Members eyobeez Posted March 10, 2016 Members Share Posted March 10, 2016 Hey All, Longtime lurker, first time poster. This forum is rad. Anyway, I traded in a bunch of junk in my basement for a canary yellow, '89 Peavey Tracer (hum-single, Kahler Spyder trem), see pic. It's an excellent player for what it is (great, interesting neck), but I feel like this guitar needs more juice, i.e. highs, mids, and output. I'm going for a big, fat rock sound with whammy squeals and divebombs from hell. Note that this isn't my normal style of playing, but none of my other guitars are made for wankery. All the Vai licks I stole in high school need someplace to go I have an old DiMarzio Super Distortion that I'd love to put in the bridge position--plus it's cream-colored, upping the cool factor for me--but I'm not opposed to other suggestions. Also looking at a DiMarzio True Velvet for the neck. Tracers are made of poplar, I believe. The Kahler really sucks tone--looking to beef this guitar up and crank some classic VH through my Marshall half stack. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thatsbunk Posted March 10, 2016 Members Share Posted March 10, 2016 If you have the dimarzio already put it in & give it a spin. Worst case scenario if you don't like it just take it back out. That's what I would do anyway... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eyobeez Posted March 11, 2016 Author Members Share Posted March 11, 2016 Prolly what I'll do. Just waiting on a couple parts to come in the mail so I can get the whammy working properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted March 11, 2016 Members Share Posted March 11, 2016 I'd try raising the pickups as a first step, but you've probably already tried that. Otherwise the Dimarzio should give you the goods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hellion_213 Posted March 12, 2016 Members Share Posted March 12, 2016 If you already dig the dimarzio, like already mentioned, give it a whirl. If you're looking to spend a little $$, I'd look into a Duncan Pegasus. If you want pure high output wankery, maybe see if you can find an El Diablo on eBay or something. If you want to spend a little $$, just to try something new, the GFS Crunchy Rails ain't bad, though it does have a lot of bottom end, scooped would probably be the best description I can think of, thunders the low end. For $$ and some work - go EMG. Highs/mids - 81. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eyobeez Posted March 12, 2016 Author Members Share Posted March 12, 2016 I will definitely drop an EMG 81 in there someday. Always been curious... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted March 12, 2016 Members Share Posted March 12, 2016 Love the guitar and the super distortion seems like a great choice for the bridge. I have one guitar, a Strat made from Poplar and I love the warmth and character, but it's all about the midrange which should work well on a shredder guitar. (I think the Steve Morse EBMM model was poplar and we know that Vai and Satch favor basswood models that are also midrange friendly.) Still if you don't like the passives there's always actives which sound pretty much the same regardless what you drop them into. Oh yeah and welcome to the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members *BLEEP* Posted March 12, 2016 Members Share Posted March 12, 2016 I have an old DiMarzio Super Distortion that I'd love to put in the bridge position--plus it's cream-colored' date=' [/quote'] Dimarzio has (or had) the creme + creme bobbin configuration trademarked in the US, so, you can tell from 20 paces that it's a Dimarzio. Otherwise, a Dimarzio SD is one of the best all-around pickups for the job in a guitar of this type as it has enough output and middy brightness to do the metal thing with harmonics and all, as well as the ability to keep a foot in vintage territory for the more mellow stuff when you roll back the volume knob a bit. I will definitely drop an EMG 81 in there someday. Always been curious... You might very well be disappointed going down the active pickup road. An active pickup won't have that complex passive pickup sound with its subtle non-linear frequency response. You'll get, instead, a flat frequency response / wide bandwidth sound (or what some people claim as "sterile") with high output as a side benefit. Also, you'll have to install a battery somewhere in the guitar and replace all of your 500k-ohm pots with 25k-ohm pots. If you DO go down the active pickup road, you should also replace the neck pickup (the single coil) with an active pickup. This is not to mention that active pickups are pricey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eyobeez Posted March 12, 2016 Author Members Share Posted March 12, 2016 Thanks for the thoughts! Pretty excited to see what the DiMarzio does. I'm taking the pickup out of a PRS SE (my first electric guitar), and it served me very well through junior high and high school rockin'. The SE doesn't get much play time anymore, even though she's a fine guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted March 12, 2016 Members Share Posted March 12, 2016 Lawrence XL500. 'Nuff said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hellion_213 Posted March 12, 2016 Members Share Posted March 12, 2016 You might very well be disappointed going down the active pickup road. An active pickup won't have that complex passive pickup sound with its subtle non-linear frequency response. You'll get, instead, a flat frequency response / wide bandwidth sound (or what some people claim as "sterile") with high output as a side benefit. Also, you'll have to install a battery somewhere in the guitar and replace all of your 500k-ohm pots with 25k-ohm pots. If you DO go down the active pickup road, you should also replace the neck pickup (the single coil) with an active pickup. This is not to mention that active pickups are pricey. There's a reason a Lot of players use them, and it's not because they're sterile. If you install an 81 at some point, and decide it is a bit 'cold', get on EMGs site, or check my post in the '15 min mod' thread of gardo's - and mod it 18v. Warms them up. After taking the leap, I've never regretted it, mine are 18v modded. (Also increases dynamic response) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eyobeez Posted September 10, 2016 Author Members Share Posted September 10, 2016 Hey people--been away for awhile. I ended up going back to the stock pickup after putting the Dimarzio in there; that Super Distortion was just too midrangey for this guitar, and this is coming from a guy who loves growly, succulent mids! The stock will do for now, but I've got my eyes on a few other things for some other day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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