Tanglewood TSB58 vs RGA32 PU replacement

21Fretter

I've grown a bit tired of my RGA32. I find the cleans can be quite "boomy"/overwhelming and overdrives/distortions can vary from being too harsh to too muddy (does that just sound silly?) BUT I do like the feel of the guitar (I might simply be used to it now). Decided to give a few guitars a play today; Tanglewood TSB58 (R3199) and a Fender Telecaster Modern Player (R4999). I liked the feel and look of the Tanglewood (could have been set up a tiny bit better) and I liked the feel of the Tele but not the look too much. The Tele did sound the best to me I think but I had very little issue with the Tanglewood, maybe a tiny harshness on the distortion but I was playing through a solid state Cube (I would be using a Laney VC30 though if bought).

I am currently playing a lot of music in the Foo Fighters, Nirvana range, rather grungy (don't need a ridiculous amount of distortion). My question is, does it sound like a decent option to look at simply a pick-up change (I imagine a move to passives would be best) and if so, any recommendations? Or, should I simply pull the trigger on a new guitar, I would sell off my Ibanez as well.

Reinhard

Sounds like you need something in an HSS configuration. Passives will most likely get where you are going. Should you swop pups in the Ibanez, you may not get your money back should you sell it someday. The typical Ibanez player may be looking for active pups for the heavy stuff, so if you swop the pups, keep them so you can swop them back if need be. I don't know if you like strats, but the photoflame in the classifieds will give you the nice chimey Fender cleans and some grunt from the bridge bucker for the stuff you play.

AlanRatcliffe

Quite different animals - basically a Super Strat (RGA) vs. a Les Paul (TSB). Scale length, number of frets and neck joint make quite a difference to both playability and sound. Interestingly enough, your complaints with the RGA's tone are more what I'm used to hearing from Les Paul type players - harsh bridge, muddy neck.

I think the RGA is probably the better guitar, so if you like the look and feel of it, it makes sense to upgrade the pickups rather than simply sell the guitar. I agree with Reinhard, keep the stock pups as if/when you do upgrade, you will probably want to swap them back in. And yeah, passives are the way to go for what you want - specifically, low to mid power versions.

21Fretter

Thanks for the quick responses. Any recommendations for PU's to start looking at? I am super cluerless when it comes to PU's.

Reinhard

A good place to start:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/stratocaster/index.php?page=1

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/

AlanRatcliffe

Take a look at the DiMarzio 36th Anniversary. PAF style humbucker with a good rock tone (the tone is copied from Larry DiMarzio's '58 Les Paul, which is a well-regarded rocker), but should work out with a bit more clarity on your RGA than in a Les Paul thanks to the longer scale length, especially the neck pickup, thanks to the 24 fret neck:
http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/humbuckers/paf-36th-anniversary-bridge
http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/humbuckers/paf-36th-anniversary

On the more affordable side, the Tonerider Alnico IV are worth a look.
http://tonerider.co.za/alnico4black.html

On the high end, Fralin, Lollar, Bare Knuckle, Tom Wolfe and many others...

ZarK

Dimarzio Paf Pro's front and back could do the trick... (at least a good starting point, based on what you seem to want resolved in your RGA) They offer excellent note separation and the ability to cut through the mix well with good clear tone from cleans through crunch to distortion... Excellent for both rhythm and especially lead. They have a distinctive voicing so make sure it's what you're after. Can be a bit thin sounding in a basswood RG (for my taste) but in a mahogany RGA they should resolve all the issues you've mentioned... From the guitars you've mentioned, I'd stick with the Ibanez. +1 for keeping the stock pups if you decide to sell down the line. My 2c...

AlanRatcliffe

ZarK wrote: Dimarzio Paf Pro's front and back could do the trick...

+1 in the neck, but I prefer 'em mixed with a high powered bridge pickup for a modern sounding combo. The bridge model is a little too bright in all but the darkest sounding guitar.

ZarK

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
ZarK wrote: Dimarzio Paf Pro's front and back could do the trick...
+1 in the neck, but I prefer 'em mixed with a high powered bridge pickup for a modern sounding combo. The bridge model is a little too bright in all but the darkest sounding guitar.

Agreed... The bridge Paf Pro in my American Basswood Jem was way too bright for my taste. Should be better in the RGA and resolve 21fretter's current issues, but wouldn't be my personal first choice either. A Dimarzio Tone Zone would be more suited to match a neck Paf Pro, but I find them to be all or nothing pups when you start playing with the volume control -if that's your style... Love how they sound in a mahogany RG at full tap, though...

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Paf Pro in the Neck and Breed at the bridge could also do the trick...

ryanguit

Then... Of course you have to add the option of splitting the neck so that you can have those single coil tone options. PAF Pro is second in my book only to the Seymour Duncan stag mag for neck position... And splitting...

AlanRatcliffe

ZarK wrote: A Dimarzio Tone Zone would be more suited to match a neck Paf Pro, but I find them to be all or nothing pups when you start playing with the volume control -if that's your style... Love how they sound in a mahogany RG at full tap, though...

Tone Zone/PAF Pro is a wonderful combo (which I far prefer to the more common SD JB/Jazz) with huge low end on the bridge and clarity on the neck, but I think it's moving to much into high output territory for the the crunchy, grungy sound 21Fretter is chasing. That's why I was pushing more the rocky PAF thing...

21Fretter

Great, a lot of options to research. I believe I would also need to switch up my pots to 500k ratings and 0.22u capacitors? Still will work out significantly cheaper than a new guitar, this is quite exciting! ?

ZarK

You will not believe your ears when you hear the difference a decent set of Dimarzios will make in your Ibby compared to the stock pups... Those RGA32's are great players!