NGD: Ibanez SZ520QM

[donaldr]

I was looking for an HH guitar that is more comfortable to play than my Gibson LP. I looked at PRS for 22 frets, hardtail bridge, mahogany body and mahogany set neck. There's an S2 McCarty 594 and some nice Core models way over my budget!

I found this 2005 Ibanez SZ520QM. The quality is very good, the playability is excellent, IMO the look is fantastic and I'm liking it so far.



But I will need help with a pickup swap in a near future. The pickups are Duncan/Ibanez based on '59 neck and Distortion bridge. Very good pickups but not my cup of tea. The neck pickup is missing some mids and the bridge pickup is way to hot for my taste.

PS: I'm already asking for help regarding pickups in this thread. I may continue looking for suggestions here and close the other thread.

[Mincer]

Well, this is a fine instrument you have there...congrats!

[ArtieToo]

Gorgeous! Sorta has a PRS vibe to it.

[GuitarStv]

Looks comfy to play up high on the neck - how do the upper frets compare to your Exit 22? I've got an Exit 22 as well, and it's superb for getting your fingers up high.

[donaldr]

I would say the access to upper frets is what sold me to that Ibanez, on par with a PRS 22 and maybe better. Definitely better than my Godin Exit 22 also.
For reference, I can put my thumb on top off the 17th fret as easy as other place on the neck. I can even go with my thumb on top of the 19th fret without too much effort, so access to all 22 frets is comfortable.

[Spudman]

I have several SZs and used to feel tempted to swap pickups. Instead I spent time on adjusting the heights of each and now I'm pretty sure the stock pickups will stay.
It's also possible that putting in different pickups will alter the "in between" sounds you can get when both pickups are selected. For me that is the 'money' sound right there and the stock pickups rule for this. I haven't heard any SZs with swapped pickups to determine if changing pickups would ruin that in between sound or not though.
I think the pickups that come stock, Duncan and Dimarzio, are actually really good, and I'm also frugal, so I'm saving money by not swapping pickups and I'm really happy with the sounds. Lowering pickup height was my solution and now I have better vintage type sounds which are less compressed and more dynamic than running the pickups high. Congrats on your acquisition. That's a beauty.

[donaldr]

I understand your point of view and I agree with you, the stock pickups are good. My problem is they are too hot for me, the bridge is a Distortion with ceramic magnet. I prefer hot vintage/medium output pickups. I will try a 250k volume pot on the bridge pickup, that should help make it a bit darker, less prominent and better matching eq with neck pickup ('59).
Thanks

PS: I agree that's a beauty. Really impressed for the price.

[donaldr]

I lowered the Distortion a fair bit so now it's not overpowering everything, but it lost its tickness. Still having a hard time with the '59 neck, missing mids and too much highs.

I orderer fillister screws, 250k pot, A2/A8 magnet and some resistances/capacitors to mod my Screamin Demon. That might work for the bridge.

Maybe I will try a set of Pearly Gates or a set of (PA-TB1n/PA-TB3b) if the Demon is not working, but I'm also intrigued by a set of EMG Fat 55 (which is almost half the price of the PG set + pots/caps).

[Mincer]

A Pearly Gates in the neck is going to have more highs than the 59, however.

[donaldr]

A Pearly Gates in the neck is going to have more highs than the 59, however.

Damn, is Seymour having earring issues to put so much highs in its pickups

[Mincer]

Damn, is Seymour having earring issues to put so much highs in its pickups

It has less bass than the 59, which makes it sound brighter, still. Thinking about it, Billy Gibbons, who helped with the Pearly Gates, has a really bright sound.

[GuitarStv]

Damn, is Seymour having earring issues to put so much highs in its pickups

Why not wire it up with a different tone for each pickup with a master volume? Then you can roll back the neck and leave the bridge wide open. Should be easy to get a low output neck to match with a high output bridge volume wise, but tone is often more difficult.

[donaldr]

Totally agree and that's what I prefer. This guitar is currently volume neck + volume bridge + master tone. I should receive the parts this weekend to mod my Screamin Demon. If it's going well I will redo the electronic for master volume + tone neck + tone bridge.

[ErikH]

Nice one. I had a 720 a while back. Same as the 520 with a little more bling on it. Great guitar. Wish I was able to keep it.

[donaldr]

I received and installed an A8 magnet, replaced the hex screws with fillister screws, soldered an 476k resistor to the volume pot, played with height of the pickups and the screws. The Screamin Demon is still to bright and 2-dimensional (compared to my strat with STK-S7 in the bridge). Same with the '59n.

I think a Rio Grande BBQ will be too hot for my taste (and not available in Canada).
Trying a A2P/Slash set is like $400 and no 21 days exchange policy here north of the border.
Maybe I'll try an EMG Fat 55 set as I don't have to solder and can return if I don't like it.