pup for the ibanez semi hollow CUSTOM

G

gerardotejada

New member
EStimated People of the forum:
I need a sugestion for changing the pick ups on my ibanez AS 103, i want to get a sound that aloud me to change from a jazzy tone to a classic rock/ hard rock distorton.
a reference of what I want is the sound of this guitarrist

Steve Hackett on "Guitar Noir" album
Andrew latimer/camel on "A Nod and a Wink" album
Anekdoten, the crimson tone on the album "From Within"
the vintage crimsonian sound of Omar Rodriges/the Mars Volta
and of course the versatile distortion tone of Robert Fripp/King crimson

I play through a Vox Valvetronix Vt50 and i don´t have any aditional effect or multi-effects pedals (not yet...)

i have been thinking that maybe a couple of Jazz could do the work (or a jazz neck and a 59 on the bridge) but I m not so shure, I been listening the audio sampples but the diversity mede me dizzy.
also I was thinking in add a fernandes sustainer but in a semi hollow its too difficult to put it without damanging the guitar.

So this is It, I Think I have said everything that is need to said.
Please help me. Thanks.
Atte.
Gerardo Tejada Urbina
 
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Re: pup for the ibanez semi hollow CUSTOM

JB/59 set?

A sustainer would require completely rewiring that guitar, which is a real plain when working with semi-hollows, as well as routing for a few added components (mainly the mini-switches and a battery box, since you can't just put the battery in the control route, seeing as how the route is... well, the whole guitar).

Omar Rodriguez uses a hotrail-type pickup. Not helping much, but I always thought he was more about making noise than traditional guitar sounds.
 
Re: pup for the ibanez semi hollow CUSTOM

yeah, I know with a semi hollow the idea of a sustainer is out of question, i think that in the begining because Fripp and Hackett use sustainers....
but aside that problem. What pick ups you recomend me?
 
Re: pup for the ibanez semi hollow CUSTOM

To cover all that ground, I'd probably go with something bright, tight, and clean so as to let the amp do most of the work (especially with a modeling rig). From Duncan, that would mean the Jazz set.
 
Re: pup for the ibanez semi hollow CUSTOM

JB/59?
I m not shure, the JB dont sound very versatile, and dont work very well in a semi hollow.
The 59 I think that would sound good in the bridge, but It seem that everybody uses on the neck.
The Jazz could work, but i am not shure about the jazz going in the bridge.

I would be very grateful if someone lisent the examples I give in the first post, that is the sound I want to get.

PD: what is a modeling rig? maybe you could tell me the translation in spanish (but dont use an internet translator)
 
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Re: pup for the ibanez semi hollow CUSTOM

For a hard rock sound that's also good clean, it's hard to beat a C5/JazzN. I've got in a Sheraton, and it's one of my best sounding guitars.
 
Re: pup for the ibanez semi hollow CUSTOM

.... yeah, but some one could tell me how do I get the bluesy tone of Latimer, The haunting tone of Hackett and the anekdoten/Marsvolta crimsonian tone....

If you lisent carefully to this artist you would notice that the tones mantain a goes from a clean distorted blues sound to a dark fuzzy vintage distortion.
the two parts of the spectrum are Latimer and King Crimson.

Also, How good are the Gibson 57 Classic. ¿That are the ones that comes with the Goldtop 59 and the ES-335?.

PD: and what about the Alnico II, in the page it says that work good with the semihollow bodies, would It help me to get my tone?
 
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Re: pup for the ibanez semi hollow CUSTOM

gerardotejada said:
.... yeah, but some one could tell me how do I get the bluesy tone of Latimer, The haunting tone of Hackett and the anekdoten/Marsvolta crimsonian tone....
Also, How good are the Gibson 57 Classic. ¿That are the ones that comes with the Goldtop 59 and the ES-335?. PD: and what about the Alnico II, in the page it says that work good with the semihollow bodies, would It help me to get my tone?
Click to expand...

There's a big difference between a "good" PU and one that sounds the way you want. As far as gretting someone's exact tone, don't count on it. You don't know how bright or dark their wood was in their guitars. Do you have the same amps & effects they used? All these variables interact and make the final tone; the PU is only a small part of it. If your guitar has bright wood, and theirs was dark, using the same PU they did won't give you their sound. Lots of old threads about how the exact same PU sounds different each time you put it in a different guitar. Using a different amp, speaker, & effects than they did may screw that up too, even if you matched everything else. Everything in the signal chain alters the sound, even your cord.

Very few of us can duplicate the way our heroes sound, especially when they used gear from 30 or 40 years ago, and the most successful these days usually play around with magents & pots to get closer. Guitar tone is a very imprecise science. If only we could change a component & get a predictable result. There's thousands of threads on this forum discusssing a player's surprise at how a PU sounds, sometimes good surprises, sometimes bad. There's so many variables that all you can do is shape what you have. No real way to short cut that. The recommendations you get are from players who like a certain PU, through their gear, but just as many don't like it. How do you know who to listen to?
 
Re: pup for the ibanez semi hollow CUSTOM

blueman335 said:
There's a big difference between a "good" PU and one that sounds the way you want. As far as gretting someone's exact tone, don't count on it. You don't know how bright or dark their wood was in their guitars. Do you have the same amps & effects they used? All these variables interact and make the final tone; the PU is only a small part of it. If your guitar has bright wood, and theirs was dark, using the same PU they did won't give you their sound. Lots of old threads about how the exact same PU sounds different each time you put it in a different guitar. Using a different amp, speaker, & effects than they did may screw that up too, even if you matched everything else. Everything in the signal chain alters the sound, even your cord.

Very few of us can duplicate the way our heroes sound, especially when they used gear from 30 or 40 years ago, and the most successful these days usually play around with magents & pots to get closer. Guitar tone is a very imprecise science. If only we could change a component & get a predictable result. There's thousands of threads on this forum discusssing a player's surprise at how a PU sounds, sometimes good surprises, sometimes bad. There's so many variables that all you can do is shape what you have. No real way to short cut that. The recommendations you get are from players who like a certain PU, through their gear, but just as many don't like it. How do you know who to listen to?
Click to expand...

Mmmm..... Thanks that a good advice, to many things are implied in the sound of the guitar and would be naive to think that the pickups would get the tone by Itselfs, I´ve Thinking that maybe i could go for a Jazz set and let the amp do the dirty work, also I´ve cheking prices on the efect pedals, a Podlive would help a lot to get that distorted sound of Robert Fripp and Hackett.

But again, what Pickup in the bridge would give me a good distortion without going mad (ussualy happends in the semihollows with the wrong Pickups), consider that I PLay trough a semi valve/tube amp.
Some one knows how good work the 59 in the bridge position (of a semihollow of course) And Im not so shure about the C5, I lisent the samples and didnt like the clean sound, but of course if you could tell me how they react in a 335 body, also the C5 have a higher ouput and a friend of mine said that the pick ups with a Highoutput dont "suit" to well in a semihollow or hollow body

PD: the information about the woods on my guitar can be found in
http://www.ibanez.com/hollow/guitar.aspx?m=AS103
 
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Re: pup for the ibanez semi hollow CUSTOM

gerardotejada said:
Some one knows how good work the 59 in the bridge position (of a semihollow of course) And Im not so shure about the C5, I lisent the samples and didnt like the clean sound, but of course if you could tell me how they react in a 335 body, also the C5 have a higher ouput and a friend of mine said that the pick ups with a Highoutput dont "suit" to well in a semihollow or hollow body.

PD: the information about the woods on my guitar can be found in
http://www.ibanez.com/hollow/guitar.aspx?m=AS103
Click to expand...


I like the C5 in a semi-hollow, but mainly for the distorted sound. There's plenty of guys that have used 335's with distortion: Clapton in Cream (1968), early Richie Blackmore, Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers), Gary Moore, Alvin Lee, BB King, Otis Rush, Freddie King, etc. Some nice tones there.

For a clear, clean tone the '59B is highly regarded on this forum, and works just as well with overdrive. Semi-hollows tend to be warm-sounding, which usually gives a little more mellow feel. The one complaint with a '59N is the sometimes boomy low end. I haven't had a problem with that, but just in case, a JazzN would give the benefits without that possible drawback. A '59B/JazzN is a good pair that will get you headed in the right direction.
 
Re: pup for the ibanez semi hollow CUSTOM

blueman335 said:
The one complaint with a '59N is the sometimes boomy low end.
Click to expand...

you was triyng to say 59B?

About guys that have used 335's with distortion, you forgot Alex lifeson, Steve Howe, Jhon Scofield (when using that funky fuzz) and Fred Frith.

What Pickup in the bridge would give me a good distortion without going mad? (ussualy happends in the semihollows).
I am sure about the Jazz in the neck, so my options in the bridge are:
59 - C5- ApII

I`ve heared good coments about the Alnico II pro.
I still want to try a C5, How does the Semihollow respond to the disortion through a C5 at high volume? some Pick ups loose control especially in this tipe of guitars.


And how is the distorted sound through a 59? It also mantain that Hard Rock tone?

PD: I am almost decided for a Jazz set or a Jazzn/59B but I need to be sure
 
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Re: pup for the ibanez semi hollow CUSTOM

What Pickup in the bridge would give me a good distortion without going mad? (ussualy happends in the semihollows).
I am sure about the Jazz in the neck, so my options in the bridge are:
59 - C5- ApII

I`ve heared good coments about the Alnico II pro.
I still want to try a C5, How does the Semihollow respond to the disortion through a C5 at high volume? some Pick ups loose control especially in this tipe of guitars.


And how is the distorted sound through a 59? It also mantain that Hard Rock tone?

PD: I am almost decided for a Jazz set or a Jazzn/59B but I need to be sure
 
Re: pup for the ibanez semi hollow CUSTOM

Almost all modern humbuckers are wax potted, so you're not going to get any more feedback from one than another, except for from high output (from the pickup) and high gain (from the amp). The feedback is less of an issue with semi-hollows than full hollowbodies, but there are ways to fix it.

- Stand away from the amp
- Face away from the amp
- Consider putting something into the soundholes, if it's an issue (BB King used socks, the Tom Delonge Gibson is filled with foam)
- Watch your amount of gain from the amp
- Use better electronics components and cables, and make sure your pedals, which I assume you use if you're a Mars Volta fan, don't add to the problem

I haven't used a C5 or APII. I believe the guy from Rancid/The Transplants used a 59 in his semi-hollow, and they've got a pretty good glob of gain ontop of their stuff. I think you should be fine.

If you need pickup reviews, try: www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/

If you need ideas from other bands that have used semi-hollows with high-gain, take a look at:

- Poison The Well (he used a 135 with some Duncan in the bridge last I saw them, tuned to Drop C)
- The Fall of Troy (has used a Rickenbacker 360 many times, but I believe he's retired it from touring because he fears hurting it live)
- Alexisonfire (Dallas Green uses the same Gibson 335s and Epi Dots with Alexisonfire as he does for City and Colour, EXTREMELY different types of music)

If I were you, I'd just go with the Jazz/59. Pretty tried and true method.
 
Re: pup for the ibanez semi hollow CUSTOM

Thanks very much.
The cuestion about feedback was because I been using a friend´s effect pedal and make my guitar sound Quackwiuwiupiii and quack again. But it cuold be maybe The pedal´s Fault, any way I was Kind of paranoic Because someone told me that the semihollows tend to have Feedback issues [tienden a tener problemas con el feedback en comparacion con otras guitarras].

I just Have tried a Dot with a C5 in the neck and sound very good, but is not what Im looking for (but I could try it in my old Venson 120 bucks sing-sing-hum model).
I have doubts about 59 and APII, I lisent to the audio samples and both sound suspiciously similar in the bridge position with distortion.
Also, could tell me what implies a high or low DC(corriente directa) resistans
 
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