Pickups for an Ibby 7321

[Line666]

Finally caved and bought an Ibanez after much (not much) deliberation.

Anyway I really like the guitar and the neck, but as mentioned pretty much everywhere the stock pickups are royal shite and need replaced ASAP. (Never heard stocks with overtones this grating before)

I realise theres about a million threads on sevenstring.org about this already but I'm not sure I trust the people on there anywhere near as much as I do you guys when it comes to tone.

Body is basswood and I was thinking about EMG 81-7 Bridge + 707 Neck but I'd prefer not to have to get the thing routed. So that leaves me with pretty much Blackout Phase I's (which seem barely tolerated universally) for actives or some sort of Dimarzio/Seymour Duncan combo for passives.

No suggestions for Bareknuckles please as they are both A) Expensive and B) Muddy as fark.

So if you guys have suggestions for something tight and modern with no flubby midrange farting then it would be appreciated.

 

[CAlexanderParra]

Dimarzio Crunch Lab+LiquiFire, D Activators, & Blaze models seems to be pretty popular with modern tight stuff.

 

[ang3]

maybe dimarzio d-activators. i put em on my warlock with basswood and the low end is really tight, no flub and not muddy at all. d-activators are described as the passive version of emgs and more organic.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

whenever I heard the d-activators I hated them NOTHGIN to do with the tightness of EMG etc.
I'm using the Crunchlab i my 7421, it's quite nice, but the Blaze is better...I'd definitely say go with the Blaze

 

[Line666]

whenever I heard the d-activators I hated them NOTHGIN to do with the tightness of EMG etc.
I'm using the Crunchlab i my 7421, it's quite nice, but the Blaze is better...I'd definitely say go with the Blaze

Thanks for confirming my doubts about the D-Activators Lasse, I didn't really buy the hype around them being passive EMGs at all, seemed questionable to say the least

I will keep the Blaze in mind, does anyone have any opinions on the Evo?

 

[guitarguru777]

If you want passive pickup similar to an EMG, Bare Knuckle Miracle Man 7! Its what I use in my custom 7 string. Honestly the BLAZE is a GREAT Pickup as well

The Miracle mans are definitely not as TIGHT as an EMG but they do have a very similar tonal character to the 85. They are a looser pickup for sure, but I prefer that personally. If you want uber tight then go with the Blaze or the EVO 7

I use Evos in all my guitars, Ibanez AND my Les Pauls. I love the EVO its the perfect metal pickup imho. In a mahogany guitar its got a really nice scoop in the right areas to clean up some of the mud, and in basswood guitars its really livens them up.

I could cut you some DI's but I dont have any new strings for the 7 string in my house at the moment, and the strings on it are almost 6 months old. I rarely play it ....lol

 

[Virgil.]

I second the Crunchlab / Liquifire combo. I have this set in my 7420 and love it. I've heard the Blaze Customs are great too. Just be sure to get the Customs and not just the normal Blaze.

 

[Line666]

Just be sure to get the Customs and not just the normal Blaze.

Why's that?

 

[Virgil.]

Why's that?

I had that same question, and I was told that the Customs were designed to keep the low B and E strings crisper without getting muddy in the low-end... "a nice rich, midrangey tonality that is very tight and punchy." Whether or not that is completely accurate, I'm not sure. I would have researched it further, but I ended up liking the crunchlab/liquifire combo better, and I got a great price on a set that I couldn't pass up.

I believe Ola is using just the normal Blaze p'ups in this video of his...



At the end of the day though, I really liked the crispy and sharp attack and response of the Crunchlab in the bridge so I ended up getting that instead.

If I had the money, I would have gotten a BKP Painkiller for the bridge... but I love these Dimarzios for the price!

 

[pattonfreak1]

I have an RG7321 and I have the D-Sonic 7 (which I believe is now the CrunchLab) in the bridge and it sounds stellar.

 

[Trevoire520]

You might not necessarily have to rout the guitar for emg's. I'm putting some EMG's in the RG321 (not a 7 mind you) and I've found that they fit fine into the existing cavities and pickup rings.

 

[Line666]

The EMG 7's are housed differently, it's definitely requires routing unfortunately and i've checked extensively (or I'd be sticking them in straight off the bat), as it stands I think even the blackout phase 1's need the bottom of the cavity routed because they are too tall and looking at the Ibanez 5 way switch it doesnt look like its gonna be a fun soldering job for anything. (Obviously should have kept with Les Pauls )

 

[Executioner213]

You do have to route for 7-string EMG's. I just did so myself yesterday, installing 707's in my 7321. I also ordered an EMG 3-way switch so I can go completely solder free. I had to route the inner cavity to allow for some connections, but I didn't mind that after already having to route for the pickups to fit.

 

[Sepultorture]

in basswood i'd go with BKP Aftermath

 

[Lasse Lammert]

in basswood i'd go with BKP Aftermath

he said he wants a tight sound (EMG tight)

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Thank God this thread came along when it did. I picked up an AX 7221 (haha I know it's a piece but it's more for kicking around I have 2 other guitars I play more) and I'm pretty possitive the pickups, toggle switch and pots are going to be instant replace. (I paid $100 for it for anyone who wants to know).

I think I'm gonna go blaze going off how people are describing them.

I'm also thinking about trying to swirl this guitar since it's a bolt on neck (none of my other guitars are bolt on or sport finishes that I would want to swirl anyhow).

 

[NeglectedField]

If the 7-string version of the Seymour Duncan Distortion sounds the same as the 6-string version, try that.

I tell ya, EMG should follow Seymour Duncan's idea of selling a version of their 707 and/or 81/7 in passive sized housing, like the Blackouts are. No routing needed and minimal damage done if you decide to go back to passives.

 

[Line666]

Yeah Tim, have to agree, if EMG did that I wouldn't even be asking this question, it'd be a done deal already. The solderless thing helps too, never had a solder job go wrong its just I hate doing it.

As it stands though just trying to find something on the second hand market thats not gonna skin me too much, if I can find a set of EMG's cheapish then I may just suck it up and take the damn thing to the shop to get routed.