ibanez with dimarzio, need duncan suggestions??

[smauk43]

hello, my first post to this forum. i've only been playing for a year. have an ibanez sz320 with hum from hell in neck, tone zone in bridge. just traded my eclipse LTD 300 which had duncan designed p90's in it. the tone zone seems to be too much for my style. i am playing mostly 80's hair metal and ac/dc type stuff, the pretty simple stuff since i am still on a slow learning curve. my amp is a vox ad30vt. even with all the amp models and settings i can't seem to dial in the right sound even on the cleaner amp models. everything seems too distorted and muddy for what i am playing. i don't have enough experience to know what a good pup combination would be for my style. any suggestions on what i might be looking for pup wise?

 

[jeremy]

Re: ibanez with dimarzio, need duncan suggestions??

welcome to the forum!!

for ac/dc and 80's metal id probably go for a medium output paf type tone pup like the sh5 custom. as far as getting a good clean tone from the amp, keep the gain low and the master cranked

 

[SAVAGE DISTORTION]

Re: ibanez with dimarzio, need duncan suggestions??

hello, my first post to this forum. i've only been playing for a year. have an ibanez sz320 with hum from hell in neck, tone zone in bridge. just traded my eclipse LTD 300 which had duncan designed p90's in it. the tone zone seems to be too much for my style. i am playing mostly 80's hair metal and ac/dc type stuff, the pretty simple stuff since i am still on a slow learning curve. my amp is a vox ad30vt. even with all the amp models and settings i can't seem to dial in the right sound even on the cleaner amp models. everything seems too distorted and muddy for what i am playing. i don't have enough experience to know what a good pup combination would be for my style. any suggestions on what i might be looking for pup wise?

get a set of 59's

these will be nice and clean and will do AC/DC stuff no prob

 

[tone4days]

Re: ibanez with dimarzio, need duncan suggestions??

welcome to the board

honestly, if you are still pretty new to playing, pickups might be not at the top of the list of things to concentrate on ... finding a good sound from your amp is a matter for patience and attention to details (like taking notes of what you try and how it sounds to you) .. dont be afraid to turn things down .. or to tweak the pickup height if things sound muddy ... you dont say what gauge strings you use, but f you go from 9s to 10s, you might get something closer to what you want for cleans as well

that being said, for the 80's metal, i'd say a JB in the bridge is about as authentic as you can get ... an alnico pro II in the neck would be a good combination with that

good luck - keep playin!!

cheers
t4d

 

[Heretic]

Re: ibanez with dimarzio, need duncan suggestions??

A set of '59's for smoothness or a '59 neck and a Pearly Gates bridge to add some grit.

A friend of mine with an Ibanez SZ320MH (no maple top, unlike yours) could get the hair metal sound with a Full Shred neck and a JB bridge.

 

[smauk43]

Re: ibanez with dimarzio, need duncan suggestions??

thanks for the suggestions!!! i do play 10's by the way. i had the sound i was looking for through the amp with the other guitar so i was blaming the pups. i have tweaked myself silly since i got this guitar about 10 days ago but i still may be jumping to conclusions in my infinite noobness. even when i switch to the neck pup to get a clean sound, it still just has a "fuzz" to it. maybe an amp problem, or even the wiring in the pups?

 

[rocker_71]

Re: ibanez with dimarzio, need duncan suggestions??

Nice little thing that vox ad30vt of you!
Amp modeling in it. That's good.
That guitar is good too man.

But it is always hard to get a full sound you hear from your 'heroes'.
They perform with the best guitars with the best pickups, the best amplifiers, best cabinets etc. You name it.
And: they can play too !!

For you: maybe a JB element will do well. It is the end of your muddiness.

 

[smauk43]

Re: ibanez with dimarzio, need duncan suggestions??

thanks rocker 71, i realize the sound comes from the player, with all their talent and equipment. the dimarzios just gave me a different sound than i had before. not necessarily a bad sound, just not the tone i was wanting, too much mud. even though i can't sound exactly like angus young, etc... playing ac/dc with these sounds more like slipknot. just messy. seems the jb in the bridge is getting the most response and from other posts i have read, i might go that way.

 

[rocker_71]

Re: ibanez with dimarzio, need duncan suggestions??

thanks rocker 71, i realize the sound comes from the player, with all their talent and equipment. the dimarzios just gave me a different sound than i had before. not necessarily a bad sound, just not the tone i was wanting, too much mud. even though i can't sound exactly like angus young, etc... playing ac/dc with these sounds more like slipknot. just messy. seems the jb in the bridge is getting the most response and from other posts i have read, i might go that way.

Yeh, I know what you mean: the tone zone is very hot.
For you (and me too) it is somewhat over the top.
For a more vintage, but rock-sound, Duncans are the best.

The JB is good, but there are more good pups (jazz/59/pearly gates/seth)
For more bluesy stuff, try the Alnico 2 elements.
See the website of Seymour Duncan, there is a lot of info, even audio examples.
(BTW: also on the Dimarzio site, only EMG is a little short on information)

It all depends on the sound you are after.... the tone quest. :newangel:

 

[italic zero]

Re: ibanez with dimarzio, need duncan suggestions??

Do you play more rhythm or lead?

If you play more rhythm, I'd say SH-5 Custom
If you play more lead, I'd say the JB.

 

[smauk43]

Re: ibanez with dimarzio, need duncan suggestions??

well, right now mostly rhythym because of my limited abillities. but playing some simple leads right now, and working on more. want to do both since i'm only playing for myself as of now, and probably always will since i'm 39, what an old fart to be getting into this now :smack: . so what might be a good neck pup to go with the SH-5?

 

[smauk43]

Re: ibanez with dimarzio, need duncan suggestions??

so i think i would settle on a sh-5 custom in the bridge and either a pearly gates or alnicoII in the neck, does that make a sensible combination?