Would like some advice on PUP choice please.

[FredD]

Hi all,

I am new to BKP and this forum. I would like to get some opinions/advice on the choice of BKP for my Ibanez AS 103.
The guitar is one of the Ibanez Artcore range, and is a semi archtop similar in design to the Gibson ES 335 type, with humbuckers at the neck and bridge.

I play mainly classic blues and jazz blues, also am getting into jazz fusion (Al D Meola, Pat Metheny, John McG. etc..).

I was thinking that maybe a pair of Stormy Monday or similar, might be the way to go.

Any thoughts would be greatfully received,

Best regards,
Fred D.

[Lezard]

Stormy mondays are great , can't go wrong there. anything from bebop, hardbop, cord melody , blues , fusion.

You might also want to take a look at the humbucker sized P 90's, but it sounds like the stormy's are your best bet, or perhaps a mule in the bridge if you want a bit more bite.

[Telerocker]

Stormy Mondays and Mules will work for sure.

[BigB]

Mules might also work, but to me semi-hollow + blues/jazz tones = Stormy Mondays. Not that I ever had a chance to try them out - I'd really like to - but from experience with semi-hollows, other BKP and forum collective knowledge the choice seems obvious.

[FredD]

OK Guys,

Thanks for your thoughts/comments on my PUP descision for the Ibanez AS103.
I have decided to order a pair of Stormy Mondays.

I'll post how I get on with them in due course, meantime thanks once again for
your thoughts,

Best,
Fred D.

[AndyR]

Yep, I strongly suspect it's Stormy Mondays for you.

I have a 335 that I'm going through the same thought processes at the moment. I'm leaning towards Mules for myself. Mainly because a) I lean more towards the blues/rock than jazz, and b) I already have a set of unpotted mules in another guitar.

My 335's got 57 Classics at the moment (is that number right Philly?! I can never remember :lol:). I believe these have the same magnet type as SMs and both pups seem to be designed to invoke the same sort of thing. I like what it does with the 57 Classics, it does rock, but it seems happier doing jazzier things in my hands. I reckon I want just a touch more rasp and "hair", so Mules sounds like the thing for me - especially seeing as I already have a set I can try.

Do let us know what happens :D. Oh, and by the way, does the Ibanez have the same "difficult" pickup change issues that a 335 does?

And welcome to the forum, btw :D

[FredD]

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the welcome, and your info and thoughts on my PUP change choice.

Yes, it does look as if it is going to a little 'fiddly'  to do the change !
I will keep you posted on exactly how difficult and how much cursing  :x
was involved when I complete the op !

Best,
Fred D.

[Telerocker]

Congrats! Hope they work in the Ibbie.

[AndyR]

Yes, it does look as if it is going to a little 'fiddly'  to do the change !
I will keep you posted on exactly how difficult and how much cursing  :x
was involved when I complete the op !

Somewhere on here there is an excellent "how I did it" thread from someone, complete with pictures.

I won't be admitting to it if I go this route, of course, but I'm not sure I can be bothered to go through that much hassle to do it "properly".

Years ago, I used to have a Westone Rainbow. I successfully swapped pickups in that several times, but I never saw what the backs of the pots looked like, nor the capacitors, nor anything else for that matter :lol:... I just cut the pickup leads short and spliced them onto the existing wires :roll:

It does actually work fine, but it isn't the sort of thing you want to admit to in certain company. And, of course, if you want to upgrade the pots and caps, you have to do it the proper way anyway.

[Philly Q]

My 335's got 57 Classics at the moment (is that number right Philly?! I can never remember :lol:).

'57 Classics they are indeed, Andy. 

Somewhere on here there is an excellent "how I did it" thread from someone, complete with pictures.

Here you go (click link).  This thread really should be stickied, it's brilliant: 

============How to wire a 335============


(Not that I have attempted a pickup change on a semi.... and I'm actually thinking about selling mine at the moment)