Suggested Pickups for a First Act Sheena CE240?

[triplecoil]

Hey everyone-

I'm thinking about upgrading the pups on my First Act Sheena CE240 as they just aren't doing it for me. Right now, they are both factory installed Alnico V pickups--a humbucker in the bridge and a humbucker-sized single-coil in the neck (so both cavities are humbucker-sized). They aren't the worst pickups in the world, but they definitely leave something to be desired.

The guitar itself is poplar body, set maple neck, maple fingerboard, string-through-body, six in-line tuners--pics are in the First Act site.

Anyway...I play a range of styles, from punk/post-hardcore (Fugazi, Bad Religion), to alt-country (Wilco, Ryan Adams), to alt-metal (Refused, The Bled), to indie-blues-funk-alternative-progressive-whatever rock (White Stripes, Interpol, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Mars Volta, etc.)...you get the picture. Obviously, I want the guitar to be able to rock hard, but I also want good subdued and clean tones, too.

Any suggestions for the new pups? Also, if anyone has suggestions for quality electronics (pots, switches, etc.) I would love to hear them...this is my first guitar upgrade project, so I want to make sure put some quality stuff in there. I've done quite a bit of soldering of other electronics, so I'll be fine with doing the work, so no worries there

 

[Micah]

Re: Suggested Pickups for a First Act Sheena CE240?

Hey everyone-

I'm thinking about upgrading the pups on my First Act Sheena CE240 as they just aren't doing it for me. Right now, they are both factory installed Alnico V pickups--a humbucker in the bridge and a humbucker-sized single-coil in the neck (so both cavities are humbucker-sized). They aren't the worst pickups in the world, but they definitely leave something to be desired.

The guitar itself is poplar body, set maple neck, maple fingerboard, string-through-body, six in-line tuners--pics are in the First Act site.

Anyway...I play a range of styles, from punk/post-hardcore (Fugazi, Bad Religion), to alt-country (Wilco, Ryan Adams), to alt-metal (Refused, The Bled), to indie-blues-funk-alternative-progressive-whatever rock (White Stripes, Interpol, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Mars Volta, etc.)...you get the picture. Obviously, I want the guitar to be able to rock hard, but I also want good subdued and clean tones, too.

Any suggestions for the new pups? Also, if anyone has suggestions for quality electronics (pots, switches, etc.) I would love to hear them...this is my first guitar upgrade project, so I want to make sure put some quality stuff in there. I've done quite a bit of soldering of other electronics, so I'll be fine with doing the work, so no worries there

Welcome to the forum Triplecoil! I saw those guitars and thought they looked interesting too! Lot of top players starting to use the custom line of guitars they make!
Seeing what you have listed ther for styles...Thats allot of tones! I think you might find what your looking for somewhere in the arena of a Duncan 59 in the bridge with either a 59 in the neck or a duncan phat cat in the neck for more of those P-90 like tones the original neck pickup was designed to create-phat single coil tones. Its definatly a journey though! the 59 should get you in the arena though I'd think.

 

[triplecoil]

Re: Suggested Pickups for a First Act Sheena CE240?

Thank for the help! I was actually considering both o those, so I will move them to the top of my list of possibilities, since you also think they'd be a good fit.

Perhaps I should limit the music styles I want to try to fit into these pups...that may make it a little easier