Ibanez Vs Ltd/ Pickup Question (zakk) Options

[Marshmall0wz]

So i'm selling my gibson sg-3 faded cause i need something more BRUTAL and i'm currently looking at two guitars.
http://www.gordonlasalle.com/servlet/the-4...c-Guitar/Detail
http://www.guitarplaza.com/espltdmhntde.html
I love my friends $300 ibanez and figure a prestige must be like....heaven. I've played an LTD before and thought it was very consistent in sound and playability. However I'm gonna switch the pickups on the Ibanez guitar to EMG X Series. The LTD comes with EMG's however they aren't the X Series with have a bad ass organic sounding preamp (so they say) so I might change those too if i get that guitar. ZAKK your opinion on EMG VS EMG X? Anyway, just wondering what you all thought and preferred. Thanks!!

P.S.>>I'm selling the gibson for $600 if anyone's interested, email me at [email protected]

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

Don't miss today's free blues, jazz & country licks. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

[Marc_Maiden]

how can Zak tell you which pick up sounds better to you? no offense to zak, he is very knowledgeable but i think this is your call. try to get sound clips and see if they are for you.

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

Don't miss today's free blues, jazz & country licks. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

[ZakkWylde]

I can't tell you which pickups are better but I can give you a slight impression on the sound and you can start from there...

Also it is very difficult to try the X series out because there is currently NO production model guitar equipped with them so he can't just walk into a store and try them on the next best guitar!

I recently played a guitar with a 81x/85x equipped and I can say: They are still the same pickups soundwise but the preamp driving the pickup was changed. EMG sound very compressed but they stay very clear and defined because of it. An EMG X is not as compressed sounding which gives you more dynmaics in tone and also makes the clean sound a bit better (don't expect a passive pickup's behaviour though) but they loose a bit of their tightness.
I guess those pickups are aimed at people who loved the 18V mod on their old EMGs (the 18v mod makes a standard EMG sound A LITTLE more open but less tight; think of the X series as a better 18V mod)

The X Emgs are good for people who like the emg tone but not the lack of dynamics and headroom. If you can live with less dynamics but want a tight and defined sounding EMG then go for a standard one.

Edit:

Forgot my opinion about the guitars^^

Esp Ltd 1000<Ibanez Prestige<Original ESP

The RGA is built on a very high quality level and the materials used are usually euqal to the good ltd series so the Ibanez wins. However if you can get a hold of an ESP Horizon, it will blow both guitars out of the water (but it's a bit more expensive ofcourse)

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

Don't miss today's free blues, jazz & country licks. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

This post has been edited by ZakkWylde: Sep 8 2009, 11:00 AM

[Marshmall0wz]

I can't tell you which pickups are better but I can give you a slight impression on the sound and you can start from there...

Also it is very difficult to try the X series out because there is currently NO production model guitar equipped with them so he can't just walk into a store and try them on the next best guitar!

I recently played a guitar with a 81x/85x equipped and I can say: They are still the same pickups soundwise but the preamp driving the pickup was changed. EMG sound very compressed but they stay very clear and defined because of it. An EMG X is not as compressed sounding which gives you more dynmaics in tone and also makes the clean sound a bit better (don't expect a passive pickup's behaviour though) but they loose a bit of their tightness.
I guess those pickups are aimed at people who loved the 18V mod on their old EMGs (the 18v mod makes a standard EMG sound A LITTLE more open but less tight; think of the X series as a better 18V mod)

The X Emgs are good for people who like the emg tone but not the lack of dynamics and headroom. If you can live with less dynamics but want a tight and defined sounding EMG then go for a standard one.

Edit:
That's exactly what I was looking for, sorry if I made it sound as if I wanted to know which one is "better" there's no such thing obviously. I think i'm going to go for the RGA thank you very much.
Forgot my opinion about the guitars^^

Esp Ltd 1000<Ibanez Prestige<Original ESP

The RGA is built on a very high quality level and the materials used are usually euqal to the good ltd series so the Ibanez wins. However if you can get a hold of an ESP Horizon, it will blow both guitars out of the water (but it's a bit more expensive ofcourse)

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

Don't miss today's free blues, jazz & country licks. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

[ZakkWylde]

Sorry I haven't found you answer at first but I see it's within the quote for some reason...

Yeah you can't go wrong with an Ibanez PRestige guitar!

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

Don't miss today's free blues, jazz & country licks. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

This post has been edited by ZakkWylde: Sep 10 2009, 12:06 PM

[Marc_Maiden]

RGAs are hard guitar to screw up! they are really cool playing, and believe it or not you can get a good sound out of the stock pick ups....i used one for a while before i started using mostly floyd rose bridges...you will def like it.


now from what Zakk says about EMG X's....they will sound amazing in that guitar. especially with the mahogany body.


you could also go the used route and get a used ibanez from prior 2000 in good condition for half the price, but many prefer a newer guitar

RGAs are hard guitar to screw up! they are really cool playing, and believe it or not you can get a good sound out of the stock pick ups....i used one for a while before i started using mostly floyd rose bridges...you will def like it.


now from what Zakk says about EMG X's....they will sound amazing in that guitar. especially with the mahogany body.


you could also go the used route and get a used ibanez from prior 2000 in good condition for half the price, but many prefer a newer guitar even though dont even though they dont come close to the quality of ibanez guitars prior the year 2000

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

Don't miss today's free blues, jazz & country licks. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

[Marshmall0wz]

RGAs are hard guitar to screw up! they are really cool playing, and believe it or not you can get a good sound out of the stock pick ups....i used one for a while before i started using mostly floyd rose bridges...you will def like it.


now from what Zakk says about EMG X's....they will sound amazing in that guitar. especially with the mahogany body.


you could also go the used route and get a used ibanez from prior 2000 in good condition for half the price, but many prefer a newer guitar

RGAs are hard guitar to screw up! they are really cool playing, and believe it or not you can get a good sound out of the stock pick ups....i used one for a while before i started using mostly floyd rose bridges...you will def like it.


now from what Zakk says about EMG X's....they will sound amazing in that guitar. especially with the mahogany body.


you could also go the used route and get a used ibanez from prior 2000 in good condition for half the price, but many prefer a newer guitar even though dont even though they dont come close to the quality of ibanez guitars prior the year 2000

Yup picking up myself an RGA121 mint for $500 used

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

Don't miss today's free blues, jazz & country licks. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!