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Posted by: Tjchep Jul 18 2008, 12:22 AM

Well I've finnally got all my problems with my ibanez s470 sorted out (Had some tuning issues) And form what people have been saying in reviews and stuff - is that the pickups are bad.

I think some of my others guitars have a better sound. But is it worth the 150 or so to change out the pickups or what?

I'm not going to get a new guitar for a while anyways. So I thought why not change the pickups. But I don't like wasting money.

So would you recommend doing it?

Posted by: JVM Jul 18 2008, 12:23 AM

If you buy a new pickup set, its perhaps the single best thing you can do to change your tone. I guarantee you you won't feel like you wasted your money

Posted by: Smells Jul 18 2008, 12:30 AM

QUOTE (JVM @ Jul 18 2008, 12:23 AM)

If you buy a new pickup set, its perhaps the single best thing you can do to change your tone. I guarantee you you won't feel like you wasted your money

Posted by: Caelumamittendum Jul 18 2008, 12:31 AM

Agreed. If there is one thing that changes the tone it is the pick ups.

Posted by: Ognjen Protic Jul 18 2008, 12:45 AM

Here's some example (hope that will do )

At D end of '06 I had a meeting 4 a job (playin' guit.) in R66 and didn't know that there is gear on stage and that they are waiting D director from Germany. He had a birthday and they wanted 2 surprise him with a jam session. I was asked to play first and they give me Aria guitar that is worth 100 $. It was Strat like guit. with singles and have serious tuning problem and strings were so high that a mouse can go under'em... ...and the jam was great, because I had no problem with that guitar... I'm not trying to say that I'm a killer guitarist, I just want you to focus on playing and enjoying in music and great feeling and not be worried about guitars and pickups because it will come when D time is right...

Ognjen

Posted by: Muris Varajic Jul 18 2008, 12:50 AM

Stock pickups usually aren't the greatest
and if you feel you can get more from your axe
then change them, why not.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jul 18 2008, 01:47 AM

Changing the pickups works best on mid-priced guitars, 300-800e. Bellow the cost is too big (but still it is good), and above usually pups are quality ones, or guitar has character already that can only be disturbed with other pickups.

Generally, if you know what you want from a pickup and you buy a new one, the sound will be better by a notch, that's for sure.

Posted by: Trond Vold Jul 18 2008, 02:23 AM

New pickups can make all the difference.
If i recall correctly, the S470 uses the Ibanez INF pickups. They arent the worst though, but replacing them with some better ones can really get your guitar to shine. Just make sure you get the right ones that fit your style.

Posted by: bladzerok Jul 18 2008, 02:37 AM

I have a ibanez s series guitar, same pickup as yours... and i am about to change them
in fact, i have ordered a dimarzio evo bridge pickup and a paf PRO for the neck position on it
ill recieve them in about a week or two, so if you still need help i could say you if it worth $140 to change these pickups in a week or two

Posted by: RIP Dime Jul 18 2008, 06:47 AM

Yup, good pickups can improve the overall quality of your sound, aswell as changing some tonal characteristics. A worthy investment for any gigging or studio guitarist.

Posted by: Juan M. Valero Jul 18 2008, 09:12 AM

FOR SURE !! Pickups are really impostant, specially if you play with few effects

Posted by: wrk Jul 18 2008, 10:39 AM

Maybe it's just my impression, but i think as i'm just using my Pod XT and not an real Amp, the sound is more or less ok or at least tweakable with the Pod to have a good sound, even with cheap pickups.

For me the differences with quality pickups are that it capture more dynamic of my playing. Beside the guitar i normally use with good pickups, i have an Ibanez RG350DX with INF 3/4 pickups. I like the playability of this guitar, but for me it's hard to add dynamic to the sound.

... maybe i should explain my definition of "dynamic" in this case. Changing the angle of the pick, the attack to hit the strings, different kind of vibrato ... all those phrasing things besides the notes you actually hear.

I guess it would worth a try to change the pickups on your guitar. You will have fun with it, but which pickups to choose? .. this is exactly my problem as well ..

Posted by: Gilmore Jul 18 2008, 11:20 AM

I have changed pickups in all my guitars except for one. Even though you buy expensive guitar you may want to change out the pickups, not that they are bad, but not quite what suits your style or what you are looking for in that guitar. It´s hard to find a guitar that has all the elements you want from it, the stock pickups are usually standard, exept from in reissues and some special versions, like my Gibson SG 1961 RI was just perfect and I will never change those pickups out or anything else in that axe. I like vintage style (PAF) pickups in most cases, but for my Ibanez RG I like to have more modern tone, so I put Dimarzio Evos in that one, because the stock pups were weak.

Also if you play only through POD or something like that, pickups change does not change the tone alot. You have to play through a real tube amp to hear it. Like if i play the SG and the LP through the POD, they sound pretty much the same, but when i play through my Marshalls, they are alot different, the SG has Gibson 57´Classics in it, and the LP Burstucker Pro.

Posted by: OrganisedConfusion Jul 18 2008, 11:25 AM

Pick Ups have the biggest changable impact on the tone you can get. The wood has the greatest which you can't change and the pick ups the second in my opinion. The difference between a cheap guitar with stock pick ups and a cheap guitar with kick ass pick ups is huge in my opinion. I'm looking for a cheap Mexican Strat at the minute just to put texas specials in it.

Posted by: audiopaal Jul 18 2008, 12:32 PM

Yes, pickups really do make a difference, believe me..
I just changed in one of my Gibsons to Bareknuckle handwound pickups and it was worth every penny!

Posted by: Muris Varajic Jul 18 2008, 12:56 PM

QUOTE (wrk @ Jul 18 2008, 11:39 AM)

Maybe it's just my impression, but i think as i'm just using my Pod XT and not an real Amp, the sound is more or less ok or at least tweakable with the Pod to have a good sound, even with cheap pickups.

For me the differences with quality pickups are that it capture more dynamic of my playing. Beside the guitar i normally use with good pickups, i have an Ibanez RG350DX with INF 3/4 pickups. I like the playability of this guitar, but for me it's hard to add dynamic to the sound.

... maybe i should explain my definition of "dynamic" in this case. Changing the angle of the pick, the attack to hit the strings, different kind of vibrato ... all those phrasing things besides the notes you actually hear.

I guess it would worth a try to change the pickups on your guitar. You will have fun with it, but which pickups to choose? .. this is exactly my problem as well ..

Posted by: Tjchep Jul 18 2008, 10:57 PM

QUOTE (Muris Varajic @ Jul 18 2008, 12:56 PM)

Very well said wrk, with some gear (digi units mostly) perhaps you cannot notice
real difference between pickups,except output (power) difference of course.
But if you play on more analog stuff like all tube amp per example
then you'll hear all the difference,dynamics allowed with certain pickup,color range etc.

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Jul 20 2008, 10:37 PM

Changing pickups on such guitars will definitely make a positive difference..