Got a model 6 ('86 w/ Kahler) :) a couple of questions/issues though...

[Rich#6]

The only reason I have not had it repaired is because I really never play it.

I wouldn't play it either , I would be afraid of hurting that paint job.

Funny you should mention a pot that sticks. I have a model 6 that has the same problem after it sits for a long time. It does free up though if I force it. You should probably have them replaced as should I. My volume pot makes a scratchy noise when I turn it too

that should clear up with some cleaner.

[l1kel1ke]

again, thanks a lot for the input guys thats more info than i hoped for.

and funny you should mention an EMG, i was thinking of putting in an EMG 81 there instead of the stock hb (not exactly now, perhaps within a year or so?), but I'm absolutely mortified at how i'm gonna get around to doing that. After scanning through the EMG installation guide I can't seem to comprehend if and how the active electronics circuit is gonna work with one(or if it has to be removed in order to do it). And considering I probably don't wanna try it myself and blow up the guitar I'm gonna have to get around to trusting those guys at the store to do it and not screw around with my new baby :p so I would really want to muster up the confidence to do it myself. anyone here work with these kinda modifications? i'd really like to hear your stories/opinions

I am also unsure if i'd have to replace the volume/tone pots as well. That's the gist i got from the guide, but would those still be able to incorporate the passive single coils?

[dg]

Even though you could theoretically run EMGs with the JE-1200 circuit, everybody I know of just guts the electronics and starts from scratch with an EMG set. Most go with an 81, SA, SA, but lots of guys also like the 85 in the bridge. If you want to keep the stock midboost, any passive pickups can drop right in. Lots of people still scrap the active system when they upgrade with passive pickups. I left mine in when I put a Duncan Custom & Hot Rails in my Model 6, and I think they sound good with the circuit. They have a more subtle response to the midboost than the original pickups, but it does work & sounds good to me.

-edit- To answer the question about combining an EMG with the neck & middle stock pickups, that would be a complex feat of wiring without a good payoff. Those J200s aren't worth the trouble of keeping, imo. If you really want EMGs, the way to go is to do it all the way & get rid of the midboost & put in the EMG pots and 3 EMG pickups. If you want an active boost on top of that, I'm pretty sure EMG makes some specifically for their products.

[l1kel1ke]

^thanks. actually i wanted to keep the lace sensors for that bluesy touch, not the J200s :P (again, I'm just brainstorming here, i don't know if those would combine with EMGs at all; right now when i play with the sensors the HB is off, and when i work with the HB the sensors are off) but in that case i guess i still need to think about it more seriously. I wanted to keep the active electronics just to make use of it/have fun with it before I take it out after barely using it, you know, tap the potential :P I guess I can do without the EMG for a while then, and perhaps find some other passive HB to replace the stock along the road


and I'm thinking I will replace the HB ring guys lol, even though I think the pink is cute on her, I gotta admit it is somewhat gaspworthy from a design perspective.

[dg]

When it comes time to replace the pickup ring, Dave (Budman68 here) makes the best available anywhere, including the right size to replace the oversize Model Series rings and fit whatever humbucker you go with. Here's his site:

http://www.fretsonthenet.net

[DonP]

The J200's are muddy because of the high impedance. You pretty much have to use them with some sort of active system to clean them up. I have J200s in a Fusion with the mid-sweep circuit (JE1500). It's like a wah pedal. With that circuit, I can get a much better tone out of the J200s, almost stratty. Without it, they sound like mud to me.

[l1kel1ke]

ooh, while you guys are here, just remembered a little (potential) problem I ran into. It's probably my being paranoid but just to be sure;

whenever I'm playing sitting down and the connector part of the output cable that sticks out from the guitar hits the couch, it makes a crackling noise (the same as if I removed the cable then shoved it back in almost instantly) It does this when I lightly tap the solid part of the cable as well. It's not much but it's significant enough to mess with the sound if that part of the cable strikes something while i'm playing. I opened er up in the back and took out the output jack to check for weak connections, but the soldering was solid. I'm also quite sure it's not the cable since it doesn't have the problem with my strat when I tried it. Again, paranoia. maybe I just didn't notice it with the positioning of the jack on strats, and I'm just worried it might escalate into something worse in the near future, since i'd love to use this one to gig at least a few times

any ideas?
again, thanks a lot guys. you've been way more interactive/helpful than anyone else anywhere else

[Rich#6]

if its one of those enclosed input jacks replace it. Mine was cracked and I had it taped for years and when I took the tape off it fell apart. If its all metal make sure the wires aren't touching when you put in the cable.

[dg]

I had the exact same thing happen. The stock jacks with a plastic housing crack pretty easily, and the contacts can slip out of place. Just remember to get a stereo jack. I used one of these, and it fit fine with just a little bit of bending of one of the solder contacts:

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/JK13