AR2000 Pickup Swap...Your Suggestions...

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Author Message   Guitartim Username: Guitartim Registered: 04-2001 Posted on Saturday, March 11, 2006 - 3:35 pm:    Don't get me wrong, I love my AR2000. But the stock Super 58 pickups sound different in this guitar compared to my other Ibanez' with the same pup. The 2000 sounds a bit thicker, or muddy if the tone pot is backed off a little. Great for a jazz guitar, but a bit limiting for a cool solid body instrument. I'd like something that gives a more complex tone, with some clarity but not an overly hot distortion driver. (Describing 'tone' is a bit like describing a fine wine, so I apologize) On one hand I'd like to leave it 'original', but the likliehood of me ever selling it is remote. So please give me your suggestions on a possible pickup replacement for her. I play mostly R&B, Rock and Blues on this git. Oh, and I do have a Gibson Classic 57 lying around, but I am open to any other suggestions. Tim   Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Saturday, March 11, 2006 - 5:39 pm:    Tim, I've used your wine analogy before A pickup change is an easy way to custom taylor you'r guitar. You can always return it to stock. I could see how Super 58s could hold that guitar back. I'd recommend: Dimarzio PAF Pro - PAF style, but more articulate and open with a bright pronounced midrange 'aaaahhhh' tone. Seymour Duncan Custom 5 (slightly hotter version of the Custom Custom with an Alnico 5 magnet substituted for Alnico 2)- A very classic rock tone. A little hot. Thick clear midrange, never metallic. Rich and warm. Similar to a V2, but a little less high end edge, and more "AH" vowel tonality. Good for bright sounding guitars. Ibanez V2 - a great pickup in the right guitar. They sound awesome and different in every guitar I have them in. They probably sound the best in my AR100. The only downside, you won't be able to find them with metal covers.   Michaelkaufman Username: Michaelkaufman Registered: 11-2002 Posted on Saturday, March 11, 2006 - 8:08 pm:    Would you make the same recommendations for an AM-50?   Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Saturday, March 11, 2006 - 10:22 pm:    "Would you make the same recommendations for an AM-50?" Mike, I guess it depends on what you're trying to accomplish tone wise.   Guitartim Username: Guitartim Registered: 04-2001 Posted on Saturday, March 11, 2006 - 11:55 pm:    Thanks for the list, Funk. How do SD Custom, Antiquity, Jazz or 59 sound for choices in an AR body? I've heard great things about them all, but never heard one in an Artist before.   Snowjays Username: Snowjays Registered: 09-2004 Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 7:33 am:    I use theese, http://www.qksrv.net/click-1802666-10381315?loc=http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI .dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D7396028085 Matched with this, http://www.qksrv.net/click-1802666-10381315?loc=http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI .dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D7339445279 And a push pull pot for splitting. The pups are great, still playing around with the eq set up. Certainly an improvement on an AR200.   Michaelkaufman Username: Michaelkaufman Registered: 11-2002 Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 11:26 am:    Funkle: I'm not sure I can accurately describe, however, I'll try: - clean, non-distorted, non-muddy - really cuts through - rich, musical & pleasant sounding Pretty vague, eh? Another question: how easy is it to swap pups on an AM-50 with no control cavity? mk   Hasenobu Username: Hasenobu Registered: 01-2006 Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 12:00 pm:    Michael, I have an AM50, and, to be honest, I'm very much satisfied with its original PUs. So, what are your problems, if I may ask? (I don't think the AM50 model is very versatile, though I like it better than my Gibson ES-335.)   Michaelkaufman Username: Michaelkaufman Registered: 11-2002 Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 1:06 pm:    No problems per se. Just looking to try a different sound. I play more rock than jazz. I've owned many different quitars with Super 58's and I'd like to try something different and compare. mk   Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 1:59 pm:    "- clean, non-distorted, non-muddy - really cuts through - rich, musical & pleasant sounding" I'd start by looking at DiMarzio Virtual PAF & PAF Pro. They are based on a PAF design, but are more clear and open sounding "Another question: how easy is it to swap pups on an AM-50 with no control cavity?" This has been addressed before: http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/messages/16/11604.html http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/messages/16/14777.html   Guitartim Username: Guitartim Registered: 04-2001 Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 3:05 pm:    "Motherbuckers"!? What have you heard about them other than the Ebay pitch? DiMarzio Virtual PAF & PAF Pro huh? Hmmm. Might have to add them to my pickup research project. Desired Tone? I'd like this AR2000 Prestige to sound as complex as a fine Pinot Noir and soulful as a bottle of stout malt liquor in a paper bag ..................................even if she is being played by me!   Snowjays Username: Snowjays Registered: 09-2004 Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 5:26 pm:    GuitarTim, I'm not a wine buff......theese things are more like a Muscadean until you crank them up and they outperform a dozen tallies at a tea party. They certainly have that dimarzio pro sound.   Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 5:33 pm:    "Desired Tone? I'd like this AR2000 Prestige to sound as complex as a fine Pinot Noir and soulful as a bottle of stout malt liquor in a paper bag" Now you're talking my language! If the Custom Custom is the Zinfandel, round, jammy and peppery, then the Custom 5 is the easy drinking refined new-world Pinot - rich and flavorful, but well integrated and laid back Then I suppose the PAFs are the burgundies - Some people think they get better with age.   Ibnzplyr Username: Ibnzplyr Registered: 03-2004 Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 4:05 pm:    Funkle: I have a spare pair of V2s and have thought about putting them in my 580 Turbot. It's a thin mahogany body. How do you think they would sound? Scott P.S. Can't wait to read this description! TIA   Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 4:20 pm:    Scott, I've never heard or played a Turbot, but I'm guessing the Turbot sounds a lot like a Sabre. My guess is it won't turn it into an AR. To my ear, Edge or Floyd style trems impart a cold, edgy tonality that I really don't care for. And an anorexic body and neck doesn't help. If my assumptions about the Turbot are correct, keeping in mind that this is only my opinion, and I have very particular tastes in tone, I'd be focusing on a pickup that would warm up that guitar. Some people like the edge, YMMV.   Snowjays Username: Snowjays Registered: 09-2004 Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 4:46 pm:    Why not this pair. http://www.qksrv.net/click-1802666-10381315?loc=http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI .dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D7398469655   Bluepill Username: Bluepill Registered: 07-2004 Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 7:36 pm:    i have seymour antiquitys in my ar305, got em off ebay for $320 aussie a pair which is pretty good considering there new retail price....the antiquitys are very very vintage PAF sounding (handwound) but i find them to be fairly versitile. i guess i would also recommend trying dimarzio PAFs or seymour SH-55 seth lovers...both awesome all rounders (for non metal heads try buying second hand as pickups are so critical to your sound it could take many variations to get "that sound" your after.

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