The ESP Guitar Company

Makes it less versatile. Unless you have a really awesome pickup, and enough EQ/boost pedals to have good clean, rhythm AND lead sound.

Having one pickup doesn't change the sound, it limits you to the sound of this single pickup. First I wanted single pickup guitars (cause I know how to get a good sound for distorted rhythm AND lead), but since my clean sound was crap, I started GASing for H-S guitars. Just another idea ;)

I had my M-I routed for a neck pup with zero audible difference for the bridge. No regrets and the lack of simplicity hardly bothers me.

What bothers me most is that a professional luthier eyed up the neck pickup about 1/16th of an inch off center....

ok I understand now, thanks for the replies

feraledge, how much did that run you to have the neck pick up installed??

$85 from Pianos n Stuff in Pittsburgh. Really good deal. The work is clean, but I really wish I had inspected it better on location because the pick up is off center enough to notice.

$85 is very cheap. I really want to have my M-I routed with a neck pickup. With the place I am located, there is no shop that I known of would do it.

No, I don't believe it is necessary a neck pickup is a must, especially for a metal rhythm player like I am. But it is fun to have a nice clean or some lead sound for kicks at times, and the ease of choice not switching to another guitar while on stage might warranty a neck pickup. I brought my M-I knowing very well I only need the bridge for my primary playing and I am limited to play mostly at home. The comfort of knowing a neck pickup may be routed in the future if I do need one is a plus.

DB-VII, what guitars are you looking?

Was looking for a guitar that is strung thru in black or white, in the standard series. I like the horizons but they dont offer it in black, the viper I am 50/50, the eclipse I really like and was gonna try and find a full thickness one, but I have decided to go with the eclipse II in snow white, pretty excited about it...