Please help me decide!

[tseegert]

So, last weekend was my b-day, and the wife decided to let me spend some more cash on my passion. I have an SLSMG, and am going to lose the HZ's. Considering it's a mahagony neck thru/string thru, which combo of pups would best result in nice smooth highs, decent mids, and tight lows? Think John Petrucci. I am getting them this Saturday, so any quick responses are greatly apprciated.

[Rich#6]

petuccie uses dimarzio custom pups. the closest you can buy is Steve special bridge and air norton neck accoding to their web site. I might go with the tone zone in the bridge.

[toejam]

Petrucci's now using a Drop Sonic as his bridge pup. I've never tried one of those, though. I'd personally go with either a Tone Zone or Super Distortion.

[tseegert]

Would the fact that his guitars are generally not Mahagony play a large part in not getting the results I'm lookng for? Or would it just be a matter of EQ-ing slightly to compensate for the tonal difference in the wood?

[Rich#6]

His guitars are made from basswood which most people say on this board that that wood doesn't have much tone. Mahagony should only inprove the sound. I think your sound problem is the HZs. to me they have no tone they're just an in your face pickup.

[tseegert]

His guitars are made from basswood which most people say on this board that that wood doesn't have much tone. Mahagony should only inprove the sound. I think your sound problem is the HZs. to me they have no tone they're just an in your face pickup.

I couldnt agree with you more. Not good, not bad, just kinda there. I'm assuming that slapping a pair of any decent high-end pups will work wonders for the tone. Ahh well, I spose I'll hit the Dimarzios. Havent bought a set of those in years.

[bibz]

Massive upgrade for the slsmg, and dont put to much stock in wood type. Don't forget about it either, but the guitar sounds great standard, improving the pickups (hz's 'sound' ok, just have no 'depth' or 'life' imo) brings out alot more guitar! I've been through a JB/Jazz setup in mine (shrill) and current have a dimebucker in the bridge, but am keen to try some EMG's in it. Pickups changing as its use does shows how versatile these guitars really are!

[tseegert]

I've decided to go with the Steve's Special and Air Norton. Seems to be what I'm looking for. I'll holler after I get em installed middle/end of this week and let ya's know how it sounds.

[kelly user]

81/60 for sure they sound just awsome in mahagony sound great in my LTD EC-2005 which is a set neck and all mahagony but has a n ebony board so that might have tightened up the sound a bit but lack tone wise another in your face pick-up