really bad tone from a dk1

[splatter]

I recently bought a dk1 . The low end of the guitar is terrible . I thought it was the pickup so I changed it to a known good pickup that I have use in other guitars . The tone still sux. ITs only on the low end ,the guitar has no bottom . The mids and highs are great . The low end is thin and metallic sounding . Its not my amp I've got a custom shop san dimas and a 58 ri les paul that sound great through the same amp .
I bought a couple of jacksons in the past and returned them because of this same thing . I thought it was the sd pickups causeing the problem . the others I bought new so I wasn't going to change the pickup and ruin my chance of returning them .
I'm wondering if maybe it might be the capacitors ? I'm not trying to bash Jacksons . I really like the look , feel and playability of the dk1 . I just can't take the tone .

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks

[toejam]

Maybe the alder body/maple neck/ebony board combination is too bright for you. Are you adjusting the eq controls on your amp and tone control on your guitar to compensate? Maybe you need to use a 250k pot to warm things up instead of 500k. What pickups were in the guitar and what did you put in?

[splatter]

Yes I'm adjusting my amp and it doesn't help . The pickup I took out was a duncan tb4 and the pickup I put in was a gibson burstbucker .
I think your right . I thought about the alder body but not in combination with the ebony board and maple neck . The three together are probably just to much for me .
A 250 k pot might just do the trick
Thanks

[toejam]

No problem. The JB is a bright pickup to begin with, a lot of treble and high mids, not much bass, and it definitely works better with a 250k pot. I think Burstbuckers are a little bright as well and will also benefit from the 250k.
You could always check out DiMarzio or Duncan's websites and look at the tone chart for something with more low end. I think a DiMarzio Tone Zone, Super Distortion or Super 3 would work well for you, or even a Duncan Invader.

[ADR]

toejam: I had to look up the specs,but my 1st thought was. . maple FB. But then I checked and thats another model. I think your right on as far as the ebony thrown in there.
I know that the Custom 5 (TB-14) has less treble then the JB and tons of bottom. On the other hand . . I have a 250k pot in my Relic along with the "infamous red chicklet cap" (Jimi,clapton used etc). its Swamp ash/maple combo.. .so it tames the brightness. Whats in it now 500k?


Wanted to add.. . whats your CS Charvie specs? I myself love Alder/RW combo with the Custom 5. . ohh boy.You would never know my VOX AC30VT had a 10" speaker, on some setting models I turn the bass down.

[toejam]

My Charvel Star (alder, maple neck, maple board) came with a Custom 5 in the bridge and a Jazz in the neck. I love the Jazz, but I wasn't crazy about the Custom 5. The C5 definitely has some decent low end, but I found it a little scooped in the midrange and not quite what I was looking for in that guitar. It's now got a Tone Zone in it, and I'm a lot happier. I should have probably kept the C5 around and tried it in something else, but I sold it. I also think the JB is overrated and would try anything else before that.

[jonsgon]

my .02 is to try a tone zone in there, that should do the trick or if you don't like it that hot put an air zone

jon

[jcm800x]

Super 3

[splatter]

My charvie is the evh art series . Its stock ( the red one ) I had a burstbucker and a tone zone in it on 2 differennt occasions . Then I bought a new amp and decided to go back with the origional pup.
I have read alot of bad things about the evh charvel but I love mine . It fast and furious .

[bibz]

Id go tb5 duncan custom, seems just 'right' to me.

[Evol]

Just a thought, was this guitar originally equipped with EMG's by any chance? I know you said you pulled out a Duncan, but does it have a battery box on the guitar?

[axeman81]

I replaced the JB in my soloist for a Custom 5. Not a radical change, but tweaked it just enough to make me a happy man. Check out the tone charts on Seymour Duncan's website to find a pickup to your liking. You might wanna try the Duncan Distortion as well.

Good luck,

- Rune.

[mayzan]

Get a Duncan PATB3 or JB. It will sounds great... if not, get EMG to bypass everything :ROTF:

[rocksoldier]

I think a tonezone would be much fatter sounding then the Jb or burstbucker.