F*ck with a CS Star?

[wilkinsi]

I know what you mean. I too pass my guitars to a skilled pro for pickup swaps, rewiring, paint repairs etc. And this often means waiting a long time to get the guitar back.

[coloradoman25]

Vector where the hell do you live? I would help ya switch em just to save the damage potential lol

go for something all out different dimarzio crunch lab and liquifire.

[vector]

Vector where the hell do you live? I would help ya switch em just to save the damage potential lol

go for something all out different dimarzio crunch lab and liquifire.

C-man,
I'm near Philly, PA, bro. If your forum namesake is any indication of your location, I'd say we're about 2000 miles apart...
BTW- I appreciate the offer. I can and do make mods like switching blocks on OFR's, swap p'ups, move strap buttons, intonate for different gauge strings, replace hardware like tuners etc. and so on, but like I said, my batting average on mishap-free projects ain't too hot...

[Hellbat]

Sounds like the blackout pre with passives is your SAFEST option hehe.

SD does make a non-active volume pot with the screw connectors as well if you want to avoid any active circuitry. I believe they call it the Liberty system or something similar.

[coloradoman25]

I am in Tx actually lol. Well damn good luck with the work on her!

[Newc]

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...

I replaced the stock uncovered pickups in my JCF Rhoads with gold covered. Turns out they routed the cavities just big enough for the originals. Took a flathead screwdriver and a hammer and chiseled out the corners until the pickups squeezed in.

Bought a minty-mint DK2 BOF a while back and put a DK2M neck on it. Had to scrape the paint around the neck pocket to get it in, resulting in massive chipping around the pocket. And the neck is still off center just enough to let the high E slip off the board

[vector]

I replaced the stock uncovered pickups in my JCF Rhoads with gold covered. Turns out they routed the cavities just big enough for the originals. Took a flathead screwdriver and a hammer and chiseled out the corners until the pickups squeezed in.

Bought a minty-mint DK2 BOF a while back and put a DK2M neck on it. Had to scrape the paint around the neck pocket to get it in, resulting in massive chipping around the pocket. And the neck is still off center just enough to let the high E slip off the board

Fuuuu-huuuuck! Now I don't feel so bad.

[bombtek]

If it were mine, I'd REALLY be thinking about finding a Jackson J-95 pickup. No other pickup to my ears captures that mid 80's snarl quite like it. Only problem with them is (to me) ....availability.
And lack of availability=cost when a nice example is found.
Also, if one is not really sure what they sound like, its not really an option to go and try one out (unless you already have a guitar that's equipped with one). You have to rely on opinions of them, and aomething that sounds great in someone's opinion might not sound the same to you.
I endorse the J-95, but that's me. It is the quintessential 80's sound to my ears.

[bombtek]

Oh and hey, if you do go passives, and are left with a battery box on the body.....what better place to stash your weed in? lolololol

[straycat]

Duncan Distortion set would be my choice,very 80's tone IMO.
RSguitarworks or Martin Six String pot kit.

[Axewielder]

Oh and hey, if you do go passives, and are left with a battery box on the body.....what better place to stash your weed in? lolololol

Well I guess it wouldn't become so vestigial after all. :idea:

[JonSick]

I would grab another guitar to put your passive pickups in. And then just play it for a bit, make doubly sure that it's what you want to do.

I've gone to and fro between actives and passives every so often. Ultimately, I don't have a preference, some pickups work in one guitar more than another, be they passive/active.

[Grim]

BKP Holy Diver

VHII in the neck will compliment it beautifully

[vector]

BKP Holy Diver

VHII in the neck will compliment it beautifully

D'OH! I've got a BKP Holy Diver in a mahogany bodied, maple/ebony neck bolt on and while I like the fullness of the tone, it doesn't have the responsiveness of other PU's- namely, pinch harmonics and open harmonics don't ring out, and if any trem is applied to them? Fail.
It's a shame, too. Really like how they sound compared to say, a SD Custom or a JB.

[vector]

I would grab another guitar to put your passive pickups in. And then just play it for a bit, make doubly sure that it's what you want to do.

I've gone to and fro between actives and passives every so often. Ultimately, I don't have a preference, some pickups work in one guitar more than another, be they passive/active.

Gonna have to disagree there, Jon. I have learned from my experience that each guitar has it's own unique set of characteristics and idiosyncrasies. I can take two identical guitars, in make and material, and put the same p'up in them and they'll still sound different. For that reason, I'll put the PU directly in the CS Star and if I like it, it stays. If not- it's back to the drawing board.

Besides, I'm lazy and the last thing I wanna do is have to install the same PU into two different axes.