Soloist SD TB4 Replacement

[mohi]

Hi all,

My first post, a question, sorry!

I own since 2007 a nice Jackson SL2H USA, transparent green finish, a great guitar in all senses and second to none in craftmanship and overall quality, indeed.

After a couple of months playing it through a Marshall JVM410c (before I had a Peavey Bandit), I've realized the sound of the TB4 is not exactly the one I'm searching for, and I'm almost sure is not an amp setup issue.

I find some lack of low end and perhaps a too high pitch in certain circumstances. It sounds great for most classic rock tunes and it truly could be used in any genre but I would like to get a warmer and somehow more "modern", thick tone.

Also, and this could be at least very difficult to achieve, I'd like to have a Humbucker that could be played as a single coil through a push pull pot.

Have seen some similar posts but surely there's plenty of people thinking about doing it of having changed it already.

Tthanks in advance and greetings from Spain

[Mazz]

Hi Mohi!

Unfortunately I have no advice on the pickup question as I've only used stock Pickups on cheap starter strats and my Jackson DXMG and JS30RR, so I've never actually heard a decent pickup really XD but anyway, just came here to say welcome to the forum!

~Mazz

[H8Red442]

Grab a TB6 - Distortion. The low end on the TB4 or JB is definitely there but it's really loose. The TB6 Distortion is much tighter. I've been using Distortions for years and have them in all my guitars.

[javert]

I second the Distortion or perhaps a Custom (SH-/TB-5). Those two are my favorites for the bridge position.

[mohi]

Ok, thanks for the advice (and the welcome!)

What about the SH6 cleans, are them acceptable? I don't play clean a lot but ...

[wilkinsi]

Yep, they are. I previously used an SH-6 in a WR1. I plan to get a TB-6 or TB-5 soon.

[Spivonious]

Another vote for the Distortion. In my opinion it's voiced like the JB, but has a ceramic magnet instead of Alnico, which gives it a more "modern" feel.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I put a ceramic magnet in a JB in an SL2H, that's pretty close to a Distortion. It sounds damned good, really, but I think I still like the Custom better.

[mohi]

OK, thanks a lot, and what about the screamin demon? any opinions on it? I can't make many changes so I would like to choose the right pick up.

regards

[lynchfan6]

I have the Duncan distortion in a few of my guitars, and it just "sings" for a lead pickup. I, too, am thinking of
swapping one into my SL2H and getting rid of the JB. That distortion pickup just sustains and sings so nicely,
kind of like the Evolution pickup in my Jem......come to think of it, they are both ceramic magnet pickups!

[cerberus]

For coil spliting grab a SD Triple Shot, it's very versatile and you don't need to make any hard modifications in your guitar electronics.

[mohi]

Triple shot seems to be a great idea but I don't think I need so much versatility and besides, they don't have a nickel finish! Probably a push pull pot would make the job, default in a Soloist is 500K?

That simile introduced by lynchfan6 describes better than I did what I'd like to get. Seems the SD Distortion could make the job pretty well.

regards

[zuppermuhle]

For Seymour Duncans I highly recommend the Custom.

[Newc]

The Distortion is a JB with a thick ceramic magnet, but the thinner ceramic magnets you can rip out of EMG HZ3s will make a "JB+" or "Distortion Lite" - not as brutal as a Distortion, but not as wimpy as a JB.

I also recommend the TB5 Custom, or a TB59 with a Ceramic magnet.

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

I've loved the distortions in the past, but the JB that came in my DK2 is working so well that I doubt I'll be changing it.