Ibanez AS120 Pickup Upgrade

[picatainhas]

So quite basic question that i couldn't find an answer using search!!

I got an Ibanez AS120 (Gibson ES335 clone) that supposedly has some good pickups for jazz (Super 58?!?!?). I love the sound of the pickups clean (both bridge and neck), however beside whenever i try to use some crunch/overdrive the sound is very "messy... i think that what people normally name as muddy.

The sound is muddy whether thru a Peavey Mh20 with a 212 cab (Celestion V30), a using either a nova system, fulltone ocd or a lovepedal od11... Also i notice that using effects also creates a muddy sound (again, using nova system, mxr carbon copy or alter ego v2). I got exactly the same beahviour when using the guitar directly connect to audio interface and using amplitube3.

By the way, as a comparasion, i use a strat with a symour duncan everything axe set (except the bridge was exchanged by a dimarzio tone zone) i, while differente as expected, i am nowhere near of the level of muddiness i get with the AS120.

I would like to upgrade the pickups of the AS120 in order to be able to get some versatility, however i would like to have some directions.
I need good cleans but also good distortions (taking advantage of good sustain capabilities of the guitar).
I understand that an hollow body suffers of feedback, more than a solid body, so it's another thing to keep in mind.

I play covers mainly, from Beatles/Stones, to Queen, Ac/Dc,Muse,u2!!!

Any (justified) suggestions?

[Telerocker]

Not an easy one, when you want to cover a lot of styles with an ES.
A good basis would be a set of Mules, since they are capable of doing many musicstyles and they do excellent in an ES.
If you want the bridge to have a little more mids and output and sacrifice a little of openness and dynamics of the Mule, check out the Abraxas. A combi Abraxas-Mule-neck works quite nice.

[PK]

I had the same guitar a couple of years ago, I got rid of it because it was indeed a little muddy.
Had I known about the Mules back then, I'd probably still have that guitar.
My advise would be to go for the mules.

[picatainhas]

 To be completely honest, i am so lost that i have decided to make the same question in three major pickups manufacturers (from my knowledge) i made the same question to official sales lines (through web site contact form).

Got official answer from BK in the same day (suggested Riff Raff) and in the DImarzio Forum i got PAF 36th Aniversay recommended.

So, a little surprised with Riff Raff suggestion (i was expecting Mules... at least that was what i was pointing for), the Dimarzio PAF 36th.... well a set of Dimarzio cost half the price but it seems to have "mixed" reviews (choosing pickups is a p*** in the *ss)!!!!

Additionall Question: price tag of two RiffRaff with the suggested Pots and caps almost reaches 500€, how "good" are these (BK) compared with the "usual" offer?

I absolutley love the playability of the guitar (had a pro refret made two months ago), the neck is amazing... it's just "embarassing" that every time i use overdrive or other effects i get that "muddy" sound.

[ericsabbath]

well, I'd personally go mules, but the riff raff is just as good

the 36th anniversary is the defininitely the best dimarzio pup I've tried, but the bkps are still better, in my opinion, in the sense that they sound clearer, more versatile and more articulate

[PK]

I agree with Eric. The 36th is the best Dimarzio I've ever tried. But I found that it lacked punch. The Mules does everything the 36th does, only better, which is fair enough considering the price.
The riff raff I have no experience with.

And it's always difficult to justify the money spent on guitar stuff, especially BKPs or other (lets be honest) very expensive boutique pickups.
So I just stopped thinking about it too much. I got a nice little bonus, so I got myself a new C-Bomb

[Telerocker]

The RiffRaff is brighter than the Mule, which imo has a very good balance. Actually you can't go wrong with Mules.

[picatainhas]

OK i made a query Seymour Duncan, Dimarzio and BareknuclePickups, here are the suggestions so far

Offical "Tech" Line:
Dimarzio: Paf Masters Set
Seymour Duncan: Pearly Gates Set
Bareknuckle: RiffRaff Set

Official Foruns:
Dimarzio: Paf 36th Anniversary Set
Seymour Duncan : <none so far> :(
Bareknuckle: Mules Set

any addons?

[ericsabbath]

they're all in the same ballpark, with the riff raff set being the most different from the others
the riff raff is quite punchy and percussive, instead of smoothie
my 70's dimarrzio pafs sound like a trebly, shrill and slightly scooped version of the riff raff
I hate them
I remember the 36th anniversary being very fat, with lot of bass and mids
didn't play the paf master set, but seems like they are tweaked 36th's
the mules are the most well balanced pups I've had and they delivered the best cleans and low to mid gain tones I had in a les paul (riff raff beats it in higher gain settings)