ESP M-II advice

[MontyW]

Okay I hope this doesn't sound too 'crazy' - but can I get a ESP M-II ntb to have a more vintage humbucker tone, just by swapping out the pups?

[dave_mc]

yeah.

Though that won't be the only thing affecting the tone- a floyd sounds different from a vintage strat-style bridge, or from a tune-o-matic, a necth-thru sounds a bit different from a set neck or bolt-on, etc. etc.

How do you like the tone of your neck pickup? IIRC it's a duncan '59, which is a vintage-voiced pickup. If it sounds good to you, then you could probably switch the jb out for something more vintage and be pretty pleased with the results.

[Doadman]

I would agree that it's certainly possible and in a way, you sound quite similar to what I've been trying to do. I'd certainly start by looking at Alnico powered pups instead of ceramic. If you want a really vintage sound you could look at the Mule, which is a very popular choice and if you wanted that basic tone with more power, look at the Abraxas. If you need something with more cut than Alnico IV will provide, perhaps look at Black Dog or Nailbomb.

[MontyW]

Thanks for the replies.

I have two M-II's.  The first I've swapped out the EMG's for a Cold Sweat and Painkiller - these are 'hot' enough for my metal and I just love these pickups!  I bought a secondhand M-II again with EMG's on the spur of the moment, mainly because the M-II plays and fits me so well, and I got it for a great price.

I was thinking of selling the used M-II and getting a Les Paul, but I just couldn't get on with the 'feel' of the neck as I'm really used to the slim/flat profile of the ESP. 

I then thought, is there any way I can get the M-II to sound more vintage.  I'll check out the Mules and Abraxas.

[Doadman]

I know exactly what you mean about a Les Paul. I LOVE the tone but just can't get on with the neck and a single cut, but I spent years on an Ibanez RG so I initially even found the neck on my Jackson thick so you can imagine how an LP feels to me.

As for your new pups, I really don't think you can go wrong with Alnico IV if you want a contrast to your other guitar. The Mules will give you a Slash kind of tone, with enough drive to get you into classic Metal territory. Tim even uses Mules in a Les Paul in an Ozzy tribute band! The Abraxas is much of the same but with more power and while it's never been the most popular BKP, those who have it certainly sing its praises as one of the most versatile pickups that BKP make.

[ev1ltwin]

I have an esp M-I ntb. It's the exact same guitar you have except for the bridge and the fact that it doesn't have a neck pickup. I find that it's acoustic tone is crystal clear with a lot of snap because of the scale length and wood combo. If you want to get a thicker sound with less twang (more les paul-ish), check out floydupgrades.com and spend $40 on a brass big block. The big block will soften the attack a bit and boost the low mids (fuller sound), and it will also increase sustain.

I dont believe in such a thing as a vintage sounding acoustic tone for an electric guitar; that doesn't even make sense to me. I think vintage/modern is all in the pickups, amps, and effects.  If you want a more vintage sound, you'll get there with a vintage spec'd humbucker assuming all your other gear stays the same.

[MontyW]

I'm with you on the LP neck... I really do like the ESP neck and as soon as I had it in my hands it just felt right.

The Mules sound ideal and look like a serious contender!

Thanks for the heads-up on the brass big block - sounds like a great idea and not an expensive one.

I'm in total agreement that 'vintage' sounding acoustic tone for an electric does not make sense, but what I'm looking for is some way(s) of getting my guitar to sound more along the lines of say Slash and his LP.

Cheers!

[Nolly]

Give the Mules a go - unfortunately I can't claim your guitar will be suddenly transformed into a Les Paul, but you will enjoy the incredibly rich and open midrange with a very detailed high end the Mules will deliver. Of course, perhaps an even more noticeable improvement will be the much wider dynamic response.

[Doadman]

I agree entirely. If that's the tone you're after, get the Mules.

[MontyW]

Cheers guys - won't do any harm to try the Mules.

[dave_mc]

I think a vintage-sounding acoustic tone makes perfect sense. The hardware has its own tone, not to mention the body dimensions, body woods etc. etc. etc.

Note, I'm not saying that vintage output pickups won't do what you want- they probably will. But don't totally ignore the stock tonality of your guitar either, because that's going to play a part.