T-Bone-BBQ
New member
Replaced the stock pickups with a set of DiMarzio Crunch Lab/Liquifire pickups. I wish the bridge pickup lined up just a bit better, but with the huge improvement in tone I'm not gonna complain. Wow these pickups sound good!
New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
- Thread starter T-Bone-BBQ
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T-Bone-BBQ
New member
Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
Thanks! The bridge is F-spaced but just didn't line up as good as I'd hoped. The change in clarity and tone tho is unreal.
Thanks! The bridge is F-spaced but just didn't line up as good as I'd hoped. The change in clarity and tone tho is unreal.
Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
That doesn't look f-spaced to be honest. Is there any chance it could have been labeled wrong or misrepresented?
The good thing though;,, is that generally one would run the low-string side of the pickup lower than the high-string side, thereby creating a subtle lean to the pickup and magnetic field that partially negates the misalignment of standard spaced pickup under a tremolo bridge.
Myself, I usually end up with the action a bit higher on the low strings and the pickup underneath at a just about level position relative to the guitar's body surface (give or take a hair).
So the pickup is further away from the low strings, but the amount is basically neutralized by the action being higher on the lows.
I've seen many players have a clearly visible lean to the pickups (bass side being lower of course) relative to the body surface.
^^^
EDIT;;;;;;;;STRIKE MOST OF THAT
That doesn't look f-spaced to be honest. Is there any chance it could have been labeled wrong or misrepresented?
The good thing though;,, is that generally one would run the low-string side of the pickup lower than the high-string side, thereby creating a subtle lean to the pickup and magnetic field that partially negates the misalignment of standard spaced pickup under a tremolo bridge.
Myself, I usually end up with the action a bit higher on the low strings and the pickup underneath at a just about level position relative to the guitar's body surface (give or take a hair).
So the pickup is further away from the low strings, but the amount is basically neutralized by the action being higher on the lows.
I've seen many players have a clearly visible lean to the pickups (bass side being lower of course) relative to the body surface.
^^^
EDIT;;;;;;;;STRIKE MOST OF THAT
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T-Bone-BBQ
New member
Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
It was stamped with an F on the base plate and the spacing is definitely wider than the neck pickup. I suspect that something is not quite true also, but the intonation is good since I set it, the action is fantastic and the pickups sound great so I'm not gonna worry about it.
It was stamped with an F on the base plate and the spacing is definitely wider than the neck pickup. I suspect that something is not quite true also, but the intonation is good since I set it, the action is fantastic and the pickups sound great so I'm not gonna worry about it.
Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
We always bend downward on the low string anyways. If it's setup well then that's all that matters to the actual functionality. I've had bolt-ons like this also and once setup adjustments were all calibrated the thing played and intonated fine.
We always bend downward on the low string anyways. If it's setup well then that's all that matters to the actual functionality. I've had bolt-ons like this also and once setup adjustments were all calibrated the thing played and intonated fine.
Ascension
Well-known member
Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
Didn't you get that Crunch lab from me? If it's the one that came out of my Carvin ST 300 it lined up right there so??
Glad you like that pickup as it just didn't work for me. Solid tight punchy tones at high gain but was way to harsh at anything else. LOVE the Liquifire in the neck though. Wound up with the Vai Gravity Storm bridge and the Liquifire set up in the ST300 and really like it. Never figured out what Dimarzio was thinking with those 2 sets as they used Ceramic in the neck on the Vai set but Alnico 5 in the Bridge and the Petrucy set was the opposite with the Liquifire being Alinico 5 and the Crunchlab being a Ceramic. I took one of each set and built a set with Alnico 5 mags that matches well both visually and tone wise. They are more medium output for a big brown sound with a lot of character warmth clarity and harmonics in the ST 300.
Didn't you get that Crunch lab from me? If it's the one that came out of my Carvin ST 300 it lined up right there so??
Glad you like that pickup as it just didn't work for me. Solid tight punchy tones at high gain but was way to harsh at anything else. LOVE the Liquifire in the neck though. Wound up with the Vai Gravity Storm bridge and the Liquifire set up in the ST300 and really like it. Never figured out what Dimarzio was thinking with those 2 sets as they used Ceramic in the neck on the Vai set but Alnico 5 in the Bridge and the Petrucy set was the opposite with the Liquifire being Alinico 5 and the Crunchlab being a Ceramic. I took one of each set and built a set with Alnico 5 mags that matches well both visually and tone wise. They are more medium output for a big brown sound with a lot of character warmth clarity and harmonics in the ST 300.
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Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
Funny you bring that up because I was just on the DMZ site and was thinking how odd that was for the Gravity Storm set.
I've seen plenty of ceramic bridge alnico neck sets, but rarely the other way. My WMD Warbeast (neck-thru) had an alnico5 phatass bridge ( OK pup, saturated and warm for high-output) with a low-dcr ceramic mafia neck (a downright awesome neck pup).
Funny you bring that up because I was just on the DMZ site and was thinking how odd that was for the Gravity Storm set.
I've seen plenty of ceramic bridge alnico neck sets, but rarely the other way. My WMD Warbeast (neck-thru) had an alnico5 phatass bridge ( OK pup, saturated and warm for high-output) with a low-dcr ceramic mafia neck (a downright awesome neck pup).
Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
Also EMG 85 bridge, 81 neck sounds great in one of my guitars.
Also EMG 85 bridge, 81 neck sounds great in one of my guitars.
Ascension
Well-known member
Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
The set I put together using the Liquifire neck and Gravity Storm bridge is amazing for Medium output hot PAF toned stuff and in particular blues. Check this clip out from this morning at Church with that set up in my Carvin ST 300 and my little Jet City JCA 22H Custom head (good little head but not the best blues amp though wish I had one of my Boogies this morning! ).
Quick one practice run through throw together this morning btw.
The set I put together using the Liquifire neck and Gravity Storm bridge is amazing for Medium output hot PAF toned stuff and in particular blues. Check this clip out from this morning at Church with that set up in my Carvin ST 300 and my little Jet City JCA 22H Custom head (good little head but not the best blues amp though wish I had one of my Boogies this morning! ).
Quick one practice run through throw together this morning btw.
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T-Bone-BBQ
New member
Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
I was wondering how the Liquifire sounded tapped. I may end up adding a mini switch for coil tapping.
I was wondering how the Liquifire sounded tapped. I may end up adding a mini switch for coil tapping.
Ascension
Well-known member
Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
Mine is set up with a 5 way super switch so 2 and 4 auto tap. Combo sounds amazing in this particular guitar i will tell you that! I also have a Hybrid/ Sentient in my KOA 93 DC 127 with a 3 way and manual taps both sound fantastic with both pickups together tapped. Cant make up my mind which combo I like the best. The Gravity Storm / Liquifire is more modern sounding as it's slightly hotter fatter and more compressed the Hybrid/ Sentient combo more harmonically rich open and organic with a real pissed off hot PAF kinda vibe full bucker and in particular GREAT chiming clean tones when split!!
Here are a clip from the DC 127 with the Hybrid Sentient set last week running my little Subway Rocket and the DC 127 with both tapped and together on some kinda country feel stuff. Check out the chimey solo tone right at the 2 minuet mark, surprised the heck out of me that type glassy tone was that good with this combo! Had no practice time with this song and the band so I kinda overplayed a little LOL--- know better but the heat of the moment and having a little fun so---.
Mine is set up with a 5 way super switch so 2 and 4 auto tap. Combo sounds amazing in this particular guitar i will tell you that! I also have a Hybrid/ Sentient in my KOA 93 DC 127 with a 3 way and manual taps both sound fantastic with both pickups together tapped. Cant make up my mind which combo I like the best. The Gravity Storm / Liquifire is more modern sounding as it's slightly hotter fatter and more compressed the Hybrid/ Sentient combo more harmonically rich open and organic with a real pissed off hot PAF kinda vibe full bucker and in particular GREAT chiming clean tones when split!!
Here are a clip from the DC 127 with the Hybrid Sentient set last week running my little Subway Rocket and the DC 127 with both tapped and together on some kinda country feel stuff. Check out the chimey solo tone right at the 2 minuet mark, surprised the heck out of me that type glassy tone was that good with this combo! Had no practice time with this song and the band so I kinda overplayed a little LOL--- know better but the heat of the moment and having a little fun so---.
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Gtrjunior
Well-known member
Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
What is this “overplaying” you speak of?
Lol
Whoever runs sound for your church band always has you way too low in the mix. Just my opinion.
I get that it’s not a rock band per se but you could be louder. The acoustic is taking up too much sonic real estate.
What is this “overplaying” you speak of?
Lol
Whoever runs sound for your church band always has you way too low in the mix. Just my opinion.
I get that it’s not a rock band per se but you could be louder. The acoustic is taking up too much sonic real estate.
Obsessive Compulsive
New member
Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
I was considering this guitar but in black the other day. But the price was so freakin' cheap compared to other LTD models I suspected everything about it was wrong. I am not even sure if it's solid wood. And the tremolo, is total junk?
The pole prices not aligned with the strings are probably just the tip of the iceberg.
I was considering this guitar but in black the other day. But the price was so freakin' cheap compared to other LTD models I suspected everything about it was wrong. I am not even sure if it's solid wood. And the tremolo, is total junk?
The pole prices not aligned with the strings are probably just the tip of the iceberg.
Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
@ Ascension;
Do the standard lever switches (the big wheel kind like crl and oaks) fit into the Carvins and still be able to get the control cover on?
(for those that don't know, carvins have slightly shallower cavities than most other brands)
I don't have a loose one handy to check/measure and was getting ready to order a few small parts. Just by looks it would have to be close to not fitting.
Mine came stock with the little box/import style 5-way and I'm preparing to drop-in a super3/evo-neck with volume only (in the "tone" slot) and a 3-way lever. It's a full hard maple with ebony, stainless, and OFR,,,,,very bright and fundamental with strong but narrow lows (like high and tight)
I could always just order a couple from Carvin so I know they'll fit easy, but they do charge a $10 shipping fee for small parts orders. uuuhhhggg
@ Ascension;
Do the standard lever switches (the big wheel kind like crl and oaks) fit into the Carvins and still be able to get the control cover on?
(for those that don't know, carvins have slightly shallower cavities than most other brands)
I don't have a loose one handy to check/measure and was getting ready to order a few small parts. Just by looks it would have to be close to not fitting.
Mine came stock with the little box/import style 5-way and I'm preparing to drop-in a super3/evo-neck with volume only (in the "tone" slot) and a 3-way lever. It's a full hard maple with ebony, stainless, and OFR,,,,,very bright and fundamental with strong but narrow lows (like high and tight)
I could always just order a couple from Carvin so I know they'll fit easy, but they do charge a $10 shipping fee for small parts orders. uuuhhhggg
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Ascension
Well-known member
Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
My ST 300 has the big super switch in it and it fit. Don't know on the regular DC's as never tried it. The ST body is a little thicker and more like a traditional Strat so??
My ST 300 has the big super switch in it and it fit. Don't know on the regular DC's as never tried it. The ST body is a little thicker and more like a traditional Strat so??
Re: New pickups in my ESP LTD SN-200FR
Do you remember off hand if your superswitch is the schaller or the emerson/oaks, or maybe dimarzio makes one also.
The schaller looks notably shorter than the big brown wheel kinds.
Do you remember off hand if your superswitch is the schaller or the emerson/oaks, or maybe dimarzio makes one also.
The schaller looks notably shorter than the big brown wheel kinds.
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