Pick-ups for maple body?

I

Iced Dragon

New member
Hi,

I'm looking (again) to replace the pups in my all-maple Jackson Dinky.
It came with 2 Jacskon SCs and a BL XL500 which just was way too bright.
I replaced by a Distortion wchich was quite an improvement: more bass, nice distortion yet still too bright and no good lead tone, just too weak.
I replaced it with a TB4 which provides a warmer sound, but doesn't give the wanted distortion, bass.

In my RR1 I have a Custom which does a great job (nice amount of distortion, bass, great for leads) and I was wondering if this would be a great solution for the all-maple body of the dinky? (The RR1 is maple neck-thru body with poplar wings though!)

What about the Invader as an option? How are the leads?
Can anybody compare it with the Custom, please!?

I currently have a Coolrails (though I find it "cold" ...)in the neck and I'll swap it with a Hotrails. Coolrails will go to middleposition.


This guitar should suit for speed-black metal and shred, though I'm afraid ceramic bars don't go too well with maple bodies?

thanks
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

I have an all maple Kramer Baretta with a Custom Custom in it and it sounds great. Nice balance, not too hot, and the highs are piercing. I had a JB in it prior and it was too harsh. The JB sounds better in my alder strat.
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

Usually, the invader dosent have the best clarity for the really fast lead stuff but, in maple it may be a little different. The Invader is on a whole different spectrum that the custom. The custom basically sounds like a higher output PAF in my opinion. The Invader sounds huge, mean, and it has alot of lows and mids but, not much highs. It may work well with a bright maple guitar though.
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

Invader sounds interesting, might be tighter in a maple body? Could use the Hotrails for most (all?) leads if necessary.

I'm afraid the CC might not be agressive enough... I've been thinking about it, though!


anybody around with experience on Custom/iInvader in maple guitars? All opinions welcome!
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

The Custom Custom may seem like it may not be agressive enough but it's a sleeper. With a good amount of overdrive and distortion, this puppy sings and it's very responsive to your picking, very articulate. It cleans up great too. One of my favorite pickups.
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

I'd go with a Custom Custom and 2 Hotrails for that guitar, without a doubt.

With humbuckers, the hotter they are, the more muddy they become, so the CC stops right at the point where it would get mushy, and still stays clear. The Invader goes past that point....I really don't like that pickup.

The reason everyone will suggest a CC for a bright maple guitar is because the tone is prominent in low mids and the top end is rounded off slightly with no sharp treble. For maple, that's what you want. The reason I'd stick with Hotrails is because vintage singles sound like an icepick in maple, and the Hotrails will be balance in output with the CC. You'd like that combo!
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

hmm, interesting, but what about parallel axis trembuckers then? I heard they are built to counter the brightness provided by FR's? Might this help? I recall the Distortion Trembucker (PA-TB2b) in my friend's explorer was completely different from de (normal) Distortion I have...


thanks
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

Because that Explorer is a giant hunk of mahongany. The wood of the guitar will have an affect on the tone as well.
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

yes I know, that's why I have so much darn troubles finding good sounding pups for this freakin' guitar!!!!!
Never want a maple guitar again! but she's so special ;)
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

Iced Dragon said:
hmm, interesting, but what about parallel axis trembuckers then? I heard they are built to counter the brightness provided by FR's? Might this help? I recall the Distortion Trembucker (PA-TB2b) in my friend's explorer was completely different from de (normal) Distortion I have...


thanks
Click to expand...
PA-TB2b, hmmmmm, It might be a really good idea actually.
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

I know the feeling. My Kramer is picky as hell. I thought the JB would be it but it wasn't. I just recently put the CC in it since I started playing it again and love the way it sounds. The body weighs a ton and that pickup makes it sound so sweet. Try it, you may like it.
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

Erik, if I had the money I'd try it all!!
But even been thinking of just selling it because I don't get a decent sound out of it, though it actually is a very nice guitar, and I'm emotionally attached to it [/corny-mode] ;)
It also cost quite a bit of money, having to sell it because of the pups would just be too bad...

@theodie:Actually, that explorer had the PA-TB2b with 2 Hotrails but it's been 6-7 years since I heard it...I just liked it, lead tone was more fluid than my Distortion...
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

I understand completely. I have several guitars. I'm very attached to my homemade and my Kramer. I won't ever get rid of them. There are options out there. What other pickups do you have laying around to try?

Something may help with the distortion is maybe a 250K pot instead of 500k. That would mellow out the highs some.
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

I have a CC in my BC Rich Warlock, which is all maple (see my sig). The CC really tamed the highs but it doesn’t have quite enough “oomph” for the Slayer/Morbid Angel type of material I use the guitar for. The CC is a great pick up and can cover all sorts of styles up to Metal like Maiden & Priest, but I’m replacing my CC/59 set with a set of Invaders to get a “meaner” sound.

Cheers,

CJ
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

Usurper666, let me know how the invaders work out in that guitar!


Well, I have following guitars:
Jackson RR1 (Poplar body, neck-through. I don't know how much the maple neck-through affects the sound though?) with Custom bridge (TB4 originally, just too brightnot enough gain for me), Jazz neck. Very nice combination, the Jazz is great for soloing and sweep-picking, though it loses a lot of articulation with really fast picking (maybe too much mids or so? I use Engl amps and these are known for their mids...I don't know, just a hypothesis)
Jackson PCS Dinky, came with a BL XL500L and 2 JAckson SCs. Swapped the BL for a Distortion and put a Coolrails in the neck. Swapped the Distortion for the TB4.
ESP Horizon, put in a '59 and the TB4. swapped the TB4 with the Distortion (current situation)
ESP George Lynch Serpent with Screamin' Demon. I too thought all of GL's guitars were maple but it seems to be alder. The SH12 has a nice crunch but it's not heavy enough for my needs, still too bright, lack of bass...

PUPs I've been thinking of for the Dinky's bridge:
PG, PA-TB2b, CC, Custom, Invader
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

Highs can always be tamed by turning down the treble and/or presence on the amp. Maple can be a tricky wood to make sound good since it is bright in character. If you want something hotter than the CC, the Invader just might do it. The tone chart shows it has about the same amount of mids and highs as the CC but more lows, and it's not much hotter than the Distortion.
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

So what should I go with?

I'll be putting an APH-1 or PG in combination with a CC in my ESP Horizon anyway, so maybe give the invader a chance for the Dinky? Or...?
Would the CC in both the ESP and Dinky give completely different sounds because of the body-wood? I like variety! (The Dinky should be agressive though and not to differ too much from the Rhoads (Custom/jazz) Since I might need it as back-up or so...

thanks
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

The CC will most definitely sound different in the ESP. Does your Horizon have a mahogany body with maple cap? If so, that'll sound sweet, a warmer tone due to the body wood. I've put the CC in an alder body guitar and it just sang and was very diverse.

Tell you what. Before putting the CC in the Horizon, drop it in the Dinky just to hear what it sounds like. If you like it, get another one, if not, yank it and put the CC in the Horizon and get the Invader for the Dinky. Since you're going to have a CC for one of your guitars, why not try it out in the other, right?
 
Re: Pick-ups for maple body?

Now thát's an idea!

The Horizon is alder with maple neck-through body. It's also string-through body so it has a fixed bridge (Dinky has a Floyd)
 
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