What pickup? KB Rhoads

[Izegrim]

Hi guys,

I've grown tired of the SD Iommi pickup in my Kevin Bond Rhoads. It truly is a fantastic guitar but I think it emphasizes non-musical tones when playing with loads of gain. My APC's in the Dinky sound pretty good but I'm looking for something as radical as the KBR looks. I play my baby downtuned to B so I need a clear and articulate pickup that goes well with an all-mahogany guitar. I was thinking the good ol' 81 in the bridge and in the ne-... oh wait, I only have a routing in the bridge. But the 85 might be a better choice as I see more and more people switching the classic 81N-85B combo around. I don't have the luxury to try both setups. I hope I can make a clear decision solely based on your opinions. By the way, my main amp is an ENGL Fireball with the ENGL Standart V60 loaded 4x12" cab. Thanks you for your help. And please respond only based on experience and not of what you've (only) read on the internet.

Eternally grateful,

Ize

[guitarsjb]

I've never played a Bond RR..but I put X2N's in all of my RR's. Great pickup (DiMarzio)

[Inazone]

The guys from Nile used SD Invaders in their mahogany Deans (Vs and maybe MLs) last time I saw them. Although I don't tune down for my own stuff, I use an Invader to record with. That's in a basswood Dinky, but basswood is closer to mahogany tone-wise than any other frequently used wood, at least to my ears. I know at least one other guitarist locally who uses an Invader in a mahogany guitar for downtuned grindcore/death and it sounds good.

So, believe it or not, I'm going to suggest the Invader! I have used the EMG 81 for tuning down, and although it is OK, I just don't care much for it. Haven't tried any DiMarzios for the lower stuff.

[kelly user]

Hi guys,

I've grown tired of the SD Iommi pickup in my Kevin Bond Rhoads. It truly is a fantastic guitar but I think it emphasizes non-musical tones when playing with loads of gain. My APC's in the Dinky sound pretty good but I'm looking for something as radical as the KBR looks. I play my baby downtuned to B so I need a clear and articulate pickup that goes well with an all-mahogany guitar. I was thinking the good ol' 81 in the bridge and in the ne-... oh wait, I only have a routing in the bridge. But the 85 might be a better choice as I see more and more people switching the classic 81N-85B combo around. I don't have the luxury to try both setups. I hope I can make a clear decision solely based on your opinions. By the way, my main amp is an ENGL Fireball with the ENGL Standart V60 loaded 4x12" cab. Thanks you for your help. And please respond only based on experience and not of what you've (only) read on the internet.

Eternally grateful,

Ize

not a very nice way to ask, anywho what kind of pick-up are you looking for more specifically. bright, fat, etc. x2n from what joe said is bright, invader is boomy and bassy. jazz, jb or custom would be some good stuff. BUT I HAVE READ....... just messing with you, i would like to try out the new dimarzio d-activator pick up, it sounds right up your alley.

run down of the emgs; 81 is worst or equal to the current pick up, except lifeless( flame on), 85 IMO is thin sounding. but i like my pick ups fat and full of balls.

[Izegrim]

I'm sorry if I seemed a little discriminating. It just seems to me that a lot of known gear has gained reputation through the internet and sometimes whole tribes of kids are discussing stuff they haven't even seen in the flesh.

Thanks for suggesting me some pickups. I'll put them on my list. Maybe I should have been a little more clear about my intentions to put actives in my KBR. I love passive pickups but I have never had any actives before so I'd like to give it a try. I've heard good AND bad stuff about the 81. People tend to like them in the bridge because their super tight and articulate. They also are disliked for lacking mids and being sterile. The 85 is known for having pronounced mids, or at least that's what I understood. See, I have my information from the internet and that's why I asked for hands-down experience.

I am worried that I don't have enough mids with an 81. And I'm worried that I have too much with the 85. What is theoretically more likely? I'm still in the dark...

[toejam]

I typically prefer the 85 in the bridge over the 81. I also like the 81 or 60 in the neck over the 85. I don't think the mids are too much with an 85.
Though, with a one-pickup guitar, even with an 81, you can dial in more mids from your amp and get a great sound out of it as well. It's really not all that scooped, IMO, but it is definitely brighter than the 85.

[kelly user]

I'm sorry if I seemed a little discriminating. It just seems to me that a lot of known gear has gained reputation through the internet and sometimes whole tribes of kids are discussing stuff they haven't even seen in the flesh.

Thanks for suggesting me some pickups. I'll put them on my list. Maybe I should have been a little more clear about my intentions to put actives in my KBR. I love passive pickups but I have never had any actives before so I'd like to give it a try. I've heard good AND bad stuff about the 81. People tend to like them in the bridge because their super tight and articulate. They also are disliked for lacking mids and being sterile. The 85 is known for having pronounced mids, or at least that's what I understood. See, I have my information from the internet and that's why I asked for hands-down experience.

I am worried that I don't have enough mids with an 81. And I'm worried that I have too much with the 85. What is theoretically more likely? I'm still in the dark...

I typically prefer the 85 in the bridge over the 81. I also like the 81 or 60 in the neck over the 85. I don't think the mids are too much with an 85.
Though, with a one-pickup guitar, even with an 81, you can dial in more mids from your amp and get a great sound out of it as well. It's really not all that scooped, IMO, but it is definitely brighter than the 85.

if thats the case you can dial in just about any pick-up.......... just some tweaking between the EQ and the amp.

[toejam]

True, and it's easier on a one-pickup guitar than trying to balance the tones with a two-pickup guitar.

[D-EJ915]

The X2N and Iommi are both much better than the 81 in a V, I just put an X2N in mine and it really sounds much better now, it has bass all of a sudden, athough from your description I don't think it would be the pickup for you.

[straycat]

Try a vintage DiMarzio super "D" they kick ass in mahogony.WCR darkburst or crossroads would work they are a more PAF ish pickup.

[Izegrim]

I typically prefer the 85 in the bridge over the 81. I also like the 81 or 60 in the neck over the 85. I don't think the mids are too much with an 85.
Though, with a one-pickup guitar, even with an 81, you can dial in more mids from your amp and get a great sound out of it as well. It's really not all that scooped, IMO, but it is definitely brighter than the 85.

So depending on my amps controls you're saying that I can either choose the 81 or 85 because I'm only using one pup. I play through an ENGL Fireball which already has a slightly scooped character. I tend to lean to the 85 because I think it might cut a bit better. Does the 85 have a tight bass response?

The X2N and Iommi are both much better than the 81 in a V, I just put an X2N in mine and it really sounds much better now, it has bass all of a sudden, athough from your description I don't think it would be the pickup for you.

Are you referring to the Seymour Duncan Iommi? I think it sounds kind of screechy and not tight at all. I think it's great for seventies rock where you need little gain and a lot of poweramp saturation. It sucks *ss for death metal and thrash metal. It has got some high mids that to my ears are not really musical. Playing different powerchords will result in hearing exactly the same frequencies, they don't change like my APC loaded guitar does. Did you replace the Iommi with an X2N in a Kevin Bond Rhoads?

[Sunbane]

Does the 85 have a tight bass response?

Oh yes. Not quite as tight as the 81, but definitely tight enough.

The X2N is also nice and tight in the lower register, but has a more scooped sound. However, it also sounds great when split! If you ever play clean parts, you could use the splitting feature with a push-push volume pot or something like that.

[toejam]

So depending on my amps controls you're saying that I can either choose the 81 or 85 because I'm only using one pup. I play through an ENGL Fireball which already has a slightly scooped character. I tend to lean to the 85 because I think it might cut a bit better. Does the 85 have a tight bass response?

Well, I guess if your amp has a slight scooped character to begin with and you can't really eq it out, then I'd go with the 85. It does have tight bass response.

[Izegrim]

I guess I'm going to order an EMG 85 then... If I don't like it I'm coming after you hehe. Nah, thanks for all the help guys. I hope my EMG adventure is going to be a succesful one. Until now, I've seen nobody yell 'DON'T PUT AN 85 IN THE BRIDGE POSITION OF A DOWNTUNED-NECKTHRU-MAHOGANY-WITH-EBONY-FINGERBOARD GUITAR!!' so I'm gonna go for it.

[toejam]

I use the 85 in the bridge of my Les Paul Studio "vintage mahogany". The whole body, neck and carved top is mahogany (and the fingerboard is rosewood which is darker/warmer sounding than ebony), and it sounds fine. The lowest I tune to is D, but I'm sure you'll be fine.