550xl Modification ???s

[savatage]

I'm getting the neck on my 550xl fully scalloped (shallow 1.5mm scallops). At the same time I'm thinking about having the floyd blocked since I never use it and it doesn't stay in tune anymore anyways. I'm also thinking about replacing that "blade" neck pickup. I'm not even sure it fully works anymore and I don't use it.

Through some modification, would it be possible to fit a full-size humbucker in the neck position. I'm thinking about putting in a Manson bucker or p90.

[metalone]

Let me know how you like the scallop, I thought about doing mine but...also the blade pickup is actually a good sounding pup

[Rich#6]

Why have the whole neck down? why not just the upper frets?
for the neck pickup do you not like the single coil look? I would get a dimarzio sds-1 or a seymour duncan qtr pound and be done with it.
ARe the blades on the trem shot? It' won't stay in tune even if you block it.

[jackson1]

As much as I am a modding guy myself, I've learned there's a limit for every project. Crossing that limit and I start looking for another guitar with more of the features I am after. In my eyes you have reached that limit. It's a 550XL you've got. Close to a rare gem in my book. Can't you find a more suitable guitar already with a hard tail and 2H pup-config and then scallop that? And fix your 550XL so that the trem works and the neck pup likewise.

[savatage]

I think I'm not going to replace the neck pickup after all. I just don't play that position and the J90c in the bridge is incredible. As for scalloping, I have a stratocaster that's fully scalloped and I love it. It's actually become kind of hard to play non-scalloped guitars. Of my three other guitars, the 550xl would be the next one to get scalloped. As for scalloping only the upper frets, it doesn't really cut it for me. With a fully scalloped fretboard the vibrato, bends, and control are insane all the way up and down the board.

[savatage]

Actually, I just read a post above that i missed. I have a Seymour Duncan q-pounder lying around. How would that sound in the neck position?

[moku]

Actually, I just read a post above that i missed. I have a Seymour Duncan q-pounder lying around. How would that sound in the neck position?

well, did you change the stock humbucker? if not, it should work fine with the j90c.

[savatage]

No, the original blade humbucker is there. It's extremely weak and thin, so weak that you can't use it. There might be something wrong with it. The wires on this thing are exposed and look old and worn.

[moku]

No, the original blade humbucker is there. It's extremely weak and thin, so weak that you can't use it. There might be something wrong with it. The wires on this thing are exposed and look old and worn.

hmm.... then you're going to have a problem. the quarterpounder has a relatively strong output. if the wiring on the humbucker is not messed up, but just sounds thin, then check the pot. does it have a 500k pot for the humbucker? if it does, then i don't know what the hell is wrong with it i'd change it. ppl are constantly selling pups and stuff.

the principle is that the neck pickup should be lower output than the bridge pickup since the strings are louder over the neck pickup. this makes volume matching between the two pickups possible without having to raise the bridge pickup overly high and adjusting the neck pickup overly low. also, body woods have their own tonal characteristics and can be correctly "matched" to the 2 pickup characteristics to achieve a desired tone. if you put the quarterpounder in the neck i would put a hot pickup in the bridge.

[savatage]

It has a J90c in the bridge. I don't know what's hotter than that The pots are original so I would assume it's a 500k.

[Rich#6]

I believe the j90 is hotter than the qtr lb. and that pickup has the tone of a p90.

[moku]

It has a J90c in the bridge.

i thought you said "blade humbucker"? if you're referring to the single pickup sounding thin, then just use the quarterpounder. should go well with the j90. i'm curious, check if the neck pot is a 25k. you never know... if it's 25k, that would explain the weak output. i wouldn't put a 500k pot for the neck though... it would shreak so loud you'll be able to break glass! use 250k.

[Rich#6]

My 550xl only have one pot, does yours have more? If that's the same blade pickup that can in the predator I liked that one, I thought it had a good output. If it's weak it's either broken or not high enough.

[metalone]

When I bought my 550xl the front pup was wired as a single coil and sounded weak and thin, After hooking up the other coil it was very powerful and has a nice tone to it
Look at yours it may be the same

[axmann]

I need a 550XL . Way too cool.