Randolf Arriola (embryo) Guitar Gear 101
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Bro, thinking of changing pickups on my RGT42DX...
It's a neck-thru with mahagony body ...
Cant decide between:
Dirmarzio PAF Jo & Mo' Jo,
Virtual PAF (Neck and Bridge),
or Bareknuckle the Mule
Playing thru a Carvin Nomad ...
Mostly playing blues and country rock
any other recommendations ?
pls advise ...
embryo
New member
Hey Nebo,
the RGT42DX is quite an interesting mix of a neck tru boy mahogany body 24fret wizard neck with the flating trem rite? Your Carvin Nomad is a nice amp for wat you enjoy playing. Well wat Marksman recommendd PAF Pro is ok. I yould recommend the following Combi;
1. Bridge JB Neck Jazz or PAF Pro
2. Bridge PAF Pro Neck PAF or 59
With Coil tap and parlel/series switching u'll get quite a versatile setup.
hi randolf. nice talkin to u, its kinda enlightenin. 
2 bad my friend's vox bulldog dist cant be fixed.
juz wondering. u know any online dealers for hughes & kettner? i'm interested in switchblade. USA dealers r sellin 1300USD, EURO dealers sellin 2000EU. cant buy frm USA dealers cos the voltage difference.
i know its possible to buy transformers frm sim lim but will it affect the amp cos its high wattage?
tks in adv
2 bad my friend's vox bulldog dist cant be fixed. juz wondering. u know any online dealers for hughes & kettner? i'm interested in switchblade. USA dealers r sellin 1300USD, EURO dealers sellin 2000EU. cant buy frm USA dealers cos the voltage difference.
i know its possible to buy transformers frm sim lim but will it affect the amp cos its high wattage?
tks in adv
Leb
New member
Hey Randolf,
Lebbeus here. Still remember the Fender strat i have, i was thinking of changing my bridge single coil to a humbuckle. Still looking for my fat distortion with i believe only can be acheived by a humbuckle. What do you think? Any pickup recommendations? Was my guitar routed for HB?
Thanks bro!
Leb
Lebbeus here. Still remember the Fender strat i have, i was thinking of changing my bridge single coil to a humbuckle. Still looking for my fat distortion with i believe only can be acheived by a humbuckle. What do you think? Any pickup recommendations? Was my guitar routed for HB?
Thanks bro!
Leb
Leb: if your guitar's pickup cavity is not routed for fitting humbuckers in, you can try installing humbucking strat pickups which are meant to sound like fullsize humbuckers.
Examples of fat-sounding Dimarzios Strat size humbuckers
-Super Distortion S
-Tone Zone S
-Fast Track 2
Examples of fat-sounding Dimarzios Strat size humbuckers
-Super Distortion S
-Tone Zone S
-Fast Track 2
I actually went ahead (in curiosity) to email the local EV distributor about the EVM12L Classic speakers and, to my surprise, they DO carry it but at a pretty hefty price. Considering they're more expensive than celestions and eminece, I think it's reasonable.
Now here's one more alternative for those looking for speakers. :wink:
embryo
New member
Hi Lebbeus
Nice to hear from you again. I can't remember if yours was routed for humbuckers. I do find most of the MIM to have that kinda routing. Personally unless you are also installing a Floyd Rose locking bridge and nut system I'm not a fan of installing full size humbuckers on classic strats. However, if you must but choose not to route do note that there are 2 kinds of humbuckers in a single coil pacakge; 1. Stacked Humbuckers 2. Humbuckers as in side by side coil spaced for the single direct drop in replacement.
Do note also that humbuckers usually have higher outputs compared to the traditional single coil so you'll also have to consider the output differences and also the tonal difference in the 2nd position of the pickup selector.
For HSS configuration my preference is the Dimarzio PAF Pro for the Humbucker andf the HS2(stacked humbucker) in the middle and neck position. The HS2 sounds like a vintage single coil when you disable of of the coils.
Hope this helps.
embryo
New member
Sorry abt the Vox Bulldog. Difficulty becos of the smt parts but not impossible. If only there was more time and a more cost effective to repair the board other than swapping the entire main board.
Ah, The HK Switchblade is nice eh!? These German amps are used by Alex Lifeson of RUSH one of my long time fav guitarist. I think theseamps are very versatile and yes I'd be very interested in one myself. However, I am kinda concerned about the servicebility of these intergrated full tube stacks.
About power transformer replacement for amps ffrom the US. Personally unless I can get hold of the manufacturers replacement I'm usually quite uncomfortable about replacing these critical components with local available
replacements from who knows where. The transformers used in tube amps are critical in quality as the shielding design and materials and workmanship is crtically for accurate consistent perforamance under current consumption and heat stress. Better to use a reliable step down transformer that supports your intended amps current and wattage needs.
hi randolf. tks for the advice. my friend is buyin new bulldog. he told me u mention abt dose boss dist pedal has the boxy sound is due to the cabinet simulation. care to explain further on dat?
i'm kinda set to buy switchblade. its gonna cost abt 2600SGD (incl shipping, GST) for the amp head. hope its gd buy. u know any reliable euro dealers?
tks in advance
i'm kinda set to buy switchblade. its gonna cost abt 2600SGD (incl shipping, GST) for the amp head. hope its gd buy. u know any reliable euro dealers?
tks in advance
embryo
New member
I'm excited for you over the idea of acquiring the HK Switchblade. Do let me know when it eventually arrives.
Regarding the "boxed in sound" that your friend mentioned. I think he's reffering to the stock MT2 Metalzone which does have that boxed in characteristic. This is due to the stock pedal's implementation of a circuitry that is one of the earliest design of speaker cab emulation in a pedal. I think most will agree that the emulation pales in comparison to today's standards of amp an speaker simulators.
What many have discovered is that modding the MT2 by removing that nasal "speaker emulation" circuit revives the pedal to it's true potential of actually being one of the most powerful stomp drive pedal that has a drive range from OD to Dist to Super Lead. The MT2's built in Treble, Bass and the all important Parametric Mid Range makes the pedal even more versatile.
Regarding the "boxed in sound" that your friend mentioned. I think he's reffering to the stock MT2 Metalzone which does have that boxed in characteristic. This is due to the stock pedal's implementation of a circuitry that is one of the earliest design of speaker cab emulation in a pedal. I think most will agree that the emulation pales in comparison to today's standards of amp an speaker simulators.
What many have discovered is that modding the MT2 by removing that nasal "speaker emulation" circuit revives the pedal to it's true potential of actually being one of the most powerful stomp drive pedal that has a drive range from OD to Dist to Super Lead. The MT2's built in Treble, Bass and the all important Parametric Mid Range makes the pedal even more versatile.
snuffleupagus
New member
Hey Randolf,
following up on where we left off on our emails(i decided to post here so that the forumers could also learn a thing or 2 from you), I really feel like changing my pickups of my 50th anniversary Strat.
Here's the link with the pictures and specifications
http://www.12fret.com/new/fender_strat_50th_anniversary.html
As you can see, the stock pickups are Custom shop 54's, I love the sound, but the hum is kinda killing me.
I could just live with it, but lately I have been looking into noiseless pickups, that would retain the tone of a SC, but of course, minus the hum.Sort of like ordering a plate of char kway teow without hum but hoping that it will still taste as good.
There is a valid argument that "noiseless" SCs are actually humbuckers(cos they are stacked for phase cancelling) and therefore may not emulate the true characteristics of a true single coil.In other words, they may sound "humbuckly" for a lack of a better word.
I have narrowed down to a few models of pups(some are not noiseless pups but after reading up on them, they may have the tonal attributes i desire)-read(VINTAGE) which I hope you may have some experience in, and they are.
Kinmans Woodstock
Fralins Woodstock
Dimarzio Area 58 and 61
I do have the samarian cobalt noiseless pups for my deluxe strat, but I want to try something different for this strat.
I understand you use fralins and you must have gone through alot to have landed on that decision to use them, could you kindly offer any advice about the mentioned pups and /or offer alternatives?
Thanks dude!
:wink:
following up on where we left off on our emails(i decided to post here so that the forumers could also learn a thing or 2 from you), I really feel like changing my pickups of my 50th anniversary Strat.
Here's the link with the pictures and specifications
http://www.12fret.com/new/fender_strat_50th_anniversary.html
As you can see, the stock pickups are Custom shop 54's, I love the sound, but the hum is kinda killing me.
I could just live with it, but lately I have been looking into noiseless pickups, that would retain the tone of a SC, but of course, minus the hum.Sort of like ordering a plate of char kway teow without hum but hoping that it will still taste as good.
There is a valid argument that "noiseless" SCs are actually humbuckers(cos they are stacked for phase cancelling) and therefore may not emulate the true characteristics of a true single coil.In other words, they may sound "humbuckly" for a lack of a better word.
I have narrowed down to a few models of pups(some are not noiseless pups but after reading up on them, they may have the tonal attributes i desire)-read(VINTAGE) which I hope you may have some experience in, and they are.
Kinmans Woodstock
Fralins Woodstock
Dimarzio Area 58 and 61
I do have the samarian cobalt noiseless pups for my deluxe strat, but I want to try something different for this strat.
I understand you use fralins and you must have gone through alot to have landed on that decision to use them, could you kindly offer any advice about the mentioned pups and /or offer alternatives?
Thanks dude!
:wink:
neverconscious
New member
Hi Randolf,
I'm one of the shy forumers who e-mailed you rather than posted here, 'cause I figured my request had more to do with 'business' (i.e. modding a couple of pedals) rather than knowledge and information.
I've got a couple of Boss made in Taiwan pedals: a DS-2 Turbo Distortion and an OS-2 Overdrive / Distortion. Both are in very good cosmetic and working condition, just a bit old and dusty. I honestly can't stand the tone of the DS-2 and while I gigged once with the OS-2 I was left feeling very dissatisfied with it too. I've since acquired a modded Ibanez TS7 (generic TS808 and brown mod), a stock Kimjawbetta Rutt and a Barber Direct Drive that I love and will probably not let go in the meantime. My taste in tone is now more towards the overdrive side than the distortion.
So my enquiry is, what mods could you do on the DS-2 and OS-2 that would
1) make their tones more usable
2) allow me to have tones that complement the pedals I currently have (i.e. in the same tonal region, but not all that similar)
Thankyewverynice =)
EDIT: Just got your reply in your mail. I'll drop by soon wth my gear to check out your stuff!
I'm one of the shy forumers who e-mailed you rather than posted here, 'cause I figured my request had more to do with 'business' (i.e. modding a couple of pedals) rather than knowledge and information.
I've got a couple of Boss made in Taiwan pedals: a DS-2 Turbo Distortion and an OS-2 Overdrive / Distortion. Both are in very good cosmetic and working condition, just a bit old and dusty. I honestly can't stand the tone of the DS-2 and while I gigged once with the OS-2 I was left feeling very dissatisfied with it too. I've since acquired a modded Ibanez TS7 (generic TS808 and brown mod), a stock Kimjawbetta Rutt and a Barber Direct Drive that I love and will probably not let go in the meantime. My taste in tone is now more towards the overdrive side than the distortion.
So my enquiry is, what mods could you do on the DS-2 and OS-2 that would
1) make their tones more usable
2) allow me to have tones that complement the pedals I currently have (i.e. in the same tonal region, but not all that similar)
Thankyewverynice =)
EDIT: Just got your reply in your mail. I'll drop by soon wth my gear to check out your stuff!
embryo
New member
Hey Nic,
Recently... well over the past decade (almost 2 now) since SRV's passing and the prominence of Eric Johnson there's been renewed interests among Strat loving guitar folks who are discovering the magic that lies within the classic low output single coil pickup...not hot rodded, not active nor stacked.
This also prompted to growing populaity of after sales replacement pickups and among them I discovered the Lindy Fralins because they did a great job of replicating the old original strat pickup. Lindy was afterall an ex Fender employee himself ya. I have personally gone the big circle route of trying many repacement pups including active, stacked and humbuckers, lace sensors and the noiseless. Honestly they all sound pretty good by themselves and are useable in various context but when it comes down to trying to experience the true sound of a strat that sounds like strat it's back to the orginal classic low output single coils.
The other interesting model that I've tried and still use besides the Lindy's is the Dimarzio HS2.
I'm sure there's gonna be alot of pup models from many manufacturers out there who will market theirs as more original than the original and many will even go to the extent of claiming as original as it gets without the "hum" which is quite an oxymoron isn't it?
My advice would be try as you would if you must replace the original pickups but do take note about acquiring calibrated sets as in pickups are complementary of each other in output and tones otherwise they will sound great individually but sound not so compatably "quacky" when in the 2nd and 4th position.
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