Pick Up Suggestions

[RockJunkie]

Also posted in Import Charvel section by mistake.(Sorry)

So I just got a brand new Jackson JS1 in black for $75 from a guy closing his music store.


Now I plan on customizing this baby by adding the following.
*Black Grover Tuners
*Black Floyd Double Locking Trem
*Black Dome Knobs
*Black Jack Plate
*Black Schaler Strop Locks

*BUT WHAT ABOUT PICK UPS???????????
I am so confused on which pickups to put in this thing. I originally was thinking the EMG 81/85 combo but then someone said DiMarzio and others suggest Seymour Duncan.....ArrrrH. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Any suggestions?

I want to make this a metal guitar. I already have a Fender Fat Strat. Something for 80's hair Metal, Early Eddie Van Halen.

[jedmonds]

Re: Pick Up Suggestions

I would go with the EMG 81/60a combo, you can get a really good clean sound from the 60a...

[DonP]

Re: Pick Up Suggestions

First, watch what you are spending, or you'll have $500 worth of parts in a $75 guitar. For the amount of dollars in parts, you could get a guitar with the stuff you want already there.

On to the pickups, do you want heavy metal, or hair metal? EMG's would be heavy metal, but not something you could do EVH, Ratt, Dokken, (insert pop metal band in here) stuff. EMG's would put you into Metallica, Slayer, hard core stuff.

Seeing how you already have a fat strat (doesn't that give you the hair metal sound?) I'd go for the EMG's for something different.

I have yet to install my EMG into a guitar, but let me through out the EMG 85/60 combo as well.

Or you could go 81/89 and split the 89.

[RockJunkie]

Re: Pick Up Suggestions

With the 81 in the bridge and the 60a in the neck? Are these both active Pick ups?

[jedmonds]

Re: Pick Up Suggestions

Yes they are active pickups.

[quiksilver]

Re: Pick Up Suggestions

The EMG 81/85 set is great for big, monster truck crushing sound, but my favorite pickup these days is the DiMarzio Evolution. Plenty of gain & harmonics, singing sustain, still very touch sensitive, with lots of personality, and I don't have to unplug my guitar to save batteries! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[MountainDog]

Re: Pick Up Suggestions

+1 on what DonP said. The cost of a decent floyd, installation of floyd and cutting of neck nut area and installation of floyd nut plus pickups/tuners will cost more and play worse/not sound as good as getting a guitar with everything you want and then just doing a pickup swap. The JS1s are made with "indian cedro" for body wood...I'm not too sure how good a 'tone wood' that is. You might just leave the JS1 alone (other than a pickup swap) and use it for alternate tunings (like Drop D for example).

On your pickup question, I have many guitars with EMGs and many with passives, and lately I've been leaning heavily towards the Duncan JB in the bridge, '59 or Jazz in the neck (like the old Charvels & Jacksons...maybe they were on to something back then!).

[Sunbane]

Re: Pick Up Suggestions

[ QUOTE ]
EMG's would be heavy metal, but not something you could do EVH, Ratt, Dokken, (insert pop metal band in here) stuff. EMG's would put you into Metallica, Slayer, hard core stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]
[img]/images/graemlins/bs.gif[/img]
I couldn't disagree more. EMGs can take you anywhere from jazz to alien zombie stomp.

[RockJunkie]

Re: Pick Up Suggestions

I definetly hear what you are saying about the expense of the parts. As I investigete further the Floyd may not fly. The rest of the parts other than the pick ups are cosmetic and don't add up to even $100.

But the Pickups would improve the sound in a big way. The strat has standard Fender single coils and a humbuker in the bridge. Great tone but not quite the 80's hair metal sound. As for the EMG's If I decide to go Metallica, then thats the pickup of choice. and a pricey one at that. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

By the way the Indian Cedro (which is actually Cedar) has excellent tone, but by no means is it at the same level as an American Jackson. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[Newc]

Re: Pick Up Suggestions

Considering many Hair Metal bands used Duncans in their guitars, I'd say that's the way to go.
But they also used EMGs, DiMarzios, and even Gibson and Fender pickups (in the studio), so your choices are still very wide open.

It's best to sift through a pile of pickups and see which ones you like best, as pickups will always be a personal-taste thing.

I'd go for a Duncan Distortion bridge and Custom or JB in the neck, but that's just me.

[PallarAndersVisa]

Re: Pick Up Suggestions

i had a JS20 and i put a Duncan JB in it. fuckin sounded awesome, extreme metal to hair metal to blues

[ozzuk1]

Re: Pick Up Suggestions

Why not get the JS 30 and replace the pickups? the 22 fret one that is?

They are fairly good, and you might just swap the pickups and maybe then change the hardware to black, I find chrome tends to not look good on some guitars with solid finishes....

http://www.jacksonguitars.com/gear/g...=JS30DK_Dinky#

Ozz

[RockJunkie]

Re: Pick Up Suggestions

Thanks but I already have the JS1 and only paid $75 new. Either way you still have to replace the pickups.