CS Star P'ups: 3d times the charm, right?

[vector]

Started with AHB-1 Blackout's spec-ed thru the CS order, then swapped out for Gus G's for more of a "passive feel" <bullshit-cough-cough> and recently, after marveling at the sound of an EMG equipped DK1, finally gave up and went to a set of EMG 81/85's. Feels right. The way it should be. The good news? My CS remains in pristine shape, even after 3 p'up swaps. Must be getting a little better at these DIY mods.
This ax never ceases to amaze me. Still the best ax for Floyd-ing I own. Period.

[bombtek]

Glad to hear you found some that worked right for you in that guitar. It's been a LONG time since you first posted about needing to find replacements for the originals.

[vector]

Not sure which is more impressive: that anyone even remembered that initial post or that I went back to EMG's after years of disliking and disparaging them.

[84sups]

Some guitars need certain pickups to sound right. My RG550 needs an Evolution in it while my pro-mods sound right with JBs. There's nothing wrong with EMGs

[leftykingv2]

I personally love the sound of EMG's. I can agree with 84sups as well. I have an old 550 that had three different sets of pick ups and I hated all of them until I threw in a set of EMG's Now the guitar screams. The funny part is I have another 550 that has the same pick ups the other previously had in it and it sounds great but the first one sounded like shit. Just goes to show you never really can tell.

[vector]

Like I said, I used to abhor EMG's. With a passion. Most sterile sounding mother fuckers I had ever heard. Scooped and all devoid of anything resembling the dynamics of passive p'ups. But I needed some heavy duty bottom definition in a Hamer, so, I put a set in the Godzilla Cali with heavier gauge strings and the bottom end came to life. Fuck knows, I like a nicely defined, tight bottom end The set in the DK1, with it's .09's, sounded the tits as well. Didn't take too much detective work to figure if they sounded so good in the alder-bodied DK1, then they might solve my problem with the mushy tone coming from the Gus G's in the alder Charvel CS Star. Bingo.

[Axewielder]

Not so much as a single blob of solder on the guitar finish? Congrats!

[leftykingv2]

I can agree with that as well Vector. I had a set of EMG's in one of my old Kramer's and they sounded completely lifeless. Just totally closed sound that was absolutely dead. I put some Duncan's in the same guitar and it came to life. I think EMG's have their place though in certain guitars. I do prefer Duncan's most of the time but the EMG's do scream in certain instruments in my opinion.

[vector]

Not so much as a single blob of solder on the guitar finish? Congrats!

Yeah, the solderless set up- Actually, had to solder the leads to the switch so that's not completely accurate. And the set I put in my Hamer was old school- everything needed soldering. No blobs of solder there either. Few near misses with melting wire covering but all in all, not too shabby.

[Chad]

Congrats, bro. I remember all of your threads on this. This is yet more proof that you just have to experiment with pickups to find what works in a given guitar. "What pickup" recommendation threads are okay to get a person going in the right direction, but actually installing and trying pickups is the only way to truly find what will be best.

BTW, I've gone back and forth with EMGs too. I'm currently liking them. Have a couple guitars that they work PERFECT in.