Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

[Gtrjunior]

I have an Ibanez Iron Label 7 String. It’s not a guitar I play a ton but I have it for several songs for the cover band.
It have a single volume knob, no tone and a kill switch.
Currently it has the Pegasus/Sentient set in it.
I really like the Sentient but the Pegasus isn’t jiving with me.
I’m looking for something higher output and not so polite. I’d like to get closer to Jason Hook’s tone. He has a JB in his Baritone Explorer and I really like what he has going on. Problem is....I need a pickup in an active mount and Duncan doesn’t make the JB in that mount (I emailed them). I’m sure I could have the custom shop make one but I really don’t want to spend that type of money on a pickup for a guitar that I only seldom play.
I’ve been looking at an Invader or possibly a Black Winter (I’m assuming that’s a passive pickup...correct me if I’m wrong).
Any other pickups I should look at?

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

You could try the Nazgul. That comes in a soapbar, if that's what you mean by active mount.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

To my ears, the 6-string Black Winter definitely has a JB-ish vibe going, albeit more modern, tighter, and meaner. Kinda like a more focused Duncan Distortion.

So Black Winter or Duncan Distortion would be my suggestions.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

Hmm, I don't think either an Invader or Black Winter would be close to what you want. My first thought is the Nazgul here, as it isn't nearly as polite as the Pegasus, and sort of does the Pegasus thing, but just 'more'. The BW & Invader's EQ is vastly different from what you have there now.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

You could try the Nazgul. That comes in a soapbar, if that's what you mean by active mount.

My concern with the Nazgul, is that it will be too “Metal”. I know, kind of a contradiction when I say I’m looking for a 5 finger death punch tone. Lol

I sort of hear 5fdp, as more hard rock than straight up metal.
But yes the active mounts are like a soap bar style mount...like this

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

Hmm, I don't think either an Invader or Black Winter would be close to what you want. My first thought is the Nazgul here, as it isn't nearly as polite as the Pegasus, and sort of does the Pegasus thing, but just 'more'. The BW & Invader's EQ is vastly different from what you have there now.

Maybe I need to listen to some more clips. The big issue is that every clip of the Nazgul is some hardcore metal. Lol

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

Just listened to some Nazgul clips....pretty damn good.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

Hmm, I don't think either an Invader or Black Winter would be close to what you want. My first thought is the Nazgul here, as it isn't nearly as polite as the Pegasus, and sort of does the Pegasus thing, but just 'more'. The BW & Invader's EQ is vastly different from what you have there now.

I wouldn't say the EQ profile of the BW is completely different from the JB, personally. I see the Black Winter more as kind of a JB on steroids (with a little Distortion and Invader thrown in) than how it's been described as a Distortion on steroids. But each to his own.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

In my Les Paul (6 String) I have a Super Distortion, which I love.
The tone profile from the SD site for the invader is pretty similar. Subdued treble with a mid bump. And I liked some YouTube clips I’ve heard. And yeah, the invader looks cool as hell too!!!

 

[dave74]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

I've also heard guys on this forum describe the Nazgul as a jb on the juice. Seems like all these pups are juicing lol.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

I’ve listened to a bunch of clips so far this afternoon.
The Nazgul is more versatile than I thought. I think I’m liking it more than the BW.
I’m also digging the Distortion and he Invader.
I need to A/B the last 2 and then narrow it down a little more.


I’m definitely looking for a mid range present pickup. I’d like to target a more Hard Rock tone rather than a metal tone. Something that doesn’t have a ton of high end too.
Warm and middy is the ticket.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

I wouldn't say the Distortion nor the Nazgul are warm like at all.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

I'm absolutely no help with high output 7 string pickups. Sorry my friend. It sounds like others have some good suggestions, so best of luck.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

Yeah, I need to do so more research still myself.
When I bought this guitar (used) it already had the Pegasus/Sentient set installed.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

Ok....I just grabbed a used Nazgul off of Reverb for a good price. We will see how it sounds.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

Awesome! Let us know how it goes!

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

Awesome! Let us know how it goes!

Absolutely.
The more I listened to clips on youtube the more I liked what I heard.
Plenty of midrange coming through and it has a ton of power.
Earlier in the thread I mentioned that it might be “too metal” but I think that through my Quickrod, which has just the mid range grind I like it’s going to stay squarely in the rock/hard rock realm.
I think I’ll end up liking it.

 

[BlueSnMettle]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

Good luck!

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

Tracking is showing the Nazgul delivered...wow that was stupid fast shipping!

 

[Gtrjunior]

Ok...my turn for pickup recommendations.

I think I have a wiring issue going on with this guitar...hopefully you guys can diagnose what’s going on.

When I got the Nazgul, I simply removed the Pegasus and wired the new pup just as the old one was. I was a bit surprised that it didn’t sound all that different.
So I went and looked up the color codes and what I found was that whoever installed the previous pups had done this:

Red/white-tied and taped
Green- soldered to the 3-way switch
Black/bare grounded to the pot.

This is a single volume, no tone with a kill switch wiring setup.

According to my color code chart black is hot and green is ground.
So I switched them and it sounded a little better.
But it still almost sounds like the pickup is running in split coil mode or something...? It sure does NOT sound huge and fat like a high output humbucker should.
The other thing I noticed is that there were tiny little pieces of wire soldered across the lugs of the switch? What’s that all about?
Anybody have any ideas what could be going on?

Fwiw, the original Pegasus sounded like it was in single coil mode too....

I can get pics later tonight if needed...

Actually I just found one of the pics I took before disassembling the Pegasus. It’s not a very good pic, sorry