[GuitarDreamer131]

Hey guys,

I'm new here and I'm about to get my first 7 string. It's a used Cort Viva 7-string and it has a Mahagony body, H-H pickup configuration. The amp I am using is a Carvin Legacy which has a lot of midrange to begin with, and I tend to play with a smoother, liquidy, saturated tone (Think Satch, Petrucci, Eric Johnson, etc.) With my 6-string Ibanez Blazer that I play normally (alder body), I have an Air Norton in the neck, a Blue Velvet single coil in the middle, and a Seymour Duncan Custom 5 in the bridge. I love this setup and it sounds great.

Well I'm looking for a similar sound out of my 7-string. One of the things I like about the Custom 5 is how it's slightly scooped. It seems to work nicely with my amp because it's so midrangey, and the Custom 5 tends to give it a lot of clarity, while still retaining that smooth, liquidy, singing lead tone I love, and it's tight and clear for rhythms.

So I've pretty much decided on getting the Air Norton 7 for the neck, b/c I've had it before, why wouldn't it work again? (let me know if I would have a problem here) My dilemma is with the bridge pickup. Should I get a Blaze, or Blaze Custom? I listen to Dream Theater a lot and I love Petrucci's sound. From all of the threads I've read on this board, it seems like the closest thing you can get to his sound is a Blaze Custom. And I hear everyone praising the Blaze Custom, a lot of people saying it's better than the Blaze. But I also know that Petrucci's guitar is made of basswood, so he can get away with more of the pronounced mids of the Blaze Custom. In Mahagony and considering that I have a kind of smoother, midrangy sounding amp to begin with, can I still get away with it and have it sound good? I guess I'm worried about it getting muddy. I'd like to have the richer sound and harmonics of the Blaze Custom, but it's gotta be tight and not get muddy when I"m chugging on the low B. Any suggestions guys?

And by the way, before you suggest, I have read through the pickup guide, I just need some more help picking between these two! hehe

Thanks in advance guys,

Mike

P.S. If you need more info/details to give me better advice, please let me know!

[dpm]

The BC still has plenty of cut, I don't see it being a problem. The Tone Zone by constrast sounds muddy in mahogany, at least to my ears.

[Defrost]

I suggest you reed the 'Pickup recommendations needed!'-thread. It helped me make the same choise you're confronted with.

[Drew]

Ditto on the pickup recommendations.

Petrucci's old setup was basically a Blaze bridge for rhythm (or a Steve's Special, which is the 6-string version). The new pickup wound closer to a Blaze Custom was the tweaked version introduced with the new Ernie Ball guitars - basically, it depends what period you like, for his sound.

also, the Duncan custom IS available as a 7-string pickup... If it ain't broke, why fix it?

-D

[Naren]

The Blaze Custom won't sound muddy at all on the low B. I play a Blaze Custom on my RG1527 and the B sounds nice and clear. I prefer the Blaze Custom to the Blaze, but they are both nice pickups.

[7StringofAblicK]

I did a comparison last night to the BC and the Blaze...i have the blaze in my UV and the BC in my RG7620 (Both basswood). The Blaze had more of a sizzle to it, it cut but was more of a saturated sound...where as the BC was more mid pronounced with an all around smooth sound. There wasn't as much sizzle to it but it cut right through and was still tight and clear. BOth guitars are setup similar so the resonance and playability was very equal. I'd try the BC in mahogany though, as you'll spike a little bit of the smoothness that it has...vs attributing to it with a blaze..

[GuitarDreamer131]

Originally Posted by Drew

Ditto on the pickup recommendations.

Petrucci's old setup was basically a Blaze bridge for rhythm (or a Steve's Special, which is the 6-string version). The new pickup wound closer to a Blaze Custom was the tweaked version introduced with the new Ernie Ball guitars - basically, it depends what period you like, for his sound.

also, the Duncan custom IS available as a 7-string pickup... If it ain't broke, why fix it?

-D

Hey Drew, thanks for the reply. I probably should have put the Duncan pickup I have in my other guitar in quotes. It's a "CUSTOM 5", not a "Custom". Unfortunately right now, Duncan doesn't make a 7-string version of that pickup. I'm looking to try something a bit different anyways! But thank you for your response!

Also, Drew when you say that Petrucci's older sound used a Blaze, and his newer stuff had more of the Blaze Custom sound, what album would be the turning point?

[GuitarDreamer131]

Originally Posted by 7StringofAblicK

I did a comparison last night to the BC and the Blaze...i have the blaze in my UV and the BC in my RG7620 (Both basswood). The Blaze had more of a sizzle to it, it cut but was more of a saturated sound...where as the BC was more mid pronounced with an all around smooth sound. There wasn't as much sizzle to it but it cut right through and was still tight and clear. BOth guitars are setup similar so the resonance and playability was very equal. I'd try the BC in mahogany though, as you'll spike a little bit of the smoothness that it has...vs attributing to it with a blaze..

Hey Ablick, thanks for the reply! That's some good advice!

However, could you elaborate on what you mean by your last sentence?

[GuitarDreamer131]

Originally Posted by Naren

The Blaze Custom won't sound muddy at all on the low B. I play a Blaze Custom on my RG1527 and the B sounds nice and clear. I prefer the Blaze Custom to the Blaze, but they are both nice pickups.

Naren, thanks for the reply, but isn't your guitar made of basswood, a wood in which doesn't have as much mids as mahogany? I'm just a little worried about the Mids getting overbearing and "honky" because the pickup would be put in mahogany, and mahogany tends to be more middy and bassy, right? I could be wrong, correct me if that's the case!

Thanks again, and I'm sorry if I'm a pain in the butt!

[Drew]

It's not really an "album," but a guitar - when he got his EB/MM JP7's, he had slightly tweaked pickups created.

"Awake" is the classic Blaze album, whereas I believe "Scenes from a Memory" is the first he cut with BC's.

And I thought by Custom-5 you meant SH-5 - my bad.