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Author Topic: Pickups for RGA7?  (Read 7879 times)

Megatron

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Pickups for RGA7?
« on: March 15, 2010, 02:55:43 AM »
Hiya! I'm new here, and I just had a couple of questions regarding finding some pickups for an Ibanez RGA7.

The RGA7 is mahogany body 7 string guitar with a maple and walnut 5 piece neck and a fixed bridge.

I'm looking for a really djenty tone, with a tight low end and quite aggressive, but I also need the flexibility to play jazz, and smooth higher gain lead tones.

My questions are:

-Which BKP's would fit and sound the best in this guitar?
-Is it better to get a calibrated set, or get something like a Nailbomb/Coldsweat pair?
-Any info on covers for 7 string pickups? I love the burnt chrome covers, but from what I can tell, they're only on 6's.
-The stock pickups on the RGA7 are those wacky new Ibanez designed actives. Does anyone know if BK's would just drop right in, or if I'd have to do any routing (which I'm equipped to do, so it's not life threatening).


Thanks so much in advance! I've been curious for a while, but I've never been sure where to ask, and then all of a sudden I found this forum!

-Rob

Roobubba

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Re: Pickups for RGA7?
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2010, 04:25:23 PM »
Welcome to the BKP forums!

I'm afraid that I'm not going to be able to answer most of your questions, but I think a Painkiller would suit your requirements tonally quite well. Do ask Tim though (e-mail is on the front page, or phone him). He's VERY helpful, and I always trust his judgement, and have yet to be let down.

The calibrated sets are worthwhile going for, but in this case, the PK neck I think is a ceramic pickup and may not be quite what you're after for the flexibility (jazz and smooth lead tones), so I'd stick a cold sweat neck in there with the painkiller bridge.

Bear in mind that I do not own either of these pickups, though, I'm just going from what I've read here over the years.

Roo

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Re: Pickups for RGA7?
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2010, 05:56:20 PM »
Sorry I can't help either, but did want to say 'Welcome'.  :)

I admire anybody that plays a 7 string ; as I have enough problems with 6... :mrgreen:

MDV

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Re: Pickups for RGA7?
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2010, 06:49:52 PM »
Sorry I can't help either, but did want to say 'Welcome'.  :)

I admire anybody that plays a 7 string ; as I have enough problems with 6... :mrgreen:

Careful there! Some people that play 7s have trouble with more than 3 of them



Get a nailbomb bridge cold sweat neck

Megatron

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Re: Pickups for RGA7?
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2010, 09:03:52 PM »
HA! That's clever ^.

Thanks for the input. I'll have to try e-mailing tim ASAP.

This is actually my first 7 so I'm not entirely sure what to expect. It should be a fun learning experience though, and I have a few songs I've written that are just begging for a low B. I'll definitely report back when I've made my decision.

-Rob

MDV

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Re: Pickups for RGA7?
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2010, 11:23:13 PM »
I got a 7 in a bit of jeff loomis phase a few years ago. Too many strings for me.

It only takes someone to do something else incredible that you never thought of with a 6 to blow the doors open again. The number of strings on a guitar is not a problem. Some people do some great work with 7s, but I dont believe for an instant that that extra string adds more for you to do, more musical freedom, than is already available in the vast swathes of music that you dont know yet thats on 6.

JMO.

Why the mini-rant?

No idea.

Get a 7, you might love it. Some people never go back. Maybe they have an odd brain. Baddum TSHHH.

Megatron

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Re: Pickups for RGA7?
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2010, 02:16:51 AM »
Y'know, I agree really agree with what you've said, that a 6 has no less possibilities, despite the one less string. I just feel like saying what the hell, it could be fun and there's no way it'll be any worse. I guess I'm just looking for a change in pace, or something.

I've also been toying with the idea of adding a high A string once I get it, instead of the typical low B.

Keven

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Re: Pickups for RGA7?
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2010, 02:36:33 AM »
I never did went back from 7 strings and am eagerly awaiting my 8 string. though i just like the idea of getting a low D up to the Open low E instead of having to detune or approach it from the  5th fret fifth string. it gives a good sense of movement. it's also good for some chord voicings that used to be frets apart, but are now just a string away.

it's also terribly satisfying to just chug on that low B. I try to use as much as i can out of it. though some people would be better off using a detuned 6 string :D

to answer on your question though... ask tim. i kinda had the same requests as you and he recommended black dog bridge and mule neck. the black dog bridge works really well for heavy tones with clarity, but that was in an ash guitar.. not mahogany. the mule, well, i think it famously famous for doing about anything. it's a wonderful neck pickup for these tubular sounding paf leads. Also, from what i've read around here, alot of people here (including myself at first) ordered a bkp expecting more distortion, but didn't get that. instead they got more clarity and note definition, which at first, makes the pickup a bit harder to play with.... but as a new convert (i got my pickups last year and played extensively with them over the year) i have to say this added clarity is very welcome and turned me into a better player.

The thing is, i think (someone correct me if i'm wrong) that BKP's different pickups are mainly different in their EQ settings and the amount of compression they'll give. the higher output they are, the more compressed they'll be, and then different magnet types and wire gauges will gives the EQ that each pickup is known to have. make of this what you will but when i see posts about people wanting more distortion from their Ceramic Warpig.... i begin to wonder if they're really listening to the same thing in their tone as alot of guys here are... it's about the clarity and the punch, how the pup drives a good amp. if you want more gain, just stick a booster in front of the guitar into your amp and there you have it. the BKP will still drive the point home with as much clarity as before... but with more, as the booster boosts your guitar. anyway.... i think you get my drift.

like i may have posted around here earlier, he pointed me to a riff raff set for my mahogany 8 string to get the same kind of tones that my 7 string does. but i'll have to say that 1) you need to slam the front end of your amp to achieve big nasty tones with a lower output pickup 2) greater dynamics will make it feel a bit harder to play but it's ultimately rewarding. i'll have to say i love pounding the shiteeeee out of my guitar to make the riffs feel heavier. a higher output pup wouldn't give me that feeling. Also, he pointed out to me that the longer scale will drive the pickup harder and that if i was happy with the output of the black dog, the riff raff would be a great match. (not exactly in those words, but that's what i got from him)

but all in all, ask Tim, and don't be afraid to ask more and more questions to him. you may think we're all pretty helpful here but Tim takes the cake. and he's ALWAYS right on the money, even when you may think he's not :D

whew... quite the wall of text. sorry. but i know i was happy when i got replies to my questions when i first started around here. time to return the favor.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2010, 02:46:03 AM by Keven »
My BK's:
Black Dog8-Riff Raff8 / Black Dog7-Mule7
C-Bomb Set / Blackhawk Bridge
Holydiver Set/ BG50 Set

Megatron

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Re: Pickups for RGA7?
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2010, 05:19:19 AM »
Wow, that's more than I could have asked for in a response. Many thanks. I definitely agree about hammering the front end of the amp. I boost mine always, and I pick like a lumberjack and use non existent amounts of gain. Sounds great for me.

One final question.. What's tim's email address?

Keven

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Re: Pickups for RGA7?
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2010, 12:08:05 PM »
My BK's:
Black Dog8-Riff Raff8 / Black Dog7-Mule7
C-Bomb Set / Blackhawk Bridge
Holydiver Set/ BG50 Set

Roobubba

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Re: Pickups for RGA7?
« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2010, 02:03:29 PM »
Wow, that's more than I could have asked for in a response. Many thanks. I definitely agree about hammering the front end of the amp. I boost mine always, and I pick like a lumberjack and use non existent amounts of gain. Sounds great for me.

One final question.. What's tim's email address?

I play the same way, heavy picks, heavier picking, very heavy strings (it's a 6-string multiscale baritone, which is also heavy). The black dog I play through goes to a bloody murder boosting the front end of my 5150. It gets... how shall I put it... heavy!

Depending on your scale length, you may also want to go for the lower output pickups (although for a 25.5" scale, I find that even a miracle man has great note definition on a 0.068 detuned A string. The PK is tighter still than the MM, hence my previous suggestion.

Do report back here with Tim's suggestion, though - it's always interesting (and useful for people searching later)!

Roo

Megatron

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Re: Pickups for RGA7?
« Reply #11 on: March 16, 2010, 09:47:50 PM »
Multiscale baritone?? That sounds friggin awesome. Got any pics???? You guys know if BK makes pickups with staggered coils for fanned fret guitars?

Keven

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Re: Pickups for RGA7?
« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2010, 05:36:56 AM »
I know roo has clips of his BD loaded guitar around here  but i couldn't find them on the forum. do check his myspace. though. i also have my own clips of a severly detuned black dog bridge

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=20065.0

for versatility, check out joe kataldo's clips. the dog can get awfully clean when played well.

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=17517.0

do report back with tim's verdict. it helps to tell him what kinda pickups you liked when you ask him. i know i hated all the high output dimarzio's i've tried in the past but i've got a guitar fitted with their paf 36th anniversary pickup and that's when i realized low output pickups were for me. though to be honest, the Dimarzios have more distortion in the pickup itself, but the BKP's give more tone, they take the cake for me.

OH. also. i don't think anyone replied to you about fitting the pickups. but the guitar i fitted mine into was loaded with EMG707 pickups. i found that bending the legs a bit made them fit. pickup rings are a minor cosmetic issue, but i've found two options

1 - 6 string pickup rings can be filed from the inside to fit 7 string coils... it works, really. though the edge is kinda thin

2- Seymour duncan -and- allparts sell 7 string pickup rings for cheap. it's about 20$ CAD a pair (yes i'm a dirty canuck... anyway...do your own currency conversion)

it's not a hard fit though, compared to the fun of recently fitting dimarzio 7 string pickups into customer's guitars that had EMG's.... i didn't realize they were such a cheap company nowadays. the pickup bottoms are fiberglass. you can't bend that. you gotta sand, and carefully drill. what a pain in the ass. I can't wait to convince my boss to invest as a BKP maindealer.

also, depending on how the ibanez pickups work. you need to run a ground wire from the bridge to the electronics cavity.
« Last Edit: March 17, 2010, 05:40:21 AM by Keven »
My BK's:
Black Dog8-Riff Raff8 / Black Dog7-Mule7
C-Bomb Set / Blackhawk Bridge
Holydiver Set/ BG50 Set

Roobubba

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Re: Pickups for RGA7?
« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2010, 03:12:25 PM »
Multiscale baritone?? That sounds friggin awesome. Got any pics???? You guys know if BK makes pickups with staggered coils for fanned fret guitars?

This link is as good as any, and has a rather amusing thread derailment too.
http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=17032.0

I have some more pictures, I just can't remember which topic has them in!

I have put some clips up somewhere too...
facebook video (not sure if everyone can see this): http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=92207454809
AAaand here is the BKP link to some live tracks. I did take some isolated tone tracks but I can't find them on the forums at the minute (and am rather busy at work!).

Final word though: This guitar rocks!!

:)

EDIT: here's WezV's original posting. I put some clips in from the band room near the end of this topic, I think...
http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=14815.0

Megatron

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Re: Pickups for RGA7?
« Reply #14 on: March 19, 2010, 02:59:59 PM »
Hot damn! That's way sexy. The SG shape has never been my favourite, but this take on it is definitely trying to convert me. That's a monster scale length, was it hard to get used to?