[the swede]

Hi. Just got my first humbucker equipped guitar. Its an Ibanez RGAT62
http://www.ibanez.com/products/eg_detail18.php?year=2018&area_id=3&cat_id=1&series_id=10&data_id=357&color=CL02
I bought it because i wanted something completely different from the Telecaster i have.

I love the Ibanez, but the pickups surprised me a bit. I will try to make this short.

I have no problem with Tone Zone (bridge), but the Air Norton feels very hard to dial in, at least to my liking.
I understand what it is meant to do though. I can see its function in lead/solo work.

But for my use, it just seems so loud. I lowered the Air Norton to find a volume balance, because i want the Tone Zone to be my hot pickup for dirt. But the Air Norton quickly looses its definition and clarity in the low end.

They are wired with the ibanez 5 position switch.
Bridge works great.
Both pickups split also sounds great. I use this a lot.
Both humbuckers sounds good but nothing i have use for.
Neck in parallel. Reminds me of the split position, very glassy and clean, but the the lows sounds to soft.
Neck only. I don't think i will use this position a lot. Its to dark and loud.

What I've done is, adjusting the Tone Zone to my liking. I found i liked it best adjusted down a little from the strings than it was stock. And also adjusted polepieces up to get back some clarity.

Did the same to Air Norton but as i said, it need to be quite far down to get balance. Was ok'ish when i adjusted the polepieces up on that to.

My thinking is that, maybe the Air Norton is not for me. I can accept it, as i only will be using Bridge pos, Split pos and neck parrallel. Basically i won't be using the middle pos and neck only pos.

But it bugs me a little....

Any tips on adjusting height or polepieces welcome, if you think I'm doing it wrong.
I think that the way i like to have the Tone Zone, makes it hard to get the Air Norton right (for me)

May it be worth doing some kind of mod to the Air Norton to get the volume down, and be able to bring it up to the strings for more low end clarity. It still got very clear and defined highs though.

[buddroyce]

If you just want to filter out some of the low end, you could just run a capacitor in line with the neck pickup to filter out some of the low end. Easiest way to test if this solution would work for you is just get an EQ pedal and cut out the low end before the signal hits the amp.

[the swede]

If you just want to filter out some of the low end, you could just run a capacitor in line with the neck pickup to filter out some of the low end. Easiest way to test if this solution would work for you is just get an EQ pedal and cut out the low end before the signal hits the amp.

Thank you for replying!

That is good advice, and its something i am currently working with. I have a very easy rig to setup. Basically its just a Boss MS-3 going into a Vox MV50 Clean amp. The Vox is Fender voiced i believe. It has bass and treble knobs, and i found that compared to my telecaster i had to turn up treble and turn down bass with the ibanez.

In the MS-3 i have all sorts of possibilities to shape the sound with its master eq, and inside the effects also.

So its not a big issue, its workable. But i wanted to start by getting the pickup balance right first by using the the vox only, then bring in the MS-3 and all the effects i want and adjust to the guitar.


Another question... I've read something about "half air mod" with Dimarzio pickups. Is that something i could do to the Air Norton?

[bluesman]

Another question... I've read something about "half air mod" with Dimarzio pickups. Is that something i could do to the Air Norton?

Pretty sure you could. If I remember correctly, the half air mod is just removing the air spacer on one side so you should be able to do it to any "Air" pickup.