Evening All,

Hope this is the right place for this post. Anyway - I've just bought an Ibanez SAS32EX, primarily to play the more "Metal" oriented stuff that I write. Let me just say that I choose my guitars by "feel", on the basis that if the neck is too wide, too deep, too rough, I know I'm not going to get along with it. If they're electrics, I also go with the natural tone of the guitar, and figure that if anything is "not quite right", at least I can change it.

So ..... I bought the above. The feel is right, the finish is good (okay the nut is cr@p but the inlays are at least equal to something 3 times the price), BUT ... the pickups SERIOUSLY suck

I want filth and squealies, but I want clarity too. Has anyone with similar requirements changed the p/ups on this baby and been happy with the results?

Answers on a postcard please in not less than 1000 words

Peace!

David

i'm a nobody, and a noob... guitar builder on a budget... but i really like the guitarfetish crunchy rails.

just put some dragonfire actives in my rg 370, but had a VERY bad experience with the owner over some mounting screws.

i have REALLY good luck with guitarfetish, including everything from their over wound vintage single to their retro trons (used both of those in an ibanez gio-retro tron at the bridge, followed by the singles. guitar had a REALLY good vocal range)

if you, like i, build on a budget.... give guitarfetish a shot. i'd put their pickups agains seymour's any day.

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my weakspace

my gear

psychocaster w/tweed case is for sale

Semour Duncan JB can give you squeals and cuts through lots of distortion.

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Talking about wireless pedals...

Hi & Thanks,

Thanks for your thoughts guys, but on listening carefully to various pickups and configurations, I'm gonna go with EMG's - either a ZW or a Kerry King set.

I'll be doing the mod after payday next month. Wish me luck!

A'Salaam Aleikum! - Peace Be Upon You!

David

EMG's may not have the Clarity you like in the bridge pos. I highly reccomend the duncan hot rod set. the WILL make any guitar shine. My cuz had a set in a LP special and it sounded better than my stock g400. For the money a RG2EX(1 or 2, theyre the same) and a set of hot rod humbuckers would be your best bang for buck or the EMG's in there are great for metal but clarity is not their strong point.

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Hamer Sat2 or Jackson JRR-94 Rhoads>Laney gc80a or hc25(practice).

Hamer(standard tuning) Ernie ball Slinkies
Alvarez Dana Scoop (standard tuning) D'adarrio 10's
LTD EC200qxm (standard tuning) EB Slinkies

Second the JB, my Charvel has one in the bridge position. Gets that nice hair metal tone, but sustain is where it can lack....

And fbccars924, I've never had a problem with EMGs besides cleans, unless I had an SA in the neck. It all depends on what model you use, I prefer an 85 in the bridge to be honest, though, 81 cuts great. They're finicky pickups sometimes, depends on the amp you use, but I have never had a problem with them at all, besides running through a Plexi.... To OP, if you're not a solo type guy, no need for the Kerry King set, it just is the same as Zakk Wylde set, just with the added push pull boost circuit.

What I see typical on the lower line Ibanez, is the bridge pickup is swapped out for an Seymour Duncan Invader, which will get your filth plus more, through any amp you use. They do come in a set as well. This would be my recommendation.

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ESP Eclipse Limited (3/100) or Gibson Les Paul Standard (97) - Fulltone OCD - H.B.E. Detox EQ - Laney GH50L - 80's Ibanez AD-9 (in loop) - Randall XL 4x12
Tortex "The wedge" picks, Blue Steel strings, Line 6 Moble In, Charvel Model 6 modded to a Model 5FX.... Probly other stuff as well

Cheers for all the information. I've got a BOSS GT-3, an HM-3, and even an old ZOOM G1, and I'll be using this weekend to nail down "my sound" with these stompboxes in conjunction with my amp settings.

You're right about the KK set - probably not for me. However - I'm very interested in the SD Invader suggestion, as that just might be a quick fix. The IronGear "Hammerhead" is probably very close to the Invader in terms of sound - perhaps even more sustain, so I'm mulling over that too.

Decisions, decisions :-( I'm sure I'll sort it soon. It's just a pity that Ibanez built such an otherwise playable (and good looking!) guitar only to let it down with such cr@ppy pickups.

Have a good weekend!

David

Make sure you check out Motorhead's power humbucker thread - it's stickied and it is full of great info!

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Crustaceo ergo sum

An SD Invader, every time I've used one, I can always get straight Mastodon tones with it. Looks like the Hammerhead is a little less resistance, so may not be as hot.

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ESP Eclipse Limited (3/100) or Gibson Les Paul Standard (97) - Fulltone OCD - H.B.E. Detox EQ - Laney GH50L - 80's Ibanez AD-9 (in loop) - Randall XL 4x12
Tortex "The wedge" picks, Blue Steel strings, Line 6 Moble In, Charvel Model 6 modded to a Model 5FX.... Probly other stuff as well

Well I ended up fitting IronGear "Hammerheads" in both bridge and neck. Very pleased - a huge improvement over the stock Ibanez "TDB's" (I never actually heard any difference when switching in between them to notice the so called "True Duo" sound). The new pickups are a lot hotter, and lend themselves nicely to distorted harmonics, which are really easy to get. Coupled with my stompboxes and amp settings, I've pretty much got all my sounds covered. I'm a happy man.

Dave

I also have an SAS32EXFM with the disappointing "True Duo" pickups. Did you keep the push-pull coil tap functionality when you replaced your pickups?

Hello mate,

Yeah I did. Works well, though the Hammerhead sounds a little "thin" when tapped (bridge), but I guess that could be it's basically a mahogany guitar covered in plastic. I stuck a Hammerhead in the bridge of an old Aria MAC-50, and when that's tapped it sounds a lot warmer / stratty. I reckon it's down to the fact that the body is alder, with not as much plastic on it ;-)

It's a shame Ibanez coupled what in my opinion is a pretty good guitar (which is also very good looking), with those crappy True Duo pups. I was on an Ibanez forum where everyone was slagging the True Duo's off, and the Mod was just not having the fact that they're useless junk, and that changing them radically improves the instrument.

I love the pickups I've put in, and whilst the Ibanez (to me) still sounds a little weedy in standard tuning, when it's dropped two whole tones, the sound is 'king awesome - so much so, that I only use a stompbox now as a portable headphone amp, as I get all the pure unadulterated filth I want from a modest Roland Cube 40XL on the "extreme" setting.

Anyway - good luck in your project. You won't regret it, and you can always use the redundant True Duo's as fridge magnets :-)

Dave