Swappping out Tone Zone from Maple ESP Mirrage Custom

[BluesGuyJ]

Hey guys...

I recently got my hands on an '88 ESP Mirrage Custom. I'm pretty sure she's all maple with an ebony fretboard.

It has a Dimarzio Tone Zone in the bridge, and ESP single coils in the middle and neck positions.

I'm finding that the Tone Zone doesn't really have that much bite when it comes to soloing. I've tweaked the amp over and over, thinking that the amp was the culperat for the weak "snap". But no matter what I do, it seems as though the Tone Zone is too strong in the lower registers and the mids/bass roll over any presence of treble.

I figured that the Tone Zone would complament a bright sounding wood very well, but not in my case. Tell me if I am wrong that maple is a farely bright sounding wood?

Anywho, I need suggestions for a new bridge pickup.

Here are some combos I was thinking of. P.S., I want this guitar to be hot, cutting, bright and articulate. Think Whitesnakes' "Fool for your lovin'".


order of ickups goes from bridge to neck...

JB/some sort of single coil/Cool Rails.

JB/some sort of single coil/Hot Rails.

Screamin Deamon/some sort of single coil/cool rails.

Dimarzio Evolution/some sort of single coil/Hot Rails.



I am definitely more of an "awwww" tone type of guy. I want this guitar to smell of 80s hair band metal.


Cleans aren't really a worry with this guitar.

 

[roadstar II]

Re: Swappping out Tone Zone from Maple ESP Mirrage Custom

try disconnecting the tone pot for the tone zone?
and i found that the TZ sounds best a little bit backed away from the strings
this gets it closer to a JB type tone

 

[shreder75]

Re: Swappping out Tone Zone from Maple ESP Mirrage Custom

I have a mirage as well...mine's swamp ash..I have a screamin demon in the bridge and lil screamin demons in the middle and neck position...the lil demons kick ass!!!

jury's still out on the demon though..don't think it's quite hot enough for me

 

[fab.regnaut]

Re: Swappping out Tone Zone from Maple ESP Mirrage Custom

To make the TZ less bassy , more tight and with more presence try to put some allen head screws in the place of regular slotted ones .

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: Swappping out Tone Zone from Maple ESP Mirrage Custom

Would a JB sound too bright in a maple body/neck guitar with ebony fretboard?

How about the Dimarzio Super Distortion?

 

[Xeromus]

Re: Swappping out Tone Zone from Maple ESP Mirrage Custom

That's the same problem I had with the TZ.

You should try:

DD or JB/vintage rails/cool rails. Great combo

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: Swappping out Tone Zone from Maple ESP Mirrage Custom

Thanks Z....

How does the cool rails handle high gain runs? Such as Petrucci Neck runs?

Would you say the DD or JB works on the higher registers more?

I've only been trying her out on my Roland at school, so I'm going to hold off on swapping out the pickups untill I crank the Mesa when I get home this weekend and really let her sing away.

 

[Xeromus]

Re: Swappping out Tone Zone from Maple ESP Mirrage Custom

Thanks Z....

How does the cool rails handle high gain runs? Such as Petrucci Neck runs?

Would you say the DD or JB works on the higher registers more?

I've only been trying her out on my Roland at school, so I'm going to hold off on swapping out the pickups untill I crank the Mesa when I get home this weekend and really let her sing away.

Well look at it this way. The cool rails more closely emulate a single coil crossed with a vintage humbucker. It has that brightness and clarity to it with a good amount of bass. It retains some warmth. I really like it for that reason. If you want more of a fat gainy lead tone like Petrucci I'd say go with the hot rails for the neck. Sounds great too, but two different animals. The hot rails can get muddy in the neck though where the cool rails won't.

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: Swappping out Tone Zone from Maple ESP Mirrage Custom

Ok thanks for the input. The ESP blade pickup I have in the neck works decent, I'll try out the Cool Rails with a JB, DD or CC/C5.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: Swappping out Tone Zone from Maple ESP Mirrage Custom

Thanks for the posts Brian.

I was surprised at how dark it sounded acoustically too. I think I am going for a JB in the bridge and a Cool Rails in the neck.


If I go with Dimarzio pickups, I think I am going for an Evolution and HS3 in the neck. I am still undecided about the middle position.

I'm not too worried about Strat tones with this, I've got my Satriani for that. I want this axe to be a 80s hair metal guitar all the way, haha.

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: Swappping out Tone Zone from Maple ESP Mirrage Custom

Since my ESP has a floyd rose, would I have to buy say a TB-4 instead of a regular JB?

And what does F Spaced mean? I've never put replacement pickups in a guitar before.