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RG550 pickup suggestions?

3K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  96 
#1 ·
I replaced the stock bridge with a SD Full Shred Trembucker and had the unpleasant surprise of discovering the pickup didn't fit cleanly through the pick guard cutout.

I did manage to just barely squeeze it in, and then discovered that I wasn't really a big fan of how it sounded. So I'm thinking of getting something else and the SD Distortion is being considered but I do not want to headache of filing or cutting the pick guard and making it look like shit. Would it really make any audible difference to use the normal size Distortion instead of the Trembucker? Everything I read says its a trivial difference that mostly affects the low and high E string and only noticeable as a slight volume drop at clean settings, if it can be noticed at all.

The second and more important question is what recommendations might be gotten from the RG owners in here. Aside from the SD Distortion I am thinking about the Dimarzio Crunch Lab, as I understand the Dimarzio F Spaced only widen the pole spacing, and they would fit just fine through the cutout? Any others I should consider?

Tonally I am looking for something that pairs well with the RG to give me good flat EQ output, hotter but not too scooped. This will be set up at standard or 1/2 step down tuning - I want it to be a good all-rounder and to get a nice 80s rock/metal sound.

Thanks in advance!
 
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#2 ·
I love the full shred in mine, so take my advice for what you will. One of my others has a Steve's Special and an Air Norton, and another has a Super Distortion and PAF in the neck. I prefer the Full Shred, but the Steve's Special is a close second. If you're considering a Crunch Lab, it would also be a contender, IMO.
 
#5 ·
Lol, it's that bad? I actually have an X2N in another guitar that I could swap to try it out, thanks. Appreciate the info. Not sure why the full shred isn't doing it for me, maybe I need to leave it in and play it more and see if my ears adjust.

All of my passive pickups sound a bit off off since I started really spending a lot of time playing a PRS Torero that has EMGs. Never thought myself to be a fan of actives, but that guitar plays great and I might have gotten used to the way they sound at this point, they seem to have more bite.
 
#4 ·
We pur normal spaced pups in guitars for years before the F spaced existed, you just have to make sure you have it centered well. Raise or lower the sides to make sure the volume is even and that should be fine. If it bothers you after that get a Dimarzio.
 
#11 ·
Full shred it height sensitive so play with that some. Its also not HOT but IMO its a great pickup. Very balanced.

If you still hate it and want wamer, get a DiMarzio Breed, if you want brighter get an EVO or Duncan Distortion.
PROBLEM SOLVED - THANK YOU! You were 100% right on the money. It was getting stuck in the pick guard opening and couldn't be raised up to the proper height. I opened up the bridge hole sides in the pickguard with a block of wood and and a couple of grits of sandpaper. I only needed a mm or so on each side and it came out great. I actually can't tell I did anything to it, took a few minutes and was pretty easy. Adjusting the pickup height that tiny bit closer to the stings made a big difference - it sounds perfect now, exactly the tone I was after.
 
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