Another pickup recommandation question!

[Soulthief]

Hi all!

I have an Ibanez RGD2127z and years ago I installed a BKP Aftermath in it.
Back then, loved it, nowadays, there is something I just don't really like about it, but I don't know exactly what is is.

Then, I got a Solar S1.7 and that Duncan Solar sounds more of my cup of tea. So, I enjoy the sound of the solar, but the feel of my Ibanez.

You could say, pull out that duncan solar and put it inside the ibanez, but I had the ibanez routed so I could put a battle worn look in it. (stupid idea I'm realizing now)
Also, The Solar is a mahogony body and Ibby basswood. I don't want a discussion going about tonewood, but in the past I had a D-activator in a basswood and mahogony guitar... sounded different to me. Liked in mahogony, hated it in basswood.

Anyway, I recorded 2 simple clips with both guitars so you can hear the difference. Although it is small, the solar has some sort of hi mid "purr" going on which I like
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ui9paa3r8kdv1u9/AADc6TsYIlWkryEg5XOoc1u2a?dl=0

I'm not fixed on a specific brand, as long as I can get it to sound more like the Solar does now.

Hope my english makes sense..... still not my strongest point XD

Thanks in advance!

 

[KnightBrolaire]

try a duncan custom. iirc the solar stuff is based off a custom and 59 neck.

 

[Zhysick]

try a duncan custom. iirc the solar stuff is based off a custom and 59 neck.

59 and Custom5

Yeah, that would be a GREAT bet... Not sure if the Custom5 would sound different in basswood compared to mahogany, but it sounded awful in my Yamaha Pacifica but great in my Solar and both are alder body and maple neck (main difference is neck-thru against bolt-on and evertune against fixed bridge... two bigger differences than body wood)

Try it. The Custom5 is the closest pickup to the Duncan Solar bridge and in my opinion is a bit better (even thou I don't like it that much, I much prefer the ceramic Custom) but even if it's not exactly what you want is a pickup you can "easily" mod to get to where you want if it is close enough like swapping magnets, bolts/screws for the pole pieces... well, not for nothing the FullShred, Custom Custom, Custom and Custom5 are the exact same winding.

 

[Soulthief]

59 and Custom5

Yeah, that would be a GREAT bet... Not sure if the Custom5 would sound different in basswood compared to mahogany, but it sounded awful in my Yamaha Pacifica but great in my Solar and both are alder body and maple neck (main difference is neck-thru against bolt-on and evertune against fixed bridge... two bigger differences than body wood)

Try it. The Custom5 is the closest pickup to the Duncan Solar bridge and in my opinion is a bit better (even thou I don't like it that much, I much prefer the ceramic Custom) but even if it's not exactly what you want is a pickup you can "easily" mod to get to where you want if it is close enough like swapping magnets, bolts/screws for the pole pieces... well, not for nothing the FullShred, Custom Custom, Custom and Custom5 are the exact same winding.

Alright, I will have a look at the custom 5.
You say the neck thru/bolt on and bridge have a bigger impact that the wood. Since my solar is neck thru plus evertune and the Ibanez has a bolt on and an edge "someting" a custom 5 might not be the best option?
Its not that I'm searching for a pickup that sounds the closest to the duncan solar, but a pickup that will make my ibanez sounds more like how the solar sounds... if that makes any sense?
So if a DiMarzio, BKP, seymour duncan or whatever will be able to make the Ibanez sound more like how my solar is sounding (or better because I really like the some sort of "purr" or "roar" you hear in the audio clip), this would be great.
If it turns out to be the custom 5, then I'll definitely go for it

I find this hard, I know what sound I like. Or at least, I have a sound in my head but have no idea how to descripe it. Hence the audio clips

 

[Legion]

Yep Duncan Solar is based on a Custom 5. Give that a go!
You might like the DiMarzio Steve's Special as well. Similarly voiced, nicer pick attack IMO.

 

[Zhysick]

Alright, I will have a look at the custom 5.
You say the neck thru/bolt on and bridge have a bigger impact that the wood. Since my solar is neck thru plus evertune and the Ibanez has a bolt on and an edge "someting" a custom 5 might not be the best option?
Its not that I'm searching for a pickup that sounds the closest to the duncan solar, but a pickup that will make my ibanez sounds more like how the solar sounds... if that makes any sense?
So if a DiMarzio, BKP, seymour duncan or whatever will be able to make the Ibanez sound more like how my solar is sounding (or better because I really like the some sort of "purr" or "roar" you hear in the audio clip), this would be great.
If it turns out to be the custom 5, then I'll definitely go for it

I find this hard, I know what sound I like. Or at least, I have a sound in my head but have no idea how to descripe it. Hence the audio clips

That "purr" as you nicely describe it is very particular and one pickup that has that quality is the Custom5 so it's a nice starting point. There's no way to say "100% this is what you want" but if you like the Solar pickup you will probably enjoy the Custom5 pretty much. How will react to your particular piece of basswood, bridge, neck, etc is nearly impossible to predict unless you have a lot of experience trying different pickups and guitars and even thou is not an "exact science" so normally this I a matter of trial and error.

Get a Custom5, more than likely is going to be what you want but hey... Who knows for sure...

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Also, The Solar is a mahogony body and Ibby basswood. I don't want a discussion going about tonewood, but in the past I had a D-activator in a basswood and mahogony guitar... sounded different to me. Liked in mahogony, hated it in basswood.

Slightly off topic, but if you like the D Activator in mahogany, you may well like the D Activator-X in basswood. The difference in EQ between the models ('X' version has more bass and low-mids and less treble) would help to balance out the differences between the tone woods.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Here's confirmation from Ola that the Duncan Solars are based on Custom 5 (bridge) and 59 (neck:
https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/news/140981/

I find that a fixed bridge / floating trem makes a noticeable difference to the tone of an RG (without adding other differences like neck construction and tonewood into the equation) so, as you've already touched on, matching the pickups might not get you quite the result you want. A quick glance at the pickup EQs on the SD / BKP websites suggests a Custom 5 is likely to at least get you much closer to you desired tone, even if not all the way there.
Have you considered temporarily installing the Duncan Solars in your RG to see how it sounds? That could either confirm a Custom 5 will be ideal or identify the shortcomings that you want to address with your pickup choice.

 

[Alex79]

59 and Custom5

Yeah, that would be a GREAT bet... Not sure if the Custom5 would sound different in basswood compared to mahogany, but it sounded awful in my Yamaha Pacifica but great in my Solar and both are alder body and maple neck (main difference is neck-thru against bolt-on and evertune against fixed bridge... two bigger differences than body wood)

Try it. The Custom5 is the closest pickup to the Duncan Solar bridge and in my opinion is a bit better (even thou I don't like it that much, I much prefer the ceramic Custom) but even if it's not exactly what you want is a pickup you can "easily" mod to get to where you want if it is close enough like swapping magnets, bolts/screws for the pole pieces... well, not for nothing the FullShred, Custom Custom, Custom and Custom5 are the exact same winding.

Wait, so then the only difference between the Full Shred and the Custom 5 are the pole pieces???

 

[KnightBrolaire]

Wait, so then the only difference between the Full Shred and the Custom 5 are the pole pieces???

nvm

 

[Zhysick]

Wait, so then the only difference between the Full Shred and the Custom 5 are the pole pieces???

Aparently yes. I'm not sure if this one was confirmed by any Seymour Duncan employee or not, but that's what's said in the very active duncan forum.

 

[WarMachine]

Having D Activators in 2 mahogany body guitars and an X in another mahogany, i can say that the x has more upper mids and LESS bass.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Having D Activators in 2 mahogany body guitars and an X in another mahogany, i can say that the x has more upper mids and LESS bass.

Are your three guitars are identical apart from the pickups? Or perhaps you've also tried the X in one of the other two guitars. My mahogany Ibanez S2170SE definitely doesn't sound
the same as my mahogany RG8520...or anything like a mahogany LP.

The same tonal difference you've described could be caused by a difference in bridge or neck construction, even with the exact same pickups. For example, a Tone Zone sounds overbearing and boomy in my RG652FX, but pretty balanced in my RG655. Both guitars are basswood, but one has a fixed bridge and the other has an Edge floating bridge (which makes the guitar sound thinner and brighter).

 

[WarMachine]

Ive got D Activator sets in my Dean Z, Warbird and i have the X in the bridge of my Stealth and Razorback as well. Both the Stealth and Razorback that have the X has more upper mids and a little less bass, giving it more bite. FWIW i had the standard D Activator in my Stealth before getting the X and it sounded identical to my Warbird. Both my Stealth and Razorback sound identical with the X in the bridge. I really need to try the X neck pickup in those 2 guitars lol.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Ive got D Activator sets in my Dean Z, Warbird and i have the X in the bridge of my Stealth and Razorback as well. Both the Stealth and Razorback that have the X has more upper mids and a little less bass, giving it more bite. FWIW i had the standard D Activator in my Stealth before getting the X and it sounded identical to my Warbird. Both my Stealth and Razorback sound identical with the X in the bridge. I really need to try the X neck pickup in those 2 guitars lol.

Ok, useful to know. From what I'd read, the general opinion online is that the X sounds darker and chunkier. I have the standard D Activator sets in several Ibanez guitars (Mahogany neck-thru Xiphos, basswood RG & Mahogany RG) and am really happy with them. However, I had been contemplating whether the X version may be even better for certain tunings / styles.

Would you say the X has less treble as well as less bass? (DiMarzio's EQ ratings suggest this is the case)

 

[WarMachine]

Ok, useful to know. From what I'd read, the general opinion online is that the X sounds darker and chunkier. I have the standard D Activator sets in several Ibanez guitars (Mahogany neck-thru Xiphos, basswood RG & Mahogany RG) and am really happy with them. However, I had been contemplating whether the X version may be even better for certain tunings / styles.

Would you say the X has less treble as well as less bass? (DiMarzio's EQ ratings suggest this is the case)

I'd say DiMarzio's EQ is on the money. When i say less bass and treble, it's not drastic like you'd expect in normal EQ terms. It's more like you get more bite and string separation than you typically get from the D Activators. I love them both and use them for different tunings. I stay in C#/B/Bb and i use the D Activators for anything C# and higher. I like the X for the B/Bb and lower because it gives you more bite. Not to say that they don't sound as good as the standard D Activators when tuned higher, just different. But in a good way. The sound difference is basically a bit more snap and less thump if that makes sense. Hard to describe without hearing them both but that's the general difference. If you'd like i can record a little take of both here in a bit and post on here for you to listen to.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

I'd say DiMarzio's EQ is on the money. When i say less bass and treble, it's not drastic like you'd expect in normal EQ terms. It's more like you get more bite and string separation than you typically get from the D Activators. I love them both and use them for different tunings. I stay in C#/B/Bb and i use the D Activators for anything C# and higher. I like the X for the B/Bb and lower because it gives you more bite. Not to say that they don't sound as good as the standard D Activators when tuned higher, just different. But in a good way. The sound difference is basically a bit more snap and less thump if that makes sense. Hard to describe without hearing them both but that's the general difference. If you'd like i can record a little take of both here in a bit and post on here for you to listen to.

Hmm ok, I was expecting the X to have less bite and more thump. Based on the DiMarzio EQs, other comments about the X had led me to assume it must have a lot of low mids (rather than high mids).
I've also heard that D Activators are more voiced for lead and D Activator-Xs are more voiced for rhythm. Would you say that holds any truth?

Thanks for the offer to record them. Before you go to the trouble of doing that, does this give a decent representation of the differences that you hear with your own gear? (Distorted metal tones start at 3:05)

 

[CanserDYI]

How do you guys get literally ANYthing from pickup comparison videos? Only way I can tell anything about a pickup is throwing it in a guitar. Most of a pickups goodness is how it reacts to MY playing not some other dudes rig.