Pickups for Explorer

propeler

New member
I've just bought Gibson Explorer with EMG's 81/60 and I'm still waiting until it will arrive at my place, but I'm thinking what other options for pickups I have. I would like to use this guitar for dropped tuning with my Mesa Mark IV. Any recommendations?
 
Re: Pickups for Explorer

First thing I would do is see if you have enough room in the cavity for 2 9 volt batteries and do the 18 volt mod.



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Re: Pickups for Explorer

Split the difference. Seymour Duncan Live Wire Classic II humbuckers on 9v.
 
Re: Pickups for Explorer

If you like high gain, go for bill lawrence l-500xl. Other classic choises would be super distortion, invader(absolutely fantastic for rhythm!!!) and JB.

BKP nailbomb is also quite good, it's like jb but with slightly mellower top end and more defined lows. To me it sounds like "rhythm" jb.
 
Re: Pickups for Explorer

Be careful with pickups that are very mid centric in a Explorer- they are already really heavy on lows/low mids, and light on high end so many pickups can sound like mud.

Since you will need to re-wire With 500K pots though, a Duncan Custom or C5 would be a good choice for bridge, and a 59 or Jazz is usually a good choice for the neck. I ran a Custom/59 in my main explorer for several years.

I'd bet that a Demon would be a really good match for an Explorer bridge.

I'd shy away from darker middy pickups like the SuperD, JB, CC, etc in the bridge.
 
Re: Pickups for Explorer

You havent even heard the guitar yet? You might love the tone.
Why dont you just wait until you play the thing, then decide what you need to change and THEN you can look at pickups that will fit.
The problem you have is active pickups dont show the tone of the wood so you are starting from blank. You dont know how the guitar sounds. So, if you dont like it, you will have to start from the beginning with trial and error.

Just as a general thought, I would suggest the Custom or Invader for the bridge. But, to be honest, you need more information.
 
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