new bridge pick-up for an old epiphone

[yukonc5]

Hello all you string benders...I have an old epiphone genesis that I got back in 1980. yeah I'm approaching old-fartdom. I would like to change the bridge pick-up but I really don't have a clue as to what to buy. I like to play Sabbath, B.O.C.,early Aerosmith, etc. The stock neck humbucker is real sweet for clean and distorted Santana type
sounds but the bridge one falls a little short of being the
screamer that I would like to have. I play through an old fender vibrachamp and a 50 watt musicman amp. I get a pretty good sound out of the pick-up now but I think it could be improved. There are simply so many brands and models and I doubt they will let me solder one in just to try it out.
Any input would be appreciated. Oh and back to being an old
fart, I'm not there yet but it has been a while since the
smoker I drank the player I got. Thanks and look forward to your replies
Yukon Cornelius

[Slasher]

I would suggest Seymour Duncan Alnico II pro humbuckers. They should be just what your looking for, they give off a good bluesy hard rock sound. Should cost about $70.

[yukonc5]

Hey thanks Slasher, I have looked at those but didn't know anybody that had any experience with them. I reckon $70 bucks is not alot to shoot on a good pick-up. I'll keep my eye out for one. And by the way ,..bluesy hard rock is just where I like to be.
Thanks again.
p.s. Looks like I might need to warm up the soldering gun!

[Lordathestrings]

I recommend the DiMarzio Super Distortion. Its a 4-wire humbucker that can be wired to a switch for series or parallel connection of the coils without losing the humbucking effect.

In series, you get a classic, heavy, 'bucker sound suitable for Sabbath and Aerosmith. In parallel, you get a really good blues tone that sounds like a hum-free Strat with a little more upper midrange.

[Raskolnikov]

Just a note: There's a Tony Iommi signature pickup from Gibson now. $110 from Musician's Friend.

[yukonc5]

Thanks for the feedback lordathestrings. My old epi already has a coil tap switch so that might be an option. I know Dimarzio pick-ups were hot back in the 70's. Sure got alot more to choose from now. Pretty much like everything else. I remember channel surfing when there were only 4 channels.
Hey lord ( I like that name) do you remember a group called Wishbone Ash? What did you think of them? I have every album and thought they were really good.
thanks again for the pick-up info.
grog go now

[PonyOne]

I'd say either a Dimarzio SuperDistortion or a DiMarzio ToneZone. The SD is an epic PU, and has been behind a lot of the really powerful rock solos you hear. The ToneZone is similar but has higher still output. I am putting one in my custom-built uberguitar that I should have by september; I like the way that the pickups respond to the nuances of your playing style.

Also look for a Seymour Duncan Buckshot; they're part of the Performer series for Guitar Center. It bridges the gap between the SD and ToneZone pretty well, and is great for blues as well as metal (I play similar stuff to what you describe, minus Aerosmith). Also they only cost abut $40.

Try the Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan websites, they offer some good info. Also, http://www.stewmac.com offers this thing called a Black Ice Overdrive Module that I highly endorse...

[yukonc5]

Ha ha. well I thank you all...seems like I'm right back to where I started with so many choices...but you all have been a big help and I especially like the sound of the $40 one already...
thanks again