Username: Password:

Author Topic: New Pickups for Ibanez RGA72TQM (Juggernauts, Aftermaths or Blackhawks?)  (Read 4181 times)

TheMetalborn

  • Strawweight
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Hey Guys  :cool:
It is time to upgrade my Ibanez RGA72TQM, its an excellent guitar the best guitar I have ever owned to be honest and I want to make it sound even more amazing, here are the specs on the guitar http://ibanez.wikia.com/wiki/RGA72TQM.

The stock pickups are in it now and there is not much clarity so I want the best pickups I can get :) Sadly I am kind of indecisive on what pickups I want to put into it  :undecided:. I mainly play Technical Death Metal and also a little bit of Groove and Thrash and like 7 times out of 10 I'm in a drop tuning. Basically I want the pickups to be diverse but also ballsy. My Guitar also has an EQ Active Toggle so I want that kept in mind. I like really good clean tones similar to Animals as Leaders tone but also be good for sweeping, jazz and fusion stuff. For my distortion tones, I go from Scooped tones to something like The Faceless tone.

The Pickup Configurations I am considering are...
Aftermath Neck and Bridge
Juggernaut Neck and Bridge
Aftermath Bridge, Juggernaut Neck
Juggernaut Bridge, Aftermath Neck
Blackhawk Bridge, Juggernaut Neck
Blackhawk Bridge, Aftermath Neck

So help me out guys  :laugh:

« Last Edit: October 03, 2014, 05:34:53 AM by TheMetalborn »
Ibanez RGA72TQM

Dave Sloven

  • Welterweight
  • ****
  • Posts: 4312
    • Get our album here (alnico Black Hawks)
Re: Upgrading my Ibanez RGA72TQM
« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2014, 03:23:17 PM »
I would suggest either a Juggernaut set or (even though it's not on your list) a Painkiller set, unless you are really into dry honky mids, then I'd say Aftermath.
BLACK HAWKS
IMPULSES
COBRA-T
WAR PIGS
STOCKHOLM
COLD SWEATS
MIRACLE MAN
TRUE GRIT

https://slovendoom.bandcamp.com/releases

TheMetalborn

  • Strawweight
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: Upgrading my Ibanez RGA72TQM
« Reply #2 on: October 02, 2014, 07:01:46 PM »
I would suggest either a Juggernaut set or (even though it's not on your list) a Painkiller set, unless you are really into dry honky mids, then I'd say Aftermath.
I actually really like the Painkiller, thanks for bringing it to my attention! Do you recommend the set or would a Painkiller Bridge and Juggernaut Neck sound good as well??
Ibanez RGA72TQM

MerlinTKD

  • Flyweight
  • *
  • Posts: 92
Re: New Pickups for Ibanez RGA72TQM (Juggernauts, Aftermaths or Blackhawks?)
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2014, 09:53:21 PM »
I'd say Painkillers or Blackhawks, for all the things you mentioned, and the Blackhawks seem like the more versatile of the two. Hmm, or the Cold Sweat combo, maybe. Kinda depends on what tonal qualities you're wanting.

The PK's will be somewhat compressed, modern, with edgy high mids, and will definitely get you AAL-type cleans. It's aggressive, but not crazy or wildly so.

The BH's seem to me to be more balanced, EQ-wise, very modern sounding, but very versatile within that. They seem to be very transparent, so the guitar, amp, and EQ settings you use will determine what it sounds like, to a certain extent.

The Cold Sweat is much more scooped, darker, a little less modern but definitely not vintage or old-school. The CS neck has been the go-to shred neck for years!


The Juggs are a little more complex and nuanced, but I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. The PK and CS were designed mainly for mahogany guitars to begin with, and I believe the clips on the pickup pages were done with a Les Paul; the Juggs were designed with basswood in mind, but many folks have put them in mahogany and they seem to do just fine! Honestly, I'd go back and listen to the clips on the various pickups' pages and see which ones trip your trigger more, and go with that!
LTD M-207: Painkiller bridge, Painkiller neck

Dave Sloven

  • Welterweight
  • ****
  • Posts: 4312
    • Get our album here (alnico Black Hawks)
Re: New Pickups for Ibanez RGA72TQM (Juggernauts, Aftermaths or Blackhawks?)
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2014, 01:10:51 AM »
I'm sticking with the Painkiller but the Cold Sweat set is an interesting suggestion.  It certainly works well in my SG Standard.  Bridge is smooth but cutting, and more old school than the Painkiller.  More Scream Bloody Gore than Sounds of Perseverance, if that makes sense to you.
BLACK HAWKS
IMPULSES
COBRA-T
WAR PIGS
STOCKHOLM
COLD SWEATS
MIRACLE MAN
TRUE GRIT

https://slovendoom.bandcamp.com/releases

TheMetalborn

  • Strawweight
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: New Pickups for Ibanez RGA72TQM (Juggernauts, Aftermaths or Blackhawks?)
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2014, 04:23:42 AM »
I'd say Painkillers or Blackhawks, for all the things you mentioned, and the Blackhawks seem like the more versatile of the two. Hmm, or the Cold Sweat combo, maybe. Kinda depends on what tonal qualities you're wanting.

The PK's will be somewhat compressed, modern, with edgy high mids, and will definitely get you AAL-type cleans. It's aggressive, but not crazy or wildly so.

The BH's seem to me to be more balanced, EQ-wise, very modern sounding, but very versatile within that. They seem to be very transparent, so the guitar, amp, and EQ settings you use will determine what it sounds like, to a certain extent.

The Cold Sweat is much more scooped, darker, a little less modern but definitely not vintage or old-school. The CS neck has been the go-to shred neck for years!


The Juggs are a little more complex and nuanced, but I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. The PK and CS were designed mainly for mahogany guitars to begin with, and I believe the clips on the pickup pages were done with a Les Paul; the Juggs were designed with basswood in mind, but many folks have put them in mahogany and they seem to do just fine! Honestly, I'd go back and listen to the clips on the various pickups' pages and see which ones trip your trigger more, and go with that!

Okay informative, thanks for giving me a nice description for each one, I appreciate it!
Ibanez RGA72TQM

TheMetalborn

  • Strawweight
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: New Pickups for Ibanez RGA72TQM (Juggernauts, Aftermaths or Blackhawks?)
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2014, 04:40:39 AM »
I do like my scooped tones, however I want there to be clarity. I'm planning on purchasing a Randal RD100 with a 2x12, the speakers I like are Celestion G12T-75, G12-EVH or G12K-100.
Ibanez RGA72TQM

Yellowjacket

  • Lightweight
  • ***
  • Posts: 853
Re: New Pickups for Ibanez RGA72TQM (Juggernauts, Aftermaths or Blackhawks?)
« Reply #7 on: October 03, 2014, 02:08:25 PM »
What does your guitar sound like acoustically?  The maple cap / mahogany body / maple neck seems like a recipe with a lot of lows and highs, and very little mids.  Painkillers seem like a great recommendation for this recipe, depending on what sort of an acoustic tone you are going to be working with.  At any rate, a mid focused pickup will add detail, push, and aggression to the tone while the guitar's natural voice should impose a massive, wide, scooped character to the sound of the pickup.