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  • PU recommendations needed

    i'd like to swap out the stock dean pu's in my vendetta 4 for some higher quality stuff. the stock pu's are okay, but the low end is rather flabby. it's a mahogany guitar with a TOM bridge, so no f-spaced stuff is necessary.
    the one thing that bothers me is that the stock pu's have that really cool chrome cover which adds a lot to the overall look of the guitar. i don't really want to loose that - disclaimer: i haven't checked (yet) whether those covers are removable or not. if they are, it's no big deal to buy some basic black pickups and use the covers of the old ones.

    now, to the sound. should be medium to high output, overall quite balanced, with a good tight low end, maybe some slight low mid hump for the bridge, without a topend that bites your head off. i wouldn't mind going active, but i don't really like the 81. maybe it's better in a mahogany guitar, but it can be a little stiff almost brittle in a basswood guitar.
    as for the neck, i'd like to have loads of sustain and warmth. i'm only doing fast distorted single note solo work when using the neck pickup, so clarity when playing full chords isn't really necessary.

    this is for speed/thrash metal, amp is either a 5150 I or a marshall jcm800 boosted. for reference, i'm using a dimarzio steve's special as well as an emg81 in my other 2 main guitars. as i said above, the 81 has good clarity but can be rather stiff and trebly in a basswood V-shaped guitar. the dimarzio in my model 3 sounds ok, good lows, okay highs, definitely on the hot side but OK output wise, the only thing that's bothering me slightly is the midrange scoop (great for the marshall, not so great for the 5150), a little more low mid punch would be nice. clarity when playing open string stuff together with chords using heavy distortion (a la nevermore) could also be slightly better.

    thanks in advance

    ah, and btw, if anybody can figure out a way how to keep the kickass look of the guitar intact i'd be more than grateful...iirc there are a few dimarzio pickups that are also available in chrome other than the usual black and white?!

  • #2
    Re: PU recommendations needed

    <font color="red">Duncan Custom!!& they're available with a chrome cover!! </font>

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    • #3
      Re: PU recommendations needed

      The Custom sounds good. Also look into the Duncan Distortion if you want a little more of a low mid spike. It's a little higher output, but very versatile and great for the type of music you described. All Duncans and DiMarzios are available with covers. You can also find aftermarket covers to intall on pickups later on.

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      • #4
        Re: PU recommendations needed

        thanks so far.
        actually i'm thinking that maybe the cover is the reason for the rather undefined sound. my model 3 used to have the stock covered jackson pu in the bridge, and when i took the cover off it sounded a lot better.

        well, tomorrow i'm going to buy some stuff (case, strap, straplocks etc for the new guitar), and maybe i'll also pick up a pickup (no pun intended [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] ), so any more recommendations are really appreciated.

        as i said, i like a balanced sound with a slight low mid spike, smooth highs and tight lows. as for the neck, it should be medium high to high output with a lot of warmth.

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        • #5
          Re: PU recommendations needed

          ok folks i did some i-net research and narrowed it down to either the duncan sh-1 or the dimarzio air norton for the neck (i had the air norton in one of my other guitars, very good pickup). as for the bridge, i'm thinking either the super distortion, the tone zone, d-sonic (all dimarzio), or the duncan custom/full shred.
          i'm leaning towards the super distortion, though. one question: is the SD a rather trebly pickup? how's the d-sonic (which supposedly is tailored to dropped tunings) for D tuning (all 2 steps down)?

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          • #6
            Re: PU recommendations needed

            went for the dimarzio air norton/tone zone combo. installation was really easy. i briefly checked it out through the 5150, sounds great. definitely less highs. palm muted chugga chugga riffs aren't as defined as with EMGs, but i already expected that. on the pro side, that thing sounds massive. pretty much enabled me to set all knobs at noon and have a kickass sound. i can't wait to test it at next band rehearsal.

            btw, went for the bog standard black pickups...doesn't look too bad. i'm not into covers anyways, it was just a question of black or chrome, and i think i did good....the chrome version would have looked rather cheesy.

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            • #7
              Re: PU recommendations needed

              Cool, glad to hear they are working out. I would have gone for a Custom or JB myself, but the TZ is a really good pickup as well, and I've been tempted to try it myself on occasion.

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              • #8
                Re: PU recommendations needed

                Cool. Tone Zone is a great choice!! [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] The JB would have too much treble and high mids and sound like ass!
                I feel my soul go cold... only the dead are smiling.

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                • #9
                  Re: PU recommendations needed

                  I was going to suggest ToneZone. Good choice, one of my fav pickups.

                  Jason

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