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Okay you Faded V owners - need some mod advice...


rog951

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I've got a faded cherry flying V here that's great to play, sounds good acoustically, but I've never been satisfied with the way the guitar sounds plugged-in. I've gone through several different pickup combos, mostly trying hotter pickups (even popping in an EMG 81/60 set) thinking I wanted something more "metal" from this guitar. I'm finally ready to break down and try a set of PAF-style pups in there, which is what I tend to like in everything else. So, what low-mid output pickups have you guys used in these Vs with good results?

 

Secondary question: I'm also thinking about changing the pickguard color...what 'guard/pickup color combos do you like best on the faded cherry? The stock white guard/black open-coil look isn't doing it for me. Bonus points for pix of your modded faded V!

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Oh and as for pickups... Do you have any P90 guitars? I bet a set of BG H90s would go good in there. It would probable get a sound similar to a Les Paul Special.

 

I know some people are afraid of the hum and stuff associated with P90s. If that's the case with you Id reccomend a set of Gibson Burstbucker Pros. Those are my favorite PAF pups Ive tried so far.

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sxyryan said:


I just finished a faded v mod for a buddy... I'm on my iPod touch currently, but I'll try to get to a computer tomorrow and post some pictures.

 

 

Oh yes! Please post pix when you can! Thanks!

 

 

then sxyryan said:


Oh and as for pickups... Do you have any P90 guitars? I bet a set of BG H90s would go good in there. It would probable get a sound similar to a Les Paul Special.


I know some people are afraid of the hum and stuff associated with P90s. If that's the case with you Id reccomend a set of Gibson Burstbucker Pros. Those are my favorite PAF pups Ive tried so far.

 

 

I actually do already have a couple P-90 guitars and LOVE them, but I'm pretty set on 'buckers for this guitar. I have a set of burstbuckers in an R8 ('04?) but I'm not sure what kind. That's a great-sounding guitar, but I'd like to try something that I don't already have.

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Burstbuckers
:thu:

 

Thanks for the reply! See my post above for the reason I might not wanna go with BBs in this guitar. Actually, here's a list of PAF-type pickups I've already got in a guitar here...I'd like to try something different if possible, though if anyone has a faded V with one of these sets and it's a great match, I'd love to hear about it:

 

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    duncan jb/jazz. Great combination for tons of styles.

     

     

    Ya know, this V came to me with a JB in the bridge (and the stock p/u in the neck) and, though I wasn't 100% satisfied with the sound I was getting, every pickup swap I tried since made it sound worse. That JB is still in a drawer someplace...maybe I should try it again.

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    So far, I've had the stock 496R/500T setup, a 490R/490T setup with 500K pots, a GFS Mean 90 setup (again with 500K pots) and now an EMG 81/60 setup. It sounded better with the 490s and the Mean 90s (different from each other, obviously, but both sounded good) than it did with the stock pups. I like the EMG 60 that's in it now, but the 81 is a bit thin sounding, IMO, when you play it clean. With gain, though, it's a screamer. I think another EMG 60 or an EMG 85 would sound better clean or with moderate gain than the 81.

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    EMG's, always..
    :evil:

    http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Seymour-Duncan-Blackout-Metal-Cover-Humbucker-SET?sku=360818


    You won't be sorry.

     

    :confused: You linked some Duncan blackouts? Anyway, I had EMGs in it and REALLY didn't care for them. I'm not an EMG basher either...I liked the 81/85 set I had in an LP Custom, but they were very harsh/thin in this V for some reason. sorry man! :wave:

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    black guard/black open-coil for the win
    :thu:

     

    I found some pic of a V someone had down with a black guard and black P-90s...not bad at all.

     

    2007-frontfull.jpg

     

    I also found this that I kinda like:

     

    89_V.jpg

     

    Looks like the guard is either cream or mint green? I think that the stock white is just too "stark" on the faded cherry. I might be able to handle cream or mint better.

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    This project might be a little too much for most people. But I am really happy with how it came out.

     

    0219001028.jpg

     

    0219001028a.jpg

     

    Went with a Red/Black scheme with chrome bits here and there.

     

    Pickups are a Mean 90 in the neck and a Dream 180 in the bridge. They sound very nice, but are very low output compared to my rig (Which isn't crazy high output).

     

    The sound makes me think Gretsch more than Gibson, but it sounds pretty sweet. The thing I like about them, is they stay articulate, even when turning up the gain.

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    sorry i dont have much to suggest, but hello from rockville. surprised nobody mentioned BG yet, although i have no experience so cannot recommend them.

     

    Howdy neighbor!

     

    I think you might have the answer for pickups man...I've been looking for an excuse to pick up some of Brian's (did I spell that right?) pickups for a long time. Why not? :thu:

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    So far, I've had the stock 496R/500T setup, a 490R/490T setup with 500K pots, a GFS Mean 90 setup (again with 500K pots) and now an EMG 81/60 setup. It sounded better with the 490s and the Mean 90s (different from each other, obviously, but both sounded good) than it did with the stock pups. I like the EMG 60 that's in it now, but the 81 is a bit thin sounding, IMO, when you play it clean. With gain, though, it's a screamer. I think another EMG 60 or an EMG 85 would sound better clean or with moderate gain than the 81.

     

     

    I'm glad you like the 81/60 in there but it didn't work for me unfortunately. The 81 in the bridge was raspy and harsh when I used gain, and way too weak and thin, like you mentioned, when I played clean. The 60 in the neck was okay, but I spend 80% of my time on the bridge pickup so it wasn't enough to keep the set in there.

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    Amp??

     

     

    Haha. That's a loaded question! Usually something Marshally...either a Splawn Quickrod or a JCM800 (2204). Though lately I'm having fun playing through a Ceriatone Overtone Special. It's been months since I've bothered with another amp.

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    the Burstbuckers have a 3D kinda tone to them if matched, they're brighter then say, a Gibson 57, but they retain that hard, pulsating tone and have quite a bit of low-end as well... there are medium gain ones..... perfect for more modern metal, imo... i mean good modern metal tone, since i hate high gain pickups like EMG's.... clean distortion pickups is what i call EMG's, and i don't think that's what metal tone should be about, it should be about dirty, filthy tone with enough clarity for the note to be heard and felt well.

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    Howdy neighbor!


    I think you might have the answer for pickups man...I've been looking for an excuse to pick up some of Brian's (did I spell that right?) pickups for a long time. Why not?
    :thu:

     

    how about a set of raw nickel covered lizards for that PAF sound and aged look? Great sounding pups and you cannot beat these custom sound pickups for the price!

     

     

    IMG_4373.jpg

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