AKA as bad workman looking for new tools
I have such an RG, which comes with these Infinity pickups. I love the guitar but don't like the sound - thing is, I tend to play clean rather than fuzzed up, and they sound pretty thin and uninspiring.
Well, I say "they". It could just be me of course.
If I was after a richer, warmer clean sound, how far down the road would new pickups get me compared to other changes I could make (amp is a 30W Electar tube) ? I was debating about some h/bucker size P90s, or even getting those funny mount adapters for single coils for a Fendery tone.
Of course because buying gear is FUN I might swap out the pickups wotevr, even if they aren't the weak link, in which case what do you recommend?
Andrew.
Comments
Ibanez is associated with DiMarzio. The Bluesbucker in the neck position should simulate the P90 sound on its own and still make a Stratty sound when coil split and combined with the centre pickup.
What do you mean by clean (some gain, absolutely no gain)?
What kinda music do you play?
Do you use any effects?
Do you need to bend notes (are different strings an option)?
Have you tried adjusting the pickup height?
Does the guitar have much sustain or is the tremolo sucking the life out of it?
Do you need a tremolo?
Do you have access to any other guitars to do a comparison?
Can you post a sound clip?
Sorry for all the questions but it is difficult to know what it might be without hearing. Maybe someone with a RG370 will be along in a minute but in the meantime I'd say it is probably not the pickups but I have been wrong before.
I will say that I prefer single coils for most non-jazzy cleans. What you need is a Telecaster
The problem is I'm really a bassist and hence have a sketchy grasp of working with tech - I just want to plug in and play without any further thought. So currently no gain or effects (not that I'm opposed to), no bends so yes, diff strings an idea, not sure how the trem affects tone but I never use it anyway, not faffed with pickup height but will.
Have had a cheap semi and cheap hollow body in the past and they sounded sweet and fat with no 3rd party involvement, as it were. Perhaps I am expecting too much of the instrument?
With the strings pressed down at the last fret, there should be about 2mm of space between the top of the pole pieces and the bottom of the string. If there’s too much space it may result in a thin sounding pickup.