# What pickups should I get??



## toastman (Mar 28, 2008)

I recently bought a new Ibanez RG320 PG (along with a Roland cube-60 amp). 
Anyways, the pickups on the guitar are pretty average (two standard humbuckers) and they make a buzzing noise sometimes (depends on the volume and what not)

Question 1: Is this buzzing sound normal considering the equipment I have?

Question 2: I want to change the pickups to something of my taste. I am a huge Pink Floyd fan but I love Pantera as well. I would like some pickups that could get that crazy tone from David Gilmours old stuff (like from his '57 reissue stratocaster) but that can also play nice with metal.
Or at least something close to this. 


Sorry for the long post !


Thanks in advance guys !!!:rockon:


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## Tarl (Feb 4, 2006)

The buzzing could just be some fret buzz (strings hitting the frets) from numerous causes. A tech would be the best person to diagnose and fix that. If it is an electronic buzzing sound........that is not normal, you should get it checked. It may be a bad cable. There are so many pickup makers out there these days it is really hard to recommend one type. I used to have a Roland cube 60 amp myself and it is a good SS amp but IMO the best upgrade for your tone would be to spend the money on upgrading your amp rather than pickups. The amp and guitar you use shapes your tone much more than pickups. Pickups do affect tone but to a lesser degree. With the various amp models on the Roland I'm sure with some tweaking you could get close to the tones you want with your present set up.


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## Wheeman (Dec 4, 2007)

For problems with pickups, I recommend trying to lower them before anything drastic. Next, check your ground on the internal wiring and try different amp and cables.

For replacement pickups, Seymour Duncan SH-4's are a good bet for the bridge slot. Check out the P-Rail pickups for ultimate flexibility. Can be used as single coil, P90 and a humbucker.


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## toastman (Mar 28, 2008)

Tarl said:


> The buzzing could just be some fret buzz (strings hitting the frets) from numerous causes. A tech would be the best person to diagnose and fix that. If it is an electronic buzzing sound........that is not normal, you should get it checked. It may be a bad cable. There are so many pickup makers out there these days it is really hard to recommend one type. I used to have a Roland cube 60 amp myself and it is a good SS amp but IMO the best upgrade for your tone would be to spend the money on upgrading your amp rather than pickups. The amp and guitar you use shapes your tone much more than pickups. Pickups do affect tone but to a lesser degree. With the various amp models on the Roland I'm sure with some tweaking you could get close to the tones you want with your present set up.


I purposely bought the Cube-60 cuz I like it. I used to have a crap peavey, so I already upgraded. Same with the guitar, I used to have a garbage one. Obviously if I really wanted to get Gilmour's tone, I would have to buy his equipment and stuff, but I would like to know what pickups would get the closest sound to his ?

People have been telling me Seymour Duncan is the way to go


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## toastman (Mar 28, 2008)

Wheeman said:


> For problems with pickups, I recommend trying to lower them before anything drastic. Next, check your ground on the internal wiring and try different amp and cables.
> 
> For replacement pickups, Seymour Duncan SH-4's are a good bet for the bridge slot. Check out the P-Rail pickups for ultimate flexibility. Can be used as single coil, P90 and a humbucker.


Thx !

I'm gonna check those out :smile:


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

toastman said:


> I purposely bought the Cube-60 cuz I like it. I used to have a crap peavey, so I already upgraded. Same with the guitar, I used to have a garbage one. Obviously if I really wanted to get Gilmour's tone, I would have to buy his equipment and stuff, but I would like to know what pickups would get the closest sound to his ?
> 
> People have been telling me Seymour Duncan is the way to go


From what you wrote originally, sounds like you might like active pickups like EMGs. People seem to either love or hate them, nothing in between, so might be an idea to try a guitar with them before you buy. I think a lot of the metallers use them (doesn't the Metallica guy use EMGs?), and David Gilmour has an EMG signature line.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

devnulljp said:


> From what you wrote originally, sounds like you might like active pickups like EMGs. People seem to either love or hate them, nothing in between, so might be an idea to try a guitar with them before you buy. I think a lot of the metallers use them (doesn't the Metallica guy use EMGs?), and David Gilmour has an EMG signature line.


Yeah, the Kirk Hammett signature ESPs use dual EMG 81s. I've never played the Hammett ESP, but I've heard the EMG 81s and 85s elsewhere, and they're pretty heavy duty for tearing it up. I think the James Hetfield signature uses an EMG 60 and 81.

I've never heard the Gilmour set, anyone have any idea how they sound?


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## buddroyce (Feb 12, 2008)

If you want to get a an extremely versatile set of pickups that can give you everything from Dave Gilmour to pretty much anything metal, consider getting the a set of the EMG 89's along with maybe an EMG SPC (presence control) or the EMG EXG(cuts mids and boosts treble/bass). The EMG 89 is essentially the EMG 85 and the EMG SA together in one pickup so you can get the crushing tone of the EMG 85 along with the sparkly brilliance of the EMG SA. The Dave Gilmour EMG set is actually a set of EMG SA's packaged with the EMG SPC and EXG to give you even more tonal versatility. Mod it up with the 18v mod for increased headroom and to cut back on the pickups compression and you'll have tone for days.

I've recommended this setup to a lot of clients who are looking for something similar to you what you're looking for and it works great!


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## GibsonTay37 (Mar 31, 2008)

Yeah, EMG Pickups are what i have in my Jackson Dinky and Epiphone Les Paul. I totally recommend them:rockon2:


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## SinCron (Mar 2, 2006)

Try a D Sonic or something else in the neck but a PAF Pro in the neck and if you have a five way switch, wire it up to split the coils so you get a single coil sound from each of them in a certain position.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

anything Dimarzio for an ibanez...

i'd recommend an Evo or a Blaze, or a set of Seymour Duncan Blackouts if you want to go the active pickups route.

HOLD THE PHONE.

you have YET to list what it is you dont like about the stock pickups! spend some time with the amp, tweak settings, im SURE you could find something useable.

in short, save your money, learn to use your ear, and have at 'er.


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## toastman (Mar 28, 2008)

buddroyce said:


> If you want to get a an extremely versatile set of pickups that can give you everything from Dave Gilmour to pretty much anything metal, consider getting the a set of the EMG 89's along with maybe an EMG SPC (presence control) or the EMG EXG(cuts mids and boosts treble/bass). The EMG 89 is essentially the EMG 85 and the EMG SA together in one pickup so you can get the crushing tone of the EMG 85 along with the sparkly brilliance of the EMG SA. The Dave Gilmour EMG set is actually a set of EMG SA's packaged with the EMG SPC and EXG to give you even more tonal versatility. Mod it up with the 18v mod for increased headroom and to cut back on the pickups compression and you'll have tone for days.
> 
> I've recommended this setup to a lot of clients who are looking for something similar to you what you're looking for and it works great!


Ill for sure look into that


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## toastman (Mar 28, 2008)

Budda said:


> anything Dimarzio for an ibanez...
> 
> i'd recommend an Evo or a Blaze, or a set of Seymour Duncan Blackouts if you want to go the active pickups route.
> 
> ...


Well there is a buzzing sound for one.
Also,, the tone doesn't last as long as I would like it to when I hit a high noteTheyre decent pickups, but Id rather get something better


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## jcayer (Mar 25, 2007)

For the buzz,

Sometimes when I was playing in a particular room in my house I had a buzz in my amp.

In that room there was a dimmer for the lights. I discover that the dimmer switch from the light system was the source of the problem. The amp/guitar combination was OK. 

Just in case... :smile:


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

toastman said:


> Well there is a buzzing sound for one.
> Also,, the tone doesn't last as long as I would like it to when I hit a high noteTheyre decent pickups, but Id rather get something better


then waht i'd do is get the guitar set up. ask the tech to adjust the pickup height for optimum sustain.


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