Ibanez RGA8 pickup swap

[GTailly]

Hey hi guys,

Yesterday I ordered my very first 8 strings guitar an Ibanez RGA8.
I plan to eventually change the pickups on this guitar but don't really know what would be best for me and my budget...

I have tried some EMG's 808 and liked'em but still I have felt like their tone wasn't clear enough.

I don't really know how much I'd be willing to spend at the moment but if you guys have any ideas of prices for:
- Lundgren M8
- bareknuckles of some sort for 8's
- Q-tuner (also what does this do exactly I have heard nothing but good about this but is there anything special with this one?)
- Others that I might not know

Also, like I said I am not yet decided on what pickups to put on my upcoming baby but I like my distortion tone to be more mid-ranged, something focused (djenty but not too harsh)

My cleans tend to differ from a rich and warm jazz tone to something more crystal clear wich I can put reverbs or delays on.

What pickups would you guys recommend me?

 

[Barney]

Lundgren M8 - around 200 Euros / piece(!)
BareKnuckles - 240 Pounds / 8-string calibrated set

 

[ibanezRG1527]

if price wasnt an option, id say get the M8. but since money is probably an option, im saying the BKP's

 

[BlackStar7]

Lundgrens are like $260 a piece! BK isn't cheap either, but certainly has that beat price wise. What is the BK pickup combo that seems to be the standard these days? Painkiller neck and Coldsweat bridge (did I get that right)?

I hear SD Blackouts can be pretty nice too, and definitely WAY cheaper. I think I've seen a pair for maybe 190 or so.

 

[GTailly]

Lundgrens are like $260 a piece! BK isn't cheap either, but certainly has that beat price wise. What is the BK pickup combo that seems to be the standard these days? Painkiller neck and Coldsweat bridge (did I get that right)?

I hear SD Blackouts can be pretty nice too, and definitely WAY cheaper. I think I've seen a pair for maybe 190 or so.

Yeah BKP seem a nice choice but I would like to be sure if your actual combination is right...

Can somebody clarify that?

 

[Weimat01]

What about Seymour Duncan blackouts?

 

[k508]

I've got a set of BKP Aftermaths going into my 8 that is being built by Jim at Strictly 7 at the moment. I had played a 7 string set and it sounded amazing through my current rig. So I'm hoping that the 8 string version of the pickup will equally compliment my sound.

BKP makes good stuff. That being said, I've never actually tried a Lundgren for long enough to be able to give it a thumbs up or not.

 

[saovi]

I have a different opinion regarding investments in your sound. Long after the buzz you get from the the deal you made that saved you a few bucks, it does wear off and you're essentially left with your decision: pickups you got on bargain but could stand a good chance of not being exactly what you wanted sound-wise. My advice is to take the money out of the equation for a moment and ask yourself exactly what kind of sound do you want? Is your sound worth the investment? Absolutely.

Point is, there a big differences in how pickups from Lundgren M8 sound versus BKP and EMG. I have all three. Trying to get a BKP (I have true love of the pickup first off) to sound like an M8 is possible but will take some extensive tweaking on your part to nail the frequencies. That said, an M8 has a different flavor than a BKP; they're both great pickups so its really about the sound YOU want and finding the best pickup to match your tonal vision. This also goes for your entire signal chain but first things first: good pickups will change your sound first off.

I have a Les Paul Custom (droptuned to A) with BKP Rebel Yells, a Les Paul Baritone with BKP Cold Sweats and a Schecter Hellraiser Special with Lundgren M8s. They're all sweet guitars with a unique sound - I would characterize the BKP Rebel Yell (which is kind of close to the same frequency pattern of the BKP Painkiller) as snarly distinct - rings clear as a bell and regardless of how much gain you have absolutely no mud. The BKP Cold Sweat as also distinct with a more pronounced scoop in the mids. The Lundgren M8 is in a class in its own imo. It does not sound like a BKP and seems to have more bass and mids with highs somewhat rolled off which is perfect for djent tone depending on what you're running your guitars through.

Regardless of what you get you're still going to have to work for your distinct sound. EMGs aren't my favorite (not a real active pup fan) but its possible to work with your tone to get some pretty hot rodded sounds out of it (although I still think EMG 808s are a one trick pony but that's just me.)

Buy quality first. If you can get a deal getting that, great. But in any case never compromise on your sound. Personally I wouldn't rather brag to my friends that I got this great deal on a set of pups when I secretly wished I got the more expensive ones (the ones I really wanted) after the fact!

 

[simonXsludge]

The Lundgren M8 is in a class in its own imo. It does not sound like a BKP and seems to have more bass and mids with highs somewhat rolled off which is perfect for djent tone depending on what you're running your guitars through.

see, i have a lundgren M8 in my custom RGA8 and i find it to be pretty shrill / acute. whenever i switch back to my sixer ibby with a dimarzio d-activator, it has more output and simply more balls really. also it's not as harsh sounding and articulates a tad better. i know these have nothing to do with each other, but i'm just saying i'm not super convinced of my M8.

definitely thinking of trying the dimarzio 8-string PU that is supposed to be available this year.

 

[Andii]

see, i have a lundgren M8 in my custom RGA8 and i find it to be pretty shrill / acute. whenever i switch back to my sixer ibby with a dimarzio d-activator, it has more output and simply more balls really. also it's not as harsh sounding and articulates a tad better. i know these have nothing to do with each other, but i'm just saying i'm not super convinced of my M8.

definitely thinking of trying the dimarzio 8-string PU that is supposed to be available this year.

Are you positive that the M8 is wired correctly?

 

[simonXsludge]

Are you positive that the M8 is wired correctly?

i'd hope so, a luthier wired it for me, since i don't know shit about it. it doesn't sound bad, or anything...just a little shrill for my taste. i mean, i can easily have him double check it.

 

[saovi]

yeah that would be good because the M8s are anything but shrill. They usually send a wiring schematic with their pickups or you can write them to see if they can PDF you one.

 

[Philligan]

I'm assuming you're in Quebec, so BKPs will still be pretty expensive. But good. I'm gonna vote Blackouts, though. Pretty sure it's under $200 ($190 I think ) for a set, and IMHO they're pretty much better than EMGs in every way. Tighter, smoother, way juicier for cleans, and they're warmer and cut more.

 

[Alekke]

see, i have a lundgren M8 in my custom RGA8 and i find it to be pretty shrill / acute. whenever i switch back to my sixer ibby with a dimarzio d-activator, it has more output and simply more balls really. also it's not as harsh sounding and articulates a tad better. i know these have nothing to do with each other, but i'm just saying i'm not super convinced of my M8.

definitely thinking of trying the dimarzio 8-string PU that is supposed to be available this year.

Actually I dig what you are trying to say. I share your opinion in a way since I also have M8 and M7. There is also a thread I made with M7 vs M8 facts.

M8 can in some situations be little thin or shrill but when it comes to djent it is HUGE, tight and crystal clear. Definitely not like any other pup I tried. Very unique pup is M8.

And all wired correctly, 500k pot, no buzzing, no lack of output.