Pickup search for Ibanez SZ 520

[High_Voltage]

Hi there dear community

I wanted to swap out my old DD PU's in my Ibanez Sz 520 ( HB 103 in the bridge and HB 101 Neck PU, which are modeled after Distortion and 59')
The reason for that was my new Amp - Engl Blackmore Signature Head. It is very direct and honest, so it amplifies exact that, what your gutair delivers. I'm pretty much satisfied with the tone but i wanted somehow more of it, not more output but maybe more sustain and perhaps more mids, so the solos would sing more and don't sound fizzy at high register.

I've already tried Dimarzio Evo 2 in the bridge and i didn't like it. (At first i wanted to change my bridge PU, neck PU works great for me so far, but there is a chance, that it would not perform well with my new brigde PU, like the Evo 2 did, so it may be swaped out also). He's got much sustain and also great EQ but i found that the attack and definition was too sharp/stiff and simply too much for my taste/setup.It was also a bit too noisy at speed picking (my chops could be the problem :scratchch). So i wanted same PU with the characteristics of Evo( good clean sounds/split sounds, rich crunch, especially the EQ), but with more "metality" to it for some speed riffs and big powerchords and also with flexible attack and even more dynamics, since my engl is very dynamic oriented amp.

I would also consider to try these:

Dimarzio D-Activator
Dimarzio Crunch Lab (i think it would be too muddy)
Duncan Full Shred
Duncan sh-5
Duncan sh-15
and finally "better" version of my HB 103 - the sh-6

Since i have to pay more for pickups, because my trusted dealer considers soldering as "product damage", it would be very useful to minimize the risk of sending PU's back.

P.S. Guitar has a mahagony body with maple top and rosewood fingerboard.
It has good sustain and healthy tone.
the Amp is not very high gainy, but definitely not a vintage type.
I've also read some of the similar posts about SZ 520 and i'm still not sure, since the setup and demands were different.

I hope that wasn't an overkill. So what do you think ? I would be very gratefull for some answers. :thanks:

 

[Nimdawg]

Re: Pickup search for Ibanez SZ 520

I had the same guitar a few years back!

I swapped out the pickups for a JB/Jazz combo and there was a huge improvement in clarity and good tones!

Even though I sold it - I still regret selling it. Especially with those pickups.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Pickup search for Ibanez SZ 520

JB, Custom or Distortion bridge PU. '59 or Pearly Gates neck PU.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Pickup search for Ibanez SZ 520

No disrespect to SD (I use em in just about all my guitars) but I found that for that model of guitar, Dimarzio Breed (neck) and Dimarzio Evolution (bridge - series 1) works the best.

 

[Diego]

Re: Pickup search for Ibanez SZ 520

I didn't like the JB in my SZ320, but it could be your ticket man. My tone goal is very different to yours.

It did sound very fat for rhythm and the leads were middy and sustained forever.

And we all know the JB crunch, but since the JB has a hint of sag and spongyness, it won't sound so cold and stiff like the Evo 2.

You might as well try the Dimarzio Breed too. It should be similar to the JB, perhaps a bit smoother but still clear and fat.
The Breed is one of the finest mass produced bridge pickups for Rock, ever IMO.

Give it a shot!

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Pickup search for Ibanez SZ 520

My friend has this guitar. The sz520 is very similar to a schecter c guitar, except that the sz has a huge neck. We actually compared my schecter c1+ with duncan distortion to an sz520 with stock pickups based on the duncan distortion. There just wasn't a significant difference, he decided not to even change the stock pickups. That being said, if you don't like the stock tones, don't get a duncan distoriton, you are correct in trying to go another direction.

The Custom SH-5 is absolutely the best choice you could make in my opinion because it is versatile and with some magnet changes you could really end up with the pickup of your dreams, such as the Custom 8. If you like the stock tones but want to add more mids and more of a singing solo tone the crunch lab will deliver. I've got it in a mahogany guitar, not capable of being muddy it is absolutely clear and really bright despite the eq that the dimarzio website describes. I must say, however, that I feel that the crunch lab is really only suitable if you are playing lead most of the time. If you lean towards the rhythm go with the Custom.

 

[High_Voltage]

Re: Pickup search for Ibanez SZ 520

Hello
Thanks for all the replys, i appreciate that. Will try to hear all of the pickups. Our other gitarrist in the band has got Crunch Lab. honestly i dont like his tone much, although he has a boogie mark V and JP Signature model... dunno, just not what i'm looking for. I think i like SD more (wanna try Custom and Alt 8), they tend to be more formable in tone, dimarzios are kind of stiff, i dont have better discription for that, sorry
So thanks again ! Keep on rockin'

 

[Schmeer]

Re: Pickup search for Ibanez SZ 520

The Crunchlab will not be muddy.
Wether or not you like the tone, well.. That's a whole different thing

 

[grapeskeletons]

Re: Pickup search for Ibanez SZ 520

Hi, I had one of these guitars for a long time, and I spent a year swapping pickups (I was "heymcz", you might have read my threads). Lotsa wasted time, solder, and cash, maybe you can benefit from my experience. Right now I've got a JB in one, and it has its downsides: cleans aren't very good, need to keep tone pot down a little because it can be a tad harsh. But I like the overall tone for rock crunch. I have the same pickup in my SZ720FM and it sounds very different, a lot more growl and bite. It's a bit airy in the SZ520, because those are lighter sounding guitars (they might be chambered, mine is very light), more of a strat sound than an LP. The SZ720 is a lot thicker and doesn't sound the same at all.

But here are two of the pickups you asked about, I had them in a SZ520:

TB-5 Custom--Sounded good and mean, crunchy, but very hollow, not a lot of mids. Very scooped sound, well-defined, but brittle high end. Excellent for rhythm, sucked with fakeness for leads. Play this Sample (rhythm is Custom, '59n is leads) on Amazon to hear it.

TB-10 Full Shred--Thin and lacked sustain for leads, but good rhythm sound, especially with the tone rolled off. Had a pronounced "wah" effect in this guitar (the treble on the pick attack fades out, leaving the mids). Way too harsh in the long run, had to EQ it a lot to get it to sound halfway decent. Rolling back the tone got fat rhythm but still not a lot of sustain. Very clean and articulate, but not brittle the way the Custom sounded. Sample

You need a "TB" version--trembucker size--due to the bridge spacing, not the "SH" version. Same pickup, different width. The neck pickup is normal spaced, however.

Some other notes:
--Duncan Distortion and Screamin' Demon both sounded way too thin.
--'59n sounds fabulous in this guitar, AIIP sounded dull and lifeless
--Custom Shop EVH and Pearly Gates were too harsh
--DiMarzio Breed set was excellent, but not what you seem to be looking for. The Breed bridge is basically a darker JB. I went back to a JB for more top end, and just keep control of the tone knob if I need it.

Hope that helps.

 

[deliriumtrigger]

Re: Pickup search for Ibanez SZ 520

I used to have the same guitar. For what you're describing, I would suggest a DiMarzio Norton. I got great results from that pickup.

 

[Despair]

Re: Pickup search for Ibanez SZ 520

I wonder if a PATB-2 Parallel Axis Distortion might do what you want. Thicker tone similar to the conventional (SH-6) Distortion, but with more growl on rhythms & riffs, and a bit smoother on leads. Hotter and more compressed, though. Sweeter upper mids, emphasized harmonics, rolls off the sometimes harsh bite a bit, though biting thrash rhythms are still readily available, just turn the presence up a notch at the amp. Very articulate for how hot it is, with reduced string pull and increased sustain.

Awesome metal pickup, in short. Parallel Axis line is advertised to thicken up a floating vibrato bridge to sound like a Les Paul. Should do the same for your thin guitar.

I have a PATB-1 in my old basswood RG570 (with floating whammy) and it's the best pickup I've ever had in the guitar. Can get almost any tone out of the bridge, though it's a bit tough to get cleans out of an amp without a LOT of clean headroom. But for anything from low gain on up, it does anything I want. Ridiculous range of tones available just from the guitar's knobs. Not quite as strong for thrash as the PATB-2, but far more flexible for low gain tones. Still, if I get a second shredstick, it's getting a PATB-2...

 

[skyydogg01]

Pickup search for Ibanez SZ 520

As much as I love the JB in my other guitars, I didn't like it so much in my 320. If you can get your hands on a Crazy 8, I say do it. I have one in mine, and I think it's perfect for that guitar.