Pickups for ESP viper

[Sinner1980]

Hi,

I'm the proud owner of an ESP Viper and an ESP Phoenix.
I really love my Phoenix which is loaded with a JB/Jazz set; great sounds, great guitar!

Recently I've purchased an ESP Viper standard which came with EMG's (81,85).
I'm absolutely loving the guitar but totally hate the EMG's...They just lack character and seem lifeless/sterile.

I've decided that the EMG's have to go and am going to swap them out with some passives. ESP is often associated with metal which isn't weird hence their list of endorsees.
I lean more towards classic rock/ blues rock and some old school metal (Priest, Ozzy, Maiden etc).

I could just swap the pickups out for another set of JB/Jazz but that just seems like the easy way out doesn't it? Seymour Duncan offers loads of different pickups so I'm more likely to take a different set and get some new/different sounds.

The guitars (phoenix and viper) are different however so I'm aware that they will sound different anyway. The viper is solid mahogany, neckthrough construction with an ebony fingerboard while the phoenix has a wonderful maple neck, neckthrough with mahogany wings and an ebony fretboard.

I'm open for suggestions; let's hear 'em!!!

 

[allstarrme]

Re: Pickups for ESP viper

A custom bridge with a Duncan distortion neck or screamin demon in the neck.

 

[ex-250]

Re: Pickups for ESP viper

Screamin' Demon bridge/Pearly Gates neck

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Pickups for ESP viper

I say Demon too, or if you can swing it, the S Deco works wonderfully in that type of axe. Pair it with an Antiquity neck, PGn, or APHn, and you have a versatile combo that will definately do classic rock/metal through the right amp.

 

[dominus]

Re: Pickups for ESP viper

Make sure you have a ground wire coming from the bridge before you switch to passive pickups.

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Pickups for ESP viper

A custom in the bridge with a 59 in the neck. Or a set of 59s .

 

[Dr.K]

Re: Pickups for ESP viper

59b with a PGn. Killer classic rock tone. You may need to pull a bridge post to run a ground wire as dominus pointed out.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Pickups for ESP viper

what model viper is that? 401? Sexy beast as is. I would take it with the EMGs actually. For passive I would do a TB-6 Duncan Distortion bridge and a Duncan Distortion SH6-N neck model or Screamin Demon for the neck.

 

[D-EJ915]

Re: Pickups for ESP viper

what model viper is that? 401? Sexy beast as is. I would take it with the EMGs actually. For passive I would do a TB-6 Duncan Distortion bridge and a Duncan Distortion SH6-N neck model or Screamin Demon for the neck.

It's an ESP not an LTD...

anyway I stuck the 59/JB set from my old Ninja into my Viper Baritone and it sounded pretty gnarly. Granted that was a baritone but essentially the same aside from 2" longer length.