DiMarzio Tone Zone or Bare Knuckle Pickups VHII Humbucker?

Question

I bought an old Fender Squier Showmaster guitar (same as pictured here: http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/10434 ) and thought it'd be a fun project to modify it and make it worthy of use on stage or even the studio.

I've been looking at these 2 humbuckers for the bridge as I really want that 80s hair metal sound. The bare knuckles pick up: http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?cPath=1_27&products_id=69 has had rave reviews plus it has a gold cover which I think looks great, however many legends use the Tone Zone; Dweezil Zappa, Paul Gilbert, Rob Balducci, Vinnie Moore, so there's some endorsement for them.

I'm pretty much looking for something that really screams distorted, but the cleans are still clean. I don't mind too much about keeping the natural sound of the guitar cause to be honest I doubt there's a lot there anyway.

I'm currently running through a Boss GE7 in to a Cornford Hellcat head and an Orange PPC212 speaker cab. Through my effects loop is a cheap Behringer OD400 that leads in to a Seymour Duncan Lava Box for distortion. The guitar in question is a H/S/S set up and I will be adding 10 gauge RotoSound strings

I am open to other pickup suggestions since the chances of me finding someone who's tried both these pick ups is unlikely.

Cheers for the help guys
Matt

Answer 1

Hi



Paul Gilbert also uses DiMarzio PAF Pro on Bridge and neck also. My opinion, Seymour Duncan pickups wouldn't cut it as far as tonal range is concerned.

So Dimarzio is a better choice. I have anold '69 Gibson Les Paul with Dimarzio Super Distorion installed back in the 1970 and overall, these pickups have ballz, fat sound, yet good for mellow jazz as well.



The plus side to these pickups, i get a clean sound with the volume at 7 or 8 ...and if pushed to 10, I get the Paul Gilbert sound and Frank Gambale. This is the music i play. i love a littls distortion when I crank but I love the clean sound when i lower the Volume. Perfect balance.



Good Luck

Answer 2

I say DiMarzio Tone Zone/Super Distortion combo

Or Seymour Duncan JB/'59 combo

Best passive sets around

Answer 3

Bareknuckle Vhii

Answer 4

Tie between Andrew Jackson & Teddy Roosevelt