good... Mine sounds dead, dull, and lifeless. To be honest though, I can't play a 7-string very well at all and I don't know how to get good sound out of that low B string. Apparently, I do NOT djent. That is my worthless review of QM7 pickups! :)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top