UPDATE: Should I replace my Ibanez Super Custom 58's with PAF's?

[axdxm]

I have an Ibanez AS103 which came stock with the Super Custom 58 Pickups. To me, it sounds good, but not as good as my ES-335. The neck pickup doesn't have as much of that "bell" tone and the bridge when overdriven has that classic rock crunch, but is slightly thin. I'm not sure if it is the pickups or the guitar. I'm hoping it is the pickups, because the play-ability of this guitar is ridiculously good. Has anybody else upgraded the pickups on this model? I am leaning towards PAF style pickups (Antiquities or Seth Lovers).

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UPDATE 8/21/2015.

I replaced the pickups with Duncan Antiquities (bought used off of the Emporium). Night and day with this guitar. It can hold its own against the 335, easily. I can do everything from jazz to zeppelin. The neck has no mud at all and has just a beautiful bell-type tone. The bridge crunches up great...depending on the pedals, I can dial in some tele type spank or heavy classic rock crunch. Couldn't be happier. If I see another AS103, I would definitely buy a backup.

 

[rongtr1]

I have an AM93 semi-hollow that had those pickups, I think they have ceramic magnets (correct me if I'm wrong). I replaced them with custom PAF style humbuckers made by a good friend of mine-they're called Eastgrove Humbuckers http://www.eastgrovepickups.com, and they made a world of difference- the warmth of the pickups was increased, the rear pickup has just the right amount of crunch, and these pickups aren't super high output, which makes them great for playing rhythm as well.

 

[shallbe]

In my opinion, yes. I had a great Ibanez V I stupidly sold long ago, and it turned out to be those pickups were the issue. The neck was dark and the bridge was uninspiring, with little balls. Not what you want a V to sound like. This was just before I started replacing parts if needed on guitars.

 

[axdxm]

Updated...can't recommend duncan antiquities, enough.