Pickup recommendation for a dead sounding basswood guitar?

[chaosmonger]

Sorry if this was discussed before, but the search function wasn't that much helpful in this case:

So, I have a Japanese Jackson JDR94 which is made of basswood, bolt on maple neck w/rosewood fingerboard. Jackson Licensed floyd rose. It was my second guitar ever and I'm sorta emotionally attached to it.

The thing is, I ended up putting on it the EMGs that came stock with my ESP Eclipse (not a fan of EMGs or actives whatsoever), and now the Jackson is sounding dead and dull. No real balls (and it is kinda heavy) and no clarity or sparkle at all. Before that it had a Dimarzio Super Distortion which sounded kinda dark, but never had a clear idea about it due to the 250k pots it came with. (the SD was sold ages ago BTW)

Of course it's a cheap guitar and it will probably never sound uber amazing or something like that, but I'm pretty sure the proper set of passives can bring a bit more life into its sound.

for main guitars I have the aforementioned ESP eclipse (mahogany, set neck) with a Duncan Alternative 8/Pearly Gates combo as my main rhythm guitar (lot's of bite, deep low end, tight response), and an ESP Horizon (ash, bolt-on) with a duncan distortion/jazz combo for soloing, cleans, etc. (sweeter sound and response).

So, which passive humbucker combo (bridge and neck) would you use to bring life into this guitar?
I play metal, and as you may wonder from my other pickup choices, I like hi-gain PUs.
If possible, keep it between Duncan and Dimarzio, although other recommendations are always interesting ;-)

THANKS!

 

[cnote]

EVH Frankenstrat Humbucker. Really worked in a basswood strat partscaster that sounded dead to me. Woke it up. And I think they are at least designed with basswood in mind.

 

[Anonymous]

i'd check your wiring and make sure you dont have a bad ground somewhere or a bad pot with the emgs first.


i like tone zone.
evolution 1
and dimarzio paf pro with basswood. haven't really tried any others as they give me what i want.

 

[chaosmonger]

Thanks for the reply, but I'd have a hard time spending almost 200 bucks on a PU ... ouch! ... BTW, it's a plus if the pickups have 4 conductors (once you try coil splitting, there's no turning back) ;-)

 

[chaosmonger]

i'd check your wiring and make sure you dont have a bad ground somewhere or a bad pot with the emgs first.


i like tone zone.
evolution 1
and dimarzio paf pro with basswood. haven't really tried any others as they give me what i want.

I already checked, even bypassed the tone pot, but still it sounds dull. Seems like the clinical/compressed character of the EMG showcases the guitar's shortcomings

 

[Viesczy]

Air Norton in the neck and Tone Zone in the bridge.

Joy, bliss and sonic awesomeness will ensue.

Derek

 

[Anonymous]

a potentiometer can sometimes give good readings on a meter, but still be fucked. i've had it happen.

are you running 25k (as in twenty five) pots with the actives?
they dont work right with 250/500/1m pots.

 

[moltenmetalburn]

new body for ne wwood if it truly is lifeless sounding.

 

[Dissolution]

Sorry if this was discussed before, but the search function wasn't that much helpful in this case:

So, I have a Japanese Jackson JDR94 which is made of basswood, bolt on maple neck w/rosewood fingerboard. Jackson Licensed floyd rose. It was my second guitar ever and I'm sorta emotionally attached to it.

The thing is, I ended up putting on it the EMGs that came stock with my ESP Eclipse (not a fan of EMGs or actives whatsoever), and now the Jackson is sounding dead and dull. No real balls (and it is kinda heavy) and no clarity or sparkle at all. Before that it had a Dimarzio Super Distortion which sounded kinda dark, but never had a clear idea about it due to the 250k pots it came with. (the SD was sold ages ago BTW)

Of course it's a cheap guitar and it will probably never sound uber amazing or something like that, but I'm pretty sure the proper set of passives can bring a bit more life into its sound.

for main guitars I have the aforementioned ESP eclipse (mahogany, set neck) with a Duncan Alternative 8/Pearly Gates combo as my main rhythm guitar (lot's of bite, deep low end, tight response), and an ESP Horizon (ash, bolt-on) with a duncan distortion/jazz combo for soloing, cleans, etc. (sweeter sound and response).

So, which passive humbucker combo (bridge and neck) would you use to bring life into this guitar?
I play metal, and as you may wonder from my other pickup choices, I like hi-gain PUs.
If possible, keep it between Duncan and Dimarzio, although other recommendations are always interesting ;-)

THANKS!

Seymour Duncan Screamin Demons will give bolt on guitars a freakin SNARL.

 

[Dissolution]

Oh, and don't forget a good setup can really help too.

 

[shgshg]

Another vote for the SD Screamin' Demon, and I've also "awoken" a dull basswood body with a Dimarzio Evolution.

 

[rupe]

I'd recommend this pickup:

 

[chaosmonger]

a potentiometer can sometimes give good readings on a meter, but still be fucked. i've had it happen.

are you running 25k (as in twenty five) pots with the actives?
they dont work right with 250/500/1m pots.

Yep, I'm running 25k pots. Changed those as well to no avail.

Thanks for the input guys!

I was considering ordering a new body ... maybe a mahogany one... still I don't like EMGs in any guitar, so I will replace them anyway

 

[apophis]

Bare knuckle miracle man

 

[maddnotez]

Just my input, why is everyone recommending tone zone?

He said his guitar sounded dark. The tz in very heavy on the bass and mids and low on the treble.

I put one in my very bright sounding mahogany/maple guitar to darken in up and it did just that.

If your guitar sounds too dark I would suggest that you check the eq charts for the pickups on the website and choose something with high treble or very low bass.

 

[VH4_BigRig]

If your guitar sounds too dark I would suggest that you check the eq charts for the pickups on the website and choose something with high treble or very low bass.

This!

I've never used them in a basswood guitar, but I love my Anderson pickups (H1-/H2+) to death if that means anything!

 

[Anonymous]

I'd say Dimarzio Tone Zone, Air Zone, Norton, Breed

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

dead guitar... dimarzio 36 anniverary set. Almost too lively in one of my guitars but i make do. Great overtones and core tone. Paf pro would do the trick too. JB would probably be money as well or a 59'. Bill Lawrence L500 (bill and becky) also a good one.

Also surprised at the tone zone recommendations as this guitar is said to be dark. Same with Breed and air zone. Air Zone would probably be doable but it can sound flat in a guitar that is dark sounding. I would say first and foremost, get 500k pots in there. See how whatever you have on hand sounds and then go from there. With 500k pots in there, you'll know if the guitar is dark, balanced, or bright with humbuckers. A SD with 250k pots would be pretty soft sounding for sure.

 

[Anonymous]

Also surprised at the tone zone recommendations as this guitar is said to be dark. Same with Breed and air zone.

Indeed, but basswood is usually a pretty well-balanced wood. Those pickups have lots of mids and it can help with "dead" wood

 

[dr.underhill]

I'd recommend this pickup:

ouch! yeah, i've had to wind up using those pickups on several guitars over the years.
sort of like putting lipstick on a corpse- sometimes you just got to chunk em- or give them to a player just starting out so there's a little good comes of it.