I have found keeping the TLSE to "Line" is the way I really like to go with my sound, to that extent, my Spirit Steinberger (Mahogany body) with EMG-HZ pickups sounds thin compared to the Ceramic/Hot Noiseless pickups in my Jeff Beck Strat. I am thinking the EMGs are really hot and "overload" the signal...I bought a complete (H/S/H) INF Ibanez pickups on eBay for cheap, but I cannot find any info on their output to have any idea how they compare to the EMGs. Any thoughts?
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About firebrand
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USA
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http://www.firebrands.org
What kind of music do you play?
I play on a worship team with music ranging from pop to blues to jazz and hard rock
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even with my 81/85 (ala
Fri, 2008/06/20 - 7:28pm — mself61even with my 81/85 (ala zakk) emg's I have to turn my guitar volume down, but they sound great though.
www.selfdistruction.com
http://groups.google.com/group/tonelab-patch-exchange
i had a spirit back in the
Mon, 2008/06/30 - 9:33am — vouleri had a spirit back in the day. (great playing guitar!!!!)
I don't have it anymore, but my dad (oddly enough) has one that he decided to go mad scientist on
so he got some active EMGs (I'll get the specific model for you if you want it- i don't know much about EMGs offerings, myself) Then he added some push-pulls for coil tapping the humbuckers, and some Phase shifting two way dpdt switches.
the guitar really has the most impressive diversity I have ever seen in a guitar, ever; the sounds are all great. Full, but crisp, driving yet controllable- and they sound good split-coil as well.
that's a great guitar you have. I regret selling mine.
nate
Thanks. I look forward to
Mon, 2008/06/30 - 6:30pm — firebrandThanks. I look forward to the info. I found this one at an estate sale. They said the vibrato unit was toast. I figured for the price I'd check it out. So I bought it. Turns out one of the knife edges had slipped off its point and the spring inside detached. 15 minutes and one good pull, viola! I took it to a trusted friend, Tim Jagmin (he designed the first blade pickup and was ripped off by Lawrence and DiMarzio), and he had it playing better than my favorite guitar. Which was great, because it flew with me to Costa Rica.
The idea of rolling off the volume is great, but I think there may be more to it than that. I haven't replaced the el cheapo vol & tone pots nor the 5-way that came stock with the Spirit. When the Tone control goes it will be replaced by a Fender TBX. I love that device. I will do that and if I'm not happy I am going to try that set of INF Ibanez pups (3/3s/4).
But I still welcome any other thoughts/input.
I have seen other Steins come factory with Duncans and am considering that route too... I guess I want to keep this one "as cheap as they come", except the Selects were a little too cheap for me
P.S.
I mainly use the Spirit with an RP-350. It's my "throw it in the trunk and not worry about it" rig.
I used to have a guitar
Tue, 2008/07/01 - 12:08am — elmoI used to have a guitar equiped with those emg's they were good, but not really my thing, I don't believe them to be hi output, i think they are in the mid output class. The thing I dislike about them was that they didn't have dynamics, they were like very linear. Some new metal junkie would love those for shure
I can see why musicyo went
Tue, 2008/07/01 - 1:35pm — firebrandI can see why musicyo went with Selects. They are cheap, literally! I can buy them for $20 each from stew-mac. As for the HZ, they seem to be a higher caliber.
I just finished reading another forum about INF3 & 4 pickups. It appears they are a hard-rockers delight. Less mids, more sizzle. Not what I'm looking for.
It's hard to tell sometimes, because I have found the cable to make so much difference too. I use fulltone cables now, but I have read nothing but A+ reviews of the new DiMarzio Vai signature cable. And the Vox Class A cables also have high marks (higher than the new elixir or Monster Rock cables), and are about 1/3 the price.
I would have thought there was little to the cable difference myth had I not experienced it personally. I used to play with a braided horizon/conquest cable. Then I bought a "Silver Series" cable through SamAsh. It breathed life into my rig. It gave me even more tonal options with my Paul Reed Smith, and it was only $29 (they shipped it free-whatadeal).
I haven't been able to find the same cable since, so I bought 3 fulltone cables. They have a little less top end, but now that I use a strat with "hot noiseless" pickups it's a good thing.
P.S. I still own the PRS. If
Tue, 2008/07/01 - 1:37pm — firebrandP.S.
I still own the PRS.
If anyone has a good med/high output bridge pup you are willing to part with (the one in your junk parts box) for a fair price, drop me a line. The HFS had issues from day one, but I mainly play on the neck pup (Vintage Bass) anyway. Thanks!