Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

[DeadandBuried]

One of my friends gave me his ESP Ltd EC-50 that he doesn't use anymore. Both stock pickups are broken (electronically they work but they've fallen off their mounts) and sound rubbish anyway so I'm gonna switch them out.

I play it in drop tunings from c/b/a# mostly in a metalcore type style. Lots of chugs, squealies, power chords and single note riffs. Think ADTR/Killswitch/Parkway Drive etc etc.

I would like a good bridge pickup with the power/tightness to do the above and also a neck to do nice cleans. I have another LP with a BKP Aftermath that sounds great, but would like something else in this one.

I love the JB but I don't think its suited to lower tunings. Invader may get too muddy below C.

Shall I look at the actives? And is it better to mix bridge/neck combination? E.g ABH-1 bridge/Alnico Pro neck

 

[Mincer]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

I'd look at the Pegasus/Sentient combo that handles lower tunings really well, as well as varied gain ranges. You still get maximum KKKKKKKKK if you want it.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

Cheapest distortion you can find or a Duncan Designed 103 Bridge

 

[DeadandBuried]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

I'd look at the Pegasus/Sentient combo that handles lower tunings really well, as well as varied gain ranges. You still get maximum KKKKKKKKK if you want it.

I did look at the Pegasus when I was switching my Les Paul studio pickup, as I did like that nasally upper middy sound.

What are the cleans like on the Sentinent?

 

[DeadandBuried]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

Cheapest distortion you can find or a Duncan Designed 103 Bridge

As in a distortion pedal or the SH-6 (I think that's the SD distortion) pickup?

 

[Aceman]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

SH-6 Distortion pickup

 

[weepingminotaur]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

Pegasus/Sentient or Nazgul/Sentient would work just fine IMO. Cleans are great on the Sentient; you can get a lot of play with the volume and tone knobs.

 

[DeadandBuried]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

SH-6 Distortion pickup

Hmm, I feel that may have too much saturation for the chord playing, though I love my SH-4 the SH-6 is higher output and would possibly muddy up the chords on high-gain?

 

[pskorz]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

If the Duncan Distortion turns you off, in a general sense, I think that a full shred bridge might be an option that suit your needs. It's got a great tone and character of its own, and is a full-bodied sound with good clarity. as a bridge pickup, it delivers good clean tones, too. in a similar fashion, I really dig the Screamin' Demon, too, as moderate output and not crazy compressed. But Eb drop D is about as low as I've taken either, and I've only had either in strat-style floyd guitars.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

I did look at the Pegasus when I was switching my Les Paul studio pickup, as I did like that nasally upper middy sound.

What are the cleans like on the Sentinent?

The Sentient is voiced like the Jazz, with a touch less high end.

 

[DeadandBuried]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

Hmm ok, just wondering with the EC being the more lower end of the ESP range is it worth me putting BKP's in there or just try to make do with SD's.

 

[bigcupholder]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

Hmm ok, just wondering with the EC being the more lower end of the ESP range is it worth me putting BKP's in there or just try to make do with SD's.

It's worth it to you if you like the guitar and can afford the pickups without feeling buyer's remorse. You can always keep the pickups for the next guitar if/when you move on to something better.

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[Diego]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

The DD103 bridge is great for what you want, inexpensive and sounds great overall.

 

[DeadandBuried]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

It's worth it to you if you like the guitar and can afford the pickups without feeling buyer's remorse. You can always keep the pickups for the next guitar if/when you move on to something better.

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This is the thing, if I spunked alot of money on BKP's (and they ain't cheap) they might be wasted on a budget guitar.

I may be better off picking up a set of used SD's off eBay and running with that, once I know which ones I want!!

 

[DeadandBuried]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

The DD103 bridge is great for what you want, inexpensive and sounds great overall.

Have read bad reviews on those lol. Cheaper for a reason.

 

[bigcupholder]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

This is the thing, if I spunked alot of money on BKP's (and they ain't cheap) they might be wasted on a budget guitar.

I may be better off picking up a set of used SD's off eBay and running with that, once I know which ones I want!!

I haven't tried anything more expensive than SDs so I can't say how much of a difference it makes. I imagine it's diminishing returns like anything else though.

Ultimately it's up to you what's worth it or not, or what constitutes "wasted". If the BKP are a major expense for you, it's probably not worth it if that money can be better spent elsewhere on your rig or in your life. Like I said though, you can always swap those pickups to a better guitar in the future.

Just don't try to sell the guitar later with pickups that are worth as much as the guitar itself - that'll be a tough sale to make.

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[DeadandBuried]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

I haven't tried anything more expensive than SDs so I can't say how much of a difference it makes. I imagine it's diminishing returns like anything else though.

Ultimately it's up to you what's worth it or not, or what constitutes "wasted". If the BKP are a major expense for you, it's probably not worth it if that money can be better spent elsewhere on your rig or in your life. Like I said though, you can always swap those pickups to a better guitar in the future.

Just don't try to sell the guitar later with pickups that are worth as much as the guitar itself - that'll be a tough sale to make.

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Yeah as the guitar is a cheap one I am cautious about it. If I put some used SD's in and it still sounds crappy I haven't spent a ton of money on it.

But I know the guitarist from ADTR uses Juggernauts in his ESP (albeit a sig so better build quality) so if it works for him it could work for me!

I don't think I'll sell it, its planned to be a secondary metalcore guitar to my Les Paul.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Pickup set for Ltd EC-50

Just see if you can get a Distortion bridge used for not too much. Even better if you can find the set for not too much.

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