Help me with pickups choice, please

[Bright_Eyes]

Hi all!

I´m new to the forums. How are you all? I hope you can help me since there´s no much information over the web (or at least I can´t find much...).

I need some help with choosing pickups. I'm thinking about chaging the ones on my guitar (it´s an Ibanez RG 370DX), and I´ve been looking through the famous Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio. It´s ok but, first problem: they are a hundred of different pickups from each developer and I´m going mad. Second is that most of the pickups have not an aviable sample to listen to them at the websites, and you can´t also try them at the shop... so... what is left to me but looking for advice? =(

To give an idea, I want a kind of sound similar to or like the lead guitar in Evil Masquerade - Badinerie (awesome band, by the way), or Trans-Siberian Orchestra - A Last Illusion (from minute 2.50 and on, awesome band too by the way) or Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Dark (solo). Well, Nightfall In Middle-Earth (by Blind Guardian) lead guitar sound would be wonderfull, but I don´t think I could get it by just changing my pickups ^^ (ideas are welcome anyway ^^).

Find that maybe the DiMarzio YJM™ or the similar DiMarzio HS-3™ could be near that sound (they are both strat).

Maybe for the bridge I would like something more aggresive to compense, something like Savage Circus - Evil Eyes or Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitar sound in the album Beethoven´s Last Night ¿not so far aggresive as trash or so, but I like it ^^)... well I give references to make easier the explanations... hope they help =/

Many thanks for any help!

P.S.: oh and last question by now, could the "low" output of the YJM™ and the HS-3™ be a problem?

 

[Reckless Abandon]

Re: Help me with pickups choice, please

The HS-3 has pretty good output.
What kind of amp do you have.
YOu need a new HUmbucker for the bridge for those sounds. Maybe a custom or distortion

Welcome!!!!!!!

 

[Bright_Eyes]

Re: Help me with pickups choice, please

Hi,

Thanks for the answer and the welcoming.

My amp is a Crate GT212 (120W), and I have also a Digitech RP300A, if that helps in anything.

The custom and distortion by Seymour Duncan you mean? *goes to listen to them* Umm... I like the sound, maybe I would prefer something with more bass and less high (well I can always add amp equalizations). I think they may be a great option, specially if I can get those sounds I told with that pickup.

Thanks for the help and recommendations!

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: Help me with pickups choice, please

I just put a SD Trembucker Distortion in my RGT42 and it's really great.
I play music from U2, to hard rock sounds. I don't know those bands or albums you mentioned.

 

[Bright_Eyes]

Re: Help me with pickups choice, please

Umm if you are interested you can download some of the songs or maybe find samples to listen to the sound =) That's why I included them =)

Thanks you too for sharing your experience, it's really helpful to read others experiences.

 

[Bright_Eyes]

Re: Help me with pickups choice, please

Some more feedback, please?

I need advice about the bridge pickup. I don´t want a simply crunch-crunch-crunch sound with no other posibilities, I want something strong and deep, with strengh but also definition... potent sound but not dry...

 

[dilney]

Re: Help me with pickups choice, please

I have some experience with the DiMarzio HS-3 and YJM. IMO, they are pretty low in output. I used them with a Laney VC-30.

I prefer the Virtual Vintage line. Maybe a VV Blues if you want less highs... I have VV 2.2 and I like them much better than the HS-3.

 

[Bright_Eyes]

Re: Help me with pickups choice, please

Thanks, will give a listen to those VV models.

Any more feedback, please?

 

[Nightburst]

Re: Help me with pickups choice, please

I'm not shure I understand your explanation of what you want in sound but to me it looks like you would like the JB/Jazz set. Very versatile and the JB has a great lead sound.
This combination will do anything from clean to metal. I don't know about the single coil in the middle but I had this combo in an RG270DX (with the stock single coil) and worked pretty well for almost anything.

 

[Bright_Eyes]

Re: Help me with pickups choice, please

Many people talking so well of the JB model... maybe I could give it a try at the store (they have some SDs and may they let me try).

Thanks for talking about the range/type of music you use to play with the pickup, and the kind of guitar, it´s really helpful =)

 

[Nightburst]

Re: Help me with pickups choice, please

Many people talking so well of the JB model... maybe I could give it a try at the store (they have some SDs and may they let me try).

Thanks for talking about the range/type of music you use to play with the pickup, and the kind of guitar, it´s really helpful =)

No problem.

Just keep in mind that the rest of your rig is much different from mine so your results may vary.
Also the JB can be very bright (Bright but still fat with a singing lead tone) to some people's ears when you use the stock 500K pots. If you go to the store, ask if they have 250K pots. They will help to tame the brightness.
Good luck and tell us if you liked them, the JB comes stock in a bunch of guitars.

 

[don73]

Re: Help me with pickups choice, please

...I'm usin a JB/Jazz in my Les Paul with four 500k pots and I wouldn't recommend switch to 250s for Tone... though a bolt on maple neck might sound little brighter than my construction of wood...

 

[Bright_Eyes]

Re: Help me with pickups choice, please

OK I will, next thursday (maybe) I can try a SD, but most probably it will be the Distortion one... anyway I think I have a friend which is using the JB (not into an Ibanez, though) so maybe I can get something out of that all.

Thanks all again for all the help and interest =)