F*ck with a CS Star?

[Devotee]

I think you should just give it to me.

But in all seriousness, you could also make use of the battery box by putting in an EMG Afterburner in it.

[vector]

EMG? No thank you. Anything remotely associated with EMG's is not welcome in my guitars. Just don't like their sound... or any aspect of them, at all.

[lepard]

The only Seymour Duncan pickup I'd put in that guitar to get the sound you're looking for is a Duncan Parallel Axis Distortion. It has a little more output than the EMG's with a great metal low end crunch without the unbalanced low end of an Invader. If you put a JB in that guitar, you're going to hate it.

[RacerX]

G
t
w
g
i
t
s

[vector]

Was wondering when that was gonna show up.

G
t
w
g
i
t
s

[Axewielder]

Well I'd stay with actives on account of the battery box. I just can't deal with "vestigial hardware" like control cavity covers on guitars with added pickguards or trem cavity covers on guitars that were Kahler'ed. Nope.

[msaint65]

Somebody already said personal preference....and that about sums it up. But WTF I'll throw out an opinion. Because I don't like my guitars to sound like a chainsaw, may I suggest a Dimarzio Super 3 in the bridge and a PAF Pro in the neck. FWIW I built a KNE body / Warmoth neck star - 1 pup - and I put a PAF Pro in it. Very 80's sound.

Mark

[Newc]

Duncan Parallel Axis Distortion has the articulation of the JB and the roar of a standard Distortion. Just don't get a standard Trembucker Distortion - it loses something imo. A regular-spaced Duncan Distortion would also work well. It's hot enough that the Floyd spacing won't really matter.

Then there's the Duncan Alt8 trembucker, which has more rasp than a Distortion, a slight JB-ish character, but more low end.


And believe it or not, the EMG HZ3s paired with the Afterburner is not a bad combo, and I'm no fan of EMGs (took the actives out of my $4K CS SLS). The set of HZ3s that were in the Halford sounded really nice with the AB on about 3. Any more than that, and it just makes noise. The HZ3s are PAF-types, which means low to moderate output (not hot like a JB or 81), and by themselves sound really weak. The AB gives them that added boost they need to sing without shouting. Plus they respond well to picking dynamics, even with a Jazz III.

You may also look into a Duncan Hybrid, like Custom/JB or JB/59, or put a ceramic from a Custom in the JB.

Not sure how you get along with DiMarzios. I liked them well enough in my SoCals for old Maiden stuff, but beyond that, I couldn't stand to hear them. YMMV.

[Frigo89]

you said the battery box is IN the control cavity? (as in there is no extra hole routed for the battery)

If that is the case, or hell, in any case, put in whatever the hell you want.

my personal suggestion based on what you seem to be looking for is a Duncan Distortion, like a more badass JB

[Devotee]

EMG? No thank you. Anything remotely associated with EMG's is not welcome in my guitars. Just don't like their sound... or any aspect of them, at all.

An EMG Afterburner is just a push-pull pot with an output boost dude. :dunno:

[Jack Napalm]

Couple o' things- currently there are SD active Blackouts in there. I like the Blackouts but not enough freq. dynamics in them compared to passives. And EMG's? I can't stand the sterile EMG's so, actives are a "no go".

Doh! I should have caught that. Good thing I didn't recommend EMG's.

[vector]

An EMG Afterburner is just a push-pull pot with an output boost dude. :dunno:

I appreciate the suggestion. I'm well aware of what the afterburner is/does but if I were to go that route, I'd use the SD version that toejam suggested. My co-guitarist has the Gus G's with that SD pre-amp type boost.

[wilkinsi]

Frigo89 already hit the nail on the head. Change the pots and pickups.

[sully]

Pickup changes aren't "fucking with" a guitar - I thought I was gonna read about a refin, kahler install or something LOL As far as pickups go, I'd suggest the Duncan Custom..

Yep.

[vector]

You folks have obviously never seen me attempt to remove, replace and solder pickups. Most definitely HAS resulted in fucking with a guitar.

I got mad skillz at screwing up even the most rudimentary mod or repair. Adjusting a Floyd spring in my Mike Learn painted Hamer USA Cali? Phillips screwdriver slips and I gouge a small trench in the finish. Replacing the trem cavity cover on a ESP Roope Sig RS? Screw driver slips and I gouge a nice furrow in the finish of that ax. Drilling out a larger diameter hole for a toggle switch? Chewed the hell outta the finish and took off a 3/4 inch strip of wood. Soldering a simple p'up connection? First I dropped the p'up and dinged the finish, then I burn several adjoining wires and scorch the edge of the control cavity. Moving strap buttons on several neck diving axes including an RR and the Roope RS? Broke off the screw in one attempt and cracked the horn tip on another.
The list goes on.

Obvious solution is to hand it over to a skilled professional. However, money is tight right now. And I'm an impatient bastard. You do the math...