Author Topic: Pickups For Ibanez Jem (Read 9739 times)

BigBazz · « **on:** October 14, 2005, 04:16:45 PM »

Hi there, im new here, i would like it if someone can reccomend some replacement pickups for my ibanez jem.

Ok its a 1994 Jem7V with the Dimarzio Evolution pickup set, Humbucker/Single/Humbucker. Alder body, Ebony neck with an Edge double locking trem.

I like the neck and bridge evo humbuckers but theres just something not quite "there" about my sound. ive always been a user of seymour duncans in my other guitars and they seem to have a little more charactor to them, anyway after some of the reviews in total guitar and guitarist magazine and user feedback from the seymour duncan forum about Bareknuckle pickups ive decided i would like some bareknuckles.

I play a mix of stuff from jazz and blues with some rock thrown in on a music course im doing, to full out metal (Arch Enemy, Lamb of God esque) in my band, i do a lot of shredding and lead playing but my rhythm sound is equally as important.

Im primarely going to be using my jem (tuned CGCFAD) into a Peavey 5150 head, and i am not a fan of the scooped sound.

Looking on the bareknuckles website the VHII pickups seem to be catching my eye, i love Van halen's tone, its to me probably the best tone ive heard from any guitarist.

Anyway im open to suggestions, im very new to bareknuckles being a seymour duncan user since the day i started.

Thanks in advance

Ryan :)

willo · « **Reply #1 on:** October 14, 2005, 04:24:47 PM »

i dont want to make recommendations - cos all i have is my VHIIs at the moment - but they are great pickups! I have put some samples up in the Players lounge (although they are on a solid state amp, not my new jcm800 :P ), but they might help. in fact, loads of people have put up loads of samples of all the potential pickups you might want to look at:

miracle man
nailbomb
warpig
vhII

and the singlecoils too, amybe sinners or trilogies?

willo · « **Reply #2 on:** October 14, 2005, 04:25:23 PM »

oh and welcome to the forum! :D

BigBazz · « **Reply #3 on:** October 14, 2005, 04:30:24 PM »

Thanks :), i dunno about the warpig, id think its a bit too much, i need to play more than just full out metal, i like a more dynamic sound, too much output usually ruins that.

And yeah single coils i need one of them too, the evo single is dreadfull.

Thanks :)

Ryan

Steve-Mr Pig 2U · « **Reply #4 on:** October 14, 2005, 05:03:54 PM »

Welcome to the forum!
I would go with a Nailbomb HSH set, they sound absolutely mind blowing in Ibanez's, and are extremely versatile.
What kind of tone would you like for the middle? For a hot vintage tone I would suggest the Irish tour, but for a more contemporary one I would suggest the Trilogy suite.
The BKP Nailbomb clip by Tim at the top of the Players room page uses a HSH Ibanez RG. Also look for the clips by Lepermessa; they are all done on an Ibanez. He has posted every thing from clean to metal and a nice lead track.

BigBazz · « **Reply #5 on:** October 14, 2005, 05:15:56 PM »

well the singlecoil on the Evo is weak, thin, and its too noisy.

Idealy id like something thats noiseless, with a sort of bluesy/country strat tone. i really like my Seymour Duncan duckbucker that i have in my squier but its not the type of sound im looking for. i want a thick(ish) single coil tone that will do a blues/country thing with a really nice clean tone, and a useable high gain lead tone (not so important to be honest).

id like to be able to pull off, Mark Knofler/Hendrix/Clapton, im not really on the spot with how i want my single coils to sound, im bad at explaining this, i know im limited with trying to get those type of sounds due to my floating trem.

Il listen to the nailbomb soundclips, im just worried they maybe too high output.

indysmith · « **Reply #6 on:** October 14, 2005, 05:31:41 PM »

Quote from: Steve-Mr Pig 2U

Welcome to the forum!
I would go with a Nailbomb HSH set

How much is a H/S/H set? Does it come with a discount, or is it the same as two humbuckers and a singlecoil bought seperately?

Steve-Mr Pig 2U · « **Reply #7 on:** October 14, 2005, 05:35:38 PM »

For the Single coil, I would go for the Irish tour.
As for the HB's.... The new Abraxas would be a good choice. They are quite a bit lower in output and have an Alnico IV magnet to give them a more sweet vintage tone.... Think somewhere between the Mule and the Crawler (sound clips on product page)
They haven't officially been released as a product so you won’t find much info on them, but they are available from us to purchase.

BigBazz · « **Reply #8 on:** October 14, 2005, 05:40:18 PM »

Quote from: Steve-Mr Pig 2U

For the Single coil, I would go for the Irish tour.
As for the HB's.... The new Abraxas would be a good choice. They are quite a bit lower in output and have an Alnico IV magnet to give them a more sweet vintage tone.... Think somewhere between the Mule and the Crawler (sound clips on product page)
They haven't officially been released as a product so you won’t find much info on them, but they are available from us to purchase.

Thanks :)

WITH FULL DISTORTION · « **Reply #9 on:** October 14, 2005, 09:39:40 PM »

Hails big bazzwhere´s the arnold avatar?
welcome to the forum
ahhahahah
J.P

BigBazz · « **Reply #10 on:** October 15, 2005, 11:56:02 AM »

Quote from: WITH FULL DISTORTION

Hails big bazzwhere´s the arnold avatar?
welcome to the forum
ahhahahah
J.P

Hey there!!, arnolds on vacation

. good to see some familiar faces around here :)

HJM · « **Reply #11 on:** October 15, 2005, 01:35:13 PM »

My RG550's in the BKP nailbomb demo, it's an old one from about 1990 and it rocks with the Nailbombs in. Lots of power but still great tone for cleaner styles, and it'll do a slightly more modern version of the VH tone to my ears. The VHIIs I have in a PRS CE24 mapletop, that's the old alder body one, the tone is bright vintage hot, if you pick hard you get the amp breakup, the dynamics are out of this world! All the early VHII tones are there.

Your JEM is the first alder body ones isn't it?? The VHII should work well in that too. But if you're used to the higher gain of the Evos or Paf Pros, the Nailbomb may be the pup for you - hope that helps a little!

BigBazz · « **Reply #12 on:** October 15, 2005, 03:24:16 PM »

Quote from: HJM

My RG550's in the BKP nailbomb demo, it's an old one from about 1990 and it rocks with the Nailbombs in. Lots of power but still great tone for cleaner styles, and it'll do a slightly more modern version of the VH tone to my ears. The VHIIs I have in a PRS CE24 mapletop, that's the old alder body one, the tone is bright vintage hot, if you pick hard you get the amp breakup, the dynamics are out of this world! All the early VHII tones are there.

Your JEM is the first alder body ones isn't it?? The VHII should work well in that too. But if you're used to the higher gain of the Evos or Paf Pros, the Nailbomb may be the pup for you - hope that helps a little!

The Demo sounded Superb, great great tone, thanks, i may settle on the Nailbombs, im going to try to find more clips on the VHII pickups first though, make sure im getting the right pickups for my sound and my guitar.

HJM · « **Reply #13 on:** October 15, 2005, 03:45:40 PM »

Listening to the tone on the track 'Charles Dickens' from the link in your sig I'd go for the Nailbombs!

BigBazz · « **Reply #14 on:** October 15, 2005, 04:02:37 PM »

Quote from: HJM

Listening to the tone on the track 'Charles Dickens' from the link in your sig I'd go for the Nailbombs!

that is quite a different sound to what id usually have, its a Squier Strat with an SD Jb Jr into a Marshall AVT150, the Jem was used on the lead parts though, but yes im about 80% decided on nailbombs anyway, thanks.