Matching pickup color to guitar

[Koreth]

I wasn't sure if I should post this in here or the The pickup lounge, but decided here since I'm asking about the gutiar. If I was mistaken, I can always move it to the other.

I have a couple Ibanez RG520QS guitars in blue, like this one:

I have a few pickups on hand to try out to figure out what sounds best in this axe, but once I've settled things sonicly, I'd like to make the pickups match the guitar visually as well. In your opinion, Which of the commonly available colors (or custom colors if it's really worth it) would best compliment the guitar's hardware and color? If I recall correctly, black, white and zebra can be readily had (and by extension, black/white, cream/white, and double-creame if I'm willing to take pickups apart to play mix & match) are readily available, but are there any others? Is some other color combination available from SD as a shop floor custom or custom shop that you think would be worth it?

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Matching pickup color to guitar

Dimarzio has a rainbow of color options

Krylon thinks you can use their rainbow

 

[Koreth]

Re: Matching pickup color to guitar

Dimarzio does indeed have a rainbow of color options. But checking the Seymour Duncan website, they have plenty of colors to hand as well. And if I'm finding the tone I like with Duncans, would it not make sense to try to match up the visuals with Duncan-available colors?

I'd rather not take a rattle-can to the guitar or it's pickups. That's not the kind of aesthetic I'm shooting for.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Matching pickup color to guitar

There aren't any colors beyond the standard black, white, parchment, or cream that would compliment that finish IMO. They would just look cheap and distract from it. I would use double black, myself.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Matching pickup color to guitar

I have not seen too many colorful pickups that match the color of a guitar's finish. Part of that is one is plastic while the other is wood. Colors can show up differently on different surfaces. So, even if you were to get the pickup covers finished at the same time the guitar was finished they still might not match.

As far as using some of the colors Duncan offers, you can try out any of their pickups for 21 days for no additional charge. So, why not place an order of the color you would like to try to see if they look good on your guitar and come close to accomplishing what you want. If you do not like the way it looks, just exchange them for a black set or covered set.

 

[Kac]

Re: Matching pickup color to guitar

That I think would be worth it? No I wouldn't pay extra money to get the same pickup in another color. But on eBay you can get a variety of Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan pickups in a variety of different colors if that suits you.

 

[Natman]

Re: Matching pickup color to guitar

There is navy blue which should be a "shop floor custum" that I bet would match great. Order through banjo mike z on ebay. He's the best when it comes to this kind of thing. It might cost you sn extra $10 or something. Worth it imo whebwhen truly custom looks are called for.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Matching pickup color to guitar

The only time I've seen a good example of pickups matching a paint colour is where the guitar has something airbrushed on it and the pickups become part of it. A lot of the time the pickups do well to stand out, and sometimes pickups do well to be unobtrusive (black).

 

[Koreth]

Re: Matching pickup color to guitar

To clarify, I'm not looking only for (exactly) matching. If there's somethihng that is obviously visually different, but compliments and works with the current aesthetic, I'd be game for that as well.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Matching pickup color to guitar

Chrome is the only thing I can suggest, as it almost looks like the trem is chrome in the pic....if all the hardware is black then don't bother with any change.

 

[Koreth]

Re: Matching pickup color to guitar

Yeah, the hardware is what's commonly called 'cosmo black' or just 'cosmo'. It's a sort of dark smoke chrome.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Matching pickup color to guitar

How about going another direction and getting black nickel (A.K.A. "Cosmo")? It's a standard option that Duncan offer.

 

[rgand]

Re: Matching pickup color to guitar

Order through banjo mike z on ebay. He's the best when it comes to this kind of thing.

+1 on this. I've dealt with him and he's a good one to work with.