Not loving this Crunch Lab in my mahogany guitar...

D

deathbyguitar

New member
I just put a DiMarzio Crunch Lab in my Ibanez SZ520QM (mahogany body and neck, quited maple top) and I think it sounds like garbage in it. No matter which way I have the bar facing it sounds muddy and sterile...basically everything all reviews I've read of it said it wasn't.

I'm playing in drop C, so I need something that's good for low-tunings. I've read that DiMarzio pickups aren't all that great in mahogany. Is there any truth to this? I'm considering buying a Duncan Distortion because it's based on the JB and I LOVE the JB.

Your thoughts?
 
Re: Not loving this Crunch Lab in my mahogany guitar...

Er, wasn't the Crunch Lab designed to go in a guitar with a Basswood body and a double locking vibrato?
 
Re: Not loving this Crunch Lab in my mahogany guitar...

Good point. Didn't think of that beforehand. Well hopefully the Distortion/Jazz set will be the answer. I've been reading good things about that combo in this kind of guitar.
 
Re: Not loving this Crunch Lab in my mahogany guitar...

I've had excellent results with a Duncan Distortion in a mahogany Ibanez.
 
Re: Not loving this Crunch Lab in my mahogany guitar...

I always liked the EVO and X2N in mahogany. The D activators also rock. I like the Duncan distortion in strats.
 
Re: Not loving this Crunch Lab in my mahogany guitar...

I hada dimarzio evo in the bridge of my Ibanez S520ex (non-QM). It was total crap. a couple days ago i grabbed a TB-4 off American Musical Supply because it was an open box special $60. I had a JB4 in my Aria so i knew what to expect. The JB4 in my S520 is a HUGE improvement. I love this pickup. JB's just have a feel to them that is so organic and a unique bit. Sounds great through my JCA100h. Just the right amount of output and break up The dimarzio was muddy and had a weird honk mid range. My fear with the TB6 was that it would end up sound too sterile with too much gain. plus, if you've looked around, its hard to find someone who's got a TB6 in stock.

Edit: this may not fit your style though, I don't scoop the hell out of my amp, I like a good mid range attack.
 
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Re: Not loving this Crunch Lab in my mahogany guitar...

I had a crunchlab in my washburn mahogany idol, it was not a great fit. Full Shred was an improvement, but I ended selling that guitar.

Your Ibanez SZ already had a duncan designed version of the distortion in it I believe. Do you recall how you liked the stock sound? My friend has that same guitar, we matched my schecter c1 with real duncan distortion to his SZ with designed distortion, absolutely no discernible difference in tone. If you get a distortion just know that you're basically reverting to the stock pickup with perhaps enhanced clarity, but no additional output.

My recommendations for your SZ bridge are:
1.) Custom Sh-5
2.) Full shred sh-10
 
Re: Not loving this Crunch Lab in my mahogany guitar...

I had a DD in both my SG and LP. If you do try one, I would recommend 300k pots. I initially had it in my LP with 500k pots and it was REALLY stiff and shrill. I tried it in my SG and it was awesome, right off the bat. Turns out it had 300k pots, so I tried the same thing in the LP and it was awesome as well. Crunchy with just enough chunk and cut.
 
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