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Fortuna pickups in Ibanez AZ

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  • Fortuna pickups in Ibanez AZ

    Has anyone tried the SD Fortuna pickups that come stock in the Ibanez AZ2204N models? Does anyone know which regular production models they're based on (if any)?

    I couldn't find anything when I searched and I figured if anyone knew, it'd likely be on this forum

    Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk


  • #2
    I hadn't heard about them, so now I am interested, too.
    Administrator of the SDUGF

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    • #3
      Since they're specifically made for Ibanez, unless someone yanks them out of a guitar and sells them after the fact, unlikely we'll know for sure what they're based on, their dcr etc. They're touted as more vintagey than the Hyperion sets.

      Seen a Hyperion bridge hb for sale that was measured to about 15.5k. Since it has an A5 (I assume), that may put it in JB territory. Don't know about the rest of them.

      Maybe not as many people have their hands on guitars with the Fortunas in them yet.
      Originally posted by dominus
      Your rant would sound better with an A8 magnet, it'll beef it up some without sacrificing some of the whine.

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      • #4
        Whatever the Fortunas are, they sound pretty good here, imo. Single sounds like SSL1 to me, has that piano-like clang and scooped mid; hb seems to have a generous amount of top end and tight everything else.

        The Gotoh trem in these models is non-floating and has a brass block/steel saddles, so that'll affect the tone character too. AZs with Hyperions have floating setup with steel block/titanium saddles.
        Originally posted by dominus
        Your rant would sound better with an A8 magnet, it'll beef it up some without sacrificing some of the whine.

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        • #5
          Since making this thread I've bought and returned an AZ2204N, so I can leave some description for whomever stumbles upon this thread later.

          First off, I have a lot of guitars and have owned many over the years, but almost all have been dual humbucker so I'm not well-versed in single coils. From that vantage point, I found the Fortuna pickups bright and scooped. Very clear.

          The humbucker matched the single coils rather than the other way around, which is to say it's one of the thinnest sounding humbuckers I've played. Think Custom 5 mids and highs with the bass dialed down and output only a bit hotter than a PAF - that's obviously a rough estimate because I didn't swap anything else in to compare and some of that could be the natural tone of the guitar. Comparing to a WLH I have an Eclipse, the Fortuna was brighter, clearer and lacking some balls, but again some of that could be the guitar. I didn't find it unusably bright and scooped like a Kiesel Lithium though.

          There was no significant volume jumps and all 9 positions on the switch were useful. I actually would've loved to have kept it as far as the tone is concerned because it covers a lot that my other guitars don't.

          I returned it because the neck felt like they forgot to carve it. I don't mind a D shaped neck but this thing was more like a slightly rounded square. Way too much shoulder, so shifting your thumb up to the bass side is weirdly difficult. I've played necks that were more immediately offensive (like >1" thick) but didn't mess up my playing as much as this. Just a really weird profile for my hands. The return policy was 1 month but I returned it after playing it for 2 days because I was that confident I wouldn't adjust to the neck.

          Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

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          • #6
            Personally, I love the set in the AZ2204NW. Thin? Not in my book. The guitar is VERY well matched in my opinion. It's not supposed to be a burner, but it does burn if you want. LOVE the SC's even more. Very responsive and again match the guitar well. Now, I've set mine up FAR different from the factory. I removed two springs and it's floating now. Not super floaty, just enough for a wiggle.

            I too would like specs since it's an OEM type. Have no plans to replace them (now, the hyperions on my "premium" H/H........)

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            • #7
              if you have the guitar, plug a short cable in and see what each position reads for dc resistance on a meter. id guess the single coils are around 7k. they sound great in that demo

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              • #8
                I love this guitar and the pups

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                • #9
                  If anyone is interested in knowing the output of
                  fortuna pickups, they’re somewhat surprising. I just got an az2204nw a couple of weeks ago, and had resistance measured today.
                  neck: 5.5k
                  middle: 5.7k
                  bridge:7.5k

                  definitely not as hot nor even moderately hot as most people have suspected.

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                  • #10
                    I have an Ibanez Prestige 2204NW (dark tide blue). Thanks for posting the above resistance specs. I think I need a little hotter bridge pick up for '80s metal.

                    Any suggestions besides a JB? Custom 5, '59, or '78 perhaps?

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Shock Me View Post
                      I have an Ibanez Prestige 2204NW (dark tide blue). Thanks for posting the above resistance specs. I think I need a little hotter bridge pick up for '80s metal.

                      Any suggestions besides a JB? Custom 5, '59, or '78 perhaps?
                      A regular Custom, or 59/Custom Hybrid will work. A Custom 5 if you don't like (or need mids) or a Custom Custom if you really like mids. A Full Shred is a great choice for a cutting pickup with a lot of high end.
                      Administrator of the SDUGF

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by ArtieToo
                        Is it just me, or is the output jack on that at a strange angle and position?
                        That actually makes a lot of sense. The jack on my Brian Moore and my Steinberger is on the back.
                        Administrator of the SDUGF

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                        • #13
                          I think it looks weird if the cable isn't going through the strap. Then it sort of looks like it is cascading out of the guitar.
                          Administrator of the SDUGF

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                          • #14
                            I came hear to inquire about pickups and it never fails to get derailed. Seriously? You comment on the guitar's input jack? Make a new thread regarding that.

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                            • #15
                              Sorry. Deleted.

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