Jackson Adrian Smith SDX, questions.

[mike_bax]

Is there really any difference?
They are Fender pick ups either way.

Clearly there is, according to Jackson (info from jacksonguitars.com)

Adrian Smith Signature, San-DimasDK, USA


Bridge Pickup: DiMarzio® SuperDistortion™ Humbucking
Middle Pickup: Samarium CobaltNoiseless™(SCN) Single-Coil Strat
Neck Pickup: Samarium CobaltNoiseless™(SCN) Single-Coil Strat


Adrian Smith Signature, SDX, Import


Bridge Pickup: Jackson® Humbucking
Middle Pickup: Jackson®Single-Coil
Neck Pickup: Jackson® Single-Coil

[bombtek]

Grab yourself couple jackson J-100 single coils off the bay....they're cheap enough and really do sound great.

[mike_bax]

Grab yourself couple jackson J-100 single coils off the bay....they're cheap enough and really do sound great.

Thanks for the heads up. I do like the J-100 coils, (these are fitted as stock to my Model 3's)

Will look out for some.

[straycat]

I really don't want to get in a pissing match but mine actually sounded pretty good in my AS/SDX.
Put a meter on them and see what they read.Mine read 8.4k which is about right and they had all the jangle a single coil should have.
Too close to the strings any single coil will sound bad.
I pulled my originals out and changed pick ups and the rest of the electronics.I metered the stock pots and they were not up to snuff and had dead spots in the taper.
You are going to put good pots in it aren't you?
BTW I may have 2 J 100's in my parts bin if you want them I had to replace the leads on them.Used vintage cloth covered wire too.

[mike_bax]

Gonna fit CTS pots and a grigsby switch. Honestly, I must have a rogue guitar. At any height, the pickups sound weak and lifeless, and only half the volume of the humbucker.
Now, I do expect them to not have the power of the humbucker, but honestly, its shocking.
I have now sourced a neck position Fender Strat Mexican coil, so I will try this, hopefully I am on the way to single coil happiness. Just gotta find a middle one.
At least then I can get it sounding a bit like my other main gigging guitar, and unplanned guitar changes mid gig won't alter mine and the band's sound.

[Force]

Yeah, I think you might have some dodgy electronics there, I've just been playing with mine for an hour & while the singles are pretty weak, they still sound reasonable, great for blues.

As for the hum, it's got heaps of grunt. It's suppose to be based around the Super Distortion, it has the same amount of gain but sounds a bit cheaper. Hell, if it sounded as good, why spend the extra on a real one.

There's some fundamental flaws that really shouldn't exist but it is a budget version of Mr Smith's, I love mine. Hope you get yours sorted.

[mike_bax]

Yeah, I think you might have some dodgy electronics there, I've just been playing with mine for an hour & while the singles are pretty weak, they still sound reasonable, great for blues.

As for the hum, it's got heaps of grunt. It's suppose to be based around the Super Distortion, it has the same amount of gain but sounds a bit cheaper. Hell, if it sounded as good, why spend the extra on a real one.

There's some fundamental flaws that really shouldn't exist but it is a budget version of Mr Smith's, I love mine. Hope you get yours sorted.

I have no issue with the hum, in fact its really quite punchy and bright. I guess I just want the coils to sound like my MIM Floyd Rose Strat. I think with and electrics overhaul, and swapping the coils out, my issue will be sorted.

[straycat]

Try good quality pots and cap, that might be your problem.

[mike_bax]

Try good quality pots and cap, that might be your problem.

Fitting CTS 500K pots, Orange Drop Capacitor and an Oak Grigsby switch. Its hasn't done Fender too much hard over the past 60 years

[markD]

I did some mods to mine - 250K fender volume pot, tele switch, SD JB in the bridge and a di'marzio YJM in the neck. I had a custom pickguard made also.

[mike_bax]

Tasty looking mods there Mark. On "Strat" style guitars, I like to try and keep the stock look. That said, the "2 pickup 'bucker in the bridge and coil in the neck", is cool.
Some of the Charvel Wildcards have this, and I like it, a lot.
I guess I got into this look 'cos of Skid Row's,Scotti Hill. His Bootleg Generator Signature has this.

[straycat]

Once you iron out the shortcomings of the AS/SDX its a really nice playing guitar
I bought mine with all intentions of modding it because I really didn't expect much to be honest.
The fit and finish was really nice and the necks on these are very good.
The MIK Floyd works just fine too, rock solid.
I'm very happy with mine.

[holycross1]

Change pickups. They are a Hot Rod guitar.
I have yet to NOT change pickups in a guitar.
If you don't drop tune over a standard D you should check out the Earvana Floyd nut.
All my Floyd style guitars have them. And they are unreal. Every chord shines.
I have to admit my Dinky Reverse that is in drop A and drop B at times is a little out. But it is closer by far then with the original lock nut.
Best investment I made for gigs. No keyboard players give me crap for notes sounding "not right".
Just a suggestion. And I don't gig as much in the last 2 years. Kids are in that stage for me. Trying to equip them.
But I still have my rigs and studio. So nothing lost. I am that good. I can get back in the saddle. LOL
We are all legends in our own minds.
But check out the Earvana and Lace or APC pickups.

[mike_bax]

Once you iron out the shortcomings of the AS/SDX its a really nice playing guitar
I bought mine with all intentions of modding it because I really didn't expect much to be honest.
The fit and finish was really nice and the necks on these are very good.
The MIK Floyd works just fine too, rock solid.
I'm very happy with mine.

It plays really nice, having a top mount Floyd, and a slight tilt back on the neck, its very much like playing my Charvel Model 3 (a later one with the JT-6 Floyd), only real difference is the radius of the neck

Change pickups. They are a Hot Rod guitar.
I have yet to NOT change pickups in a guitar.
If you don't drop tune over a standard D you should check out the Earvana Floyd nut.
All my Floyd style guitars have them. And they are unreal. Every chord shines.
I have to admit my Dinky Reverse that is in drop A and drop B at times is a little out. But it is closer by far then with the original lock nut.
Best investment I made for gigs. No keyboard players give me crap for notes sounding "not right".
Just a suggestion. And I don't gig as much in the last 2 years. Kids are in that stage for me. Trying to equip them.
But I still have my rigs and studio. So nothing lost. I am that good. I can get back in the saddle. LOL
We are all legends in our own minds.
But check out the Earvana and Lace or APC pickups.

I don't use too many alternate tunings, sometime standard E Flat, and sometimes Drop D, thats about it. Dave Mustaine once said "If you can't write a heavy sounding riff in standard tuning, you should give up!", however, since he made this statement in the early 90's, Megadeth have used D Tuning (not drop D, but DGCFAD) since 2012 Live and on recordings, and on Hangar 18 (1990) and Public Enemy #1 (2011), the bass was in drop D, so in true Mustaine style, he was talking out of his arse!

Single coils are being swapped this weekend hopefully

[straycat]

Don't bash Dave too hard he's really a decent guy.
Met him at a NAMM show in 2004 and hung out for about an hour just me and him.
He still loves his Jackson guitars.
I was in the ESP booth looking around and he came up to me and said hey cool Jackson T shirt man.
No attitude at all very friendly.