ESP Phoenix pickups. Hmmm

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ESP Phoenix pickups. Hmmm

Hey y'all, so. I never posted about it, but I got myself an ESP Phoenix II in white. It is my favorite damn guitar ever.

Anyway, I'm not super huge on the Jb/59 set that's in it. Doesn't get me my chimy clean that I like and the bridge pup is pretty shrill.

I've been looking at DiMarzios to replace the Duncans in it. Liquifire neck? Tone zone bridge? Crunch lab?

I've been reading about how the crunch lab sucks in mahogany (which the Phoenix is) so I just don't know. 

I love a good glassy chimy clean like my emg 60 gets me, but I'm trying to stay away from actives in this guitar. I also want a good neck lead sound though.

For the bridge, I want a good sustaining, biting sound without being super shrill while shredding.

Any suggestions? 

Thanks!

Pushead

Norton in the bridge, Air Norton in the neck.  36th Anniversary PAF in the neck would be good too, but it'll be a touch muddier.

jt76

 

+ 1 on the air norton in the neck - very warm and full without being muddy - plenty of definition whit heavy distortion also

the 36 ann is also a good choice - 

my favorite bridge pickup is a duncan sh5 - not as shrill as the jb - tight and crisp but the same attitude but slightly fuller sounding.

 

I also really like the bill lawrence L500XL in the bridge add an L500R in the neck and it is a very nice set - 

       the ones made by wilde pickups are the real version made by BIll Lawrence himself - Bill passed away a few years ago - but his wife becky still runs the company.

 

 

 

 

Shaun

The ol' bill and Becky! I wanted one of those when I went through a dimebag phase lol.

Shaun

Also, does "warm and full" still achieve a basically metallica-esque clean? I'm almost looking for a passive version of my emg 60, but maybe a little less trebly

Road King

I like the EMG 60A or the SD Pearly Gates in the neck. Maybe the EMG 57/66 set could give you the mix of active and passive properties you want. The Dimarzios already mentioned are also a good choice.

Shaun

I'd also like to coil split whatever I get, another reason I wanna go passives

slab

I put the crunch lab/tone zone in my dellinger II, which is an all mohog with bolt maple and ebony board.

 

It has a floyd, but I was building a shred machine and it layed waste, but I primarilied used it for solos over les paul rythem tracks.

 

It held together well with high gain drop d situations.

Gfunk

Gfunk

Nice geetah, congas!

 

No flanks as usual.

 

 

Mine has gone from snow white to olympic white in seven short years:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shaun

Good god that's beautiful. My absolute favorite color is Olympic white. I cannot wait for my Phoenix to gently turn perfect. What do you think about cream pickups in it?

Gfunk

I prefer zebras but yeah why not go full caucasian. 

 

Have fun!

 

 

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