RTM TB or '78 TB in Maple Fretboard/Maple Body Floyd Equipped Guitar?

[muttznmongrelz]

I've used the RTM TB in a couple of Maple Fretboard/Floyd Rose Equipped guitars now and like it; Alder Bodied Kramer Pacer Custom I and a Warmoth One Piece Ash Body Tele specifically.

I've used an older SD "Evenly Voiced Harmonics" TB in a Neck Thru Jackson Soloist that had the Active Mid Boost Circuitry (and loved it) but I'm not sure how it sounds sans active boost. Haven't used a '78 at all though its exactly the same as the Ev Vo Ha yes?

I'm torn between the RTM and '78 in the below pictured Light Weight Maple Bodied Project. Though I have a box full of effects, I plug straight into my 5150 or Blues Classic and am concerned that the '78 might sound weak. I've listened to the SD Links on youtube for each pickup and the '78 sounds pretty badass. Question for those who have experience with both the RTM and '78...what are your comparisons of the two...pros/cons?

 

[VHTJay]

Re: RTM TB or '78 TB in Maple Fretboard/Maple Body Floyd Equipped Guitar?

I love the '78 and the RTM. The '78 is one of those pickups that sounds hotter than it is; very percussive attack, chewy (but tight) lows and aggressive top end. I would not be concerned about it sounding weak, per say, but I could see it sounding a bit think in some guitar/amp combos as the pickup does not contribute a lot of low end.

For MY playing, I prefer the '78 in a Les Paul style guitar. The RTM is one of the best pickups I have ever used in a vibrato equipped guitar and that makes sense; DeMartini fine tuned a jb inspired wind to really smoke in vibrato equipped super strat.

So, going from an RTM to a '78, you will get: less compression, less midrange, more attack, more top end.

 

[Hot Octopus]

Re: RTM TB or '78 TB in Maple Fretboard/Maple Body Floyd Equipped Guitar?

I love the '78 and the RTM. The '78 is one of those pickups that sounds hotter than it is; very percussive attack, chewy (but tight) lows and aggressive top end. I would not be concerned about it sounding weak, per say, but I could see it sounding a bit think in some guitar/amp combos as the pickup does not contribute a lot of low end.

For MY playing, I prefer the '78 in a Les Paul style guitar. The RTM is one of the best pickups I have ever used in a vibrato equipped guitar and that makes sense; DeMartini fine tuned a jb inspired wind to really smoke in vibrato equipped super strat.

So, going from an RTM to a '78, you will get: less compression, less midrange, more attack, more top end.

I've got a G&L Superhawk. Soft maple body. hard maple neck but no trem. a JB SLAYS in this guitar. I could imagine the A2 in an RTM smoothing it out and adding softer compression, so that would be my first choice. I also might look into an EVH frankenstein PU. It might be a good middle ground between the 78' and RTM.

Food for thought- A few years ago I had a Kramer Pacer Vintage (the steel panther model) which was a hard maple body with a JB in the bridge and it sounded terrible. Kind of shrill and lacked compression.