pick up questions

[hgguitarguy]

i have been thinking since i cant find anyone to buy my V im gonna keep it and upgrade a pickup or switch them around .... i have a those chrome type seymore designs that have 6 poles on them but they are a humbucker ... i dont like the bridge cause it dont get enough crunch ... i have an ibanez that gets good crunch on the neck .... could i switch out the bridge on the V and switch it with the neck on the ibanez? ive been pondering this and im ready to do it but i just dont wanna do it and it not sound good thanks

[andy]

There are no real reasons why it shouldn't work. The main difference between a neck and bridge pickup is that the neck is usually slightly less powerful than the corresponding bridge. You may find however that the Ibanez neck pickup is hotter than the covered bridge pickup you have anyway.

DO measure the distance between the screws on each one though- if you have a Floyd Rose on your Ibanez and a tun-o-matic type bridge on your V, the width of the pickups may be different. It may not be enough to make a difference, or it may mean a bit of pickup-route widening. I don't know for definite, but just check first!

Without any more info, I would say that as far as sound is concerned the covered humbuckers are likely to be lower output with Alnico magnets (for a sweeter sound) and the Ibanez higher powered, possibly with ceramic magnets (for more 'crunch') so the chances are in your favour that you will get what you are looking for! Don't forget that because of the positioning, that neck pickup will start to behave as a bridge pickup when moved, so a complete 'sound transplant' isn't going to happen, but if it is already more powerful and biting than what you have, shifting it to the bridge of the V will certainly help take the sound in the right direction.

[ChrisK]

The main difference between a neck and bridge pickup is that the neck is usually slightly less powerful than the corresponding bridge.

Do realize that this is to compensate for the string movement being less at the bridge pickup location; therefore the neck pickup will likely have a lower output once moved there.

[hgguitarguy]

cool deal thanks guys its worth a shot if i dont get the sound i want then ill end up buyin a new bridge pickup .... thanks for the response ill keep it posted