Replacement Pickup for flabby Tone Zone.

[Pearson0110]

I've recently bought myself a brand new toy to play with, It's an Ibanez RG652ahmfx (silly old Ibanez names) While I'm very very happy with the guitar, Aesthetically and playability wise. The pickup's on this Guitar leave a lot to be desired unfortunately.

The Guitar has an Ash body with Maple neck & fretboard and comes stock with Dimarzio pickup's: Tone Zone in the bridge and Air Norton in the Neck.
I'm finding myself constantly battling with the flubby low end that these pickup's give out.

I'm a Self confessed Guitar whore but when it comes to pickups i don't have much experience with different models. In the Past I've used pickup brands such as EMG, Bareknuckle and Seymour Duncan.

I'm looking to replace these pickup's with something high output but not extreme, with a good amount of mids and bass and no Ice picky Highs. Over all though they must have a very tight bass response, clarity across all strings and an aggressive voicing for the music i like to play. I mainly play in Drop C and go for a Modern metal sound (Periphery's 6 string songs come to mind)

Just wondering if anyone call help point me in the right directions with advice.

Also id like to be able to get the pickup's with chrome/nickle covers.

Thanks for any help.

 

[CapnForsaggio]

Those pickups have been a mainstay in trem equipped IBZ for a long time.... Those guitars are notoriously thin sounding.

I would recommend a 10 band MXR eq instead of a pickup change. These EQs can be magic, when used appropriately.

In this case, you would be running the EQ as early as possible in your chain, and trimming out obnoxious lows.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

get the omega. it's pretty tight sounding, has an aggressive snarl under high gain but also cleans up very well. great clarity and they're easily the most versatile out the passives you listed. The juggs have a very distinct cocked wah/vocal quality that I didn't like, plus they're not as versatile as the omega. They are quite clear but I wouldn't take them over the omega. Distortion is mean sounding but kind of fizzy on the high end. It can be a savage pickup but I wouldn't say it's really well suited for modern metal. Warpig is tight, has a very aggressive roaring sound under high gain, but isn't as clear or versatile as the omega ime. The high end on the ceramic version can be a bit much in the wrong guitar and make it kind of bright imo. I have no experience with the fluence so I can't comment on those.

 

[Pearson0110]

Thanks for the advice, I forgot to mention my setup. I'm Using an Axe Fx II running a 5150 iii model with a 10 band EQ and a Tube screamer block in the chain and it's still too loose for my liking. I've tried to get rid of the lower frequencies and it just thin's out the tone a lot and doesn't help to much to my problem, maybe I'm doing something wrong? As for the Omega i quite liked it when i tried a PRS holcomb at one of his clinic's just not sure how it'd sound with an Ash guitar opposed to a mahogany one.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

Thanks for the advice, I forgot to mention my setup. I'm Using an Axe Fx II running a 5150 iii model with a 10 band EQ and a Tube screamer block in the chain and it's still too loose for my liking. I've tried to get rid of the lower frequencies and it just thin's out the tone a lot and doesn't help to much to my problem, maybe I'm doing something wrong? As for the Omega i quite liked it when i tried a PRS holcomb at one of his clinic's just not sure how it'd sound with an Ash guitar opposed to a mahogany one.

i had an omega in my swamp ash 8 string and it was excellent. The sound is slightly different than in mahogany but since the omega has a pretty even eq it can handle brighter woods like ash no problem.

 

[mnemonic]

i remember having a ToneZone in a guitar quite a few years back, I was not a fan. Too loose. A pickup swap is probably a good idea given the tone you're after, but I just wanted to pop in regarding your axe fx.

I have never been a huge fan of the tubescreamer models in the axe fx, I always preferred using a real one in front of the axe fx, or using a different drive model.

I think the FAS Boost is a bit more like a real-life tubescreamer, the Eternal Love drive is also one of my favourites for a very tight, modern tone.

Just food for thought if you've not experimented with different drives, I know I didn't for a long time.

 

[KailM]

SD Nazgul should fix you right up.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

SD Nazgul should fix you right up.

with an ash and maple guitar?! only if you like super shrill earrape

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Distortion or Omega.

I abhor the Tone Zone... as well as most of the DiMarzio pup line.

 

[KailM]

with an ash and maple guitar?! only if you like super shrill earrape

Meh -- I don't buy it. I think the whole "tonewood" argument is blown way out of proportion and is mostly hocus pocus -- but that's opening a can of worms. The Nazgul is not shrill at all in my Schecter; I find it hard to believe it would change character completely by being moved into another species of wood.

Then again, I'm somebody that uses an EQ pedal in the effects loop and always have the highest highs (16khz) dialed down. I do a slight (-1db) cut to 8khz as well. Honestly, I think if more people used an EQ pedal, pickup companies might go out of business...

 

[Shask]

I have a Charvel that had a Tone Zone in it stock. It is a very bright guitar. I tried a few different pickups, but finally settled on a Duncan Invader. It was the only one that tamed the shrill, and added the chunk.

 

[Shask]

Distortion or Omega.

I abhor the Tone Zone... as well as most of the DiMarzio pup line.

I am finding I used to love Dimarzio when I was younger, and cant stand most of them these days. Not sure why

I do like the neck pickups though. My Charvel I just mentioned has the Duncan Invader in the bridge, and an Evolution Neck, in the Neck, and that is an interesting, but nice combination. Invader brings the chunk, and the Evolution makes me sound like a wannabe shredder.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

Meh -- I don't buy it. I think the whole "tonewood" argument is blown way out of proportion and is mostly hocus pocus -- but that's opening a can of worms. The Nazgul is not shrill at all in my Schecter; I find it hard to believe it would change character completely by being moved into another species of wood.

Then again, I'm somebody that uses an EQ pedal in the effects loop and always have the highest highs (16khz) dialed down. I do a slight (-1db) cut to 8khz as well. Honestly, I think if more people used an EQ pedal, pickup companies might go out of business...

I'm speaking from my personal experience. The nazgul just doesn't work as well in brighter guitars imo. My swamp ash 8 string was pretty bright to begin with and the Nazgul was too shrill. Compared to the omega, it's a lot pickier about the type of guitar it's in.

 

[Zoobiedood]

The Omega, the Pegasus or even the Custom would add that chunky thing without sounding shrill at all. Some pickups like the Distortion are a ton of highs, and might sound like bees in that guitar.

 

[jerm]

Warpigs will slay in that ash body.

 

[prlgmnr]

Before you rip the pickups out, how have you got your polepieces set?

 

[PBGas]

No those pickups sound like crap in most J Customs. I've taken them out of every one that I have owned over the past number of years and each time the improvement was great. I even got so lucky that they came in both of my Fender CS guitars........cripes! They weren't as awful in the alder bodies but still, did not like them.

 

[capac]

How about dimarzio titan?

 

[Pearson0110]

From the demo's I've heard online I've not really liked the tone anyone has got with them. The only one I did like was Jake Bowens video so I'm a bit sceptical.

 

[Lorcan Ward]

A lot of dimarzios have a big low end to fill out the basswood Ibbys they were voiced for. The low end of the tone zone must be awful with the deep bass that swamp ash has. How do you like the high end? Since the tone zone is rolled off in the highs it must pair very well with ash for lead playing?

This is where swamp ash can be difficult to find pickups for. You need something tight in the bass but with smooth highs so as much as everyone can give you recommendations you just have to start trying pickups until you find something just right. I've found metal voiced Alnico V pickups work best.