Confused about my KV2 stock pickups

[Luafcm]

Are they 2 TB4s or 1 TB4 and one SH4??:think:

I know they are JB's, it would seem logical to me to have a F-spaced bridge pickup and a regular neck pickup ie TB4 bridge and SH4 neck. Is this how they do it, or is it really just 2 TB4's like the website says.

Also, van anyone recommend me some decent ceramic pickups for me before I pull the JB's and end up with EMG's in there! LOL, thanks!

[zuppermuhle]

You could measure the pole pieces spacing to be sure. It's most likely a SH-4 like my RR5 had.

You could try a Duncan Custom which has a ceramic magned and sounds like a hot PAF instead of icepick like the JB.

[themisfit138]

My '07 KV2 had 2 TB4's. Yours should be the same, I would think. It is easy to tell, they are marked on the back of the pickup.

Can't help much on the ceramic pickup because the only ceramic pickup I have like for any amount of time is the old Gibson Dirty Fingers. The Duncan Custom was alright though.

[Luafcm]

Thanks for the help guys. I've seen the specs called out with 2 X TB4's (which is cool because they are easy to sell!) but I've also read that there is a SH4 in the neck because of the convergence of string spacing moving down the scale.

Good call on measuring the poles, way too obvious for me to figure out! :think: LOL

Alnico does sound like ice picks for sure. Likely the voicing of the JB and the body/neck material combo of the KV2 are really to blame. I bet the JB likes mahog better. I just don't want to go full retard and put an X2N in it like my conscious is telling me to! I was hoping to get the inside scoop on what would be great death metal style pickups for my KV2. Here she is:


I think that alnico might be the wrong choice for this guitar. I don't want this to be a "UH, wut pickups do I like?" thread. I'm just looking for insight from other KV2 owners and their experiences with alnico/ceramic/active.

[DonP]

Megadeth didn't have issues with JBs. Both Dave and Marty used them in their axes.

[Grahf]

its a typo on the website. My 09' KV2 came with a TB4 (JB) and an SH2(Jazz)

[Luafcm]

its a typo on the website. My 09' KV2 came with a TB4 (JB) and an SH2(Jazz)

Geez, you think they would fix that! Do they not understand how ravenous guitar players are when it comes to collecting the tiniest little detail on their instruments! Shit, I'd like to know if it was a cloudy day when my guitar was built. Details are a big deal, and uncorrected typo's show contempt for the buyer.

That being said, oh well.

Thanks or the info Bro!

[Luafcm]

Megadeth didn't have issues with JBs. Both Dave and Marty used them in their axes.

I'm using a 6505+ and my picking hand, not Dave's.

I'm not a huge Megadeth fan, but I don't recall them ever really being praised for having exceptional tone. Dave's technique is where it's at, but I don't think I want to sound like Megadeth as far as tone.

What amps do they use, and can you suggest me a song to get a good idea of how good these JB's can sound? Why did Dave switch to Livewires? Was he not happy with his tone?

The JB's do sound good, for sure. But I want better. I want to retain the clarity, but the voicing and output I think I'd like to tweak. The other pickups I currently own are:
Distortion Neck, Invader Bridge, 81/85, and I've had alot of experience with L-500/XL-500 and Dimebuckers, Gibson 500T (the best one I've heard), Schaller Hotstuff, Blaze Bridge

The JB is ok. I think I like it better then the EMG-81, but that 81 is in a JS30KV. Not really comparable.





Any other KV2 owners swap out their pickups? If so, why?

[charvel750]

The alnico magnets should NOT sound like ice pick. I would expect that more from a ceramic pickup, like the DD. Anyway, I would try a Duncan Custom TB-5 in the bridge, you will probably find the guitar more to what you're after. I'm pretty sure the Duncan Livewire was an active version of the Distortion.

[toejam]

Why did Dave switch to Livewires? Was he not happy with his tone?

They're his signature Live Wires... still a JB and Jazz like he's always used, just now active. They have a little more gain, and the JB has a little more bass and isn't as loose sounding as the regular version. They sound very good in my Mustaine Dean V. I've never been much of a fan of the JB, but it does definitely sound better in mahogany.

I'm a big fan of EMGs, usually use the 85 in the bridge and 81 or 60 in the neck, but if you want to stick with passives, I'd definitely go X2N in the bridge.

[toejam]

The alnico magnets should NOT sound like ice pick. I would expect that more from a ceramic pickup, like the DD.

Well, the Alnico 5 magnet seems to yield more high end, depending on how the pickup is wound. The JB is A5 and is wound to have more high mids and treble and less bass. An Alnico 2 magnet would make things warmer, so one could always experiment with magnet swapping to see what sounds best, like A4, A3, A8 or ceramic.

[javert]

its a typo on the website. My 09' KV2 came with a TB4 (JB) and an SH2(Jazz)

I don't think so. I've owned two KV2s that both came with two TB4s (perhaps it was a SH4 in the neck position, I can't remember). I wondered why it said SH2 on the homepage when it wasn't. Perhaps they changed it at some point.

[javert]

As for the sound of the TB4, it sounds good in some of my guitars, muffled and undefined in others. Maybe it's the guitars, maybe it's the pickups, I don't know.

[javert]

They're his signature Live Wires... still a JB and Jazz like he's always used, just now active. They have a little more gain, and the JB has a little more bass and isn't as loose sounding as the regular version. They sound very good in my Mustaine Dean V. I've never been much of a fan of the JB, but it does definitely sound better in mahogany.

Ah, when you mentioned the combination of the JB and mahogany, I recalled that I put the SH4 from the neck position of one of my KV2s (and I just checked, it's an SH4, not a TB4) in my SLS which is mahogany, of course. And I do like it there.

[fordsho90]

I have a KV-2 and mine came with a TB-4 and an SH-4 in it. I didnt care much for the sound of them so I swapped mine out w/the EMG'S, an 81 in the bridge and a 60 in the neck. It is my first active pup guitar and it was a vast improvment over what was in it. Its was a pretty straightfoward swap other them some very minor trimming w/a Dremmel to make them fit. I was always a passive pup guy but I gave them a shot and the guitar screams now compared to what it was before. BTW I am not sure what year my KV-2 is, I bought it new but it had been around for a bit so not so sure on year.