What pickup for upgrade?


jeff.knieser
Registered User
Joined: 05/29/19
Posts: 2
jeff.knieser
Registered User
Joined: 05/29/19
Posts: 2
05/29/2019 11:32 am

So I need some advice. I want to replace the pickup on my guitar. My guitar is a Japanese 1987 Ibanez Roadstar 410. I love this guitar because it only has a single humbucker in the bridge position and a volume knob. And it plays great all over the neck, stays in tune...just a great little Japanese guitar. This guitar has a basswood body and bolt on maple neck. My amp is a Peavey vip vyper 2. I just can't get a good metal sound (if I turn my amp up, it ends up sounding nasally and with no balls now matter how much I fuss with the knobs. I play in drop d most of the time and dream of a thick, full Helmet-like distortion. I love vintage thrash, but all aggressive metal (think more Slayer and less Iron Maiden). The current humbucker is askew like some were in the 80s. I don't mind modifying that so it's in a normal (parallel with bridge) position. What pickup do I upgrade to?


# 1
Guitar Tricks Admin
Full Access
Joined: 09/28/05
Posts: 3,476
Guitar Tricks Admin
Full Access
Joined: 09/28/05
Posts: 3,476
05/29/2019 5:17 pm

Hi there,

From what Google has told me, looks like the guitar takes a single humbucker.

You can't go wrong with a Seymour Duncan, or if you want to be even fancier, chec out Bare Knuckle pickups: https://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/pickups/humbucker


If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact us.
# 2
fuzzb0x
Full Access
Joined: 04/02/13
Posts: 580
fuzzb0x
Full Access
Joined: 04/02/13
Posts: 580
05/29/2019 6:02 pm

Also worth having a look at Oil City Pickups, great UK handmade pickups

https://www.oilcitypickups.co.uk/


# 3
jeff.knieser
Registered User
Joined: 05/29/19
Posts: 2
jeff.knieser
Registered User
Joined: 05/29/19
Posts: 2
05/29/2019 8:56 pm

Thanks. I kinda had my eye on a duncan distortion sh-6.


# 4

Please register with a free account to post on the forum.