[LonePhantom]

I'm planning on doing some DIY experiments with some Ibanez V7 and V8 pickups soon. Swapping magnets, half air, filtering caps, etc.

I want to know what sort of issues people have with the stock V series, see if I can work out some nice cheap mods that might give people what they want when they are poor like me, and cannot afford to buy lots of pickups to try.

I'll be documenting what I find on my blog, and try to work out how to get the tones people want from their pickups.

Cheers

 

[satch_jr]

I've got my old V7 placed in neck position in my Kawai aquarius, alder body and maple neck, with a DP150 double whammy in bridge position.
The V7 lacks of clarity, and is not too muddy, and is not articulate enough. The output is good to deal with the double whammy.
What idea do you have to solve that sounding?

 

[Hikey Mikey]

You need a "too stock" option.

Peace

Mike

 

[RGTFanatic]

I've only ever used the V7-V8, and I think they're both close to being decent pickups. I think that they could be VERY nice "vintage style" pups with the right tweaks.

 

[LonePhantom]

I've only ever used the V7-V8, and I think they're both close to being decent pickups. I think that they could be VERY nice "vintage style" pups with the right tweaks.

What do you mean by vintage style? Give me some descriptors.

 

[LonePhantom]

Thanks everyone for the feedback so far. I'd love to see some more people put in their 2c, get a good range of feedback.

 

[LonePhantom]

Bumping it up there, can we get any more responses.

 

[fwd0120]

I'm pretty content with them in mahogany. Sometimes I wish there was "more", maybe could be *slightly* more fucused, more overtones.

 

[AlaskaBat]

I like the V7 and V8 much better than the S pickups. The V series are decent pickups, but I find they lack clarity--they have a nice punch and some good output, but they are just a little on the muddy side.

 

[LonePhantom]

Cool, thanks guys, this is great. Getting some ideas, and confirming some things in my head.

Keep 'em coming though.

 

[RGTFanatic]

What do you mean by vintage style? Give me some descriptors.

Sorry it took so long to get back...... by vintage, I mean old school PAF type of sound. If you tried an alnico 3 mag or a half air mod......or maybe shorter pole pieces.

I think the way their wound you could avoid the "quack" of vintage pups while cleaning up the lows and mids using an A3 mag........ just my thought's though, I have no real experience with this stuff as you know.....

Ryc

 

[corpraider69]

I like the V7 and V8 much better than the S pickups. The V series are decent pickups, but I find they lack clarity--they have a nice punch and some good output, but they are just a little on the muddy side.

Yeah what he said!!

 

[LonePhantom]

Sorry it took so long to get back...... by vintage, I mean old school PAF type of sound. If you tried an alnico 3 mag or a half air mod......or maybe shorter pole pieces.

I think the way their wound you could avoid the "quack" of vintage pups while cleaning up the lows and mids using an A3 mag........ just my thought's though, I have no real experience with this stuff as you know.....

Ryc

Well I was planning on getting a few ceramic for more output, and maybe some alnico 2/3s to try and vintage them up. Half-air was definitely on the cards for adding more clarity, and an open sound. I've got a feeling using a ceramic magnet, and half airing the bridge will result in a cool pickup with similar output to stock, but more openness and clarity.

 

[RGTFanatic]

Well I was planning on getting a few ceramic for more output, and maybe some alnico 2/3s to try and vintage them up. Half-air was definitely on the cards for adding more clarity, and an open sound. I've got a feeling using a ceramic magnet, and half airing the bridge will result in a cool pickup with similar output to stock, but more openness and clarity.

That sounds like a GREAT idea......... how do you think the windings will respond to the ceramic???

 

[D.M.RG7620]

what is the output on the v77 & v87 pickups? because if its more output than a d-sonic, ill get a d-activator but if its less than a d-sonic, ill get that

 

[RGTFanatic]

I think the V's are a little less than a Tone Zone (375mV) so I'd guess around 300-325mV. Lonephantom could tell us more for sure though...........

 

[RGTFanatic]

We can test your on my volt meter too.....

 

[LonePhantom]

Bumping it up there. Anyone else want to contribute?

 

[linuxpenguin]

ceramic magnet would probably be fantastic on this pickup...

 

[LonePhantom]

You talking about the bridge one?