Replacing Pickups; Advice?

[Dr. Cloud]

Just got my 79' ML and the pickups are OK but still need to go. I don't know what pickups I want, but what I do know is:

NO active pickups. I'm a passive guy.
I will probably go for Dimarzios but I may try SD as I have never used them before.
I want the Mids to be dominant. I always roll off the treble.
Ceramic magnets preferred.

So your guys opinions are welcome. FYI, its a Mahogany body and rosewood neck.

[jdoom01]

Gfs makes the best pickups I'm learning. Iv loaded a couple of strats with various models and they all sound great

[TheLivingDead]

Mahogany ey? Keep in mind that you want to avoid any pups with a boosted bass range. It'll just be too muddy.

I think with what you've described, DiMarzio will have what you're looking for. The great thing about them is, you can send the pup back if it's not what you were looking for. 16 different pups later, they have yet to disappoint me.

Couple of questions though...

Why the ceramic preference? And what style and amp will you be mostly playing it through?

[Dr. Cloud]

I've always liked ceramic for the output, and as for style I play from hard rock to heavy metal. I know actives would make sense but I hate how they clean up.

[Bloodline]

Gotta love the blackouts

[shreddingjoris]

Maybe a JB from duncan? mahogany=duncan basswood=dimarzio IMO

[TheLivingDead]

True, Duncans do excel in mahogany.

But, maybe the Super Distortion/ PAF Pro or Evo neck combo would be the DiMarzio answer.

The SD was good enough for Frehley, Rhoads and Al Di Meola, in mahogany I might add.

[Dr. Cloud]

Yeah the Super Distortion crossed my mind. I have them in a Les Paul, plus without Ace Frehley I would not be playing guitar.

[S-H]

I think Duncans & Mahogany fit well but the JB isn't a pickup I'd recommend to go into a mahogany guitar if you want to play metal.

It's an excellent body wood when you have a pickup which compensates for it's problems imo.

Tonally, mahogany has tonnes of low-mids, a loose low-end and a non-existent treble which also does a great job of making pickups with a ice-pick treble sound worse!

The JB has a nice high-mids but also has a loose low-end not great high-end so for me it's 1 of the worst pups to have in mahogany for metal.

I wouldn't, and haven't, told anyone to spend money on something but I would look into the SH-5 Duncan Custom in the bridge. It is tight, the treble isn't bad at all and it doesn't sound overbearing in the bridge position of a GLP even though it has an above average amount of midrange so it wont do in a ML either.

I know you said you want "dominant" mids but in a mahogany bodied guitar, that could also equal "mud" so be careful.

[Dr. Cloud]

Yeah. I've always had problems with the treble in Mahogany guitars. I like a nice middy crunchy sound. In the bridge that is. As for the neck, I was thinking maybe a DMT Time Capsule? I need something that really excels in clarity.

[jdwon1172]

For the neck: DMT - MAB Hands Without Shadows, DMT - DimeTime or DMT - Time Capsule

For the bridge: DMT - Baker Act or DMT Leslie West's Mountain of Tone

[shreddingjoris]

yup sh5 is a great pickup, those mids are just perfectly balanced .... a TIIIINNNYY LITTTLLLLEEEE BIT to much treble for my taste i think at some points.. but other times i just say...waw this pickup is great!!!

[sethj]

Good read,...I've got a crappy RG321 that I want to change pups in.
I was looking at the seymore duncans (hot rodded pickup) set. Mine is mahogany with rosewood neck.