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Hey, Danny!

It just happens that I went to Guitar Center yesterday to do a little research, both on low cost acoustics for beginners(since that gets asked SO many times!!) and also the different lower to mid priced electric guitars and a few of the newer amps. I spent a few hours playing many different guitars. The only thing I couldn't really test was the different tremolo systems, since none of them were set up for actual use. (I really wanted to see Floyd Rose vs Edge and Vintage Strat trems) The only trem I could use was a Bigsby on a Epiphone Sheraton II semi Hollow body. (VERY nice hollow body guitar, better than the Riviera or the Dot)

I actually like the newer Bigsby model trems. I think they would be good for the drop tuners. They don't depend on spring vs string tension. And the up/down action was very smooth and nice.

SO...I did test out guitars all on the same Line 6 large amp, probably the 75 or 100 watt one. Using the two "metal" style channels. I tried a Squier Strat, a Fender american Standard Strat, A Jackson ,a couple of Ibanezes, an Epiphone 1966 model G-400, an ESP, and a PRS.

One of them had EMG's. Big Deal.

I could not really detect a hell of a lot of difference between some standard alnico humbuckers or the EMG's . The Strats still sounded hot, but much cleaner with less extraneous after noise and basic "filth"(to coin a phrase)

I played La Villa Strangiato by Rush using every guitar to see the cleanliness of the notes and the precision of the sound. ( and some Black Sabbath War Pigs)

Some of the guitars like Ibanez and Jackson had HUGE fret wires and felt really funny. I did the best work on the Epiphone SG and the Strats

I definitely prefer the sound of single coils for precision. The Epiphone and PRS probably had the next best sound.

As I often council, it's really the amps that affect the tone of the guitar.

Of course, venturing into pure TUBE amps, without all the "distortion" or Overdrive Channels, Single coils VS Humbuckers or EMGs will indeed have some difference.

Back in the late 70's, using a 200 watt Peavey Musician Stack, I was in a band. and at first I had a Univox Les Paul, and the other lead guitarist had a Gibson SG. We both had identical stacks. Very cool. We sounded so similar it was great. No stomp boxes. Just pure tube overdrive with volume up to 10 and Masters at 6 or 7 (We had a hard time hearing after those rehearsal sessions in a windowless, soundproofed, 14X 20 room!)

Late, I switched to a Ibanez "lawsuit" Stratocaster. I noticed a BIG difference in the amount of natural gain I could achieve. I had to use a Schaller Wah a clicked it on at full treble and got a good distortion.

So it really depends on the amp your buddy is using. If he has a Strat, I don't think it would hurt to use Hot Rails or a stacked humbucker.

For a "Gibson" style guitar. Unless the pickups he has are really dead, Finding a nice set of Di Marzio or Seymour Duncan humbuckers should suffice.

I see no need for EMGs whatsoever. I was not impressed at all. So unless he's gonna be using a Tube amp with no stomp boxes, I see no advantage at all. (I only see a disadvantage with pickups that are "too" hot)

I would concentrate maybe more on his amp or effects that may be able to help his tone. I would have liked to get on a Bugera or something to test out the different pickups on a natural tube amp, but did not have time.

Anyway, that's my two-cents worth based on my test drive yesterday, which kinda told me I was pretty right all along.(at least as far as MY musical taste and experience goes)

Just get some Seymour Duncans.

http://ca.search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0SO81p74ptS4kwA...

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