Preferred Artist pickups?

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Author Message   Shawnnycanuck Username: Shawnnycanuck Registered: 03-2006 Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 2:47 pm:    Hi everybody, I'm new to the forum and I've enjoyed reading all the various posts. I'm interested in old Artists and hope to pick up a nice 2619 or AR300 eventually. I wanted to ask a question about pickups though, I've seen several of the vintage Artist models with different types of pups, from Super 80s/70s/58s to the V2s that are on the '79/'80s AR100s. All things being equal (body wood, etc.), what are the tonal differences in these pups, and which would you say would be the preferred ones with most players? Cheers, Shawn   Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Friday, March 31, 2006 - 2:02 pm:    Welcome! Jim Donahue sums it up: http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/messages/6484/14846.html?1143591041 He has a nice way of cutting to 'teh' chase My personal preference is the V2s. The bridge tone is rich and singing, and the neck sound great either clean or dirty, even gets good jazz tone. Super 70s are too brittle and hi-fi for me. 58s are a good PAF style, but can get a little muddy, and are uninspiring when overdriven.   Strings Username: Strings Registered: 01-2005 Posted on Saturday, April 01, 2006 - 10:55 am:    I have to disagree with Funkle on the 58s. And the V2s I've experienced lacked in quality mid-range textures...which makes sense that Jim compares that one to the Dimarzio Super Distortion as I feel the same about that pup. As a guess, I would have to believe the folks at Ibanez felt the same way as the V2 was offer on the lower-end models only. I think it depends largely on your setup and what axe they are in. I've only played the V2s in the AR100...and the 82 AR100 with 58s (a friend lent it to me for a month) was much closer and, in many ways, better than the quality Gibson LP humbucker tones that I was looking for. Chocolate and vanilla!   Shawnnycanuck Username: Shawnnycanuck Registered: 03-2006 Posted on Sunday, April 02, 2006 - 7:58 pm:    Good points from both of you, and Jim's post was informative as well. So far nobody has mentioned the Super 80s though, with all the interest in the "flying finger" pups I would have thought they had the most sought after tones. How do people feel about the Super 80s compared to the other pups?   Ibanezfreak1960 Username: Ibanezfreak1960 Registered: 03-2004 Posted on Sunday, April 02, 2006 - 8:45 pm:    The V2 was not just a low end pup! As it was offered in the Destroyer, the high end ST models and a few others I can't think of at the moment. I think its a kick ••• pup. That why some destroyers had the V2 and the 58 together.   Mr_roadstar Username: Mr_roadstar Registered: 06-2002 Posted on Monday, April 03, 2006 - 2:40 am:    V1/V2, V1/S1/V2, or V1/S2/V2 combinations were the common pickup in many RG and S models thoughout the 90's. These were NOT the low end models. I've yet to find anything that works better than the V1/V2 pair. BTW: A V2 is NOT a Dimarzio Super clone. The Super has a ceramic magnet, the V2 has Alnico. Much smoother tone. Steve   Strings Username: Strings Registered: 01-2005 Posted on Monday, April 03, 2006 - 10:27 am:    Whoops, Me thinks my dissertation on my (limited) experience has upset an applecart or two. Top reiterate, I know jack&*#! about any other Ibanez axes so my (limited) opinion should not be misconstrued as expertise. My vote for 70s & 80s Artists - which was the question) are just as they shipped : Super80 (incredibly flexible and unique flavor of humbucker...especially when integrated with the EQ!!) in the late 70's and Super58s in the stockier '80s models...as good a feedback/sustain response from a fat mahogany body I've ever experienced. 2 cents...   Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Monday, April 03, 2006 - 12:56 pm:    Strings, no harm done. Shawn asked us our opinions, and you have a right to yours. I knew someone would counter my opinion about the Super 58. The truth is that they are all great OEM pickups which fill different niches. Looking at the '81 catalog, you could easily surmise that the V2 was used on the lower end models. What their marketing reason was I do not know. As Steve said, they later turned up in higher end models. -Sven   Strings Username: Strings Registered: 01-2005 Posted on Monday, April 03, 2006 - 2:53 pm:    And, as you and I have similar taste (e.g. our discussion on "Blow by Blow" and "Wired"), I would certainly not be adverse to trying them again...it surely has been a while. I wonder if Ibanez created the V2 as a standard two-wire pup and thought it a better solution at that time for that config than the 58s. Seems it was only used in the AR with standard humbucker wiring. I also wonder how they worked around the "rights" problem that Jim D. mentioned as they went forward with it later in these other models sited above.   Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 12:00 pm:    Strings, have you checked out the Jeff Beck tribute album "The Loner"? Pickups are such a personal thing. I have to say I do like the Duncan SH14 Custom 5 better than the V2. Similar output and smoothness with delicious resonant overtones.   Mr_roadstar Username: Mr_roadstar Registered: 06-2002 Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 2:17 am:    As for the "rights" issue, Dimarzio only holds a patent on the double cream colored bobbins. The later model V2's are black. Steve   Munch Username: Munch Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 3:14 am:    Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't the V2 introduced on the PS-10 Paul Stanley in 1978??? You can't get much higher end than that!! My take on the Ibanez Pickups: Super 58 - warm and jazzy V2 - Warm and compressed Super 70 - Sparkly and dynamic Super 80 - Bright, high output, Hi-Fi sounding My pick of the bunch is super 70. Anyone know if the Super 88 sounds any different to the Super 80?? Cheers, Mark   Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 8:21 am:    Munch: What do you mean by "hi-fi" sounding? I've ony heard this term in connection with old record players. I thought it was short for High Fidelity, which always seem quite vague.   Overdriver Username: Overdriver Registered: 12-2005 Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 10:45 am:    The best pickup for an Artist is an original Gibson PAF.. I used one on my 2618 in '78. It was awesome. Unfortunately they're going for thousands now.....so I'd recommend Bare Knuckle pickups.   Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 3:33 pm:    John, ever try running a guitar through a full range PA or home stereo? It sounds brittle and edgy. You lose the natural "Lo-Fi" contouring that a guitar amp does by rolling off the highs and lows. A Hi-Fi pickup is the same idea. Very accurate and detailed across the spectrum. You either love it or hate it. I prefer a pickup that selectively rolls off the extremes, and some of the harshness that is inherent in the electric guitar. -Sven   Strings Username: Strings Registered: 01-2005 Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 10:49 pm:    Munch, Who is Paul Stanley...is he a guitarist?   Strings Username: Strings Registered: 01-2005 Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 10:54 pm:    Ooops...my bad. I just looked him up on the web.   Mr_roadstar Username: Mr_roadstar Registered: 06-2002 Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 11:50 pm:    "The best pickup for an Artist is an original Gibson PAF" If you want that kind of sound, sure. I'd rather my bridge pickup have some balls. Steve   Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 6:38 am:    In 1979 I ditched the Super 80's in my 2619 for a while and put a pair of Di'marzio PAF's in the guitar. Sounded a lot better but looked a bit ugly. six   Overdriver Username: Overdriver Registered: 12-2005 Posted on Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 1:23 pm:    "If you want that kind of sound, sure. I'd rather my bridge pickup have some balls." Anyone who knows anything about original PAFs, and can play well, knows that they have the tone AND the balls. Matched with a Marshall Plexi or JCM800 nothing beats them for tone.   Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 7:40 pm:    True, I still have a pair myself. Black bobbin versions from a 61 Les Paul SG. In saying that, there are some very good replacement versions out there. I like the Antiquities, WCR's are good, Lindy Frailin makes a good set, the Seth Lovers are nice. Tom Holmes are supposed to be the nearest but I've never tried them. six   Mr_roadstar Username: Mr_roadstar Registered: 06-2002 Posted on Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 11:53 pm:    Great, now I can't play and don't know anything about tone. Or, maybe I just don't like the same things you do... Steve   Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Friday, April 07, 2006 - 12:55 am:    You're right Steve it comes down to personal taste and needs in the end. six   Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Friday, April 07, 2006 - 2:10 pm:    When we start talking in absolutes, feathers are going to get ruffled. The only best pickup is the one YOU like the most, and works the best with your equipment, tastes and playing style.

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