looking for experience with s series Ibanez pups and swaps

[GhostPuncher]

I picked up a standard S series a couple weeks ago and have turned my back on my JS with JB/59. The S seems to fit me and my playing style the best so far and there is something about the Quantum pups with the DR tight fit strings played through my peavey trans 212 and has this amazing old school metal sound on the classic crunch channel with a boss super over drive tweeked just right. The clean is also surprisingly pleasant and I'm loving the versatility of this guitar. I'm intermediate at best but I've noticed that tone is affected by all kinds of variables so I'm looking for people who have experience with the S series because I want another standard but with a Floyd. The one I want has a specific color but still uses infinity pups (2014). I want to keep the similar classic sound (master of puppets) from the bridge and a lead tone similar to what I hear on Anathema's Eternity album with plenty of sustain. At this point it seems that there are so many different sound combinations you can get from woods to strings to pups to amps to playing styles, I get it. All my guitars have different qualities on different amps, and even then, when recording, there is even more modeling and tweaking. That's where experience comes in. Im looking for S series users that play old school metal styles, djent, prog, and use Peavey, Marshall dsl, and I'm expecting an H&k grandmeister d40 that will feed an orange 412 v30s. I like JBs, I've tried black winters in a Jackson that I dropped to D and would not use them in an S. I also like the sustainiac in my Schecter, but not the Schecter itself. Also I always use an overdrive (maxon, boss depending on amp) and not much amp gain to acheive my sounds. It seems high output pups with high gain amps are absolute overkill and suck out the tone. Please share your ideas and experiences. Thanks!

 

[frostopsy]

Re: looking for experience with s series Ibanez pups and swaps

I had a couple pickups in mine. An EMG81 (bridge), SD JB Trembucker, and an SD El Diablo. I purchased one of the flat black covered infinity pickups that came with it stock off of eBay for cheap (I was thinking of selling it) and honestly, those seem to sound the best in it.

I have a 2005 520EX for reference

 

[GhostPuncher]

Re: looking for experience with s series Ibanez pups and swaps

Yeah, I can't imagine going wrong with the JB trembucker. I'll look into the diablo. I know nothing about them.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: looking for experience with s series Ibanez pups and swaps

Have you tried the stock Infinity pickups? There's a demo on Youtube comparing them with the SD JB/Jazz, I believe. I remember I really liked the JB in the bridge for clarity with the stock Infinity model in the neck. Still, the INF bridge is no slouch.

EDIT: Here it is....I know it doesn't highlight the styles you mentioned, but you can hear the differences in tonal quality and articulation (I much prefer the INF and Duncans to the DiMarzios here...HAHA!)




The other solid option is to grab another Quantum (aka: "QM") series pickup set off eBay/Reverb. Those are great pickups for the S series that went underrated for a long time and are now gaining popularity for good reason.

The El Diablo is very high output, crunchy and fairly compressed, especially when you dig in. Cool for what it does, but I have a deep-rooted "love-hate" relationship with that pickup because it isn't as flexible/versatile as I want it to be. I've owned it about a half-a-dozen times hoping it would satisfy me and it never quite does, although if all you do is high-gain rock/metal, it friggin' crushes!

 

[Synapsys]

Re: looking for experience with s series Ibanez pups and swaps

When I had my S670FM, I went with Custom/Cool Rails/Jazz. Versatile set, all pups go well with the mahogany body. Note the the JB may be very picky about the mahogany guitar it's in. The Custom series, on the other hand, go extremely well on mahogany.

 

[GhostPuncher]

Re: looking for experience with s series Ibanez pups and swaps

I don't think I've ever tried the infinity's. I really like the quantums. They seem to allow me to craft more with the amp and pedal, and like I said, the cleans are surprisingly good on my combo. I get why they would start to get some recognition. I think the market exploded with some strange idea that more pup output would sound good with high gain and then more gain with a pedal. "All the gain!"
The custom is another I've been hearing about. I'll look into that.
I think I found the same guitar I want with the quantums instead of the infinity's anyway.
I've noticed some bands not using a whole lot of gain and having a variety of tones (animals as leaders).
I think when some people try to replicate a sound, they are trying to create the sound that the drums and bass also make, and don't understand that you can't replicate that with just a guitar. So they'd scoop the mids and up the bass. Then when they'd jam with someone realize something wasn't right. Wait, that was me.
Thanks guys. I'd still like to hear more stories if anyone has em.

 

[frostopsy]

Re: looking for experience with s series Ibanez pups and swaps

Here's the infinitys I have in mine for reference.

Like I said, I did several pickup changes and wound up going back to stock. I play thrash, punk, death metal, etc. with this guitar.

If you want my old JB trembucker, let me know via PM. I'll give you a good deal.

 

[Demanic]

Re: looking for experience with s series Ibanez pups and swaps

I had an Infinity 3&4 in my RG-120 when I bought it. They were ok. Sort of bright and sizzly but kind of flat mids. A little light on the bottom too as I recall.
I swapped 'em for a Mayhem set, but I didn't get trem spaced. Eventually I put the SH-6 in another guitar and installed a TB-15.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[GhostPuncher]

Re: looking for experience with s series Ibanez pups and swaps

I hear split reviews on the infinitys. I boost my mids around 6 or 7, same with treble and that's on most amps with most of my guitars. I like my mids.