31

The Pickup Place / Re: Any fans of the super 2, super 3 set?

« on: August 08, 2017, 12:35:12 PM »

I love those two pickups. I've recorded a lot of songs with that combo. The S2 in the neck is super shreddy and fluid and the S3 is just brutal.

Sorry for the sound, if you have Spotify these songs are on there too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wQbRz64_Ss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT74482WJeA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzQFMYFRIV0

32

The Pickup Place / Re: Pickup suggestions

« on: June 21, 2017, 02:21:19 PM »

What type of tones are you going for?

33

The Pickup Place / Re: Neck Single to match Illuminator bridge

« on: June 14, 2017, 10:55:34 AM »

It depends on how much power you want in the neck. I really like the pickups to feel the same; I hate when it feels like you cut the gain in half when you switch to the neck pickup. I'd go for something like the Chopper or Satch Track.

Air Norton S is a mudbomb, totally unuseable for me but then I like fairly bright pickups. Pro Track is way better but still a bit dark.

34

The Pickup Place / Re: Neck pickup to pair with Super Distortion bridge

« on: June 12, 2017, 01:10:06 AM »

Super 2. Its made specifically to pair with an SD in the bridge, and it's the antithesis of muddy. Bright and clear with a good amount of power.

35

The Pickup Place / Re: Pickup recommendation for an RG565

« on: June 08, 2017, 03:23:43 AM »

I have an Ibanez RG465 with a H-S setup and I have the Transition and Satch Track in there, and its a truly perfect combo. I do a lot of shred stuff and it's great for that but it also does a whole lot more, it's not a one trick pony.

But there are so many combinations that'll work.
If you want stratty in the neck you can go all the way from the True Velvets and Areas up to Heavy Blues 2 and the Injector. It just depends on HOW stratty you want to go.
And if you take the railbuckers into account as well....

As for the humbucker: if you like the AZ but want something hotter the Tone Zone is the obvious answer.
Tone Zone / Chopper is Bumblefoots preferred setup.

36

The Pickup Place / Re: Transitions in a Les Paul?

« on: May 31, 2017, 04:15:35 AM »

Why not? Brilliant pickup.

37

The Pickup Place / Re: Air Classic set

« on: May 26, 2017, 08:18:52 AM »

Cool. I just ordered an Air Classic Neck for the bridge position on my HSS Ibanez Andy Timmons. I'm hoping it will play nicely with the singlecoils seeing that it´s way lower output and a bit scooped compared to whats in there now.

Good move. I only had the chance to play the Indonesia made variant and thought that AT-1 in the bridge way overpowered the Cruisers. Depending on what I wanted out of such guitar I would either change the singles to something hotter (Injector neck or VV Heavy Blues 2) or do what you did and go lower output on the bridge pickup.

Cheers Stephan

Yup! Since I wanted this guitar to have authentic singlecoil tones I've already changed the pickups once so now it has True Velvets and a VHPAF. Love the TV's so they are staying. I really dig the VHPAF too but it's still too hot and middy to match well with the TV's.
I actually emailed the Dimarzio Tech about it but that guy must've been on crack that day. He suggested the PAF Master Bridge which is even hotter and middier than the VHPAF.
I'm hoping the ACN will save the day cuz the TV's are definitely staying!

38

The Pickup Place / Re: Air Classic set

« on: May 25, 2017, 03:14:41 PM »

Cool. I just ordered an Air Classic Neck for the bridge position on my HSS Ibanez Andy Timmons. I'm hoping it will play nicely with the singlecoils seeing that it´s way lower output and a bit scooped compared to whats in there now.

39

The Pickup Place / Re: Suggestions for Ibanez RGA121 pickups

« on: May 07, 2017, 05:23:57 AM »

NWOBHM and Justice tones are pretty much polar opposites in terms of midrange content so I'd pick a pickup that is pretty flat. I haven't tried the CL/LFs so I cant comment on those but I think the DActivators are actually pretty versatile and as long as you tweak your amp/pedals to fit the music they would do the earlier tones quite convincingly.

But I'd actually go Super Distortion (or Super 3 if the guitar is very bright) in the bridge and a PAF Pro or Super 2 in the neck.

40

The Pickup Place / Re: neck pickup input

« on: May 07, 2017, 05:08:00 AM »

I have to second Budds advice and get a Super 2. Its a perfect match with the Super Distortion. It´s hot, bright and tight. Another one you could look at is the D-Activator Neck. None of these I'd characterize as "bluesy" but hey, thats certainly more in your playing style than the pickups.

That said I do love the TZ/PP combo. Its one of my absolute favorites and super versatile.
And I love those USRG's! Some of the nicest-looking guitars Ibanez ever made.

41

The mini bar (off topic & misc) / Re: Paul Gilbert - Racer X - Technical Difficulties

« on: April 27, 2017, 11:28:23 AM »

That's not an official signature model. It's gotta be a one-off build of some sort.

Here are all his signature guitars.
http://ibanez.wikia.com/wiki/Portal:Paul_Gilbert_series

I forgot about the PGM800 and added it to the list above. It also has Tone Zones. Given the fact that that was the newest production PGM at the time (along with the extremely limited PGM90HAM) and the fact that he played the PGM500, which ALSO has a Tone Zone in the bridge, along with the 800 in the Terrifying Guitar Trip split-screen video intro where he played that song....well, I think you're right. I'm guessing Tone Zone too.

42

The mini bar (off topic & misc) / Re: Paul Gilbert - Racer X - Technical Difficulties

« on: April 27, 2017, 09:44:36 AM »

Nah, I can't hear which pickup is used. I'd just be guessing.
How about this for a long-shot: I have a few clinic videos of him from 1998 (around the time that album was recorded) and he used his blue beautiful PGM90HAM with Tone Zones then exclusively. Maybe he also used it on the record because he liked it so much?

43

The mini bar (off topic & misc) / Re: Paul Gilbert - Racer X - Technical Difficulties

« on: April 26, 2017, 02:28:46 PM »

Paul has used countless guitars with various pickup combinations over the years. TD came out in 1999 so if he was using his signature models stock back then, here are the possible alternatives:

PGM100: 2 PAF Pros
PGM200: same as PGM100
PGM300: same as PGM100
PGM400: Tone Zone/Humbucker From Hell
PGM500: same as PGM400
PGM90HAM: 2 Tone Zones
PGM600: 2 Super Distortions
PGM700: same as PGM600
PGM800: 2 Tone Zones

44

The mini bar (off topic & misc) / Re: Allan Holdsworth

« on: April 17, 2017, 02:29:32 PM »

Rest in peace one of the finest, most innovative guitarist/composers that ever blessed our planet. Allan, words can't even begin to describe how much we miss you. The man upstairs just got himself a pretty badass new bandmember...

45

The Pickup Place / Re: Bridge humbucker: Air Classic vs 36th Anni vs VHPAF

« on: April 15, 2017, 02:39:06 AM »

Thanks for chiming in Greenlion.

It's funny, when comparing the VHPAF vs 36thAP either people say they're pretty much identical, or they sound nothing alike. Maybe they react very differently to the wood of the guitar? For example I don't like the way the AT-1 sounds in basswood but in alder it's a completely different story.