Picup advice...

[Clint Eastwood Gun]

Hi everyone

I`m looking for advices on uprading picups in my new Ibanez RG 2120 X. Previous owner installed EMG 81/85 bridge and 89 neck. Personally I don`t admire the EMG products.
My Ibanez has a mahogany body. I play metal and instrumental.
I use some custom amp (a little bit like Mesa Roadking) with is little dark. I need good, fat, deep, clarity, slightly bright, not to much muddy, selective, melodious and powerfull set of picups good for rhythm and soling.

I know question "With dimarzio picups will be good for" that kind of music, was asking many times here, but I didin`t find clarity answer for my Ibanez.

I` m thinking of: 1) Dimarzio Crunch Lab (bridge) and LiquiFire (neck)
2) Dimarzio Crunch Lab (bridge) and DiMarzio DP193 Air Norton Pickup (neck)
3) DiMarzio DP220 D-Activator Bridge Humbucker Pickup (bridge) and DiMarzio DP193 Air Norton Pickup (neck)
4) Doug Aldrich Suhr

What is Your`s proposal? Shoud I buy also F-spaced for neck?

I will be grateful for any advices

Paul

 

[Whammy]

To be honest all options that you mentioned would work well.
You seem to know what you want which is a good thing.

The Crunch Lab / LiquiFire set is a good option. You have the advantage of switching the Crunch Lab around which changes the sound of the pickup. Normally it's installed with the blade toward the neck. But if you install it with the blade towards the bridge it makes the pickup a bit brighter with a bit more lows. The mids are pulled back a bit.

If you want something a bit brighter to the CL/LF set then maybe an Evolution Bridge and Neck might suit your needs.

The D-Activator / Air Norton set is another good option. However I'd only really go for that if you don't use the bridge pickup for soloing.
IMO the Crunch Lab & Evolution bridge are better than the D-Activator bridge for most of what you mentioned below.

I need good, fat, deep, clarity, slightly bright, not to much muddy, selective, melodious and powerfull set of picups good for rhythm and soling.

I never tried any Suhr pickup so I can't comment on those.

 

[Clint Eastwood Gun]

To be honest all options that you mentioned would work well.
You seem to know what you want which is a good thing.

The Crunch Lab / LiquiFire set is a good option. You have the advantage of switching the Crunch Lab around which changes the sound of the pickup. Normally it's installed with the blade toward the neck. But if you install it with the blade towards the bridge it makes the pickup a bit brighter with a bit more lows. The mids are pulled back a bit.

If you want something a bit brighter to the CL/LF set then maybe an Evolution Bridge and Neck might suit your needs.

The D-Activator / Air Norton set is another good option. However I'd only really go for that if you don't use the bridge pickup for soloing.
IMO the Crunch Lab & Evolution bridge are better than the D-Activator bridge for most of what you mentioned below.



I never tried any Suhr pickup so I can't comment on those.

Hm I`m little disappointed about what You wrote about D-Activator because combo of this picpus is Black Horse of my picup competition. When I soloing I use first of all a bridge picup. Why You are thinking that D-Activator will be not good idea? I`m little afraid of set Crunch Lab & Evolution bridge because for me it can be to swimming and flaccid.
Maybe I`m wrong about D-Activator but Thank You for Your advice. I will think about Your`s proposals.

 

[Whammy]

For me when switching from the D-Activator to the Air Norton the difference in highs is too much. Both lead tones sound too different. This is just my experience. YMMV of course.

 

[Clint Eastwood Gun]

Thanks for opinion. Let me tell you something: I gone too far in uprgdning my RG 2120. I don`t want guitar for death metal, djent etc. It must be good for lighter type of metal music and instrumental creation.
I decided that I will install in my Ibanez set of Crunch Lab/D-Sonic and Liquid F. or Air Norton. I hope one of this set will be a friend with my mahogany Ibanez.
I need good crunch and also very good clean. I think D-Activators woud make from my guitar to metal axe. I gonna give up with DA idea.

Thanks for advices