New Jackson

[semagic]

Re: New Jackson

i think the dk2 is the most underated guitar on the market today. sound, feel and features easily the best value for your money. [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[SARJ]

Re: New Jackson

Welcome. I've had my DK2 for about 3 years now. It's a pre-buyout model and there are differences in the neck, but everything else is the same. I never played mine with the stock DD HB102B as I replaced it with a SD SH-6 Distortion. I had to dump the volume knob soon after I replaced the bridge p/u. The stock singles sound great for just about anything. I don't use em much, but when I do they seem to match up pretty well to my hotter bridge pickup. I tried a TB-6 in it once because the SH-6 I have isn't properly spaced. The TB-6 was too trebly for me so I stuck with the SH-6. Don't ask why, it just didn't sound as good to me only. Anyway, it's held up fine. I almost got rid of it a few times, but I just couldn't let it go. It's a keeper for sure. Mine is a trans-blue. I love the flame maple look and the blue kinda subdues it. The DK2 is a killer axe. My other guitar is a DK2LE. The necks on the new DK's are a little thicker. IMO that's an improvement. Keep us informed.

[DonP]

Re: New Jackson

Hey LesPlayer,

I just bought my first Jackson too - same as yours:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...e=STRK:MEWN:IT

I hope it arrives today, because tomorrow I fly to LA.

I am a long time Gibson purchaser (3 LP's, 3 SG's), but I've always lusted over Jacksons. I just bought a historic R0 this December, but tricked the wife into letting me get this Jackson. Can't go wrong when you can buy ten of these for what my R0 cost.

Don

[LesPlayer]

Re: New Jackson

This giutar was an Ebay purchase,it was a new 2nd from a guitar shop,the seller said he went over it 100% and could not find any reason for it to be a 2nd,and for $325.00 I'll take it.Just went and picked up a SD-JB for the bridge and ordered 500k pots, a 5way switch and an input jack,its gotta be reliable......earlier somone asked what its like with 500k's its like pulling a blanket off your amp and combined with good caps your tone knob actually has a use.
and thanks again all

[DonP]

Re: New Jackson

LesPlayer,

I've just had a couple of days with my Jackson, and was wondering how you are doing. It sounds decent. I pulled the cavity plate - no shielded cables - you'll want to switch to shielding to cut the noise.

I'm still up in the air about the pickups. I'm going to throw my screamin' demon in another superstrat axe I have to A/B against. It's just hard to tell - each pickup has it's place. My SG Std. I love - the 490R/498T. Most people hate these but I get my best palm mute chunk from this pickup. I also have some no-names that sound awesome. Found them in a guitar shop 20 years ago and stocked up. These have great clarity and good thump. I have three LP's and each has different pickups and sounds as well. The Jackson needs to find it's "spot" I guess.

[Surge]

Re: New Jackson

Welcome and congrats on the DK2 score!

[LesPlayer]

Re: New Jackson

Hey Don,I havnt recieved the DK yet,got a box full of parts to put in it though.I too love the 490&498 I think they are the best pup combo that Gibson has,I got an R7 last year that came with Burst Buckers,I thought they sounded like ass,very brittle ,very harsh(some love them),tookem out in place of SD Alnico ProII's,those are some sweet pups to put in an LP for a vitage sound.Got a JB to put in the DK2,should sound good.

[DonP]

Re: New Jackson

Tell me about it! I wanted to sell my 1998 SG Std. because they are fairly easy to come by (if I wanted to get another), but dang the thing has such a thumping bottom end crunch, I just couldn't do it! And it has such a clear cutting lead, I almost thought of getting a 498T for the Jackson!

I think a JB is a great all around choice. I personally think the 498T is Gibson's attempt at creating a JB. Duncan Distortions get a lot of praise here too (I've heard that Lynch used them in the early years). I'm tempted to get a Super Distortion (Iron Maiden), but I read one guy saying that he thought the stock "Designed" pickup sounds just like SuperD (anyone care to comment?).

I'm undecided on the single coils. the 59 Jr. sounds interesting.

Also, coming from an LP or an SG, I find the Volume Knob to be in the way of my picking hand. I'm always knocking it lower (it's loose as well). I'm going to upgrade to stiff CTS 550K pots, but I'd like to know if you find the volume in the "wrong" place as well. For caps, I'm thinking a .015 715P Orange Drop. I'd like to get push/pull pots like I did on my Classic Premium Plus, but I'd want DPDT in a large pot, and I haven't found these yet.

[LesPlayer]

Re: New Jackson

About the knob being in the way,like I said I dont have the dk yet,but it does look like the knob could get in the way,I have a fatStrat that im always knocking the switch down when playing the neck pups,I think the DK's Duncan design pup will end up in the strat.I used RS guitar works for the pots and caps,they have evrything you need

[mhalsey]

Re: New Jackson

The vol knob bothers me a little as well. My pinky and ring finger hit it which makes me wary of strumming or picking aggressively. Not that I really do to begin with, but it definitely lets me know it's there. Just something I'll get used to, I guess.

I've read elsewhere about the electronics packages from RS guitar works. They seem a lil' pricey but they supposedly test and "match" the pots. Not sure what that's all about or if it makes that much of a difference. Just hype to make sales? Dunno. Maybe someone can shed some light.

[DonP]

Re: New Jackson

I buy my pots from Black Rose Custom. $3.99 for a 550K pot is a great deal. They also have the SPST push pull pots to at least let you coil tap.

I'm reading up on the HB-102B pickup in the DK2 - it appears that these are patterned off of a JB model. I've never had a JB, but this sounds a little darker than what I thought a JB would sound like. It does have a vintage sound for a 16.25K pickup!

I get a good Queensryche tone from this pickup (earlier albums). Kinda mellow and full.

My middle pickup reads 6.84, and the neck reads 6.97 BTW.

I wonder how a real JB would sound in this guitar.

LesPlayer, please take good notes before and after you put the JB in. I want to know if the tone really changes a lot before I go out and buy a JB.

Thanks,

Don

[LesPlayer]

Re: New Jackson

Will do Don,I will give it a week or so before I make any changes just so I can get an ear for the guitar as is,then I will change everything,...if theres no big defference at least I know the guitar will be reliable and I wont loose a pot during a gig,wich I've read seams to be a problem with the stock pots,at least in the japan models,

[DonP]

Re: New Jackson

Update: I think Black Rose saw the loophole in their website. 550K's are now $4.99 each.

Interesting about loosing a pot. My main concern is that they spin too freely. Every time I hit them I knock my volume a notch lower. The CTS pots I installed in my R0 are a b*t*h to turn.

Please let me know how the JB goes. I'm very interested in how the "Duncan Designed" JB compares against a real JB. The DD JB is interesting. I can nail Queensryche and Iron Maiden with it. Kind of a smooth overdrive. The SD web site makes it sound like harmonics are jumping out all over the place on a JB, but I don't find that to be the case with this pickup. My 490R/498T loaded SG is still number one for fun.

On my LP Classic Premium Plus, I pulled the 496R/500T and went to a pair of 57's from a R7 Murphy. I like the tone better, but I sure lost a lot of sustain. This guitar went from my hottest (compared to my R0 and '02 Std) to my lowest in one shot.

[LesPlayer]

Re: New Jackson

received the new Jackson DK2 yesterday,feels like a toy compared to a LesPaul,but seems well crafted with a beutifull finish and a comfortable feel,although I do keep knocking the volume knob down,trem seems good enough no complaints. diddnt take long to realize I dont like the bridge pup,reminds me of Gibson BB's,got a harsh sound and doesnt sound like a 16.something pup(hope the JB Im replacing it with doesnt sound the same),neck pups are decent(they wont get used that much).Fri night I will do a complete electronics upgrade and report back when thouroghly tested.

[DonP]

Re: New Jackson

It's been well noted on the lespaulforum that JB's are wound high (over 16K) but don't have much to show for it - just a hotter PAF sound. From what I've read they don't have a strong bass response - more of a flat EQ curve.

Harsh like a BB? Strange - my BB2 in my Historic has way more highs than this - this pickup sounds "subdued" and "warm" compared to that. But, my Historic has a pigtail bridge and studs, and 550K pots that make it even brighter.

Please let me know if the real JB sounds just like these "imposters". If so, I might make this into a full-on Metal guitar with a Duncan Distortion and a pair of Hot Rails.