DK2 Upgrades

[DonP]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

And I forgot to add...

What about cool rails for the neck, and hot rails for the middle position? Or reversed?

[SARJ]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

DonP-I'd go Cool Rails middle and Hot Rails neck. That setup would be if you want a hot neck pickup rythem tone and a killer clean middle single coil sound. The other way around would basicaly be what you already got with the single coils.

2nd-Yes, the MIM Fenders are made of alder. They used to be poplar on the solid finishes and alder on the trans-sunburst finishes. I have had several MIM Strats and all but one was the sunburst finish. The black one I used to have was poplar. I liked the sound of both. On the sunburst finish Strats you can see how many pieces the body is comprised of. Mine were usualy no more than 3 pieces. I wouldn't sand em down and go with a natural finish. You could probably see the seams. I think the Mexican Strats are better than the American Strats. For $350 you get way too much guitar. It's a steal.

[pott]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

Neither the hot or the cool rails would give you a single coil tone. They're both humbuckers aren't they? With the same tone. I wouldn't put the hotrails in the neck, you wouldn't get a great clean tone. If you put the cool rails there or another (look into the vintage series: real single coils) SC you may get a sweeter clean tone while the hotrails would go in the middle for the 'solo zone'

[DonP]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

I guess it can go either way (hot neck, cool middle or cool neck, hot middle).

I was thinking the same thing - if I get hot rails for the middle, it would almost be like two different bridge pickups.

I don't really need a single coil sound - got a stock MIM strat for that. That's the reason I want something else for the Jackson - something more hard rock / metal.

Jon,

One band I forgot that I love the sound of - older Savatage. I believe Chris Olivia was the guitarist. I equate his tone to that of a Brian May on Metal.

[SARJ]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

pott-Yep, they are humbuckers, but they are still kind of thin like a single. I suggested the Hot Rails in the neck because DonP was interested in a humbucker sound in the neck pos. instead of a clean single. He wants a metal sound in the neck. I suggested the Cool Rails in the middle for the clean option. I like the middle single sound on the Ibanez RG guitars alot and it gives that metal clean sound big time. A full size humbucker is all humbucker size, mass, etc. The single coil sized humbuckers are small and sound thinner than a full sized humbucker to me. Instead of routing out his new DK2 he can go the Hot/Cool Rails route instead.

Thats all I was gettin at. I like my singles in my DK2, but I think I'm going to fill in my middle single, 5 way blade switch and replace the tone knob with a 3 way toggle and finish it in the granite/stone finish that Jackson used to have back in the day. I also want to replace all my hardware with black hardware. That would look and sound killer!

Sarj

[DonP]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

Jon,

Do you still have the stock pickups in your DK2? Just wonder how you liked them.

Don

[SARJ]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

I have the stock singles and a Seymour Duncan SH-6 Distortion. It's not Floyd Spaced so it's a little misalligned, but sounds better than the TB-6. I put my HB102B in an LTD Kamakazi and it sounded killer, but in the Epiphone LP Std I had it sounded like pure ass.

[DonP]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

Wow. I would think a JB style of pickup would go great in an LP style guitar. What do you have in the Epi?

THAT is a big subject to debate on - do the "T" style pickups sound the same as the non-"T". On the lespaulforum, there is a guy collecting old Seymour pickups (before lettering on the bobbins). He says the old ones sound better, just like the old Gibson "PAF" pickups sound better (to some).

I have been on the prowl for a real JB, but I haven't pulled the trigger yet because "do I go for old, new, T spaced or not?".

I had one in my sites on ebay last night for about $30 and didn't pull the trigger.

What I do know is that I really like the sound of the HB102B currently in here. It sounds great - I get Iron Maiden tones, Queensryche, Accept, probably works for Priest and the Scorpions. Your typical guitar into Marshall stuff. I have 6 Gibsons - each with a different Gibson pickup set, yet this doesn't sound like any of them.

But I'm always wondering - would a real JB sound better? And which one - and old, new, or T spaced new?

So, frustated, I guess I am stuck.

But I am on the hunt to replace the singles with something - I don't care what as long as it is humbucking and doesn't sound like a strat, and doesn't sound like a Gibson (I have those bases covered). And, I'd like the pole/rails to match.

[DonP]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

[ QUOTE ]
I have the stock singles and a Seymour Duncan SH-6 Distortion. It's not Floyd Spaced so it's a little misalligned, but sounds better than the TB-6. I put my HB102B in an LTD Kamakazi and it sounded killer, but in the Epiphone LP Std I had it sounded like pure ass.

[/ QUOTE ]

One more quick question - you asked what I like to play; what is it that you play, and does the Duncan Distortion nail the tone for you?

I am going to play some Megadeath, and see if I need a different pickup for this...

Thanks,

Don

[mariuss]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

First of all and most important upgrade of the DK2 is changing the pots/caps/input jack!!!!...then the pups

Bridge: JB
Neck: Cool Rails
Middle: Stock/ - i'll put a cool rails too here soon [img]/images/graemlins/baby.gif[/img]
=GREAT AXE

Hope it helps!

[rocksoldier]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

How is the balance output wise between the jb/cool rail?
Does the bridge overpower the neck?

[DonP]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

[ QUOTE ]
First of all and most important upgrade of the DK2 is changing the pots/caps/input jack!!!!...then the pups

Bridge: JB
Neck: Cool Rails
Middle: Stock/ - i'll put a cool rails too here soon [img]/images/graemlins/baby.gif[/img]
=GREAT AXE

Hope it helps!

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, it opens up more questions.

1. What are the stock pot values (250K, 500K?), and what did you upgrade to, or did you just keep the same value and get better pots? I use CTS in my Gibsons.

2. What type of cap did you use? I have had great luck with NOS bumble bees.

3. How different was the real JB from the Duncan Designed one? Not fair if you swapped pots and caps at the same time. I'd hate to waste money on a real JB only to find out it sounds just like the one I have.

4. Did you get a TB spaced JB or a regular spaced? Some say the TB spaced don't sound right. Some say older JB's sound better than newer.

5. What about cool rails in the neck and hot rails in the middle, as a second bridge pickup?

Can you understand why I'm sooo confused? Too many choices.

[DonP]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

[ QUOTE ]
How is the balance output wise between the jb/cool rail?
Does the bridge overpower the neck?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a good question. The balance seems right on with the stock pickups IMO. I was checking it last night.

[mariuss]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

The balance is ok.I think the "right" balance would be Hotrails-JB, but I picked up the CoolRails cause its more versatile in the neck pos then the HR.

Second, its a TB spaced JB, Pots=500K CTS/orange drop caps

M

[Newc]

Re: DK2 Upgrades

A JB, from what I understand, is a Distortion with a different magnet, and from personal experience, a Distortion is hot enough that you don't NEED the F-spaced model for a Floyded guitar.
However, I'm not too fond of the full-sized JB hum in the bridge, but I do like them in the neck.
I may put the one that I have in my LP Standard and see what's what, though (currently has a 500T, which is kinda based on the DiMarzio SuperDistortion and a close relative of the Dirty Fingers, from what I gather). The 500T sounds nice, but not "Les Paulish" to me, so maybe the JB will do it.