[JimA86]

Hi i have an Ibanez sa2020fm (mahogany with maple top) and i want to get rid of the emg 81/85 that are currently on it. I am thinking of going d-activator for both bridge and neck but i am not so sure about the neck. I mostly play modern metal stuff but i enjoy playing classics like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio etc. Any suggestions/tips would be really helpfull.

[buddroyce]

Any of them would work. The D-Activator neck would be the closest to what you're used to already.

[Schneidas]

Well it's going to be a less spectacular recommendation from me.

But IMHO, Maiden, Dio and Priest scream for a classic SuperD bridge, Paf36th neck combo.
Or you can also go SuperD bridge / Paf 59 neck.

I have both combos and play in an 80s/90s metal tribute band - and both combos are exactly what is needed for those... I slightly prefer the Paf 36th over the 59 though... but this is personal

[JimA86]

Any of them would work. The D-Activator neck would be the closest to what you're used to already.

Well to be completely honest i hate the 81/85 because in my ears they cant do clean stuff and dont respond well to rolling off the volume knob and after loads of research it came down to these 3 pickups and i still dont know which one to get.

[JimA86]

Well it's going to be a less spectacular recommendation from me.

But IMHO, Maiden, Dio and Priest scream for a classic SuperD bridge, Paf36th neck combo.
Or you can also go SuperD bridge / Paf 59 neck.

I have both combos and play in an 80s/90s metal tribute band - and both combos are exactly what is needed for those... I slightly prefer the Paf 36th over the 59 though... but this is personal

Initialy i was thinking about the superD for the bridge but i found them to be a bit more warmer sounding than the d-act and i want sometning that cut through the mix because i am more focused on the modern stuff and occasionally ill go for the classics just for fun. As for the neck i am pretty much in unknown territory thats why i came here.

[Schneidas]

Initialy i was thinking about the superD for the bridge but i found them to be a bit more warmer sounding than the d-act and i want sometning that cut through the mix because i am more focused on the modern stuff and occasionally ill go for the classics just for fun. As for the neck i am pretty much in unknown territory thats why i came here.

Fair enough. Keep in mind, if you think the SuperD is too warm for you, then you definitely will not want a Illuminator / Liquifire. The liquifire is almost muddy sounding - it's really warm! The Illuminator is ever so slightly brighter (I own both) but still has that flutey voicing going on. So if you're set on bright and cutting through you're only option is a set of DActivators. Or a Super 2 neck. But since you're more into modern metal, you really can't go wrong with the DActivators neck and bridge.

[Lelik]

Hi i have an Ibanez sa2020fm (mahogany with maple top) and i want to get rid of the emg 81/85 that are currently on it. I am thinking of going d-activator for both bridge and neck but i am not so sure about the neck. I mostly play modern metal stuff but i enjoy playing classics like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio etc. Any suggestions/tips would be really helpfull.

I'd like to point out that changing from active to passive pickup, it's likely you'll have to change also the pots and check if you need to add a ground wire from the guitar bridge to the pickups circuit.

[JimA86]

Initialy i was thinking about the superD for the bridge but i found them to be a bit more warmer sounding than the d-act and i want sometning that cut through the mix because i am more focused on the modern stuff and occasionally ill go for the classics just for fun. As for the neck i am pretty much in unknown territory thats why i came here.

Fair enough. Keep in mind, if you think the SuperD is too warm for you, then you definitely will not want a Illuminator / Liquifire. The liquifire is almost muddy sounding - it's really warm! The Illuminator is ever so slightly brighter (I own both) but still has that flutey voicing going on. So if you're set on bright and cutting through you're only option is a set of DActivators. Or a Super 2 neck. But since you're more into modern metal, you really can't go wrong with the DActivators neck and bridge.

Excuse me for being pedantic but i want to get it right in one go. The reason i almost settled for the DActivators is because one of my favourite guitarists (Angel Vivaldi) had that set for a tour one a guitar with same woods as mine, but then i think he switched to PAF7 and Air Norton 7 and thats what made me think if i should go for something else. I am really ok with the DActivator bridge but the neck i just have to make sure because i like to have versitility with it for bluesy stuff and clean stuff.

[DarthPhineas]

I mostly play modern metal stuff but i enjoy playing classics like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio etc. Any suggestions/tips would be really helpfull.

For what your saying there, and from the options you offered, the Illuminator

[JimA86]

I mostly play modern metal stuff but i enjoy playing classics like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio etc. Any suggestions/tips would be really helpfull.

For what your saying there, and from the options you offered, the Illuminator

Good i think this settles it. I am going for the illuminator and hopefully write some nice things.