Info about Model 6 J50BC and J200's

[FLuX]

Ok so i picked up that sweet blue model 6 from plon in the classifieds..

I'm curious, what do J50BC's generally sound like (comparable to other pickups) and same with the J200's, also if anyone has some sound clips i'd like to hear them.

and lastly, what EXACTLY does the JE1200 do.. i hear midboost.. i hear gain boost.. straightforward answer please :P

i'd like some high res pics of other model 6's as well if they're available, i want to see every nook and cranny (and color possibility [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] ) of these guitars.. thanks guys

- Peter

[dg]

Re: Info about Model 6 J50BC and J200\'s

The J50BC has similar output to a PAF, with a little more high end due to the ceramic magnet. Not bad, not great. I replaced mine with a Duncan Custom, which puts it to shame. No contest. The J200s are relatively weak & muddy stacked hums. Nothing I can think of as a good comparison to them, since just about any Duncan or DiMarzio sounds better to me. I replaced my neck J200 with a Hot Rails & lowered the middle one to get it the hell out of the way. The JE-1200 is definitely a midboost. I think it only has a range of +/- 6 dB, so it's not a really drastic effect, but it can be pretty cool. The J/C electronics manual posted in the Tech section stickies may give you more info on all of this.

[Newc]

Re: Info about Model 6 J50BC and J200\'s

I thought the 1500 was the wah-thingy midboost found on Fusions, and that Soloist-types got the Gain boost (1000 and 1200) [img]/images/graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

[dg]

Re: Info about Model 6 J50BC and J200\'s

JE-1000 is a peak select system (3 dip switches on the circuit board) that could be coupled with a gain boost switch, a tone control, or both.

JE-1500 is a para-mid EQ that gives you control over the frequency range you want to boost. There is a boost switch, & the pot controls the frequencies you want to boost.

manual page for 1000 & 1500

The JE-1200 is a midboost system that only boosts a fixed range of frequencies, but allows you to vary the level of the boost.

1200 page

[FLuX]

Re: Info about Model 6 J50BC and J200\'s

thanks, very interesting

i guess i'll be looking at either EMG85/sa/sa or TB4/whatever/some single rail type thing

i'm new to the single coil game so that'll require some research of its own.

[1trussell]

Re: Info about Model 6 J50BC and J200\'s

I yanked the boost and put a Distortion/Cool Rails/Hot Rails in my 650xl (son of Model 6). It sounds amazing. Think about that.

[Sunbane]

Re: Info about Model 6 J50BC and J200\'s

I've used an EMG-85 and EMG-S in my Model 6. The 85 sounds great in that guitar, as you'd expect, but I had trouble getting the singlecoil close enough to the strings. Y'see, the pickup routes on the model 6 are really deep, to make room for the J-200 stacked hums, and you'll have to get longer screws to mount an ordinary singlecoil (like the EMG).

Now I've thrown the EMGs out in favor of a DiMarzio X2N (very nice pup!), and I'm considering getting a DiMarzio stacked hum for the neck position.

The problem with DiMarzio and Duncan singles is that most of them come stock with a "lip", that will not fit into the Model 6's routes, so you will have to order a custom made pickup without the lip.

[dg]

Re: Info about Model 6 J50BC and J200\'s

Most of the new Duncan singles have this design:



No more lip, but the lead comes out in the middle of the pickup. It's pretty stiff & you can't just bend it over flat right against the pickup to fit it in. I found that I still needed to modify the rout slightly to fit the Hot Rails in my Model 6, but not nearly as much as it would've needed if the pickup had the lip. I took a Dremel tool & undercut the rout slightly from about 1/4" below the surface to the depth of the rout to create a little space for the wire to bend without being damaged. The pickup rocks into place and you can't tell that any mod was done to the guitar at all. If I remember, I'll take a pic or 2 next string change.

[DonP]

Re: Info about Model 6 J50BC and J200\'s

I have those pickups in my Jackson Fusion. I like the J50BC without the active stuff for doing Queensryche. The two singles are muddy as described above, but the J1500 wah in "my" Fusion it allows you to clean them up. I don't know if the J1200 helps with these.

Since you are new to singles, I'd go for something strat-like just in case you decide to play some Jimi or Blackmore stuff. Hot rails, lil'59, JB Jr. might sound better since they buck the hum, but won't give you a classic single coil sound. Maybe a DiMarzio HS-3?

BTW, have you even heard the axe yet? I hate it when people start thinking of hacking up an axe even before giving it a shot. Who knows, it might be just your cup of tea as-is?

[SeventhSon]

Re: Info about Model 6 J50BC and J200\'s

[ QUOTE ]

BTW, have you even heard the axe yet? I hate it when people start thinking of hacking up an axe even before giving it a shot. Who knows, it might be just your cup of tea as-is?

[/ QUOTE ]

+1. the J50BC with the JE1200 combo is almost identical to the electronics in the Alexi Rhoads that they're trying to spec out in the LE section. I don't think people would pay $2k+ for a guitar that had pickup/electronics that sounded like shit from the get go. Give it a shot. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[SeventhSon]

Re: Info about Model 6 J50BC and J200\'s

[ QUOTE ]
JE-1000 is a peak select system (3 dip switches on the circuit board) that could be coupled with a gain boost switch, a tone control, or both.

JE-1500 is a para-mid EQ that gives you control over the frequency range you want to boost. There is a boost switch, & the pot controls the frequencies you want to boost.

manual page for 1000 & 1500

The JE-1200 is a midboost system that only boosts a fixed range of frequencies, but allows you to vary the level of the boost.

1200 page

[/ QUOTE ]

What they should have done is to have a stacked pot for variable gain boost and variable frequency selection for maximum flexibility from a single circuit. That would've been cool.

[FLuX]

Re: Info about Model 6 J50BC and J200\'s

I'm just curious as to past experience.. of course i won't make any decisions or order anything until later, but for the time being its good to be informed of what to expect/have comparisons to when buying something.