Rio Grande BBQ

[boogie]

I know Rio Grande BBQ sounds really fat, warm, round but I never used it. (Is it fatter more than DiMarzio Breed?) I was wondering how its clean and distortion is. I am worried about whether its sounds muddy, fuzzy especially the clean tone.

If I swap the stock bridge pup with the BBQ, any cool combines for my HSH? Thanks!

Cheers!

 

[papersoul]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

What tones are you searching for and what amp?

 

[boogie]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

Thank you!
I am really into AC/DC, Megadeth, Metallica, Dream Theater, Judas Priest and some 80's metal. I want to swap my stock pups with other hotter pups. The stock pups are PAF Pro, DiMarzio custom wound single coil, PAF Pro, it's a EBMM Silhouette(HSH). The 2 & 4 pickup switch position sounds kinda thin and not warm enough. The bridge PAF Pro sounds not hot enough. I am looking for a hotter pup, but not just stupid hot like DiMarzio X2N. I need a cool distored pup which also has a nice clean. Some nice guys suggested me DiMarzio Air Zone or Breed. I have no idea about those pups because I never used them, so I am worried about Air Zone and Breed are not hot enough for some heavy stuff like my favor bands above.
I am using Mesa/Boogie RoadKing head and Mark IV head.

Thanks!!!

 

[papersoul]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

With a Boogie roadking you should have all the gain you need, right? I find that I tend to try and get the heavier gain from the amp these days and less from the pickup. With that said....I think the BBQ will give you a very thick and yes heay tone. In the right guitar it can do quite a bit...clean to mean. The Duncan JB and Custom might be other options. You could also look at the C-5 which is very versatile.

I don't know EB guitars well but I assume Dimarzios are direct replacement. The Air is supposed to be a great pickup and I can imagine a Tone Zone would be great in that guitar as well. If you are looking for the pickup to have enough heat and one that will be right at home, I might say Tone Zone. With that guitar, I'd probably want the added bass of the Tone Zone, Air Zone, BBQ, Custom, or C-5.

 

[boogie]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

DiMarzio Tone Zone, Breed, Air Zone, Duncan JB

I was wondering which pup is hotter and clean up

 

[boogie]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

hmmm. DiMarzio sounds so cool~
I just played IBANEZ RG3120 a couple of times. In fact I was not very into that sounds, it was kinda noisy, loose to me. I am not sure whether the ToneZone would sound cool on my EBMM's alder body.

 

[boogie]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

we forget the Rio Grande BBQ

 

[Mac-P]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

I have used all the pickups listed in this thread (Tone Zone, Air Zone, Breed, JB, Custom, and Rio BBQ).

To answer your question: The Rio BBQ is the thickest and warmest of all the other pickups mentioned, by far. Possibly TOO warm for some guitars/tastes/rigs.

Think of the BBQ like a JB with noticably more bass and less treble, but with a similar "push" in the midrange and a sort of similar "growl". If you like a JB but think it needs more bass and less highs, then that is the BBQ.

In comparasin to the Air Zone & Breed (both great pickups), those Dimarzios are a bit more "polite" sounding. The Air Zone has more top end than the JB and less mids. The Breed is very very similar to the JB with a similar midrange "push", but is more polite sounding. Less growly.

All four of these pickups (BBQ, JB, Breed, Air Zone) clean up very well and are suited for single note playing. All are clear, precise and full bodied on single notes. All distort VERY well. The JB and BBQ come off as more "muscular" than the DiMarzios while still being clear. By far my favorite two bridge pickups (JB & BBQ).


The DiMarzio Tone Zone is another story. It is like the Air Zone but with a slight overdrive to it. It doesn't really clean up very well with ANY amount of pre-amp gain. If you want to play it clean you need to roll the amp gain to zero, or turn down your guitar's volume control, or play through a solid state clean amp. Boo. It is my least favorite of all the pickups mentioned here. And even though the DiMarzio EQ curve would have you believe otherwise (they are usually pretty accurate), there is a trebly rasp to the pickup as it distorts - ( again, which it does TOO easily in my opinion). Unless you are always playing with gain, the Air Zone is a much better bet, warmer, and much more versatile.

The Duncan Custom is in a different category than all these other Alnico V pickups that are more or less midrange heavy. The Custom is a ceramic magnet pickup with a "flatter" EQ (no boosted mids). A bit "harder" sounding and much brighter. It cleans up very well and is a really good sounding pickup. Especially for a ceramic which can sound less than organic. For my taste, it's brightness and flat mids make it better suited for rhythms than single note soloing. I like the added mids of the other pickups to fatten up the single notes.

Hope this helps! :burnout:

 

[Mac-P]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

If I swap the stock bridge pup with the BBQ, any cool combines for my HSH? Thanks!

Cheers!

Oh yea.....


The BBQ is not the kind of pickup that "plays nice" with other brands of pickups in this sense: it is VERY VERY warm and probably has more bass and thickness than the neck pickup you currently have in there (no lie).

I tried the BBQ out with a bunch of Duncan neck pickups and the BBQ overpowered them all ('59, Jazz, PG - which all sounded too thin when switching from the BBQ). So I did the logical thing and tried the Rio Grande Genuine Texas neck (the matching neck pickup). And it is the only one that can put the BBQ in perspective properly to my ears.

Keep that in mind if you are thinking of just "dropping a BBQ in your guitar".

~ Peace ~

 

[boogie]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

wow.. Thanks very much! I have found the answer.

I wonder how the Rio Grande Genuine Texas neck sounds. Thanks!

 

[Jeff5]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

Rio's are great pups. I have a BBQ and Texas neck. The BBQ has loads of bass, decent mids, a bit low on the highs. The Texas is just a beautiful pup. Sweet highs, just sings. Great for soloing, especially slower, blusier stuff.

That being said I may replace the BBQ bridge in my Epi. Here's the reason. I'm using a boogie triaxis, and it has TONS of bass. Like more than you'll ever need. So much that I normally have it on zero and my house still shudders when I mute my low E. That combined with the bass on the BBQ make it way too much. It actually muds out my sound, and doesn't crunch or cut through the mix like I'd like it to. So I'll be switching to a different bridge pup, one with more highs and a bit less bass. (possibly JB or Custom, or CC)

Just shows you your pups do depend on your rig. The BBQ is a wonderful pup, in the right guitar and through the right amp. If your amp is naturally bass heavy I'd caution you as it may be too much bass. If your amp is treble heavy naturally the BBQ may be a great fit. Food for thought.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

So I did the logical thing and tried the Rio Grande Genuine Texas neck (the matching neck pickup). And it is the only one that can put the BBQ in perspective properly to my ears.

I have a guitar that came with the BBQ/GenTX combination. While I liked the BBQ okay in the neck (it's way phat), the GenTX in the neck was not for me. On the plus side, it could get wonderful singing lead tones but the big mid hump really messed with my clean tones. It pushed my Rivera in such a way that the tone was either slightly dirty or somewhat muddy.

I ultimately replaced the pups with a set of Custom Shop 78's and couldn't be happier. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

They do great upfront screaming tones a la early 90's Angus! :smokin: They don't have that much highs, but very significant uppermids, which make them quite noticable in the mix. I suppose that's the RG's touch in any of their pickups (so far I owned/own BBQ-Texas-Muy Grande tele-Stelly strat- tallboys strat... Maybe that's the texas sizzle! Who knows? :scratchch

For some clips check my thread in the tips/clips section !

B

 

[papersoul]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

The BBQ/Texas is a very thick and rich pickup combination and it greatly warms up my Line 6 Vetta head. I have found it to be very versatile and true to the natural tone of the guitar. I had the BBQ in a Hamer Mirage, Hamer Studio, Dean Evo Deluxe, and LP Standard and the natural tone of the guitar was true and clear. My LP was very thick, rich, and articulate with the BBQ/Texas and 500k pots. No mud on clean or high gain and so fun to play. Very tight in the low end in my opinion, but still not as much low end as the Duncan C-5!

I hear people say the BBQ can be one dimensional or dull, but I don't see it at all! I find it complex and rich! I think of it as a modernized JB.

 

[presa_tito]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

Thank you!
I am really into AC/DC, Megadeth, Metallica, Dream Theater, Judas Priest and some 80's metal. I want to swap my stock pups with other hotter pups. The stock pups are PAF Pro, DiMarzio custom wound single coil, PAF Pro, it's a EBMM Silhouette(HSH). The 2 & 4 pickup switch position sounds kinda thin and not warm enough. The bridge PAF Pro sounds not hot enough. I am looking for a hotter pup, but not just stupid hot like DiMarzio X2N. I need a cool distored pup which also has a nice clean. Some nice guys suggested me DiMarzio Air Zone or Breed. I have no idea about those pups because I never used them, so I am worried about Air Zone and Breed are not hot enough for some heavy stuff like my favor bands above.
I am using Mesa/Boogie RoadKing head and Mark IV head.

Thanks!!!

A little off topic, but Megadeth is coming to the commodore ballroom in Vancouver near the end of next month and tickets just went on sale. I already bought 4. You should go if you have the cash. I think they will be sold out fast because it only holds 800 or so.

 

[boogie]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

A little off topic, but Megadeth is coming to the commodore ballroom in Vancouver near the end of next month and tickets just went on sale. I already bought 4. You should go if you have the cash. I think they will be sold out fast because it only holds 800 or so.

OMFG!!!!!!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!

 

[Mac-P]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

SOS: Thread hijack!!

F*cking Dave Mustaine. I always liked him better than Kirk anyway.....

 

[Mac-P]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

I hear people say the BBQ can be one dimensional or dull, but I don't see it at all! I find it complex and rich! I think of it as a modernized JB.

Yes, I absolutely agree. I don't hear one-dimensionality at all. There is a DEFINITE slope off the top end, but the rest of the EQ curve is awesome.

A great pickup.

 

[boogie]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

Hey Mr. Mca-P, I wonder any difference between BBQ and BBQ /w nickel cover
Thanks

 

[presa_tito]

Re: Rio Grande BBQ

So are you going to be able to make it to the Megadeth show. The new lead guitarist from Eidolon is supposed to be killer and can nail any one of Marty's solos with relative ease.