pickup and cover suggestions for an ibanez j custom and an ibanez rga

[splawnshred]

Hey guys, so I'm looking forward to drop the cash on some of this magnificent pickups and I'm pretty certain on what I'm getting based on reccomendations from Nick from the axe palace, and a few clips I've heard around, but I want to hear some more suggestions. Basically what I'm looking for is suggestions for a pickup for the neck, and a pickup for the bridge, doesn't matter if it is a calibrated set or a mixture of 2 different pickups, and suggestions for the cover colors as well. I'm using both of this guitars for modern metal and are going through a splawn nitro, and both are made of mahogany with a flamed maple top, and a rosewood neck. I want them to get really brutal. Cleans are important, and leads on the neck pickup as well since I'm a lead player.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, would I need extra routing for the pickup to fit? Or can the pickup be modified to my needs? Thanks.
 
For the J custom I'm going for a miracle man calibratd set, I tune this guitar to Eb standard, and it has an edge zero floating bridge, and I was thinking on going with the brushed nickel covers, but I'm not really sure if those would look good with the hardware color.





And for the RGA I was thinking on going with a coldsweat on the neck and a painkiller on the bridge, I tune this one to dropped c, and it has a fixed bridge. I was probably going with a battle worn black camo for this one, but I'm not sure.





So, post your suggestions guys, I really want some different ideas, so let me hear you out! Thanks.

[ratspeak]

I think you're right on in what you want for either guitar. I was thinking to myself as I read your post, "if he gets MMs in one he should probably get a PK/CS in the other," and hearing that you tune to drop-c completely 100% solidifies that. Go for it!

IMO; burnt-chrome for the custom, camo or distressed for the RGA.

[splawnshred]

I think you're right on in what you want for either guitar. I was thinking to myself as I read your post, "if he gets MMs in one he should probably get a PK/CS in the other," and hearing that you tune to drop-c completely 100% solidifies that. Go for it!

IMO; burnt-chrome for the custom, camo or distressed for the RGA.

Hey man, thanks a lot! I'm probably going with that. I was wondering though, do you think I should need routing for the pickups to fit?

[ratspeak]

Don't think so. Have a look at the shape of the feet (little things sticking out where the screws go), and just specify in the comments of your order which pickups need which shape. I've never replaced EMGs out of a guitar though, so you might want to find out from someone who knows.  :lol:

[Dr. Stein]

Have you thought of purple/black zebras in the j-custom? I think you can get any pickups done with them these days.

[Transcend]

Hey i have an RGA42FMTGB and i have a miracle man in the bridge and a mississippi queen in the neck and they can cover pretty much any metal from the 80s right up to current day.

what model is yours?

mine looks pretty similar but isnt a prestige heres some pics of mine with burnt chrome covers
http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=21436.0
please not the bridge pickup is a few years old hence the wear in places

[splawnshred]

Have you thought of purple/black zebras in the j-custom? I think you can get any pickups done with them these days.

Hey, actually I haven't, but it's worth considering though!

[splawnshred]

Hey i have an RGA42FMTGB and i have a miracle man in the bridge and a mississippi queen in the neck and they can cover pretty much any metal from the 80s right up to current day.

what model is yours?

mine looks pretty similar but isnt a prestige heres some pics of mine with burnt chrome covers
http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=21436.0
please not the bridge pickup is a few years old hence the wear in places

Thanks for sharing those pics man, your guitar looks pretty cool, mine is an RGA321BX, it's a 2008 model, they only made that transparent black onyx color in 2008. I hadn't thought about putting burnt chrome covers on the RGA to be honest, but It's another option worth considering.

[Transcend]

is it mahogany/maple?

If so its pretty similar construction to mine so i can say That a MM will work amazingly well in it.

[splawnshred]

is it mahogany/maple?

If so its pretty similar construction to mine so i can say That a MM will work amazingly well in it.

Yes it is, the thing is, I'm already going with the mm calibrated set for the J custom, so I want something different for this one. Thanks for helping for sharing ideas though!

[ratspeak]

Those burnt chromes with the black-nickel hardware (especially the pickup rings) look absolutely sick! IMO it's tough to find guitars that look good with burnt chromes, but OP's got two.

[Alex]

Personally I would rather go with one high-powered set and one lower-powered set.

Maybe the high-power Miracle Man for the RGA (it's downtuned) and something more PAF-ish from the vintage hot group for the J custom.

Not saying the hot pickups won't sound good, but that J custom has so much potential, I'd guess a more versatile pickups set would suit it better.

[Searcher]

I have a J Custom, though mine is the HSH version with DiMarzios, and it has a really nice warm sound.  Very LP-ish on the neck pup.  I think you'd do well with a set of Nailbombs for the sounds you're after.  I'd get uncovered pups, because I think the nickel wouldn't look right.  They should pop right in without needing any mods.

[gordiji]

two beautiful guitars splawn, especially the purple one. can't offer any advice on pups though :lol:

[splawnshred]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, and gordiji, don't worry about it, your kind words are good enough!

How do you guys think a pair of black covers would look in the J custom?