Ibanez with DiMarzio Fusion Edge Pickups

[mrblue]

Hello,

I recently purchased an Ibanez RGIXL7. It came stock with DiMarzio Fusion Edge pickups. So far, they're just ok. I find them to be a bit cold and shrill sounding (guitar is tuned to dropped A-flat/G# and I play mostly metal/hard rock) through my Boss Katana 100 MkII and all my plugins.

I've read all over the internet these pickups are very close to the DiMarzio Titans. Well, I guess my question is, how close are they to the Titans? I am wondering because I would like to find something a little warmer sounding while still being aggressive.

Any suggestions for a set of 7-string DiMarzio pickups? I plan to stick with DiMarzio simply because I have the quick connectors installed on this guitar.

Thanks.

 

[Baelzebeard]

I switched Fusion Edge pickups for Titans in an RGA.

They are similar, but the Titans did sound better to me. Smoother and more refined than FE, but yes, they are still aggressive.

 

[Stiman]

I had Fusion Edge pickups in my RGA and switched them out for Evo + Liquifire. In fact, I also have the Evo + Liquifire pickups in my RG752 and they are amazing in both guitars.

Edit: I hated the Fusion Edge pickups, lacked clarity. Very underwhelming pickups.

 

[cmpxchg]

My RGR652 came with Fusion Edges. Hated them: cocked wah mids, no clarity, just not the sound I like at all. Put in Black Winters for a while, but it was a little too much of a one trick pony. Found a set of Titans and thought "this is a stupid idea, they're the same as the Fusion Edge!" Nope, the Titans are great. Mids are tamer, more presence on the bridge, neck is a different sound entirely, I really like them.

 

[mrblue]

I actually had a set of Titans about a year ago that I put in an RG7421. At the time I wasn't really into playing 7-string so I sold the guitar. Now I'm wishing I hadn't done that. But I have to say, I don't really recall all the nuances of the Titans. However I do remember they just sounded really BIG and tight and thinking to myself how they were aptly named. Anyway, after fiddling with the pickup height and the Boss Tone Studio (I'm using a Katana) for some time, I've been able to get a pretty decent tone out of the Fusion Edges. Still, not quite what I would prefer.

I am thinking about getting another set of the Titans but with the quick connector. I noticed on the DiMarzio site it says they don't offer the quick connect on 7 & 8 string pickups with metal covers. Odd, considering the Fusion Edges have metal covers. Does anyone know if DiMarzio has changed that policy?

 

[Neon_Knight_]

I actually had a set of Titans about a year ago that I put in an RG7421. At the time I wasn't really into playing 7-string so I sold the guitar. Now I'm wishing I hadn't done that. But I have to say, I don't really recall all the nuances of the Titans. However I do remember they just sounded really BIG and tight and thinking to myself how they were aptly named. Anyway, after fiddling with the pickup height and the Boss Tone Studio (I'm using a Katana) for some time, I've been able to get a pretty decent tone out of the Fusion Edges. Still, not quite what I would prefer.

I am thinking about getting another set of the Titans but with the quick connector. I noticed on the DiMarzio site it says they don't offer the quick connect on 7 & 8 string pickups with metal covers. Odd, considering the Fusion Edges have metal covers. Does anyone know if DiMarzio has changed that policy?

Fusion Edge is made for Ibanez, not an aftermarket model, so is probably an exception to the rule.

 

[Filter]

I actually had a set of Titans about a year ago that I put in an RG7421. At the time I wasn't really into playing 7-string so I sold the guitar. Now I'm wishing I hadn't done that. But I have to say, I don't really recall all the nuances of the Titans. However I do remember they just sounded really BIG and tight and thinking to myself how they were aptly named. Anyway, after fiddling with the pickup height and the Boss Tone Studio (I'm using a Katana) for some time, I've been able to get a pretty decent tone out of the Fusion Edges. Still, not quite what I would prefer.

I am thinking about getting another set of the Titans but with the quick connector. I noticed on the DiMarzio site it says they don't offer the quick connect on 7 & 8 string pickups with metal covers. Odd, considering the Fusion Edges have metal covers. Does anyone know if DiMarzio has changed that policy?

Out of interest what did you set the pickup heights (bass and/or treble) to?

 

[DimMak]

Do the regular fusion edge pickups have the dimarzio quick detachment under the pickup or are they wired like a regular pickup?

 

[Stiman]

The ones I had in an RGA42 were wired.

 

[Grindspine]

My RG3727 has Titans. My RGDR3127s has Fusion Edge.

The Titans are good, but I still prefer the Duncan Nazgul that I have my my other RGD to the Titan bridge. The Titan neck pickup, in parallel, is one of my favorite neck sounds (next to a parallel Liquifire or a coil split SD Alpha).

The Fusion Edge are kinda like Titan Juniors. Everything the Titan has, the Fusion Edge just has less of the same. Where Titans sound okay, Fusion Edge sounds a bit anemic. The Fusion Edge aren't terrible pickups. Titans are a bit better (especially the neck), but there are a lot of pickups out there to try.

 

[mrblue]

Do the regular fusion edge pickups have the dimarzio quick detachment under the pickup or are they wired like a regular pickup?

The Fusion Edge pickups in my Ibanez RGIXL7 have the quick connectors. I spoke with Dimarzio tech support and they said, you can special order 7 string pickups, with metal covers, with the quick connectors, for about an extra $10 USD, per pickup. However, at the time of my conversation with tech support, you had to call the sales team to place the special order; you could not place the order online.

 

[mrblue]

Out of interest what did you set the pickup heights (bass and/or treble) to?

About 3mm, for both pickups (bass & treble sides), from the bottom of the string to the top of the pole pieces, when pressing the strings at the last fret.

 

[Asdrael]

Fwiw, I found the fusion edge bridge much better kinda close to the strings. I have mine around 2mm and it makes it much more alive.

I keep the neck one kinda low though like I do with all neck pickups.

 

[ExMachina]

I always liked this https://guitarnuts2.proboards.com/thread/9922/knuckle-juggernaut-dimarzio-fusion-sound

 

[Crungy]

I always liked this https://guitarnuts2.proboards.com/thread/9922/knuckle-juggernaut-dimarzio-fusion-sound

Interesting!

Per the last post on that thread, I would have guessed the Fusion Edge pickups were around before the Juggernauts. Right?

 

[Neon_Knight_]

I always liked this https://guitarnuts2.proboards.com/thread/9922/knuckle-juggernaut-dimarzio-fusion-sound

The Fusion Edge bridge doesn't sound similar to the Super Distortion to me...

 

[ExMachina]

The Fusion Edge bridge doesn't sound similar to the Super Distortion to me...

Good, because one has a resonant peak at 2.4 the other at 2.1 not sure why they talk about the SD, other than to just say they have the same magnet and virtual vintage technology, which was irrelevant. The main thing is the similarity between juggernaut and the fusion edges.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Good, because one has a resonant peak at 2.4 the other at 2.1 not sure why they talk about the SD, other than to just say they have the same magnet and virtual vintage technology, which was irrelevant. The main thing is the similarity between juggernaut and the fusion edges.

I only skimmed the article, but it seemed to be suggesting the Fusion Edge is closely related to the Super D. That argument could probably be made for a huge proprtion of ceramic DiMarzio humbuckers...

I haven't tried the Juggernauts, but from reviews / descriptions they've always sounded less appealing to me than Fusion Edges (and Titans). Have you tried them? If they actually sound very similar, then it shouldn't be a huge shock, as DiMarzio considers Fusion Edges to be similar to Titans, which are obviously the signature pickup of the other Periphery guitarist.

My experience of the Fusion Edges was that they're ok but lacking compared to my tastes / requirements. I'd feel the same about plenty of aftermarket pickups though, so don't see that as a reason to suggest they're bad or "not real DiMarzios". It's doesn't seem too uncommon for people to be disappointed about a lack of output / oomph from Juggernauts either.

 

[Filter]

Fwiw, I found the fusion edge bridge much better kinda close to the strings. I have mine around 2mm and it makes it much more alive.

I keep the neck one kinda low though like I do with all neck pickups.

About 3mm, for both pickups (bass & treble sides), from the bottom of the string to the top of the pole pieces, when pressing the strings at the last fret.

Interesting. Mine varies…bridge pup 3mm bass side, 1.6mm treble.
Neck pup 2.5mm bass side, 2.4mm treble.

 

[Filter]

Fwiw, I found the fusion edge bridge much better kinda close to the strings. I have mine around 2mm and it makes it much more alive.

I keep the neck one kinda low though like I do with all neck pickups.

Mine…bridge pup 3mm bass side, 1.6mm treble. Might have to try raise it to 2mm on the bass side to compare.
Neck pup 2.5mm bass side, 2.4mm treble. It sounds a bit warbled especially on the bass notes higher up. Might need to lower it