Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

[WickedCoach]

Just like the title says. Ever buy a guitar with the plan of swapping out pick ups, or buy pick ups for a guitar, only to realize that the stock pick ups are exactly what your looking for? Common logic says that Duncan's or Dimarzio's will be better, but has anyone ever had this happen?

 

[jacksontrader]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

All of my imports save for one have had the pickups replaced. The only one that hasn't had them changed out is a BC Rich that has a bunch of switches in it that I'm in no hurry to mess with. That and I never play it.

 

[stevesmith1987]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

I almost always change them, but honestly the current batch of Epiphone pickups aren't too bad.

The neck p90 in my SX Hawk I kept. I changed the bridge to a Gibby p90 and didn't notice a huge difference.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

There are two that I can think of offhand; a PRS SE Soapbar - P90s sound fine, and the Tokai DCII - perhaps the loudest, most powerful guitar I have. I can't think why I'd need to change either, they sound just fine to me.

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

I've said it before, but I love the stock pickups in the Ibanez ART-100. They are a really good match for that guitar. Also, the Ibanez Roadstar RS315 came with a Maxon V-2 in the bridge that is gaw dang perfect super hot. Each of these guitars is so great bone stock that I went out and got another.

I'm also loving my Darkstone tremendously. That axe will never see the business end of a soldering iron while I own it.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

I just discovered that the pickups in my Fernandes Jazz bass (ceramic on bottom type) aren't that bad at all for my bass playing. I like things a bit more bombastic.

 

[cayle_6]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

Ibanez Super 58. Fantastic stock pickups on my 83 Artist.

 

[Jeffblue]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

I just can't help it. I have to change pickups on everything that I own. I also build my guitars and know what works and what I like. Custom tone for every one of my guitars.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

I normally change over to Duncan pickups with the mindset that they are always better. :1:

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

The Kramer Focus 1000 I used to have may or may not have had the stock pickup (Japanese, 1980's), but it sounded fantastic. I was tempted to try other pickups just to do it, but I never got around to it -- I couldn't think of a single thing I really wanted to change about the way that guitar sounded.

 

[zakkwyldefan79]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

I changed the bridge pickup on my Michael Kelly Patriot Decree to a Seymour Duncan JB but I'm not gonna change the neck pickup. It actully sounds pretty good. It's made by G&B Pickups. They make alot of pickups for LTD, Schecter, PRS SE, Micheal Kelly and maybe some others.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

My G&L Tribute Series ASAT Classic still has the stock pickups. Mind you, these are Made In USA to begin with.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

I almost always change them, but honestly the current batch of Epiphone pickups aren't too bad.

Same here. I've upgraded PU's in all of my imports, except for the latest one, a recent production Epi LP Std ('Black Royale'?). Not sure of the model name, but they sound far better than any stock Asian-made HB's I've heard. Much more clarity and definition. I assumed they were aftermarket until I flipped them over (last time that happened, they turned out to be DiMarzios the seller forget to mention). These are 4-wire, so I can add push-pulls. Epiphone's focusing on PU's and stepped up their game using better quality Asian-made PU's, and American-made ones in some models. PU's were the weak link in the past, and that's been addressed. I love being able to buy a mid-price import and having it sound nice as-is (a fantasy I've had for years).

 

[Bludave]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

Just like the title says. Ever buy a guitar with the plan of swapping out pick ups, or buy pick ups for a guitar, only to realize that the stock pick ups are exactly what your looking for? Common logic says that Duncan's or Dimarzio's will be better, but has anyone ever had this happen?

I don't really get that whole concept of buying a guitar and ordering pickups UNTIL YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED IT TO DO. Now. If your building something, that's different. I have several guitars that have the stock pickups. I have a Les Paul studio and 2 Clapton Strats that are stock as well asa68 SG standard. I have a tele that came stock with 2 pearly gates and I love the way. It sounds, so as I said I think the correct way to approach any guitar is to fix what you don't like about how a guitar sounds

 

[KeeperOS]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

I change the pickups on most guitars, not because the stock ones were bad (many of them were Duncans to begin with) but because I can always find something I like better for my tastes. However I have a Michael Kelly Patriot whose stock Rockfield PAF-ish pickups sound fine. I changed the bridge one to sth hotter but I am in no hurry to swap the neck one. However when I have nothing else to upgrade and money to burn it'll probably get a Suhr Doug Aldrich neck (to match the one already in the bridge).

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

I don't really get that whole concept of buying a guitar and ordering pickups UNTIL YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED IT TO DO. Now. If your building something, that's different. I have several guitars that have the stock pickups. I have a Les Paul studio and 2 Clapton Strats that are stock as well asa68 SG standard. I have a tele that came stock with 2 pearly gates and I love the way. It sounds, so as I said I think the correct way to approach any guitar is to fix what you don't like about how a guitar sounds

I think a lot of people try to impose their will on a guitar, as far as pickups go, and it doesn't always work. More people probably "get away" with it when they're less experienced, because they know they want Pickup A, or that their favorite artist uses Pickup B, so they buy based on that and drop it in. For every time this works out, there's probably a time that didn't -- either for you or for somebody else. Sometimes no matter how much it seems on paper like it should work, the sound you hear in your head just isn't going to come out of that pickup, in that guitar, in your hands.

 

[BTMN]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

Been known to leave well enough alone. Overall though I lean toward the brand that gives us this place to hangout when I do go for replacements.

Even enjoy the Duncan Designed stuff quite qbit. The ones in my Korean made Hamer Echotone Rawk! They are the DD Duncan Distortion set.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

Nope, but I have put an Ibanez Infinity set from a different guitar into my LTD. Works extremely well in it's current guitar. That, and the stock neck pup in my MIM telecaster. All the complaints about that pickup being muddy get thrown out the window with 500K pots. Now it is my favorite neck pickup tone in all of my guitars.

 

[schecterplayer]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

I really like a lot of the Duncan Design pickups out there, you can get some really good sounds out of them. Not really worth replacing unless you are going for a specific sound.

 

[tubecrunch]

Re: Has anyone left stock import pick ups in because they sound great?

Squire tele "custom." Came w Duncan designed p90s and it screams. I highly endorse it.