Replacing pickups

Matt_97 · 07-02-2012, 11:44 PM

Hi,
I got an Ibanez Darkstone DN 500k and the pickups that are currently in it are the original pickups it came with which are the ibanez pp1's. Since they are starting to get old and rusting and not working aswell anymore i was just wondering would i be able to replace them with some emg h4 and h4a's? or are there anyother pickups i should look at using instead that are passive?

Thanks in advance

Jeffs Carrot · 07-07-2012, 05:57 PM

What kind of sounds are you looking for?

Left Face Down · 07-07-2012, 08:11 PM

To be completely honest I've never liked EMG's passive pickups. It'd be much more advisable to go DiMarzio or Seymour Duncan for passives. If you want to get some EMG actives then good for you. They have a very distinct sound (not my bag) and if that is what you want then might as well get em over any passives. EMG's passives are just way too muddy compared to what you can get from another brand that is known for it's passives.

I've haven't kept up with current pickups over the years since I have had good set-ups in mine that I like for a while now. Though if you're looking for more of the high powered gain pickups (what I think of when I think EMG) then possibly look at the DiMarzio X2N, D-Activator X, and D Sonic pickups. If you don't want that balls to the walls kind of gain, but still rather high output, check out the Super Distortion or Dominion. Lastly if you have a high gain amp don't count out the Tone Zone, one of my favorites.

Can't really help you with Seymour Duncan as I'm more of DiMarzio man. I use to know some good SD analogs, but can't really choose one for each of the above. The DiMarzio Tone Zone and Seymour Duncan JB are direct competitors. I believe the equivalent for a DiMarzio Super Distortion would be a Seymour Duncan Distortion and a DiMarzio X2N would be a Seymour Duncan Invader. Though the newer DiMarzios (everything else mentioned above) I don't really know that well. A lot of them are signature pups so you can probably get a taste for them from listening to their particular artist.

You'd be surprised what a high gain camp can do with most any pickup. So don't think you NEED that super high gain over the top pickup to go with a super high gain over the top amp to get a good thick distortion sound.

Matt_97 · 07-18-2012, 01:53 AM

Thanks, ill check out some of those pickups

Special Brew · 07-21-2012, 07:41 AM

I'm a Duncan player. What sort of music are you playing, and maybe I can suggest something suitable from the Duncan side of the fence, rather than DiMarzio? For the record, the DiMarzio Super Distortion is much less output than the Duncan Distortion. The DD was meant to be an improvement on the Super Distortion with more output for the growing hard rock/metal crowd. I use a Duncan Distortion in my primary guitar at the moment, and it's super thick, tight, and percussive. It's almost perfect for thrash and similar styles.

I went from being a DiMarzio user to active EMGs, then to Duncan. I've used Suhr, Bare Knuckle, Lundgren, and a couple other "boutique" brands, but Duncan is the company that works for me. Great price and sound, not that there's anything wrong with DiMarzio... Duncan simply works for me.

~~jesuscrust~~ · 07-21-2012, 06:49 PM

had to dreplae tthos pickups on my HSS

07-02-2012, 11:44 PM	#1
Matt_97 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Australia Posts: 2	Replacing pickups Hi, I got an Ibanez Darkstone DN 500k and the pickups that are currently in it are the original pickups it came with which are the ibanez pp1's. Since they are starting to get old and rusting and not working aswell anymore i was just wondering would i be able to replace them with some emg h4 and h4a's? or are there anyother pickups i should look at using instead that are passive? Thanks in advance

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07-07-2012, 05:57 PM	#2
Jeffs Carrot Brain of a dehydrated b.b Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Chicago Posts: 981	What kind of sounds are you looking for?

07-07-2012, 08:11 PM	#3
Left Face Down Ibanez Loving Freak Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Kuppuku suru tenka Posts: 69,666 Posts: 13,446	To be completely honest I've never liked EMG's passive pickups. It'd be much more advisable to go DiMarzio or Seymour Duncan for passives. If you want to get some EMG actives then good for you. They have a very distinct sound (not my bag) and if that is what you want then might as well get em over any passives. EMG's passives are just way too muddy compared to what you can get from another brand that is known for it's passives. I've haven't kept up with current pickups over the years since I have had good set-ups in mine that I like for a while now. Though if you're looking for more of the high powered gain pickups (what I think of when I think EMG) then possibly look at the DiMarzio X2N, D-Activator X, and D Sonic pickups. If you don't want that balls to the walls kind of gain, but still rather high output, check out the Super Distortion or Dominion. Lastly if you have a high gain amp don't count out the Tone Zone, one of my favorites. Can't really help you with Seymour Duncan as I'm more of DiMarzio man. I use to know some good SD analogs, but can't really choose one for each of the above. The DiMarzio Tone Zone and Seymour Duncan JB are direct competitors. I believe the equivalent for a DiMarzio Super Distortion would be a Seymour Duncan Distortion and a DiMarzio X2N would be a Seymour Duncan Invader. Though the newer DiMarzios (everything else mentioned above) I don't really know that well. A lot of them are signature pups so you can probably get a taste for them from listening to their particular artist. You'd be surprised what a high gain camp can do with most any pickup. So don't think you NEED that super high gain over the top pickup to go with a super high gain over the top amp to get a good thick distortion sound.

07-18-2012, 01:53 AM	#4
Matt_97 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Australia Posts: 2	Thanks, ill check out some of those pickups

07-21-2012, 07:41 AM	#5
Special Brew does not hate fun Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 23,012	I'm a Duncan player. What sort of music are you playing, and maybe I can suggest something suitable from the Duncan side of the fence, rather than DiMarzio? For the record, the DiMarzio Super Distortion is much less output than the Duncan Distortion. The DD was meant to be an improvement on the Super Distortion with more output for the growing hard rock/metal crowd. I use a Duncan Distortion in my primary guitar at the moment, and it's super thick, tight, and percussive. It's almost perfect for thrash and similar styles. I went from being a DiMarzio user to active EMGs, then to Duncan. I've used Suhr, Bare Knuckle, Lundgren, and a couple other "boutique" brands, but Duncan is the company that works for me. Great price and sound, not that there's anything wrong with DiMarzio... Duncan simply works for me.

07-21-2012, 06:49 PM	#6
~~jesuscrust~~ Banned Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 133	had to dreplae tthos pickups on my HSS