Humbuckers for Ibanez Artist, double-cutaway LP-style

[Gitarrenschlumpf]

Hi there!

I already have a 2009 Gibson Les Paul Studio (CLICK) with a calibrated, covered Crawler set. I love the tone - the treble resonse in high gain mode (especially of the bridge humbucker) is simply amazing!

Well, there's a new guitar in the house - a 1986 Ibanez Artist AR350PLT (see pic): non-chambered mahogany body (way heavier than my LP), ebony fingerboard, Ibanez Edge trem, (original) Ibanez Super58 pickups (but with the covers removed by a previous owner).

Well, the Super58s sound very lo-fi... sweet and huge when played clean, nice with some crunch but way ugly, muddy and ear-piercingly trebly when you turn up the gain.

So I need an open-coil set of humbuckers which split well and retain clarity in high gain mode. The output should be of similar magnitude as the Crawlers. They should work well with the Edge trem (if there is such a characteristic for pickups).

So either I'm going with the Crawlers again (will they sound way different in that guitar?) - alternatively I would like a bridge humbucker with a similar Crawler-esque sweet treble characteristic, maybe a tad more midrange growl, similar Crawler-esque chugging bass; accompanied by a neck pup a little more on the bright flute-like side, a little less dark than the neck Crawler is.

Or would you recommend going with a lower output pickup for a second guitar? I just know that searing high gain is too much of a temptation for me to resist. :P

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions or comments! :D

[Telerocker]

My idea: a Holy Diver-bridge/ Cold Sweat-neck. You could also opt for a VHII-neck.

[ElectricTurkey4369]

Telerocker is spot-on with with HD and CS.

[Philly Q]

Not sure abut the pickups - I was thinking Abraxas, although the bridge wouldn't give you more "midrange growl" than the Crawler.

Mostly wanted to say what a fine looking guitar!  :D

[ericsabbath]

+1 for the holy diver/cold sweat set

one of the best mismatched sets I had along with the riff raff/mule

[darkbluemurder]

+2 for Holydiver bridge/Cold Sweat neck (actually it's +3 now).

Cheers Stephan

[Gitarrenschlumpf]

Thank you all! :)

The HD/CS set seems to be everybody's darling. :P

I just hope that the CS doesn't sound too twangy - as the Super58 does. I guess the neck HD would sound pretty dark, like similar to the Crawler? :)

Hmmm... covered or open coils? I love the burnt chrome look, but it certainly would be too much for this guitar. The golden humbucker rings are quite an eye catcher already. But maybe camo covers? What do you think? :)

[ElectricTurkey4369]

I personally like the look of the open coils on that guitar. Camo could work too...

[Gitarrenschlumpf]

Thanks again for all the comments - however, after listening to sound clips over a few days now: HD and CS didn't strike me with instant love (as the Crawlers did). HD and CS sound a little more sterile and modern to my ears (as they are supposed to be....) - the Crawlers are a bit more colourful and classical. The Black Dogs sound good to my ears, too - but I guess it'll be the Crawlers, again. ;)

Currently I don't own a gig-sized amp. I have a Vox Lil' Night Train which is almost always switched to "thick mode" (tone controls inactive, but plenty of gain and a, well, thick tone) and set on the sweet high gain spot (between 1 and 2 o'clock) - and always fed by a buffer (which leaves me plenty of treble). I don't know if the Crawlers will sound muddy with a gig-sized amp and high-gain, but I guess, that will very much depend on the individual amp?

Style-wise: I'll stick with open coils - but likely it's going to be all-whites! Black&white zebra looks good, too - but all-white is just a bit flashier. :P

[Telerocker]

Choice depends in my opinion on the musicstyles you play. And I'm not saying you shouldn't get the Crawlers, but you already have them in mahogany guitar. Why not make a different flavour with the Ibbie? I've two (swamp)ash-HSS-strats, one with Crawler/IT's, the other with VHII/MM's. They challenge me to play different (things). If you like something different with punch, screaming leads, overtones, but great cleaning-up qualities and you play (heavy) rock, I definitely would take a look at a calibrated VHII-set. They will bring the mahogany to life (don't worry, they are not thin at all) and the neck is great in mahogany too. But if you love the Crawler, get that one.

[Gitarrenschlumpf]

Took my time to listen to a few more clips. Sort of "discovered" the alnico Nailbombs, asked Tim about his recommendations (he said NB will work fine, also suggested the Abraxas set as an alternative with lower output), and just ordered my calibrated set of open-coiled black&white (bridge rev. zebra and neck zebra) humbuckers! Really looking forward to it!

Thanks again for your comments! :)

[Telerocker]

Hope you like them.