Pickups for a Bich

[mrfunnyman]

Scored a 2005 B.C. Rich Bich NJ Classic series earlier today. Maple neck thru, nato body, with a 1/2 maple top. The original pups in this guitar are decent, but I thought about swapping them for a set of Dimarzio's since that was the originally came in the 70's models. Some sets I thought about are ;
-Super Distortion (bridge)and PAF (neck)
-Super Distortion (bridge) & Super 2 (neck)
-Super Distortion in both bridge & neck
-X2N (bridge) & Super Distortion (neck)
-X2N (bridge) & PAF (neck)
Has anyone experimented with these pickup configurations I've mentioned in either a Mockingbird or Bich? I'm going for mainly classic rock/ hard rock tones.

 

[metalchurch79]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

Super-D/PAF Pro FTW.

 

[Artie]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

Scored a 2005 B.C. Rich Bich NJ Classic series earlier today.

Gotta pic? Just curious how close yours looks to mine.

 

[mrfunnyman]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

Ahh yes! I forgot about that one. How is the pro in the neck compared to the 36th anniversary?

 

[mrfunnyman]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

Here ya go

 

[Aceman]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

Suhhh-weeeet!

The fact it is in the Bich is irrelevant. Those are all Hot "high personality" pickups.

Yes -Super Distortion (bridge)and PAF (neck): Great pair, flexible
Yes -Super Distortion (bridge) & Super 2 (neck): Balanced metal pups
Yes -Super Distortion in both bridge & neck: Old school metal. I Like it!
Meh -X2N (bridge) & Super Distortion (neck): Never did this. Would loud and really really loud....
Yes - X2N (bridge) & PAF (neck)*

Never did this, however, for a maximum range guitar, put the X2N in there and add a mini on/on/on (or try Duncan Triple Shot rings) to get Series/parallel/single coil tones. That makes the X2N ULTRA flexible. Just for fun - add a phase switch to the neck umbucker.

I'd have all kinds of knobs on that thing in classic Rich fashion in no time.

 

[mrfunnyman]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

Suhhh-weeeet!

The fact it is in the Bich is irrelevant. Those are all Hot "high personality" pickups.

Yes -Super Distortion (bridge)and PAF (neck): Great pair, flexible
Yes -Super Distortion (bridge) & Super 2 (neck): Balanced metal pups
Yes -Super Distortion in both bridge & neck: Old school metal. I Like it!
Meh -X2N (bridge) & Super Distortion (neck): Never did this. Would loud and really really loud....
Yes - X2N (bridge) & PAF (neck)*

Never did this, however, for a maximum range guitar, put the X2N in there and add a mini on/on/on (or try Duncan Triple Shot rings) to get Series/parallel/single coil tones. That makes the X2N ULTRA flexible. Just for fun - add a phase switch to the neck umbucker.

I'd have all kinds of knobs on that thing in classic Rich fashion in no time.

Aceman,
I ended up going with a Bill Lawrence L-500XL in the bridge, and a DiMarzio PAF Master in the neck position. I thought about adding all those cool features that you mentioned, but in order to do so, I would have to route the control cavity like an old school Bich and I don't know how I feel about that.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

I hear you. I just love a bich with all the switches and knobs.

You basically have the X2N/PAF combo in there. Sort of. Enjoy!

 

[DonP]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

I have the X2N / Super D combo in a SoCal (came that way used). Love the X2N, but I'd rather have a regular PAF in the neck. I can re-use the Super D in another guitar's bridge.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

I have an X2N paired with a D-Activator neck. Sounds killer.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Mincer]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

On the old ones, what were all those switches and knobs for, anyway?

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

On the old ones, what were all those switches and knobs for, anyway?

In one of the first issues of Guitar Player I read, John Christ from Danzig said his Bich sounded way better once he "pulled all the microwave garbage out" and replaced the pickups.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

This is for a double-neck:

 

[Synapsys]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

And I thought some of my custom wirings were hard to remenber.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

They had a big@$$ cavity so it was easy to get in there and wire / add switches.

Usually - not that there was a usually you would get

Vol/Vol/Tone
Varitone 5 pos
switches for phase or split/parallel or both

Sometimes an onboard preamp

Nothing all science fiction, just a wide wide variety of sounds. Almost bought a Warlock in pink/purple flip flop with all that in like 86....regret!

 

[mrfunnyman]

Re: Pickups for a Bich

Alright, Alright! Last week was a good week. I ended up scoring not only the Bich, but I also ended up scoring a NJ Classic series Mockingbird. Here is a pic of them before I yanked the pickups out of them, and removed the nut on both of them and replaced them with TUSQ XL nuts. The Mockingbird got a Super D in the bridge & a 36th anniversary PAF in the neck. The Bich got the L500XL in the bridge & a PAF master in the neck. I should also mention that I put the L500XL in backwards to add a tad more warmth to the tone. This is my first Bill Lawrence pup I have messed around with, and to be quite honest after reading some reviews on this pup I was really nervous because the reviews were all over the place. Suprisingly this pickup sounds pretty awesome, very clear and tight, it also works very well with the volume and tone controls. I measured the output and it read in at 11.89K. I should also mention that the PAF master compliments this pup quite well. Next up on these two guitars is to upgrade the electronics. I was thinking about the SD Bourns pots or the Emerson pots, and a couple orange drop caps, but I am uncertain about what values to use.