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Posted by: mhskeide Nov 20 2009, 06:48 PM

Hi guys
After playing my Ibanez through different amps, I`ve conluded that it`s my pickup I don`t like, not the gain channel on my amp.

When playing riffs with much gain, f.i. Pantera, Dream Theater, Symphony X and those types of gain amounts, the sound becomes pretty muddy, and I have a hard time hitting all the harmonics as clean as I want.

The guitar will mainly be used (at least the bruidge position) for riffs like the ones mentioned above, and different kinds of rock and metal. It won`t be any extreme metal or death metal, but things like Satriani, Gilbert, Rush, Dream Theater.

Although I almost exclusively mentioned metal, I want the guitar to be versatile. The gain tone is the most important, but to some point it must be able to play some clean stuff and maybe some blues.

I`ve been looking at several Dimarzios, and I`m aware of the high end Bareknuckles, and I saw that virtouso Kiko Lourerio uses a SD TB4 I believe in his custom esp. But I tend to get confused witht eh different specs and so on.

The post written short:
My guitar is of mahogny with a stop tail. I need a cleaner pickup for tight progrock/progmetal/some light fusion and blues.

Please advice

Posted by: MickeM Nov 20 2009, 10:28 PM

I can vouch for DiMarzio Evolution pu's, pleeeEEEEEnty of drive and stays clean all the way. Totally cleans up with the volume knob of the guitar too.

And, perhaps you know already but a common mistake is to use too much gain on the amp(s). Which just doesn't sound good! Possibly that's adding to the muddiness in your sound?

Tonerider makes some great pickups, low cost, great tone.

Posted by: Marc_Maiden Nov 21 2009, 01:11 AM

QUOTE (MickeM @ Nov 20 2009, 01:28 PM)

Posted by: mhskeide Nov 21 2009, 01:50 AM

QUOTE (Marc_Maiden @ Nov 21 2009, 01:11 AM)

us ibanezers do not like EVO's in basswood bodies they belong in ash bodies


have you considered john petruccis new signature dimarzio set? they sound amazing...i want them so bad!

Posted by: Marc_Maiden Nov 21 2009, 02:11 AM

interesting...i think i know what they mean, but which amp are you using with your guitar? because i know petrucci relies a lot on his mesas growl for his tone, so it would make sense that he had a very neutral pick up in his guitar.

Ramiro used stock ibanez pick ups ones very similar to yours in a symphony x style lesson, and they had a good sound too...


but air norton/ tone zone is a good combo as stated above, its what they put in J customs

Posted by: ZakkWylde Nov 21 2009, 03:55 AM

DiMarzio Air Norton/Tone Zone

or

DiMarzio Evolution Set

or

DiMarzio D-Activator Set

or

Seymour Duncan Sh-5 bridge and sh-1 neck

or

Bareknuckle Nailbomb Set

Posted by: Hammerhead Nov 21 2009, 04:13 AM

I am in the same boat... so could someone help me to understand the "Output" of the pick up in relationship to the Punch, Growl or Bark? I have Dimarzio HS3 in my strat, and wonder if a bit more output (hotter?) would give me more saturated mid-growl like the sounds of Satriani? I know he uses humbuckers... but in the realm of stacked humbuckers or even single coils, is there a pickup that has a full, rich and detailed mids to highs, when distorted? ALso how does the tone get affected between an overdrive/tube screamer vs. distortion?

I like my pickups,they distort well... but I'm wondering if maybe pedals might help me with my tone search, or should I be looking at pickups?

Thanxs all!