HD, NB or something else for Ibanez S 570

[Guitarteach]

I have recently been delighted with a set of Rebel Yells on a 9yr old through neck RGT42 - absolutely made a very good but bassy sounding guitar a great, well balanced one.

Now inspired, I am also looking to upgrade an Ibanez S570 I have - this new model has a thin sculpted mahogany body, with a slim white maple bolt on neck & H-S-H pickups.

The neck PU is particularly muddy and dull under high gain and the middle SC just lacks something (character).  I have put a spare Seymour Duncan Full Shred in the bridge for now and that has confirmed better pickups can improve the guitar a lot but that pickup is a bit thin and over tight and not giving me the richer JB like sound I was looking for

I have been advised that the Holydiver in the bridge with a Cold Sweat neck and Slow Hand SC would add the hotness and fatness I want to cover a wide range of stuff from classic rock and pop covers work to shredy messing about. The forums seem to have lots of speculations that this should work.

Before I pull the trigger on Ģ270 or so of plastic, wire and magnets though, I wanted to see if anyone had upgraded this or a similar S series with BKP"s and hear their impressions.

Part of me is also thinking that a silly pickup like a Warpig could be "fun" in what is essentially a back up guitar.  Is it OTT?

I use Mesa Boogie MK amps and cabs.

[Kiichi]

Hi and welcome!

I also have a S570, but I made mine into a classic rock & metal axe that can go into modern stuff too with a RY bridge, IT middle and Mule neck. Love that combo. The RY deffo puts it on the bright side, but that is what I wanted for that guitar. Very versatile now and I just love playing it.

For you I think the HD would work very well. It is full, smooth and warm, with character. Rounded top in a musical, but never dull way. Very versatile PU.

As for the middle either IT or SH should work nicely imho. The IT is a hotter, fuller, dirtier take on a classic SC and the SH is the same but even one more step up.

For the neck, yes the CS would work, but depending on where you really wanne take that the Emerald might be a better option. It is more organic and lively than the CS, which makes for a combo that has been recommended awfully often here recently. The CS pairs beautifully with the A-bomb, but for the HD I recond the Emerald is more on the money.

In regards to the Warpig I cannot say much. Could work, but I dunno, it really, really is a beast. If the guitar is very bright, maybe, but otherwise I would be more carefull. Not to paint it too dire, but due to the bottom end it is more picky than most PUs

[Guitarteach]

Thanks for the quick reply.  Emerald / Nailbomb combo certainly appealed given the 
'organic' descriptions but I also want to keep it hotter in this guitar.

HD / Emerald / Slow Hand might be it then.

I really like the Rebel Yell neck in my RGT too. Def. want bright / articulate in neck and fat / wailing lead in bridge - like the JB/Jazz combo I have in an old Fender Flame (awesome underated instrument btw)

[Slartibartfarst42]

As so often seems to be the case, I am largely in agreement here. The Holydiver would be ideal in your S570 because although it is a mahogany guitar, it will still be quite bright thanks to there being very little wood in the body, compounded by a lot of routing for pickups and a locking trem. The Holydiver will do everything you want in spades as it's similar to a JB but so much better in everyu way. For the neck, I've used both the Cold Sweat and the Emerald. You can't really go wrong with either of them tbh but having used both, my preference is the Emerald. The tone is that wit sweeter, the cleans are better and it's more versatile. As for the single coil in the middle, I always prefer mine a bit hotter as I don't like much of a volume drop so I'd go with a Trilogy Suite for a creamy single coil tone or a Sinner if you want something thicker.

I used to own an RGT42 and I wouldn't say it was particularly bassy. Perhaps the bassy side of middy  :) I was looking at the Rebel Yells for mine but Tim said they'd be too bright, though I still went for Cold Sweats and they were fantastic despite also being quite bright.

[Kiichi]

Yes, if you donīt want to reduce the volume drop to the middle more go with what Slati says. I like to have some, as I think SCs like it, but there is not a gigantic one with something like the SH or IT either.

If you say you want something bright in the neck you might even concider the HD neck. If I recall correctly it is brighter then the Emerald and a great great lead PU. Dunno why we stopped recommenting that, when I started here it was everywhere I think^^

[Guitarteach]

Thanks . So +2 on HD/Emerald - the S570 is a light, bright guitar and so this sounds like it would work well.  Will look at HD neck (any videos?)

Re my RGT. The boogie MK 3 amp I use is very rich and middy under gain and the RYs def. helped compensate with my particular RGT but I could def. see the RYs being too bright with a Marshall or Fender type amp.   What knocks me out is how hot and clear they sound when rolled back or under slight power stage overdrive... Can see that a CS pair could work in it... Maybe another swap coming on!

Would anyone consider swapping the PUs in an all original '72 ES345 for BKPs - Mules? Or is that sacrilege?

[Guitarteach]

Well the Holydiver is on order!   :D   

[Telerocker]

The volumedrop with an IT or SH in the middle is not that big. With a middy amp I would look for something with some crispiness. The IT in my strat is a nice standalone pickup and combines very well with the (splitted) Crawler.
I support the idea of a HD and Emerald-neck. Good choice.

Whether you should change the pickups of the ES345 is up to you. A swap is quite a hassle in an ES. I would only do it if you don't like the stockpu's at all. Mules would do a great job in it, for sure.

[Guitarteach]

Yep. It's only ever had the varitone choke reseated after it came adrift and that was enough trouble. PU change would be beyond me.

I was having a blast with my 345 this afternoon.... (ended up blowing a power tube) I sometime forget how great it is as it get less outings than the other guitars. With the clean cranked to 10 on my Boogie and an MXR clean boost it was outstanding.  No pickup change needed yet!

[Guitarteach]

The Bridge position Holydiver arrived this morning. Put it in at lunchtime and just had a blast with it (thankfully the neighbour went out for a bit and I could crank my boogie a bit)

Def. a lot thicker basic sound than the SD Full Shred it replaced. VERY impressive and usefully authentic strat like split with the middle SC (i went with an SD Quarter Pounder in the end)

Overdriven... Nice throaty and gutsy chords but with no loss of clarity or separation. I even discovered some new harmonics :). Kept and improved the nice lead tone but added the body and low end grunt that the Full Shred lacked.

Certainly a great match and recommendation for the S Series over the stock Inf pickups

[Telerocker]

Good to hear you like the HD. Bravo!

[Slartibartfarst42]

Good news. It's an awesome pickup and certainly my favourite. Welcome to the fold  :D

[darkbluemurder]

HD bridge is a great pickup indeed - otherwise I would not have two of them.

Cheers Stephan

['Ash' J. Williams]

FWIW, the most amazing combinations I tried in my Ibanez S are HolyDiver bridge/VHII neck and Abraxas bridge/Emerald neck.
The former being a bit more modern sounding and the later one being incredible for Govan/Timmons/etc fusion thing.
If I had to add a middle single coil to those it would be a IT or SH I think.