Pickups for SLSMG

[jayd41]

These pickups have to go.

I have a Jackson SLSMG with the stock EMGHZ pickups in it and they are not good at all.

I have a few options and I'm hoping someone can give me some good advice.
I have a set of Dimarzio Evolutions I can pull out of an Ibanez for it.
I have a set of Dimarzio D Activators I can pull out of another guitar for it.
And I have a set of Lace Drop and Gains that I took out of an Ibanez S Classic because they didn't sound good in it.

I am thinking the Ibanez that I had the Laces in just didn't have enough body wood for as high gain as these pickups are, but maybe I'm just crazy. Don't know if that would affect the sound at all, but the pickups sounded just out of control in that guitar. It was thinner than the SLSMG and bolt on.

I'm hoping somebody has experience with these guitars and can steer me in the right direction.

This guitar will be used for modern metal and hard rock.

Thanks!

[psychles]

Another Advice Request: Passive HB'er Upgrade

Hi all:

=> I'm bumping this thread up, rather than creating a new one as there are several threads that deal with this topic <=

I'm pretty new around here, but have been doing quite a bit of reading and some posting as I really like the community you have put together here and there is a ton of knowledge... I just stayed up all night reading old threads!

Ok, to the point... I've been reading a lot about replacement pickups (trying to avoid having to start a new thread) and I think that I may have narrowed the options down so I won't have to ask for too much of your time.

I'm expecting my (early model) SLSMG next week and, as many of you know, the early models came with EMG-HZs... which I already know I will not like. Most people have recommended going with an active pickup (EMG or Blackouts), but here is what I'm asking that I've not been able to find... I want to go with a passive set for the SLSMG. I have a Soloist with active EMGs and I like it - but I want this guitar to be different. So, I've been combing through posts and have made the following short list of possibilities: BK Miracle Man, Dimarzio SD, Dimarzio Evo, Lundgren M6, APC, and the ones I am leaning the MOST toward... Duncan Custom (one of the ceramic models - probably TB-5 - but need to measure, think bridge will take TB). I tried to weed them out, but it's possible there are active pups in that list... It was a long night - haha.

Just to refresh (not a lot of SLSMGs around here): neck thru, mahogany, string-thru. Also, this guitar will be nearly 100% used for playing heavy (usually tuned - D) & using MXR fullbore into clean channel tube amp powering 4x12 and I definitely like the "scooped" sound. If there is a pickup that will run hotter than the HZ, boost harmonics and just give an overall more powerful signal, I can tweak the rest.

This is just for home playing as I'm just back into it after a few years away and bandmates have all scattered. With that said, I'm likely going to avoid going with the BKs as they appear to be nearly twice the price of the rest and, honestly, I think I will be happy with any of these. I think just KNOWING I've upgraded will motivate me to search for the tone, rather than just dismissing weak tone due to crappy pickups.

Any opinion would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks!

=> EDIT: I have started pricing a set that I think will work for me. Duncan Custom SH-5 for bridge and Duncan '59 SH-1 for neck (recommended by Duncan). SH-5 is around $75 new on EBay... not bad.

[psychles]

UPDATE: Today purchased Duncan Custom (SH-5) for bridge and Duncan '59 (SH-1) for neck.