[Stitch]

The S7420 can fit a battery, just, if you squeeze it, my main concern would actually be how deep those pots are - they may not fit without fouling the cavity cover.

Never heard of the units personally, but they must be good - the designer has spent so much time designing them he's not heard that Comic Sans is an offence that carries the death penalty.

 

[Stitch]

The problem was that the Blackouts wouldn't fit at all. The body on the S7420 is too thin to allow for any routing, so I'm looking for an alternative. I have pre-amps (Stratoblasters) on my 2 Strats which replace the output jacks, but the Ibanez is a bit more problematic in that regard . . .

Are you talking about Blackout pickups or their preamp nonsense? Blackout pickups will fit in the S-series.

 

[Stitch]

No, I'm talking about the real S7420's, not the shitty reissues. I was originally going to put my Blackouts in my S7420FM, and with a set of vernier calipers gauge you'll see it can be done. There's only a few mm between the pickup cavities and the trem cavity, mind. Also, in routing down you lose some of the wood that sits between the neck and the neck pickup cavity, but it can be done, and it doesn't affect neck stability.

I'd still advise against it, mind. There are better pickups out there.

 

[Stitch]

What is it about active pickups that appeal?

 

[Stitch]

Bareknuckles are what I use now, and the only brand I can recommend wholeheartedly. That said, there may be cheaper options available in the states (Wolfe etc.)