Ibanez AS120 Pickup Upgrade

picatainhas

New member
So quite basic question that i couldn't find an answer using search!!

I got an Ibanez AS120 (Gibson ES335 clone) that supposedly has some good pickups for jazz (Super 58?!?!?). I love the sound of the pickups clean (both bridge and neck), however beside whenever i try to use some crunch/overdrive the sound is very "messy... i think that what people normally name as muddy.

The sound is muddy whether thru a Peavey Mh20 with a 212 cab (Celestion V30), a using either a nova system, fulltone ocd or a lovepedal od11... Also i notice that using effects also creates a muddy sound (again, using nova system, mxr carbon copy or alter ego v2). I got exactly the same beahviour when using the guitar directly connect to audio interface and using amplitube3.

By the way, as a comparasion, i use a strat with a symour duncan everything axe set (except the bridge was exchanged by a dimarzio tone zone) i, while differente as expected, i am nowhere near of the level of muddiness i get with the AS120.

I would like to upgrade the pickups of the AS120 in order to be able to get some versatility, however i would like to have some directions.
I need good cleans but also good distortions (taking advantage of good sustain capabilities of the guitar).
I understand that an hollow body suffers of feedback, more than a solid body, so it's another thing to keep in mind.

I play covers mainly, from Beatles/Stones, to Queen, Ac/Dc,Muse,u2!!!

Any (justified) suggestions?
 
Re: Ibanez AS120 Pickup Upgrade

OK i made a query Seymour Duncan, Dimarzio and BareknuclePickups, here are the suggestions so far

Offical "Tech" Line:
Dimarzio: Paf Masters Set
Seymour Duncan: Pearly Gates Set
Bareknuckle: RiffRaff Set

Official Foruns:
Dimarzio: Paf 36th Anniversary Set
Seymour Duncan : <none so far> :(
Bareknuckle: Mules Set

any addons?
 
Re: Ibanez AS120 Pickup Upgrade

Pearly b, Antiquity or Seth Lover n. I don't care for my PGN, it's in a dark sounding les paul though. Sounds a little mushy and lacks the complexity of the SL.
 
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