Pickup Advice

[soggybomb]

I am new here and made my first 7 string purchase recently, and now I am the owner of an Ibanez RGA7 (Mahogany body, Maple/Rosewood neck). While the guitar is a decent value for the price the pickups are the muddiest, most miserable sounding things I have heard. So, since they are EMG707-size, I am curious about the Seymour Duncan Blackouts PH-II because they seem to be creating a lot of buzz. Now, I am used to playing passives, as I have a Dimarzio D-Sonic/Air Norton combo in my six string Ibanez (same woods). So I am wondering about people's opinions on the Blackouts versus the tones I am familiar with. My main goal is clarity not just in the low-B but across the entire guitar. I look for articulation in complex chords under gain, tightness in the low end, and vocal qualities in leads. The other option would be to get a set of pickup ring converters and just drop in a Crunch Lab or Blaze Custom (haven't decided yet) and Liquifire or Blaze Neck in. Thoughts, advice, and experience appreciated. Thanks!

(Sorry for the lengthy first post here )

Edit: Also, I am playing this through a Hughes and Kettner Switchblade that I run almost totally dry. I usually use the Ultra channel set to a solid rhythm tone that isn't scooped or overly mid-y with good bit and not a lot of fizz. When I use the RGA, it sounds like mud, so I have to add in a bunch of presence and trebble that opens up the sound a bit, but makes the tone nasty instead of solid and heavy.

 

[Ragnar]

Well as you have the guitar already routed for actives, I would consider 707TW with 18V mod BUT passives will give you more of a versatility for different styles and more warm clean sound. EMGs stay readable most of the time even with huge amount distortion, but they tend to compress a little. You probably won`t spend $$$ for Lundgren M7`s so actives or some not-to-ballsy dimarzios are fine..
Well, I think go for the SDs, if you don`t want EMGs, but they tend to sound similar only that SDs are more on the mid side tone-vise and EMGs are more treblier. Also they are supposed to be quieter due to fact they have symmetrical operational amplifiers inside.

 

[Miss D Corona]

How about a set of bareknuckle Painkiller 7s, there are a few great videos on youtube of them, and also of the 6 string model, the only problem would be that you would need pickup ring adaptors, but these are easily enough found.

 

[Ragnar]

Probably the first decision would be If you want to have passives or actives, but as as wrote earlier, you have your guitar routed the way you can experiment, soo:
1. make your decision: passives/actives
2. don`t really like them after some time ? sell them
3. go to point 1 and repeat until you are satisfied

don`t forget to watch as much videos and listen to as much material as you can find (best would be trying as much blah blah...)

 

[Zugster]

How about a set of bareknuckle Painkiller 7s, there are a few great videos on youtube of them, and also of the 6 string model, the only problem would be that you would need pickup ring adaptors, but these are easily enough found.

+1

 

[soggybomb]

How about a set of bareknuckle Painkiller 7s, there are a few great videos on youtube of them, and also of the 6 string model, the only problem would be that you would need pickup ring adaptors, but these are easily enough found.

I love the sound of Bareknuckles, especially the new ceramic Nailbombs, but I am a college student and can't spend $150 for a single pickup. Usually with Dimarzio or Seymour Duncan you can get 2 pickups for $150-170, which is more within my budget.

AFA the other poster that talked about EMGs, I tend to favor a pickup that is rich in the midrange, which is why, for me, the Seymour Duncans sound like they are more up my alley.

Thanks for the responses guys. Has anybody had both Blackouts and a couple of the Dimarzio models that I mentioned, and could offer a comparison?

 

[Ragnar]

If you`re after midrange, blackouts will suite you just fine I believe Sooo my verdict will be BOs then if you wish to go for actives of course