New to pickups and need help!

[imdadanman]

Ok I'll start off plain and simple and say that im 15 and relatively new guitar but I have been playing for about 2 years now and I just want to achieve a better tone with my guitar with pickups that aren't stock
some of my favorite guitar tones are of the likes of:
-Eddie Van Halen
-Mick Mars
(most of all)-Dave Murray
(2nd most)-Adrian Smith
-K.K. Downing
-Glenn Tipton
-George Lynch
-etc.

I want to get a better quality tone following all the other tones I listed above by getting a tone that has a kick ass angst with a good treble and middle quality while also having a great bass to keep the sustain of notes...

I have right now an Ibanez Rg370GXL and was wondering what the heck i should do for pickups. Any suggestions?
i appreciate it

[skylark44]

Try GFS pickups... they sound awesome, and don't cost as much as Duncans, or DiMarzios. More and more forum members are using them, they've got a pretty good reputation...I've been using them for a few years, and I've tried (and still own) all the major brands, but I keep on going back to GFS...because they absolutely kick ass! Here's their "VEH" pickups, check 'em out... [urlhttp://store.guitarfetish.com/veviexhoblbr.html][/url] (they come in white & "Zebra" too). The "Crunchy Rails" & "Power Rails" are great pickups too, especially for metal. Welcome to the forums!

[imdadanman]

hahah thanks a ton!

[lightsix]

You could get a tone really close to Dave's with a DiMarzio Super Distortion (I believe Dave has a Super Distortion in his Fender signature strat right now actually) but for tones like Eddie Van Halen, Mick Mars, and George Lynch, I personally prefer the DiMarzio X2N. Both of those sound amazing in the bridge but if you're looking for a neck pickup as well, I suggest the DiMarzio PAF Pro, it has the same elements of the original Gibson PAF's with a slightly hotter edge to it, very Van Halen. You really can't go wrong with any of those three pickups.

[imdadanman]

thank you for the help guys ill look into all of them

[lightsix]

thank you for the help guys ill look into all of them

You're welcome, and good luck!

[Skully]

You could get a tone really close to Dave's with a DiMarzio Super Distortion (I believe Dave has a Super Distortion in his Fender signature strat right now actually) but for tones like Eddie Van Halen, Mick Mars, and George Lynch, I personally prefer the DiMarzio X2N. Both of those sound amazing in the bridge but if you're looking for a neck pickup as well, I suggest the DiMarzio PAF Pro, it has the same elements of the original Gibson PAF's with a slightly hotter edge to it, very Van Halen. You really can't go wrong with any of those three pickups.

I personally dont' think you can go wrong with the Super Distortion / PAF combo... it's timeless! Latley though I've installed a couple of Tone Zones and have been really impressed, they have the bottom of the SD but seem a bit more edgy. I've paired it with a Fred in one guitar and it's great.

[megaded]

I've heard the George Lynch Screamin' demon from SD can sound like EVH's pickup, and obviously it would cover the George Lynch sound. Though, I hear great things about the X2N, and Super distortion.

[ludichris]

These are all great suggestions, but we don't even know what amp he's playing through. I hate to state the obvious, but if he throws a set of Dimarzio's or SD's in, and he's playing through a 15 watt Spider III......I'll let you finish the rest.

[2manyguitars]

Try GFS pickups... they sound awesome, and don't cost as much as Duncans, or DiMarzios. More and more forum members are using them, they've got a pretty good reputation...I've been using them for a few years, and I've tried (and still own) all the major brands, but I keep on going back to GFS...because they absolutely kick ass! Here's their "VEH" pickups, check 'em out... [urlhttp://store.guitarfetish.com/veviexhoblbr.html][/url] (they come in white & "Zebra" too). The "Crunchy Rails" & "Power Rails" are great pickups too, especially for metal. Welcome to the forums!

agreed. I haven't bought anything but GFS for years... I'm gonna get the power rails next! I even bought 2 sets out of they're clearance section and use them in my main guitars! ($35 for the set) they sound great.

[ludichris]

Yeah, great. What amp is he using? Otherwise, this is all pointless.

[diabolical]

I have a friend with a similar Ibanez and he is really happy with what I recommended and his recordings direct to PC (via amp sims) sound much better. Dimarzio PAF Joe in the neck and Duncan SH-4 in the bridge.

The stock Ibanez pickups are really weak, I changed mine for Duncan JB neck/Duncan Hot Rails (single size humbucker)/Duncan Distortion (SH-6). I am also really happy with these.

[skylark44]

Try GFS pickups... they sound awesome, and don't cost as much as Duncans, or DiMarzios. More and more forum members are using them, they've got a pretty good reputation...I've been using them for a few years, and I've tried (and still own) all the major brands, but I keep on going back to GFS...because they absolutely kick ass! Here's their "VEH" pickups, check 'em out... [urlhttp://store.guitarfetish.com/veviexhoblbr.html][/url] (they come in white & "Zebra" too). The "Crunchy Rails" & "Power Rails" are great pickups too, especially for metal. Welcome to the forums!

agreed. I haven't bought anything but GFS for years... I'm gonna get the power rails next! I even bought 2 sets out of they're clearance section and use them in my main guitars! ($35 for the set) they sound great.

I've got a Power Rails in the bridge of my Washburn (Idol W-114), and I'm putting a Crunchy Rails in my Squire '51 project guitar...but to be honest, I really was surprised how good & powerful the "Hot Hex Overwound" pickup set sounded (from the clearance section), when I installed them...I wasn't expecting them to sound that great, but they're really kick ass pickups, and definately worth alot more than I paid for them ($39, a set). I'd get 'em, while they still have 'em...you won't be dissapointed, I wasn't .

[soundgardener75]

Yeah, great. What amp is he using? Otherwise, this is all pointless.

Exactly what I would've said.

[skylark44]

Try GFS pickups... they sound awesome, and don't cost as much as Duncans, or DiMarzios. More and more forum members are using them, they've got a pretty good reputation...I've been using them for a few years, and I've tried (and still own) all the major brands, but I keep on going back to GFS...because they absolutely kick ass! Here's their "VEH" pickups, check 'em out... [urlhttp://store.guitarfetish.com/veviexhoblbr.html][/url] (they come in white & "Zebra" too). The "Crunchy Rails" & "Power Rails" are great pickups too, especially for metal. Welcome to the forums!

agreed. I haven't bought anything but GFS for years... I'm gonna get the power rails next! I even bought 2 sets out of they're clearance section and use them in my main guitars! ($35 for the set) they sound great.

I've got a Power Rails in the bridge of my Washburn (Idol W-114), and I'm putting a Crunchy Rails in my Squire '51 project guitar...but to be honest, I really was surprised how good & powerful the "Hot Hex Overwound" pickup set sounded (from the clearance section), when I installed them (I also used a Torres Engineering, 2meg volume pot...with a "volume kit", treble-bleed circuit)...I wasn't expecting them to sound that great, but they're really kick ass pickups, and definately worth alot more than I paid for them ($39, a set). I'd get 'em, while they still have 'em...you won't be dissapointed, I wasn't .