PAF pickups in a basswood guitar; Dimarzio Dominion in a LP

[sabertoothmonocles]

Okay, so I really like the respective tones I'm getting in my basswood Hagstrom with Dimazio Dominion pickups and my mahogany Epi Les Paul with Burstbuckers, but I was wondering if swapping their pickups would make the Haggy warmer and the Les Paul a little punchier. My thinking is that this will happen, but I wanted to run it by you guys to make sure I'm not wasting time. I don't know all that much about guitar wood, and I know that's a critical factor with these things. What would you say, mistake, or go for it?

[colin]

Only one way to find out. It's not like it would be hard to switch them back if you don't like the results so you might as well give it a shot.

[fatfreddyscat]

DiMarzio Tone Zone for the basswood.Super Distortion for the Les Paul.

[benjuro]

Definitely give it a shot...although the burstbuckers may not have the 4 conductor wiring the Dimarzios likely have, so you may lose some wiring options.
I find my basswood Hag to be punchy as hell but lacking in body and bottom end...I've had the best luck with darker traditional paf-type humbuckers.

[The_Active_Conundrum]

Only one way to find out. It's not like it would be hard to switch them back if you don't like the results so you might as well give it a shot.

YES.

Not like you're doing a refret. Were it I, I'd look at one pickup at a time. Maybye just swap the bridges pickups and if it sounds like its getting the results you like, then do neck pickups.

[sabertoothmonocles]

Thanks for all the input guys. Definitely good to hear that a PAF style pickup effectively warms a basswood Haggy. After a bit of research, I'm inclined to put an Air Zone in the neck, and see where I stand before I mess with the bridge. I do love the clarity and bite of the Dominion bridge. I'm keeping the Les Paul as it is and as nature intended it. I love the sound of that thing with the Burstbuckers more than any guitar I've owned so far. If the Haggy is still too bright after the neck change, I think I'll just fit it with some 300K pots. Anybody here use the Air Zone? It sounds like a warmth and resonance machine.

[The_Active_Conundrum]

I don't know Air Zone, but Air Norton is a beautiful neck pick up. As is Breed Neck.

[kosta]

Smaller pot values for the tone controls may also take off some of the icy top end on the Hagstrom too maybe?

[benjuro]

Anybody here use the Air Zone? It sounds like a warmth and resonance machine.

I had an Air Zone paired with an Air Norton in my Select Ultra Swede (mahogany version of the basswood Ultra) and thought it was weak. The Air Norton in the neck was pretty good, but I found the AZ thin sounding despite what DiMarzio's specs say--even with the mahogany body.
Upgrading the tone cap to better quality will make a big difference, Kosta's right. You might try the stock value 22n first, and then 33n if you still don't think enough treble is being rolled off. I would try this swap before changing pots.
Also, DiMarzio's f-spaced bridge humbuckers fit the Hags' string spacing better than their standard spaced pickups.

[sabertoothmonocles]

benjuro, what pickup did you end up with in the neck? Thanks for the feedback on the Air Zone, haven't bought anything yet due to destitution, so I'm still looking around.

[benjuro]

YMMV on the AZ, but I couldn't get it to work for me.
The basswood was my daily driver for a long time, but is now backup to another hag with P90's, so there's a GFS Mean 90 in the neck--sounds ok, wish it were a bit more articulate.
It's had humbuckers in the past, PRS Dragons and Duncan Distortions, but both those sets are a bit hotter than I tend to like these days.
The neck position sounded pretty good with anything I've tried--I've had a tougher time finding something I liked in the bridge.