Bright, scooped Dimarzio for a thick, dull guitar?

[Drak]

Have you checked or swapped the volume pot?
The factory pot is 300k.
Just sayin'...

[Juanhanglo]

Full Shred set.

I had a Steve's special a long time ago. The reduced mids work great in a middy guitar, but I wouldn't say it increased clarity.

I really think the super 2 is a great choice for your kind of situation.
Fred too.

any pickup that easily allow alot of harmonics and is somewhat bright will work.

[Dave Locher]

New guitar. Don't try to squeeze blood from a piece of dead wood.

It's actually quite lively and responsive, it just lacks highs and puts out a ton of low mids.

[Dave Locher]

One Zebra SH-10b, one Reverse Zebra SH-10b, make a double creme and a double black. Sell the double black to recover some of your money.

Beyond my knowledge and skill set!

[Dave Locher]

Thank you for all the replies! I never would have even considered the Evo. This is why I asked y'all.
About the wiring: I replaced everything years ago. CTS 500k pots and a toggle to bypass the tone control so the pickup only sees the volume pot when in that mode.
About the V-2: yeah, I have been looking but they are hard to find. They are late '70s-early '80s only. I'm talking about the double-cream-only V-2, not the later V2 pickups. They look and sound totally different.
So now I will widen my search to include a couple of those suggested and see what I can find.
Thanks again, everyone.

[JamesPaul]

Beyond my knowledge and skill set!

It is more involved than a magnet swap, but still not too difficult.

There's an entire topic devoted to making your own '59/Custom hybrid. The procedure would be the same, you would just be using 2 of the Full Shred pickups.

If you really want one, you buy the pickups and there are a few Forum Bros who would probably make them for you. You'd spend a little more with postage and labor, but if this is the Holy Grail it's worth it.

How to Make a '59-Custom Hybrid

A side note on the Evolution. My Lead II came modified with one in the bridge. It has a certain "transparency" which lets your playing style come through. Both the positives and the negatives. I probably should have kept it in there and used it to improve my technique.

[Mincer]

I had a guitar that sounded thick and dull. A Custom 5 and a Jazz cured it. Now it is one of my favs.

[Dave Locher]

I had a guitar that sounded thick and dull. A Custom 5 and a Jazz cured it. Now it is one of my favs.

I think a Custom 5 might work well here, too, but the double cream thing really is a deal breaker. I suspect the old Ibby V-2 has some of the same sonic qualities as a C5, since it is also an A5 pickup. (Not sure if it's double thick like the C8 in a Super D but all sources agree it's A5).

[dave74]

Super2 isn't what I would call lively when it's in the bridge., unless it's in something with some natural sponge, like basswood bodies and full mahogany neck and body guitars.
It is indeed very loud and bright when in the bridge, which is great for a dark/dull guitar, but I just found it too dry and stiff for my liking in a dark/dead guitar much as the one you're describing.
In the neck position the super2 really shines for leads, and glassy cleans too if you roll the volume back to reduce level and then also use a treble-bleed. It's never dry or stiff in the neck.

Besides the Evo I would suggest the D'activator-X bridge. On paper it shows like it's dark but it's not. It's more open in the high-highs than the X2N or the Evo.
It does not have the same cut in the upper mids and treble as those do, but the lows and lower mids are juicy and lively, and it has a great lively sizzle on top.

[hamerfan]

I think a Custom 5 might work well here, too, but the double cream thing really is a deal breaker. I suspect the old Ibby V-2 has some of the same sonic qualities as a C5, since it is also an A5 pickup. (Not sure if it's double thick like the C8 in a Super D but all sources agree it's A5).

The Full Shred is a Custom 5 with hex screws for a more focused magnet field.

[Mincer]

I think a Custom 5 might work well here, too, but the double cream thing really is a deal breaker. I suspect the old Ibby V-2 has some of the same sonic qualities as a C5, since it is also an A5 pickup. (Not sure if it's double thick like the C8 in a Super D but all sources agree it's A5).

No, not double thick, and unfortunately, not double cream either. That narrows the choices a bit, doesn't it?

[Dave Locher]

No, not double thick, and unfortunately, not double cream either. That narrows the choices a bit, doesn't it?

Sorry, I wasn't clear: I mean the vintage Ibanez V-2 pickups are definitely A5 magnets, but I do not know if it is a double-thick magnet (like the ceramic magnet in the Super Distortion they visually copied) or standard thickness. Everything I have found about them just says "Alnico magnets" or "alnico 5 magnets."
I tried putting a regular A5 magnet into a Super Distortion a few years ago and HATED it! I thought it would sound like the V-2 but it was much weaker and thinner.

[UnderTheFlame83]

Another vote for FRED.

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Steve's Special, or depending on the output you want, 36th bridge or PAF master bridge.

[oilpit]

I'm gonna throw in another vote for the FRED. Unless you want something really hot, it's definitely the ticket.

It has some of the tightest low end of any pickup I've ever heard. It has mids but they aren't honky, and it's definitely on the brighter side of things.