Which pup for mahagony/maple top?

[UsrName]

Hi there, I was wondering of you knowledgeable guys could help me out.

I've got an Ibanez RGA121, which is mahagony with a thick chunk of maple on top (something like 5/8"). I have a distortion in right now. I like the tightness and clarity, but it seems kind of bright.

I also noticed a cap on the volume pot, not sure of the value. Is this contributing to the brightness? If so, will removing it help?

What other pups would you recommend that are comparable, but less trebly.

Others I am condidering are the Invader and the Custom. I've used the Invader extensively in a strat for years, but I sold it, so I can't try it out to hear the difference. Would the Invader with the cap that's there do the the trick?

Also, I think I need a trembucker, so could this also be contributing to a loss of bottom end, since the 1st and 6th string are on the outside of the poles?

One more question. I'm playing through a JSX, which as tons of gain. Do I need a lower output pup or is hot still OK?

Thanks for any help you could give, I really appreciate it.

 

[heymcz]

Re: Which pup for mahagony/maple top?

You might like the Custom. Some people think of it as a "hot-rodded PAF", but I think of it as a "watered down Distortion". Stay far, far away from a JB if you think the DD is too bright. Custom will have a bigger bottom end than the Distortion, but not as much as the Invader. Check the FAQs on the site, you need to measure the strings' width at the bridge to determine whether or not you'll need a Trembucker.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Which pup for mahagony/maple top?

That cap is a treble bleed cap and is making your guitar brighter. Clip just one lead of it loose and see if you like that better.

If you find that you'd removed to much treble, try the 50's mod. That's easy: just attach the connection to your master tone control to the middle terminal of the volume control which goes to the output jack. You could also attach your tone control to the output jack and it would work just as well.

As for a replacement for the Distortion, you may not need to now!

But if it's still to bright, try a Custom Custom. If the Custom Custom is not bright enough, try a Custom.

The JB is a superb pickup but some people insist that it's to bright...even though it has less actual treble than a pickup like the 59B! :smack:

 

[erikm5150]

Re: Which pup for mahagony/maple top?

I have the exact same guitar. Yes it is a tad bright and "snappy" -- must be the thick maple top.

To anser your question about the capacitor at the volume pot:
It is a 330pf cap, and it is there as a "treble bleed" for when you roll down the vol knob.
Removing this cap will only make a difference when your volume is not at full. When turning down your volume, the sound will get darker.

As for pickups, i put an Air Zone for the bridge in mine and am pretty happy with the tone.
I was *this* close to putting duncans in there and was considering the following pickups for the bridge:
Custom 5, Custom Custom, PATB-1, Blues Saraceno Trembucker, 59/Custom hybrid, or custom/JB hybrid

In my estimation, those duncans would work well in an RGA121 ... i still might try them in the future, but for now the Air Zone stays.

Hi there, I was wondering of you knowledgeable guys could help me out.

I've got an Ibanez RGA121, which is mahagony with a thick chunk of maple on top (something like 5/8"). I have a distortion in right now. I like the tightness and clarity, but it seems kind of bright.

I also noticed a cap on the volume pot, not sure of the value. Is this contributing to the brightness? If so, will removing it help?

What other pups would you recommend that are comparable, but less trebly.

Others I am condidering are the Invader and the Custom. I've used the Invader extensively in a strat for years, but I sold it, so I can't try it out to hear the difference. Would the Invader with the cap that's there do the the trick?

Also, I think I need a trembucker, so could this also be contributing to a loss of bottom end, since the 1st and 6th string are on the outside of the poles?

One more question. I'm playing through a JSX, which as tons of gain. Do I need a lower output pup or is hot still OK?

Thanks for any help you could give, I really appreciate it.

 

[UsrName]

Re: Which pup for mahagony/maple top?

You might like the Custom. Some people think of it as a "hot-rodded PAF", but I think of it as a "watered down Distortion". Stay far, far away from a JB if you think the DD is too bright. Custom will have a bigger bottom end than the Distortion, but not as much as the Invader. Check the FAQs on the site, you need to measure the strings' width at the bridge to determine whether or not you'll need a Trembucker.

Thanks. I might give it a try and I know my fixed bridge is the same spacing as a Floyd Rose, so I'll need a trembucker.

 

[UsrName]

Re: Which pup for mahagony/maple top?

That cap is a treble bleed cap and is making your guitar brighter. Clip just one lead of it loose and see if you like that better.

If you find that you'd removed to much treble, try the 50's mod. That's easy: just attach the connection to your master tone control to the middle terminal of the volume control which goes to the output jack. You could also attach your tone control to the output jack and it would work just as well.

As for a replacement for the Distortion, you may not need to now!

But if it's still to bright, try a Custom Custom. If the Custom Custom is not bright enough, try a Custom.

The JB is a superb pickup but some people insist that it's to bright...even though it has less actual treble than a pickup like the 59B! :smack:

Thanks, great tip! What exactly will the 50's mod do? Is there a description to it and other mods somewhere I can check out.

 

[UsrName]

Re: Which pup for mahagony/maple top?

I have the exact same guitar. Yes it is a tad bright and "snappy" -- must be the thick maple top.

To anser your question about the capacitor at the volume pot:
It is a 330pf cap, and it is there as a "treble bleed" for when you roll down the vol knob.
Removing this cap will only make a difference when your volume is not at full. When turning down your volume, the sound will get darker.

As for pickups, i put an Air Zone for the bridge in mine and am pretty happy with the tone.
I was *this* close to putting duncans in there and was considering the following pickups for the bridge:
Custom 5, Custom Custom, PATB-1, Blues Saraceno Trembucker, 59/Custom hybrid, or custom/JB hybrid

In my estimation, those duncans would work well in an RGA121 ... i still might try them in the future, but for now the Air Zone stays.

Thanks. What kind of amp/music do you play? What kind of tones can be had with the AirZone? I've also heard good things about the ToneZone and Breed.

 

[erikm5150]

Re: Which pup for mahagony/maple top?

Actually, the Air Zone, Breed, and Tone Zone have quite similar EQ curves...
The Air zone is the most "vintage" sounding of the bunch... more open, it has a PAF -ish tone (but higher ouptut than a PAF)
the Breed is similar to an air zone, but thicker and darker. like a very fat and thick PAF
the tone zone is compressed sounding and an "in your face" type of pickup, high output.

 

[UsrName]

Re: Which pup for mahagony/maple top?

Actually, the Air Zone, Breed, and Tone Zone have quite similar EQ curves...
The Air zone is the most "vintage" sounding of the bunch... more open, it has a PAF -ish tone (but higher ouptut than a PAF)
the Breed is similar to an air zone, but thicker and darker. like a very fat and thick PAF
the tone zone is compressed sounding and an "in your face" type of pickup, high output.

I just might try a Breed in the near future. Seems like a tone I'd like. We'll see.

Thanks again.

 

[heymcz]

Re: Which pup for mahagony/maple top?

The JB is a superb pickup but some people insist that it's to bright...even though it has less actual treble than a pickup like the 59B! :smack:

Sorry, Lew, that's me. I defer to your experience with this one. Can I say that it's got a lot of upper-upper-upper mids?

Seriously, I didn't have the JB for very long, but the sound was like an icepick (clean and for distorted solos) at home-studio level volumes on the guitar I had it in (Schecter BlackJack C1), using the default tone pot (probably 500k). Sorry if I'm overgeneralizing the JB, I've since learned that it's designed for cut at stage volumes in a band, which was exactly how I wasn't using it....

 

[taphappy]

Re: Which pup for mahagony/maple top?

I recommend the tonezone!