[Methroix]

As the title says I'm in the pickup replacement zone for my RG1451.

Specs (for those who don't know their RG's :wink:
Body material: Basswood
Bridge: Tight End bridge
Neck type: Wizard HP Prestige
Neck material: 5-Piece Maple/Walnut
Fingerboard: Rosewood


With my SZ520 I went flat out with a pair of D Activator-X, really transforming this mahogany neck-thru to a vicious roaring brute, but without the loss of clarity and dynamic range.

With the RG1451 I'm going a bit more technical - think Petrucci and Satriani.
While I still like high output pups in general, with this guitar I want a more dynamic, expressive and transparent sound. I want it to howl with the dials at eleven, but still have the ability to jazz with the knobs turned down.


These are my alternatives so far (and yes, they're all DiMarzio's):

High output:
Bridge: CrunchLab
Middle: Injector Neck
Neck: LiquiFire

Medium output:
Bridge: Mo' Joe
Middle: Injector Neck
Neck: PAF Joe

And ofcourse:
Bridge: The Tone Zone
Middle: Injector Neck
Neck: Air Norton


My intention is to wire them the same way as the standards:
#1. Bridge H
#2. Bridge Split S + Middle S
#3. Middle S
#4. Middle S + Neck Split S
#5. Neck H


I'm leaning towards the Petrucci set due to the additional output and the way it still cleans up at lower volume.
I really wish I could get hands on with all of them, but sadly living in a small city ruins that idea.

What do you guys think?

 

[AlaskaBat]

Go with the CL and LF.

 

[Methroix]

Go with the CL and LF.

Short and to the point.
Joking aside, I have already read your (and the other's) reviews on the puppies, and those are the reason why I believe they will fit my varied playing style.

 

[AlaskaBat]

Short and to the point.
Joking aside, I have already read your (and the other's) reviews on the puppies, and those are the reason why I believe they will fit my varied playing style.

You might just like the Dominion set, too!
They're new, and while I posted a review--haven't posted sound clips yet.

 

[silverctr]

I put the petrucci set in my SZ720 and love them! They're pretty versatile too. I'm debating if I want to put a petrucci set into my RG520 or go with a set of Evos to have something different than what I already have.

 

[Methroix]

I put the petrucci set in my SZ720 and love them! They're pretty versatile too. I'm debating if I want to put a petrucci set into my RG520 or go with a set of Evos to have something different than what I already have.

In your position I'd have gone with something different, if only to have another unique sounding guitar, and thus more versatility. Either the Evo / Evo2 setup or the Tone Zone / Air Norton set.

The more I read and listen up on the Petrucci set the more I am beginning to make up my mind.

Which brings me to the next question; Coil Tap.
While the RG1451 do turn the 'buckers into singles in the 2 and 4 position, I want a bit more control. And by control I mean a push-pull tone knob.
Anyone have any advice on this as well?
Should I go with standard coil tap, or is there some other, cooler, solution?

 

[B.B.A.]

With the RG1451 I'm going a bit more technical - think Petrucci and Satriani.

I would recommend Dimarzio Airzone in the neck and a Tonezone in the bridge. This would give you great/clear high gain tones but also some very nice jazztones with the knobs turned down. One of my favorit pickups.

 

[Methroix]

I would recommend Dimarzio Airzone in the neck and a Tonezone in the bridge. This would give you great/clear high gain tones but also some very nice jazztones with the knobs turned down. One of my favorit pickups.

I think an Air Zone in the neck would prove to be too much jazz for this guitar; not enough presence and bite.

Maybe I should clarify my needs and wants:
While I do want a puppy setup that can do pretty much everything from screaming metal to clean jazz and blues, I don't want them to be too screaming or too jazzy. Because those extremes are pretty much covered with two of my other guitars.
For pure metal grind I have an Ibanez SZ520 with a set of DiMarzio D Activator-X.
For jazz and blue I've got an Epiphone Les Paul with a Seymour Duncan Alan Holdsworth in the bridge and a Seymour Duncan Phat Cat in the neck.

What I want now is a set of expressive pups with good overtones and nice harmonics. A set that doesn't go as loud as the D Activators, but neither is as timid as the Phat Cat (which is way too timid for metal).
This guitar will be tuned down to Eb, so it won't do nearly as much blues work as the Les Paul, but it will do a lot of the heavier stuff.

Hence I'm leaning more and more towards the Crunch Lab / LiquiFire set, with the Mo' Joe / PAF Joe set as main alternative.

 

[Methroix]

A tiny update:

First of all; the Crunch Lab and LiquiFire are all but en route. I just need to give the store the heads up.

Second; I read up on Paul Gilbert's setup (Injector being the signature pups) and why he had the Area 67 in the middle position, and that got me thinking.
While it would, probably, be all good and well with the Injector Neck in the middle as a contributor to the Crunch Lab and LiquiFire, I think a Virtual Vintage 54 Pro would give the guitar some more versatility, bringing with it a cool old school single coil touch.

What do you guys think? Am I on the right track, or should I go with the Injector instead?
I fear that the Injector might prove to be a bit too fat sounding, missing that archetype single coil chime.