[Desecrated]

What brand has the best pickups when you take it out of the box.
I´m not a ibanez guy but I think that there stock pickups are better then other brands. What do you think?

[Michael]

Jackson? Some Ibanez one's are alright. The 1527 stocks weren't bad compared to others.

[rogue]

esp?

[metalfiend666]

Depends on how high up the model scale a guitar is. Obviously higher end guitars get better pickups. You can't say definitivly that one brand has better pickups than another.

[Firebeard]

I've never had any luck with Ibanez stock pickups on 6ers. My brother changes out the DiMarzio (designs?) on his RGT and USA Custom with Duncans. I do agree with metalfiend666, if you get a $300 guitar those pickups aren't going to be nearly as good as a $1500 guitar, or atleast you'd hope so.

[zimbloth]

I'm pretty sure he just meant stock pickups as in non-USA Dimarzio/Duncan/EMG/etc pickups found in lower end guitars. I'd say the best would probably be the Duncan Designs that are modeled after the SH-6. They're by no means good or great, but you can usually get a usable tone with them for a while. I'd say the worst are the EMG-HZ, especially the 707HZ.

[rogue]

in a low end guitar though $100 of new pups can make a big difference to the sound and feel.

so assume you have a bottom end $300 guitar they get retail price pups and stick them in factory wouldnt it shift more in the shops and hence bigger profit. i just think it would be a good move. especially companies like BCR whose stock pups suck especially on the 7 strings.

rogue

[Firebeard]

Originally Posted by rogue

so assume you have a bottom end $300 guitar they get retail price pups and stick them in factory wouldnt it shift more in the shops and hence bigger profit.

The quality of guitar is proportional to the quality of pickups in it. I think every company is smart enough not to make a $300 and stock it with $150 worth of pickups and eat it on MSRP. So they get designed pickups probably a dime a dozen. The product sells and both the pickup maker and guitar company profit. After that it's the consumer's problem, if they don't like the pickups or electronics they have to pay for the upgrades.
I have a Rhoads Pro like the USA RR1 with ebony board and neck-thru. I have to say the stock pickups blow! I don't know if they're the same in the RR1 but I'm craving Duncans.

[metalfiend666]

They put lower quality pickups in the low end guitars for 2 reasons. Firstly to save money and secondly to try and intice the buyer into shelling out for the more expensive models with the better pickups.

[rogue]

true but its cheaper to make a guitar more attractive by putting better pups in than by increasing the quality of the workmanship/making it neck thru etc? dont you think?