Reflex pickups

[22FretStick]

I just bought a Charvel model unknown? That has three pickups that say Reflex on them. Anyone ever heard of these are they stock? and is this guitar a 275 or 375?
Thanks

[charvel750]

Re: Reflex pickups

Yep, a 375, and you're the bidder who beat me out on that one!!! Man, it was only $175 and no one but me was on the bidding board. Of course I lost out (as usual) in the waning moments. The pickups are stock, and were a fairly expensive upgrade to the Jackson models. Reflex made some good units, the entire set with its active preamp "black box" would fetch almost half of what you spent for the axe!

[pro-fusion]

Re: Reflex pickups

I believe that's a 375. Nice guitar. The Reflex pickups were a factory option at the time. The prevailing opinion here seems to be that they kick ass, but I've never had a chance to try them myself.

[22FretStick]

Re: Reflex pickups

Wow, I get to meet the other bidder! I sometimes often think about the other guy. Hope there are no hard feelings.
I will let you know if it was really a deal after the UPS gorilla drops it off.
I never buy a guitar I cant play before purchase but thought I would gamble a little on this one.
I do my own setups anyway. I cant wait to find out if it's loaded with a Schaller instead of a Jackson trem.

[charvel750]

Re: Reflex pickups

No hard feelings at all, you won fair and square. The trem is a Charvel logoed Schaller. Fine guitar for an even finer price!

[22FretStick]

Re: Reflex pickups

Well the guitar showed up today, pretty quick shipping! The guitar was setup bad so I dropped the action a bunch, the neck is sweet but stiff feeling.
I will probably restring it tonight with XL120's the stiffness might be some bunk strings.
Also it has one of those classic hairline cracks in the cutaway at the neck joint. I thought only Ibeenhads did that!
Now on to the Reflex pickups, my Kramer has a Dimarzio X2N in it so thats what im comparing the active reflex pickups too.
First impression: I need to totally redo my EQ. They are noisy how do you active pickup guys get rid of all that hissssssing?
When I take my hands off my Kramer with the valume full on it's quiet, no feedback, no hisss just silence.
These active pickups however have a mind of their own, I cut the tone and valume back some on the guitar and it's a little better. but they sound sort of thin have no character.
It is safe to say now that I am not a active pickup kind of guy...

[joe web]

Re: Reflex pickups

long time ago i bought a reflex pu-set.
one sc and one hb plus the blackbox and i paied about 320.-DM which was about us$160.- or more at this time.
this thing are really good sounding active pu´s!

[JACKSONFREAK]

Re: Reflex pickups

sounds like you have a loose wire some where or a bad connection. I have two sets of Reflex pups a(classic and hot)and both are dead silent. It could be a simple loose ground wire on the output jack or a weak battery. Check those first then start with the pots. checking all the wires for a good connection if the noise contuniues. But my guess would be it wont. Its probably a loose ground wire on the Jack.
Nice guitar btw
Gil

[charvel750]

Re: Reflex pickups

Gil's right. Active pickups have the advantage of being dead silent. No unwanted noise, hiss, light interference, etc. Since you already admitted the set up was poor and the strings are old, I would bet that the wiring is faulty. As Gil pointed out you should inspect it and remedy any problems. It's actually UNFAIR to say you're not an active pickup guy because of one guitar with one kind of active pickups, now is it?

[Superfly]

Re: Reflex pickups

UNCLE LOOIE!!!!!

[22FretStick]

Re: Reflex pickups

No i'm not LOOIE!!!!! just a guy that looks like him!
Im going to give the wiring job a makeover before anything gets yanked. The feel of this guitar is growing on me quick.

[ October 02, 2003, 04:38 PM: Message edited by: 22FretStick ]

[JACKSONFREAK]

Re: Reflex pickups

Well? Whats the verdict? What was wrong with the geetar?
Gil

[22FretStick]

Re: Reflex pickups

I still haven't had the wiring checked out but I know it's not the battery.