ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

[Eclipse]

Hi

Been reading this forum for a while now and this seems like on of the best resources for information on pickups on the web.

I have a ESP Eclipse II (STBC) with 2 EMG-81's in it. This guitar has a mahogny body, mahogny neck and a rosewood fingerboard. I actually find the 81 in the neck allright, however in the bridge it sounds to thin to my ears. I play this guitar through a Hughes & Kettner Triamp MKII and a H&K VC412 cab loaded with V30's.

So I've decided to change pickups to SD's. For the moment this is my only guitar so I need some more versatility. I originally decided to go for the well known JB/59-combo but I'm not sure anymore after reading on this forum.

I plan to coil-split both pickups (too add versatility).

For the bridge I want a pickup thats:
-fatter and more 3D sounding than the EMG-81. Less sterile.
-I want to be able to play hard rock and some metal (I know for instance Will Adler, Michael Amott use JB's so I guess they can be used for metal)

Neck:
-Good cleans, nice throathy leads

I would greatly appreciate advice that could guide me in the right direction considering the choice of pickups.


I also think SD Zebra's would look sexy in that guitar

Just tried the "Tone Wizard" on this site and was recommended the JB/59 for almost any style of music I chose

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

Hell, I'd try a Duncan Custom in the bridge and a Custom Custom in the neck. You can dial in either or both with magnet swapping.

 

[SFW]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

The JB/59 combo will do what you are looking for. Don't let the forum scareyou off from the JB. It's probably the most versital pickup in the Duncan lineup. They split very well, and have a very distinctive grind in the lower mids when playing rhythm.

On another note, I play a Pearly Gates in my Les Paul through a H&K TriAmp MK 1, and have not problems with metal tones.

 

[LatsMcGee]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

I would stay with the actives and throw a blackout neck in the bridge, even an EMG 85 would probably get you what you want.

 

[cakire82]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

The JB/59 combo will do what you are looking for. Don't let the forum scareyou off from the JB. It's probably the most versital pickup in the Duncan lineup. They split very well, and have a very distinctive grind in the lower mids when playing rhythm.

On another note, I play a Pearly Gates in my Les Paul through a H&K TriAmp MK 1, and have not problems with metal tones.

+1

This the comb Alex Skolnick is using in his custom Heritage LP these days. You won't regret it.

 

[Eclipse]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

Thank you for your replies so far!

I'll look into the Custom/Custom Custom.

I've actually thought about the Blackouts and I like what I hear from them using high gain. However I fear they might lack for cleans and versatility that good passives might give you. They do sound (from the clips that I've heard) fatter and more 3D than the EMG's (more organic).

Trying the Blackouts is tempting before moving on to passives since its a very easy swap for the EMG's.

Choosing pickups is hard! There is no way of knowing how they will sound in your guitar, through your effects and amp and played with your fingers. Getting advice from you guys is probably the best (and only) way to at least be pointed in the right direction.

 

[checo]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

i recently had to sell my eclipse due to financial harship, but after numerous pickups, the best combo i found was the Motor City Pickups Afwayu in the bridge, and the Dimarzio EJ Custom in the neck position. Something wicked was a Bare Knuckle Pickups Steve Stevens Rebel Yell bridge pickup. You might want to try the BKP first. Fat with grind.

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

Why do they call it the "Afwayu"?

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

If you are going from EMG to passive you might want to try the Full Shred set. Most people think they are great but some people say they are boxy. I think they are outstanding. You will get tight rhythms and articulate solos and it screams harmonics.

 

[Invader09]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

+1 to what UberMetalDood said. Full shred is great, but for me was too thin. I loved the sound besides that though. So if your looking for a pickup to push alittle more bass into the amp(which it seems that you indicated in your post), look elsewhere, I'm thinking DiMarzio Super Distortion. Maybe a Duncan Distortion ...

 

[checo]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

Afwayu??? Don't know, but if you go to the website, or of you call him (Wade), you can talk to the man himself and tell him what you are looking for and he'll wind something for you.

 

[Chi3f]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

I sold my eclipse II last year, great guitar. I would first off 18v mod the guitar if you haven't already. First thing i did and i have done it to every guitar i have had with emg's since. If that doesn't get you closer to what you want put an 85 in the bridge. I personally liked the 81 in the bridge 18v modded of course. Mine had a 60 in the neck which i liked more then having the 81 in the neck of that guitar. Did you change the pickups in that guitar to begin with? I thought they all came with 81/60's for actives. I use an 85 in the bridge of my Ibanez RG because how tinny they are with a floating bridge. I use an 81 in the neck of that guitar though.

I use a Krankenstein/g major with vintage 30's and gt75's.

As far as people telling you to put in passive seymour's... Buy an eclipse with The JB/59 already installed, or at least go try one. They come from the factory that way.

BKP's are nice but very pricey... try to find somebody with those pickups before you go and buy them.

Good luck

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

SD Live Wire Classic IIs will click straight into the Quik Connect loom. Change the tone pot capacitor(s) to .047uF. The guitar will then sound very like a Les Paul. (The high frequency detail from the PUs compensates for the lack of a maple cap.) Good cleans, throaty leads. What more do you need?

 

[Eclipse]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

Okay, my description of the sound I'm looking for was a bit vauge, I'm sorry about that. So I sat down and listened to some records to find some examples of guitar sounds I like:

"Alice in Chains - Check my Brain" from the new album Black Gives way to blue. I really like the sound of that. I've heard Cantrell have used JB in the bridge, but I have no clue what he uses nowadays.

A Norwegian band called Audrey Horne. Check out Threshold, Last Chance for a Serenade, Confessions & Alcohol.

As you can hear none of these bands are metal so I can clearly see that my OP was misleading.

Hope this can help you point me in the right direction

 

[checo]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

Cantrell (when i last checked) was using a Motor City Pickups 2nd Degree black belt in the bridge, and a dummy neck humbucker (not connected). i could be wayy behind on this, but wade at MCP can tell you more about that.

I'd definately try that 18 volt mod as well before making any purchase,..i had forgotten about that.

 

[Eclipse]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

@checo

I have the 18V mod installed. Though sounding better than running them at 9V, its not a night and day difference IMO.

 

[Marshall_Abuser]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

+1

Just stick an 85 in the bridge and be done with it. Quick fix.

IMHO, the 85 sounds much better as a bridge pickup and the 81 as a neck pickup.

I would stay with the actives and throw a blackout neck in the bridge, even an EMG 85 would probably get you what you want.

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

I have a esp viper with an 81 in the bridge, sounds amazing with an 18v mod, but only for metal. I've played an eclipse with a 59 in the neck and I think that was just about perfect. I'm not a fan of the JB in the bridge, I'd go with one of the customs since you can buy magnets for cheap and thus you will have 3 or 4 different pickups at your disposal to switch between.

+1 on jerry cantrell using motor city in the bridge, maybe that is worth checking out, I've never played with one

 

[Eclipse]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

Thank you for all your helpful post!

Today I bought a Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded Honeyburst with Burstbucker Pro's. I think this guitar will compliment my EMG equipped guitar well for the softer stuff, while I can use the ESP for metal stuff. I'm still considering trying out some different EMG's in the Eclipse though.

 

[placeboeffect]

Re: ESP Eclipse II - New pickups - Need help

I have a dirty fingers in the bridge of an EC1000, and it is raunchy for punk and metal tones. Sounds great through my mesa mark iv. It has more of a 'thrash' metal tone, but I can get a pretty spot-on metallica tone (even though I don't play much of that kind of stuff).

I have a dimarzio breed bridge, which I am not impressed with and will probably repace with a full shred neck.