Pickup upgrade - Ibanez AS93 semi hollow

seachto7

howdee all,

Looking for some opinions on pickups for an Ibanez AS93. The stock pups seem kind of muddy. I have played them alongside a Gibson mid town, and while they are both different beasts, the Gibson had lots of clarity.
So, I'm looking to try and improve the Ibanez and its clarity. Should I just get a set of Gibson pickups?

I also notice the volume and tone dials seem to go "10,9,8 straight to zero".

Would a pot upgrade fix this?

zafo

New tones caps or pots could solve your muddiness a lot quicker and cheaper than a new set of pickups. Is there any way of seeing what value is on the caps and the pots? The sudden drop on the volume sounds like they've used linear instead of log/audio pots so changing to audio would solve that problem.

seachto7

Not sure, but I'll start with the pots and see... Yeah, when I'm turning it down, it goes down to about 8 then to zero, almost like a kill switch!

seachto7

Hi again,

I changed the pots etc, and now the volume and tone rolls back nice and smoothly. Overall sound is still a bit muddy, so I'm going to look at a pickup upgrade next.

I am playing through a stock Vox AC15, and would usually play in the top boost channel so I at least have the bass and treble to play with.

I'm not sure what pups would be good? Should I just plump for a set of Gibsons? Or some seymour duncans? I wouldn't be playing high octane metal or anything, but do like to rock out!

I'm also in the middle of grabbing another overdrive or distortion pedal......

zafo

Not really sure on pickups to recommend, I'm a bass player, but have a read of this as you might be able to get the stock ones less muddy.

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2008/Mar/Auditioning_Tone_Capacitors.aspx

seachto7

cheers for that. Might look into some new pickups though.....

zafo

Aye sure why not. Bare knuckle are the kings if you can afford them, GFS does some great cheap stuff too. I do like the Gibsons in my late 90s SG.

seachto7

Yeah, not sure how much to spend, I suppose I'll get something half decent.......

666irishguy

You could try an equalizer pedal like the Boss Ge-7 to help give you a bit of a lift in the mids.

seachto7

yup, I have one in the chain alright, must tinker around more with it...

666irishguy

They are a useful little pedal. If you are looking for a decent set of pickups you won't go two far wrong with Seymour Duncan.
http://www.thomann.de/ie/seymour_duncan_ssh59_set_vintage_blues_bk.htm
http://www.thomann.de/ie/seymour_duncan_saph_2s_slash_alnico_ii_bk_set.htm

Personally I'd go for something like these for the money.

seachto7

think id go for the vintage blues ones........

Seziertisch

http://www.wizardpickups.co.uk/

These guys are as good as any other boutique builder out there and pricewise they are really competitive.

666irishguy

seachto7 wrote: »

think id go for the vintage blues ones........

Yeah I'd nearly give them a look myself if I was looking for a good all rounder. The Slash ones are pretty popular and I haven't heard much bad things about them apart from one or two lads who reckoned they were a bit too bright.

seachto7

will look into those pickups so.... Santa might be good to me....

seachto7

revisiting this again. Sorry for dragging up my old thread. But if anyone has some other suggestions...

I wouldn't play metal, but would hook it up to a big muff with no complaints......

seachto7

Schaller Golden 50s?