Can you help me ID my San Dimas pickups?

[MoreCowbell]

I have an '86 Jackson with the original humbucking pickup, but the model sticker has fallen off and I forget which it is. It's definately a Jackson pickup (still has the name on the bottom), but can anyone give me some clues as to if it's a J70, J80, J90, or J90C? Some details are: it's an open coil design (no plastic or metal cover), one row of regular slotted screws and one row of slugs, all screws and lugs are black in color (matching the hardware), wax potted, and I believe it measures around 14K. There is no logo on top of the pickup. It doesn't appear to be a re-branded Duncan as it looks to be constructed a bit differently than any Duncan I have compared it to (plus it has black poles).

Any wisdom here?

By the way, about 10 years ago I called Jackson with the serial # (5070) and they looked it up and gave me all the details on the guitar. I've since lost my notes, and these days I don't have much luck in getting any useful info from them.

I appreciate any insight, thanks.

[Back For More]

Re: Can you help me ID my San Dimas pickups?

I don't know the answer - there are others who will.
I just wanted to say "Guys, I gotta have more cowbell" . Great name, you obviously have good sense of humor, welcome!

[xenophobe]

Re: Can you help me ID my San Dimas pickups?

The J50 or J50C seems to be a common bridge pickup for the 86-87 era guitars.

I had two 87 strats, and they both had the J50C's in them.

EDIT: Oops, after reading your post a little better, it sounds more like a replacement pickup than a stock one. A stock 86 pickup would have the black plastic cover on them, I'm pretty sure.

[ August 08, 2003, 10:06 PM: Message edited by: xenophobe ]

[charvel750]

Re: Can you help me ID my San Dimas pickups?

I'm not so sure, xeno. I've not seen a San Dimas with covered Jackson pickups. I would agree that if it is a Jackson pickup it's likely the J-50. But if it's measuring 14 K ohms resistance, that's overwound for a J-50.

[Jim Shine]

Re: Can you help me ID my San Dimas pickups?

My '86 Soloist has a coverless, black poles and screws (small pickup ring) J50B that reads 9.78K ohms.

[xenophobe]

Re: Can you help me ID my San Dimas pickups?

Yeah Joe, I really don't know crap about pickups.. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Bert]

Re: Can you help me ID my San Dimas pickups?

You're going to have to get ahold of an ohmmeter and tell us the DC resistance. The various models of pickups all look about the same. '86 guitars definitely came with uncovered pickups (e.g. one of mine has an uncovered J90-C).

[MoreCowbell]

Re: Can you help me ID my San Dimas pickups?

Thanks for the replies so far guys. I just measured it, and it's DC resistanc is 15.7k. I know for sure it's the stock pickup it's definately the stock pickup. I'm pretty sure it's an '86, but it could be an '87 now that I th ink about it.

I wish I could find my stupid notes - all the info is on file at Jackson but they don't care much anymore about giving it out. No big deal, just one of those "I'd like to know" nagging things.

You guys might get a kick out of this - I bought this guitar basically new around 1991 for $80 from a local Police Dept - it was recovered/unclaimed property. And that was with a case!!!! It apparently was taken right from the music store. Strange but true.

Thanks for your help guys.

[MoreCowbell]

Re: Can you help me ID my San Dimas pickups?

Oh I should have added, years ago when I was speaking to a person at Jackson I seem to recall her saying that this guitar was (or could have been) a special order/custom deal. I'm not sure if that throws a monkey wrench into the "standard model" guesses on which pickup. I heard one guy say you could tell by the color of the magnets, but I need some more wisdom if anyone has it.

[Jim Shine]

Re: Can you help me ID my San Dimas pickups?

Again, my pickup has black magnets too, its a J50B. That can't be what you have since your output is so much hotter than mine. They probably did the black magnets on them all early on. My '85 Kelly and '85 Rhoads both have twin black magnet pickups..I will see what they are.

[ August 09, 2003, 01:55 PM: Message edited by: Jim Shine ]

[Bert]

Re: Can you help me ID my San Dimas pickups?

That resistance suggests it is either a J-90 or J-90C. (See info below which was from a Jackson pickup guide). Never tried the J-90 myself, but the J-90C in one of my guitars is one of my favorites. Has a rather upper-midrangy & tight tone. Tried swapping it out for Duncan Full Shred but quickly went back to the J-90C which sounded much better.

==========================================

J-90 Ultra High Output:
Features even more turns of magnet wire to give a higher output voltage and a fat mid-range sound. Ideally suited to heavy woods. Its big signal and sensitivity
to mid-range harmonics makes it perfect for tight, chunky rhythm playing.
SR (in KHz) 4.70
Z (@ SR in M Ohms) 6.1
Inductance (in Henries) 10.5
Q (@ SR) 19.6
Resistance (In K ohms) 15.93

J-90C:
Highest output pickup. J-90 with a Ceramic magnet. Perfect for heavy bodies. Tak
es the fat mid-range of the J-90 and accentuates the upper harmonics to give a f
iner balance between the low-mids and highs.
SR (in KHz) 4.88
Z (@ SR in M Ohms) 5.6
Inductance (in Henries) 9.8
Q (@ SR) 18.8
Resistance (In K ohms) 15.93

[ August 09, 2003, 02:50 PM: Message edited by: Bert ]

[MoreCowbell]

Re: Can you help me ID my San Dimas pickups?

Whichever it is, I think it sounds great. I've heard so much bad stuff about the J90 yet so much good about the J90C. Mine is definately not super trebly, and with distortion it sounds nice and even and full across the range. Clean, I definately notice a midrange hump, but that may have alot to do with why it sounds so great with disortion. I've heard the J90 referred to as the "mudbucker" but if that's what I have, it's not muddy at all. Maybe that's not what I have. Whatever it is, it just sounds smooth to me.