Need advice for PUs for S-S-Hum

[Prataz]

Dear Frds,

One question

Do the JB and Vintage Flats balance out?

Being tokking to many ppl and they feel tat I should get somethin hotter to balance the PU and JB is a hot monster

cheers =)

 

[Praetorian]

About balancing, I dont think that is a serious issue.

If you intend to match heavy pickups with only heavy pickups, quite frankly the tonal versatility is going to be rather limited.

For me, I put an Invader with a Lil '59. Two very different pickups with two very distinct sounds. Still sounds great.

If you're talking about one pickup being louder than the other, than can always be adjusted via pickup height.

My personal advice to you is follow your tonal preferences. If you want to make an all out monster, then by all means, go ahead. If you want something versatile like I did to my RG1550 (Invader - Lil 59 - JB, all three coil tapped) then go for it.

 

[subversion]

the JB isn't really high output, more of 'medium'. the Distortion has more output than the JB...

JB balances well with vintage output models, make sure you see to it that they have comparable volume settings via Praetorian's suggestion- pickup height adjustments.

 

[stillwater]

Dun quite agree to JB being matching to vintage in terms of output. Their difference is quite significant, n there's always a limitation to wat pickup height adjustment can do. This method is more appropriate for small output difference. I wouldn't raise my vintages like a tower n jb like a dwarf just to make them more "balanced". if u swear by vintages, use Alnico2pro or 59 at the bridge.

 

[thor666]

Dear gurus,

Can you advise me on what pickups to get for my guitar?

It's an Ibanez Roadstar II with the following specs:

Basswood Body
Maple neck with rosewood fretboard
Edge (Floyd Rose) Bridge
S-S-Hum Config

I'm looking for something versatile and strat sounding and highout for the bridge so tat i can chug chug

Thanx!

i had a roadstar 2 with the exact specs u're mentioning (hey, is it the one with floral patterns? heh.) anyway i find the roadstar inherently difficult to sound like a fender strat, if that's what you're looking... the body is a little small to resonate well like the clean tones of a fender. (you might have the slightly bigger sized older models though). imo getting it sounding more hardrock/metal is easier.

perhaps you might want to consider the less "stock"-type pickups for the reason... try maybe lace sensors? or any of the higher output, but still vintage sounding SD/DiMarzio PUs.

 

[subversion]

if u swear by vintages, use Alnico2pro or 59 at the bridge.

i've matched the JB with a '59 quite effectively. the JB is also good paired up with the Jazz. my personal fav has to be the Custom Custom + Alnico II Pro pairing, the former being an advocate of high output, the latter a moderate/ vintage output pickup. the Alnico II Pro is indeed a versatile unit, rightly recommended by brother stillwater...

in addition to the pickup height, there are also the pickup pole-pieces height to mess with. however, i've re-read the initial post with regards to output matching- the vintage flat is a single coil pickup, matching single coils with humbuckers needs extra precaution. sometimes, even the single coil's high output can't quite keep up with a moderate output humbucker...

 

[Praetorian]

i've matched the JB with a '59 quite effectively.

+1 I use the same combination. Works like a beauty.

Matching pickups of different "attitudes" has no negative influences, so to speak.

However, I like to think of an all-similar-pickup guitar as a pedigree specialized in that particular sound., while a guitar with different pickup "personalities" simply gives a more versatile guitar, not as specialized, but has greater tonal capabilities.

Still, there's nothing wrong with putting say... an Invader in the bridge, a Hot Rails in the neck and a, maybe a vintage stacked in the center? It just means that the guitar can create more sounds. Volume can be easily tweaked.

As for setting one like a mountain one like a dwarf, I have yet to see pickup heights with such a difference. The height difference between my Lil 59 and the JB / Invader is hardly noticeable, yet they are all equally balanced, volume wise.

 

[Prataz]

haha coolz! Thanx all for the replys =)

Still apprehensive on getting JB.. donch noe if it will match the vintage flats or the Alnico Pro 2 flats that i wanna get

Actually, I'm looking for a nice warm sound on the neck

Something warm and buttery kind of feeling for finger picking etc.
Somethin tat will give a lush and nice tone with chorus etc.

And for the bridge, I would like a tight PU for tight power chords rifting for heavy metal and rock

Many ppl recommend the JB for the bridge.. but for the neck and middle, I still donch noe wat to get...

Should I get a Little 59 and a JB and a vintage flat for metal?

Or should I get a Vintage flat x 2 and a 59 bridge combo?

The SD webby actually recommeded Hot - Hot - JB or Vintage - Vintage - Custom 5

hahaha Dies... so many choices..

 

[subversion]

Actually, I'm looking for a nice warm sound on the neck

Something warm and buttery kind of feeling for finger picking etc.
Somethin tat will give a lush and nice tone with chorus etc.

Alnico II Pro in the neck! it does clean & drive very nicely...

 

[Prataz]

haha can't lei...

My is S-S-H haha

unless it's the single coil version =)

Does it work similar like the HB version?

Then i will get Alnico pro 2 single coil for neck and middle and maybe a 59, Alnico pro 2 or JB for the bridge

 

[Praetorian]

My reccomendation:

Neck - Lil 59

Middle - Hot Rails

Bridge - JB

And, if you like, coil tap all three for even more fun. I did.

Lil 59, its the most "polite" pickup among those three. Has the sound of a good old PAF humbucker, if you ask me. Warm. I use it for my less agressive songs, such as stuff with light vintage distortion.

Hot Rails, pretty much a heavy pickup. Never tried it, should sound good. Looks bloody good too. You didn't specify what you wanted for middle, so I just reccomended something I thought would be cool. If you want something lighter, maybe a Quarter Pounder or a Vintage Stacked?

JB. Definitely a must have. I have a JB in the bridge of my Ibanez RG1550 and I'm in love with it. Everything I wanted from a metal pickup.

And if I may say, whatever pickup you get, your sound depends heavily on the rest of your rig as well. Let's say you're a vintage freak. All your distortion and EFX are tweaked for a very nice vintage sounding distortion. Obviously if you put in a vintage pickup it will sound excellent. But it also doesn't mean that if, for example, you use a JB it will sould like shit. It will still sound pretty decent.

 

[Prataz]

Dear Frds!

Thank you for the advice!

However, my project will be put on hold as I got a GAS to buy a Schecter bass haha

=)

Tat's more important then restoring my ibanez

But I will remember all yr advice =)

Most likely going for SSL SSL 59 or SSL SSL JB

Cheerz

 

[stillwater]

haha really?

Wat kind of tone does this combi gives?

Thanx =)

Sorry for the late reply. Wat kinda tone?...
i dunno how to describe, nice when u want to, raw when u want to also...haha

 

[Praetorian]

Um. pardon my ignorance.

What's a SSL?

 

[stillwater]

SSL1 is vintage

 

[Praetorian]

I mean, what does it stand for?