/ Register

Help Me Choose a Pickup for my ARZ307

Discussion in 'Pickups, Electronics & General Tech' started by Chocopuppet, May 13, 2012.

  1. Chocopuppet

    Chocopuppet Woof Bark Woof

    Messages:
    153
    Likes Received:
    26
    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2011
    Location:
    United States
    So, just got this thing and I'm lovin' it, but like all stock Ibanez pickups, they must be replaced. :squint: So, I'm looking for some advice. I'm new to the whole "seven-strings" thing, so I need some help.

    The neck pickup does not need to be replaced right away. It actually gives some really buttery leads, which I love. It's a good pickup. For stock Ibanez, it's incredible. I'll probably replace it down the line, but money is scarce.

    However, I need to replace the bridge pickup. It's just too muddy for my tastes and wasn't built to handle anything below a low B. So, Without further ado, here's what I'm looking for and what you should know:

    -Bite. I want this thing to rip like a bear. Like a bear rips flesh. Big and strong. That doesn't make any sense, but that's what I want it to sound like.
    -Warmth. I also want to keep the warm, thick, and dark tone of the mahogany. Warm and huggable, like a teddy bear. The stock bridge pickup in this is plenty warm, it's just lacking the clarity I want. Oh, that's another thing.
    -Clarity. I want individual notes to sound good, and extended chords, even while under distortion. I'm not hugely into djent when it comes to my playing, but I respect it. Just the nice, thick, chunky sound that was meant to come out of this Les-Paul style guitar. Chunky, like a bear before hibernation.

    So there you have it. It's a tall order, I know. Bareknuckles would be awesome, but they're out of my price-range for now :wallbash:
    I'm a big fan of dimarzios, haven't really tried anyone else.

    Pickups I've considered are: D-Activator 7, Crunch Lab 7, Tone Zone 7.

    Thanks a lot for your help!
     
    Chocopuppet, May 13, 2012
    #1
  2. myampslouder

    myampslouder SS.org Regular

    Messages:
    1,688
    Likes Received:
    252
    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2009
    Location:
    Lexington, SC
    I just asked a similar question recently. I'm trying to find a good passive for my s7420 and people here seem to rave about the Seymour Duncan custom and jazz set. On paper it sounds like what your looking for.

    I wouldn't bother with the D-activator They were very bright and kinda thin in my S7. The Most people tend to agree the tone zone is just WAY to bassy for a seven string. As for the crunchlab, a lot of people here have major hard ons for it in basswood and alder but i haven't heard much about how well it works with mahogany.
     
    myampslouder, May 14, 2012
    #2
  3. Augminished

    Augminished Augminished Studio

    Messages:
    670
    Likes Received:
    257
    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2012
    Location:
    Denver, CO
    I agree with the above if you are looking at Seymour Duncan.

    If you are looking at Dimarzio, the Crunch Lab with the bar flipped is awesome in mahogany. Very clear and really fills what you are looking for. There was a thread about the crunch lab in mahogany just a few days ago.

    I have not tried the D-Activator 7 but I do have a set of 6 string D-Activators in a mahogany bodied guitar tuned to drop Bb. I really like them. Lots of clarity. I don't find them thin at all. I did have them in a Basswood guitar and they did not work at all.

    The Tone Zone I have found is to bassy in mahogany bodied 7 string guitars.
     
    Augminished, May 14, 2012
    #3
  4. Chocopuppet

    Chocopuppet Woof Bark Woof

    Messages:
    153
    Likes Received:
    26
    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2011
    Location:
    United States
    I'm more inclined towards Dimarzio, as they have that dealio thingy where you can send back a pickup if it's not your thing and try until you get the right one. I'll look up some sound samples of the custom and jazz, though.

    So, you gotta flip the bar around for the crunchlab, huh? That seems a little strange. How does that work?
     
    Chocopuppet, May 15, 2012
    #4
  5. pearl_07

    pearl_07 SS.org Regular

    Messages:
    809
    Likes Received:
    148
    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2009
    Location:
    Omaha, NE
    I love the D-Activator 7 in mahogany. I can post a clip later of it in my Agile 727 if you'd like.
     
    pearl_07, May 15, 2012
    #5
  6. Augminished

    Augminished Augminished Studio

    Messages:
    670
    Likes Received:
    257
    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2012
    Location:
    Denver, CO
    You just turn the pickup around.

    So it goes from this:

    [​IMG]

    To this:

    [​IMG]

    You flip it so the bar faces the bridge. YMMV also. Try it the normal way first and see how you like it. You don't have to switch it, its just the way I prefer it.
     
    Augminished, May 15, 2012
    #6
  7. Chocopuppet

    Chocopuppet Woof Bark Woof

    Messages:
    153
    Likes Received:
    26
    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2011
    Location:
    United States
    That would be most excellent, broseph.
     
    Chocopuppet, May 18, 2012
    #7
  8. pearl_07

    pearl_07 SS.org Regular

    Messages:
    809
    Likes Received:
    148
    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2009
    Location:
    Omaha, NE
    LINK
    Here's a very rough mix of a song I've been working on which is all D-Activator 7 in my Agile 727.
     
    pearl_07, May 20, 2012
    #8

Share This Page

  • = 0) && (displayOnPages.indexOf(pageType) >= 0) && (displayOnUser.indexOf(userType) >= 0)) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-sevenstring_rosbtf_728x90'); }); }