Question About Soloist Pro Mid Knob

[i likeallguitar]

I have a 1993 Soloist Pro in metallic black. The layout is volume, tone and the mid (scoop?) knob. Also, there is a mid boost chip in the control cavity, right? So here are the questions:
How hard would it be to remove this mid boost chip?
By turning the mid knob all the way down is it like having the mid boost off?
Also anyone have any suggestions for a pickup swap (hss)?

Thanks for anyone who gets it.

[Franx]

And again Henrik's audiozone.dk is the source of information:



That "mid (scoop?) knob" is the JE-1200 Active Mid Boost Circuit, which is pretty much acclaimed over here ! Why swap it out ?

How hard would it be ?
Not "hard" at all; but I'd replace everything (vol, tone, jack, 5-way sw.)

Pickup swap:
It has been said many times on this board - just try ! If you use the search-function, you might have 50 recommendations within 5 minutes;
I have a DiMarzio X2N in the bridge position of most of my guitars, and any high-output (stacked) PU at the neck. But that's just fine for me, who knows if you'd like that sound ?!

[i likeallguitar]

Alright, I didn't know this has been done many times before. I'll use the search bar next time. Thanks.

[garykeller15]

try dimarzio super 3 in bridge,dimarzio fast track 2s in neck and middle, and take out the complete crap midboost and turn it into a second tone. and wire both tone controls seprately toneck and middle, so neck would be the first tone, the middle pickup would be the second, and dont hook either tone to bridge. i Have this setup on my lefty charvel 475 sounds great

[pro-fusion]

I have found that the JE1200 circuit is a huge background noise generator and doesn't add much in the way of tone. I got rid of it in my 1990 Soloist Pro when I installed Duncan pickups.

[i likeallguitar]

I agree with you there, my setup is already noisey as it is the mid boost and active pickups aren't helping. I really like Duncan's so I'm going to get a jb in the bridge and a lil' 59 in the neck, not sure about the middle. Anyone here have any experience with mini humbuckers like the lil' 59?

[toejam]

I agree with you there, my setup is already noisey as it is the mid boost and active pickups aren't helping.

The midboost is the active electronics circuit. The Jackson pickups are passive, as they've never made active pickups.

[i likeallguitar]

But they look so much like emg's! I was so sure that they were active, guess i should read up more.

[toejam]

If you take the covers off, you'll see regular pole pieces. Some people say they sound different with the covers off.

[Alvin_Wilson]

I have found that the JE1200 circuit is a huge background noise generator and doesn't add much in the way of tone. I got rid of it in my 1990 Soloist Pro when I installed Duncan pickups.

I got rid of the JE-1200 in my 1990 Soloist Pro when I installed EMG's. I should have kept her.

[i likeallguitar]

You didn't keep it when you took it out?

Oh and to Toejam about the covers, could i put them over the new pickups i buy or would that not work?

[nhspike]

I have found that the JE1200 circuit is a huge background noise generator and doesn't add much in the way of tone. I got rid of it in my 1990 Soloist Pro when I installed Duncan pickups.

Just a personal opinion, but if you start with the mid-boost at zero, then just dial in enough mid-range punch, you may find it's not "that noisy".

Yes, technically, if you dial it up, you are dialing up noise.

I just don't subscribe to running it full-open... never have... they sound like ass that way.

Many who think they sound like ass, well... it's because they crank it up like a tone control.

OK, well... try it.

They are ballsy to these ears.

(but I've not heard too many guitars)

[toejam]

Oh and to Toejam about the covers, could i put them over the new pickups i buy or would that not work?

They might work. You'd have to lightly glue them on, though. I know at one time Jackson used standard-spaced pickups because the JT-6 Floyd was standard-spaced and not Floyd-spaced, but I believe later on Jackson made Floyd/Trem-spaced pickups. Not sure if they used covers on those as well.

[pro-fusion]

I really like Duncan's so I'm going to get a jb in the bridge and a lil' 59 in the neck, not sure about the middle. Anyone here have any experience with mini humbuckers like the lil' 59?

I have a Lil' 59er in the neck and a Quarter Pound SSL-4 in the middle on my Soloist Pro. The Lil' 59er is ok, but maybe not quite 'bright' enough for me. I've got a Hot Wire that I've been meaning to swap into the neck position and just haven't gotten around to it. The SSL-4 sounds good, but it's so hot that you really have to position it very low so as not to saturate everything. Ultimately, I'm probably going to go with something a little less hairy for the middle position.

[i likeallguitar]

Alright, I've decided what pickups I'm going to get.
Neck- Lil '59
Middle- Classic Stack Plus STK-S4 (a moderate output for dabbling in other genres of music)
Bridge- JB
They're all Duncan cause I like them but also I REALLY like having the the pickups look nice and uniform (hope I'm not the only one). As for the mid boost I want the best of both worlds. Tell me if this would work, I'm going to try to change the mid knob's potentiometer to a push/ pull and with the help off my dad find a way to "turn off" the mid boost chip. Might have worded that wrong, i don't think its called turning off but i think everyone gets the point.
Thanks for all the help guys.