Pickup ideas for an ESP Horizon FR-II...

[Chad]

I just got an ESP Horizon FR-II and absolutely love the guitar. I've owned many, many guitars over the years and this is probably the most well crafted one I've ever had. Amazing fretwork and overall attention to detail.

Here are the guitar's specs:

25.5 inch scale, neck-thru body construction, maple neck with ebony fingerboard, mahogany body wings, dual humbuckers, & an Original Floyd Rose tremolo with locking nut.

Anyway, one thing I don't care for is the EMGs. I want to convert it to a passive setup.

I'm looking for:

• Good middle of the road, versatile setup that works with a lot of playing styles
• Need good split coil sounds
• Output-wise, I don't want/need high output. Mid or even low-mid output is fine.
• I want the neck and bridge pickups to balance well with each other.

Ideas?


BTW, if you want more info on the guitar, it's the top one on this page:

http://espguitars.com/guitars_horizon.html

Thanks!

 

[Virtual Kevorkian]

Re: Pickup ideas for an ESP Horizon FR-II...

Custom/Jazz or 59, maybe C5 if you want it to be less aggressive.

 

[Chad]

Re: Pickup ideas for an ESP Horizon FR-II...

Custom/Jazz or 59, maybe C5 if you want it to be less aggressive.

Thanks. That was one combo I had been considering. As I've been thinking about this the last day or so, here are some ideas that have been running through my head...

Bridge: PATB-1, PATB-3, Duncan Custom, 59

Neck: PATB-1, 59, Jazz

I have a PATB-1 in another Floyd Rose guitar (alder body with bolt-on maple neck with rosewood fretboard) and I really like that pickup, but I'm not sure how it would work in the ESP. The Parallel Axis pickups don't seem to get much love.

Thoughts?

 

[Virtual Kevorkian]

Re: Pickup ideas for an ESP Horizon FR-II...

I've never tried a PATB, mainly because I rarely (if ever) have axes with a trem, but I can attest to the Custom/Jazz set that I used to have in my ESP M-1 NTB. It's got alder instead of mahogany wings, but was definitely bright enough to benefit from the warmth of mahogany!

 

[mustaine-who?]

Re: Pickup ideas for an ESP Horizon FR-II...

The PATB-1 and PATB-3 are both great PuPs. I found the PATB-3 to be "bigger" sounding with a tighter bottom...the PATB-1 more open and angry.

 

[Chad]

Re: Pickup ideas for an ESP Horizon FR-II...

Thanks for the input. Keep in mind I'm very interested in good split coil sounds as well. Which of the pickups being discussed split well?

 

[Chad]

Re: Pickup ideas for an ESP Horizon FR-II...

Anybody else?

 

[Chad]

Re: Pickup ideas for an ESP Horizon FR-II...

Wow, kinda surprised at the lack of interest and willingness to help with this.

Have I said something wrong or not provided enough info?

 

[Chad]

Re: Pickup ideas for an ESP Horizon FR-II...

Last I checked my feet don't stink.....

 

[Oceano]

Re: Pickup ideas for an ESP Horizon FR-II...

+ for the Custom/Jazz set. I have mine in an LP and I love it. Very versatile for everything I play (which is literally like everything). The cleans aren't great on the Custom, but I don't think they are as bad as some people say they are.

As far as split sounds I know the Jazz splits very well, and has a very single coil-ishfor a humbucker. I have never split the custom, but I hear the JB sounds better split. I personally don't like the JB though.

 

[apj]

Re: Pickup ideas for an ESP Horizon FR-II...

Personally for floyds I like dimarzio the best, they tend to put in a bit more beef where it is needed due to the loss in high end from the trem. The 59' is a nice neck pickup for overall good clean and decent leads. For the bridge I would either go with a norton or air zone but that's just me.

 

[crguti]

Re: Pickup ideas for an ESP Horizon FR-II...

I've got an ESP Horizon FR II. It comes with Seymour Duncan SH-4b and SH-1n.
It sounds much better than my Ibanez Prestige s2120x with stock IBZ pickups. More low end, more metal type of sound.
Amazing sound of my ESP.