1

The Pickup Place / Re: HELP: Zebra or Reverse Zebra on my RG?

« on: May 14, 2017, 08:53:38 PM »

I like the Zebra because of the black Single Coil in the middle

Zebra makes it go black/cream -> black -> cream/black which alternates the coil colors and looks great to me.

I'm personally not as fond of the the way Reverse Zebra puts all 3 black coils next to each other.

2

The Pickup Place / Re: Suggestions for Ibanez RGA121 pickups

« on: May 07, 2017, 07:44:31 PM »

What do you play more often? NWOBHM or Thrash?

If you play mostly NWOBHM and play some Thrash every now and then, get a Super Distortion. Every NWOBHM band used a Super Distortion and it'll nail that tone. The pickup works just fine for thrash too, just pull back the mids on your amp, up the bass, and you should be good to go.

If Thrash is what you do most of the time then you'd probably want something sharper sounding with not too much mid focus. Steve's Special comes to mind. D-Activator might do OK. Crunch Lab is very mid focused so it'll give you a thick fat tone, not very Metallica-like at all.

Honestly though, if you want something that's most middle of the road and 50 50 when it comes to NWOBHM and thrash, you can't go wrong with the Seymour Duncan JB or the Dimarzio Super Distortion. Both pickups are widely used in a wide variety of metal genres over decades from old school to modern.

3

The Trading Post / FS: Brand New PAF Joe F-Spaced Zebra

« on: April 09, 2017, 11:15:55 PM »

Stupid me accidentally bought a PAF Joe instead of a FRED and I couldn't get it returned to the original online seller.

So here you go, brand new in box, unopened, zebra F-spaced PAF Joe. I'll sell it to you guys here for $70

https://reverb.com/item/4788297-dimarzio-dp213-paf-joe-2017-zebra

FREE FAST Shipping

Either hit me up here or on Reverb (and mention that you're from here) and I'll cut you the deal!

4

The Trading Post / Re: FS Like New Area '58 and '61 FREE Shipping

« on: April 09, 2017, 11:08:37 PM »

Area 61 is SOLD

Area 58 still available https://reverb.com/item/4788095-dimarzio-dp415-area-58-like-new-aged-white

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Everything you wanted to know about .... / Re: "custom PAF Pro"

« on: April 08, 2017, 05:06:45 AM »

I like how we keep bumping into familiar faces from the Duncan forum over here too =P

So your PAF Pro is... overwound and with different pole pieces? I wonder if that would actually make it a very underwound Tone Zone, LOL

6

The Pickup Place / Re: Need a Dimarzio neck humbucker with bite under gain

« on: April 08, 2017, 05:03:43 AM »

[quote author]

Now Darth I have a question for you: Your homebrewed RG lookalike with a Gotoh Floyd is on the thumbnail for the official Duncan JB video right? WHAT IS THAT GUITAR! TELL ME ABOUT IT!! That blue + carbon fiber pickguard + Gotoh look totally caught my eye!

Thanks for the interest. Sorry, but that's not my guitar.



I do like your take on how wood can be all over the place. I have a maple body that sound more like you'd expect alder to sound. I have mahogany that's thick and mahogany that's bright. I have one poplar body that's at least as bright as maple.
[/quote]

Haha yeah I've noticed wood to be inconsistent (organic material, surprise surprise). Making several bodies and necks out of the exact same tree can yield you parts that are completely different with weight distribution and even density, especially for porous woods. Like you I have several guitars made out of the same wood and I could never go "yup, that's the mahogany/alder/ash/basswood doing work", especially with mahogany. I have 2 Gibsons that are pretty much identical everywhere, and one is very bright sounding and spanky, the other is rather mellow and reminds me of a 335.

Now here's something that I've been thinking about, although probably impossible to achieve: what if we could run an experiment where you first take a piece of alder and a piece of mahogany, make them have the EXACT same weight distribution (x-ray it and make sure every damn inch has the same amount of solid wood tissue) and density, and see how they sound compared to each other. Now take 2 pieces of the same species of wood, but make sure they are cut from very different parts of the tree with different density, and see how they compare to each other. Finally you then compare if the "similar density" alder and mahogany sound more similar, or if the "both mahogany but different parts of the tree" mahogany pieces sound more similar.

7

The Pickup Place / Re: Ultimate HSS setup?

« on: April 07, 2017, 03:38:47 AM »

OK! I have some ideas! Listed by makers:

Dimarzio:
PAF Master
PAF 36th Anniversary
EJ Custom Bridge

Duncan:
Alnico 2 Pro
Custom Custom
'59

Suhr:
SSV
DSV
Thornbucker+

Most are medium to low output with pretty even or slightly scooped mids so they'll sound real open and jangly. They all pack a bit of growl too so if you plug in to a medium gain amp you'll ACDC all day everyday. They're not the fattest and most muscular sounding humbuckers though so if you want more gain and mid punch you should invest in a Tubescreamer or something. The EJ Custom in particular is extremely bell clear chimey sounding. Given the output levels and EQ curve they should all balance nicely with your vintage flavored noiseless single coils in all departments. Don't forget to install the correct pot and load (make the single coils see 250k and the humbucker see 500k) and mess with the pickup heights for maximum balance too!

8

The Pickup Place / Re: Need a Dimarzio neck humbucker with bite under gain

« on: April 07, 2017, 03:22:53 AM »

Interesting input guys!

I've never been fortunate enough to play one of the original JB models covered in DarthPhineas' blog, but certainly fortunate that the ones I have never failed me.

No idea if correlation at all, but all the JB's I've ever played were installed in Japanese-made guitars: MIJ ESPs, MIJ Jacksons, and Edwards Les Pauls... Would not be surprised if those guitars were built with specs that were meant to match with the JB, given that they are all high-end instruments sold as great out-of-the-box products. Wood is all over the place with alder, ash, mahogany, but there's variance among each species too so I suppose they prototyped it with a certain type of whatever with the JB and went "alright, we selling it with these parts together" and just goes to show that guitars... the whole is more than the sum of its parts.

I can see how the Gibsons didn't go well with it given that the bridge and the guitar wood and specs aren't really the same as the LP copies (they LOOK the same, but probably difference sources of mahogany, rosewood, and certainly different bridge hardware which also change the string tones a whole lot)

I've only ever had the Custom and I LOVE that pickup. It's aggressive, it's got a nice bit of openness, it's got depth, and all the while not being too harsh at all despite being ceramic.

Now Darth I have a question for you: Your homebrewed RG lookalike with a Gotoh Floyd is on the thumbnail for the official Duncan JB video right? WHAT IS THAT GUITAR! TELL ME ABOUT IT!! That blue + carbon fiber pickguard + Gotoh look totally caught my eye!

9

The Pickup Place / Re: Installing new 4 conductor pickups into existing two wire harness?

« on: April 05, 2017, 03:08:39 PM »

4 conductor humbuckers can be wired pretty much the same as single conductor

All you have to do is solder the South of the 2 coils together. In the case of Dimarzio, you solder Black and White together, and just tape it up. You then solder Red to Hot, and Green+Bare to Ground.

If you have Duncans, the color codes are different. Every brand is different so CHECK THE COLOR CODE FIRST!!

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The Pickup Place / Re: Need a Dimarzio neck humbucker with bite under gain

« on: April 04, 2017, 08:19:43 PM »

Surprised you didn't like the JB for classic rock in the bridge! I guess there's finally a guitar that doesn't work well with the JB.

If you're running a 250K pot you'll REALLY need a super bright sounding neck pickup. Super 2, PAF 36th Anniversary, and Humbucker From Hell comes to mind along with the Duncan Full Shred. Don't let the names fool you, they do the classic rock tones just fine!

There's *alot* of guitars that doesn't gel well with the JB, it's very picky and finnicky, specially in mahogany, agathis and ash bodies... there was a time I had a JB in most of my axes back in the day, and in some it never really worked.
I usually tell people if they want rock machines, and Duncans - and JB doesn't do well, that they check the Custom family, four flavors for everyone's taste, ceramic, A2, A5 and A8. All except CC, also work really well with 250kohm pots, I found it (CC) inarticulate with anything lower then 500k. The added benefit of Custom family is, that they work good in every guitar, be it mahogany or plywood.



As for the OP, I think the issue is the pot loads in your case. If you really must keep 250k for the bridge, there's a resistor mod to make your bridge see lower load. Though, if you've got a tone pot there, and you do, I don't see how swapping to 500k and then just rolling the tone knob for the bridge isn't an issue?

Alternatively, install push/pull pots with both volume and tone in each of the holes for each of the pickup - now you've got more control over your sound, and can tailor the loads for each of the pickup as you wish.

Cory

Interesting! I've had JB in alder (a few DK2Ms) and a mahogany + ash guitar (2x ESP Forest GT, maple neck-thru, mahogany wings, ash top) and both sounded just phenomenal with the JB. Now both of those guitars have Floyds so that probably also changes things a bit. I've also played a JB in a Japanese Les Paul copy and damn that sounded amazing too. But yeah that's 5 instances of the JB for me. Every guitar is different though, even with the same technical specs, so I can see that.

Great to know that you had tried it in so many different axes! This actually helps me decide on a bridge pickup that I'm putting in a new build. Debating between a CC and a JB and... hey maybe I'll try the CC this time haha

11

The Pickup Place / Re: Need a Dimarzio neck humbucker with bite under gain

« on: April 04, 2017, 06:07:40 AM »

Surprised you didn't like the JB for classic rock in the bridge! I guess there's finally a guitar that doesn't work well with the JB.

If you're running a 250K pot you'll REALLY need a super bright sounding neck pickup. Super 2, PAF 36th Anniversary, and Humbucker From Hell comes to mind along with the Duncan Full Shred. Don't let the names fool you, they do the classic rock tones just fine!

12

The Pickup Place / Re: Would like your input: H/S/S suggestions for D standard

« on: April 04, 2017, 05:59:21 AM »

Daenius said Drop Sonic, it's an okay choice, but Crunch Lab offers a more complex and harmonically rich sound that has a very similar basis in terms of frequencies as the D-Sonic, so I'd reccomend that one. If you want a really precise rhythm pickup, the Steve's Special is at it, you can throw as much gain or drop tuning down and it will stay tight and precise.

Damn it how could I possibly forget about the Crunch Lab! It's basically an upgraded D-Sonic in my opinion. corypheus is right, if you're thinking about D-Sonic, get the Crunch Lab! That pickup ROARS like no other. THICK sound that will seriously turn some heads. I have a JP that I've used for years and when I jam with people and strum a chord they ALWAYS go "what the hell IS that, it's SO powerful!" Such a strong mid punch with rich harmonics that you WILL be heard no matter what.

But yeah if you want a ton of versatility I still think the Custom or the Custom Custom are great choices.

13

The Pickup Place / Re: Would like your input: H/S/S suggestions for D standard

« on: April 03, 2017, 12:46:46 AM »

You want something fairly bright and tight sounding for the lower tunings. Avoid bassy pickups that have a looser bass response so your low notes won't sound like indistinguishable mud under any amount of gain.

D Sonic is a great choice for lower tunings! I have one and I use a guitar in D standard with it.
The PAF Pro should do pretty well too.
I've only ever used Air Norton in the neck but many have reported success with it in the bridge for these types of applications.

If you want to try Duncans, the JB and the Custom family should serve you well too.

14

The Trading Post / FS Like New Area '58 and '61 FREE Shipping

« on: April 02, 2017, 07:28:22 PM »

These 2 pickups are basically new: I yanked them out of a brand new pre-loaded pickguard in favor of the VV54Pros.

https://reverb.com/item/4788134-dimarzio-dp415-area-61-dp416-area-58-like-new-aged-white

You can also buy them individually by following the links in the Reverb listing.

Hit me up here or on Reverb and mention you're from here and I'll be more than happy to cut you a deal!

FREE SHIPPING!

15

The Pickup Place / Re: Ultimate HSS setup?

« on: April 02, 2017, 07:25:10 PM »

I have the VV54Pros and they are AMAZING! The Area '58 and '61s are great too. All of them are great at replicating a specific type of vintage Strat sound without the pesky noise, and trust me, they are DEAD QUITE. Quieter than any of my humbuckers, and I have a ton of different ones.

What type of sound are you looking for in the bridge? High output? Medium output? Rich harmonics? Long sustain? Bright? Warm?

PS: Shameless plug here, but I happen to be selling a '58 and a '61. If you're interested, hit me up and I'll cut you a deal: https://reverb.com/item/4788134-dimarzio-dp415-area-61-dp416-area-58-like-new-aged-white