Need help choosing some new pups...

[SnowJackson]

^love that
Anyways, I have a Jackson V, and I am having the guy at gc modify it into a "short scale"/"fake" baritone.
I'm going to do some aesthetic mods first, but I need some new pickups.
In my mind, when I play this guitar, I wanna fall into a lake of thick, bloody black jello, infested with Lake Placid size crocs. I know thats a weird description, but you get the idea.
I'm playing into an Ibanez WD7-Digitech Grunge-Danelectro Black Paisley Liquid Metal-Black Heart Little Giant-Washburn Pro SX50R.
I play Chevelle, Disturbed, and Evans Blue. I like ALOT of low end, and midrange growl.
I've had dimebuckers suggested, SD jazz/Jb, Lace Drop and Gain, EMG 81/85, gfs crunchy/power rails, and SD Blackout Metal (AHB-2).
I would rather not go active, but if I have to, I'm thinking I'd rather have the Blackout route.
Also any on-board effects I should consider? I want this to be my "signature" guitar.
I feel lost, as I've never owned a Baritone, and have never tuned that low.


PS I'm thinking of/willing to alter the pup arrangement from H-X-H to X-H-H. any thoughts on that? its not necessary, I know, I've just always thought that might be something to try/ might help.

 

[Kamikaze7]

First off, if you wanna try something with a different pickup configuration, try one of the ESP LTD SC Stephen Carpenter 6-string models. The ideal one would be either the original 3-pickup H-H-Slant SC, OR the 2-pickup H-H-X model. It does have a little bit of a difference in tone, and will matter in which pickups you use with it.

As for pickups, you probably don't want something like the JB... If your looking at high output pickups like the Duncan Dimebucker/'59 set, Blackouts Metal set or the EMG's, you should also consider other options like the DiMarzio Tone Zone, X2N, or even the Super 3. As for a neck position, that will all depend on what your after tone-wise there so try the pickup finder on both the Duncan & Dimarzio sites, or call them during the week and ask them a recommendation that would pair good with something like the DiMarzio X2N. I do know and can say first hand that a Super 3 bridge and Evolution bridge model in the neck are really sick together and compliment each other very well tone-wise. Another really good set to use would be the DiMarzio D-Activator set.

For on-board effects, you can use something like the EMG SPC Presence control which increases and cuts mid range, the EMG EXG Guitar Expander which increases and cuts high and low end, or the RPC which (if I remember right...) cuts low end and boosts high end. All of these can be used with passive pickups, as well as actives. I myself use active EMG's in every guitar I own, so wiring and installing any of the EMG accessories is easier with the new plug & play solderless system.

As a closing thought, why spend all that money in trying to modify a guitar, when you can trade that one in and get a better one with better parts, accessories and goodies, that is a baritone or a 7-string and be set right off the bat? I mean I've done similar, but MY mods are a lot more basic like pickup and hardware upgrades, sometimes fingerboard scalloping on the 15th fret and up, finish upgrades and custom wirings depending on the pickups and tonal variations I'm after...

Again, these are some ideas and thoughts to consider... Best of luck in your decisions, and even better luck should you decide to go new axe shopping!