[7 Dying Trees]

Yep, it currently has a TZ7 which, really, has a very muffled dull sound to me and really does not cut when playing leads, also it seems to really not have that amount of gain midwise that I'd like. I've also tried an evo7 in it, and it was too, well, sharp without enough bottom punch (although very clear, but lacked balls).

Any recomendations? have read good things about the JB7 on the site, but what would people recommend? P.S: I really like mids in the guitar ittself

James

[Drew]

Evo7. I had one in my old 2027 for a while.. I got the guitar with a Tone Zone, but while it sounded gorgeous clean, it just never cut it for me distorted... Great for godsmack-like crunch, but nothing else. It had no high end to speak of, and not a heck of a lot of bass, just lots of lower mids.

Swapped it for an Evo7, and man... that pickup just screams in mahogany. A bit more sparkle clean, but still very controlled, comparable for rhythm, just a bit edgier, but one of the best "screaming lead" sounds I've ever heard. It had all the character of a "For the Love of God" type tone without sounding particularly like Vai himself, if that helps... also, as you rolled back the volume, it did southern rock with a surprising amount of authenticity, through the mesa Rocket-44 combo I was playing those days.

It's a pickup that works exceptionally well in mahogany, and would address most of your concerns.

[7 Dying Trees]

I did have an Evo7 in there to start of with, and kind of did/didn't like it. The TZ7 kind of works, but just gives me that nu-metal rectumfrier type vibe which I don't like.

The Evo7 just didn't have that, you know, character/punch etc. It was in a way too tight if that makes any sense...

basically, although fairly impossible as it's totally different wood, I would like to get the same kind of vibe of it as I do off the Universe with a blaze custom, if that makes sense :s

[ecalcagnino]

Hey bro! I would suggest trying it with the Blaze Custom. I have those in the CTs which are mahogany/maple and I think you'll find you dig it in there as much as the UV. It's smack dab in the middle between the TZ and the Evo. The JB-7s are nice but more similar to the Evo with their high-mids.

[Vince]

I'm a huge fan of the JB7 in a mahogany guitar

[Regor]

What pickups did Petrucci use in his 7s? Wasn't it a 'custom' Steve's Special 7 (which is supposed to be the Blaze custom?) in the bridge and an Air Norton 7 in the Neck? (And how would those sound in a Mahogany guitar?)

[The Dark Wolf]

Originally Posted by Regor

What pickups did Petrucci use in his 7s? Wasn't it a 'custom' Steve's Special 7 (which is supposed to be the Blaze custom?) in the bridge and an Air Norton 7 in the Neck? (And how would those sound in a Mahogany guitar?)

Shit, they sound like the bee's knees, mu-fucker, 'cause that's what I use in my 2027.

BTW, I answered basically this same post from 7 Trees on jemsite in more detail. Long and short, the Blaze Custom kicks ass in mahogany.

[Mind Riot]

Originally Posted by Regor

What pickups did Petrucci use in his 7s? Wasn't it a 'custom' Steve's Special 7 (which is supposed to be the Blaze custom?) in the bridge and an Air Norton 7 in the Neck? (And how would those sound in a Mahogany guitar?)

I could be wrong, but I thought that JP's pickups were like the regular Blaze bridge and the Air Norton 7. I don't think he used the Blaze custom.

Oh, and in my opinion, the JB7 is hands down the best pickup for a solid mahogany guitar. It's just magical in mahogany, and I am far from the first person to say that.

I haven't tried the Blaze Custom myself so I can't comment on that, but I did try the Evo 7 before and returned it. In short, great leads, bad rhythm tone. But I think it's worth noting that the Evo 7 and the Blaze Custom have almost identical EQ curves and almost identical output levels (both around 430 mV, I believe) so if you've tried the Evo 7 and didn't like it you might not like the Blaze Custom either. But the Evo 7 supposedly has some different design aspects that make it pick up more harmonic overtones (according to Dimarzio, anyway), so that may have anywhere from a subtle to radical effect on it's tone.

[The Dark Wolf]

I haven't played the EVO7, but the Blaze Custom sounds quite a bit different than the regular EVO. Warmer, fatter, and punchier, without the harsh top end.

JP's EBMM sig pickups, according to Dimarzio, resemble a darker, louder AN7 for the neck, and a fatter, mid-ier Blaze for the bridge- hence, Blaze Custom (so says Steve Blucher). The BC is more the like D-Sonic than the EVO.

I significantly prefer the BC to the JB-7. I have both, and I find the BC to be much better all-around pickup. It's, to my mind, essentially perfect for a passive pup.

[Drew]

I think I've heard Dimarzio confirm the JP7 Bridge pickup was closer to a BC than a Blaze recently...