Newbie Jackson Pickup Question

[frankencat]

OK, so now that I have a coolio USA Fusion on the way I am thinking about pickup options (like I always do when I get a new guitar). This one has been modded and the active electronics were removed but the Jackson singles were left in and the bridge pup was replaced with a Dimarzio Steve Morse. He is sending me the active electronics and original bridge pup and I was thinking of trying to put the stock active setup back in but I have some questions for you guys who know about these things:

Are the stock Jackson pickups any good? How do they sound without the preamp (passive)?

Say I wanted to put some Duncans or something in the guitar, from what I can see the single coil routes look like they are routed for pickups without tabs as opposed to a more vintage style tabbed pickup. Is there a way to install "standard" single coils in these guitars or am I stuck with the pickups that are in it?

Thanks.

[VitaminG]

Re: Newbie Jackson Pickup Question

the good ol' Jackson pickups are the source of much discussion around these parts. Some love, some seriously don't. Use the search function and you'll get a feel for the differing opinions about them. I like 'em fine, having them in a few guitars, although I haven't tried them with a preamp yet and some say that is THE way to get the most out of them.

If you are looking to buy new pickups, you'll find that a lot of the standard single coils on the Duncan and Dimarzio sites are available in tabless versions upon request. I know some folks around here have taken to trimming the tab off a standard s/c themselves (taking care not to slice the wires off in the process) but I don't think I'd trust my unsteady hand with that kind of surgery [img]graemlins/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[frankencat]

Re: Newbie Jackson Pickup Question

Anybody else? I'm a Duncan guy and I am thinking of going with one of two setups...

1. Blues PA Trembucker bridge and 2 Parallel Axis "single-coil" stacks for neck and middle.

2. Duncan Distortion bridge and 2 SSL-6 Custom Flats for the neck and middle.

BTW, I just put a Duncan Custom and 2 SSL-2 Vintage Flats in my DK-2 and it is a *whole* different axe now. I love it!

[1trussell]

Re: Newbie Jackson Pickup Question

Duncan Distortion bridge: (in Comic Book Store Guy's voice) best metal riffing bridge pickup ever! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[gilbertcoleo]

Re: Newbie Jackson Pickup Question

i don't know why people dislike active pickups.

no one evetr recoommends active pus.

EMGs and Seymour Duncan livewiere metals are the best.

less his, hum and rattle. if you ask me.

[VitaminG]

Re: Newbie Jackson Pickup Question

yo Gilbert, check out the search function. You'll find plenty of people here LOVE active pickups. Plenty of JCFers swear by and will ONLY use EMGs. But we have a wide variety of musical tastes and use a variety of gear to attain the sound that we seek. Lots of guys using Duncans, Dimarzios, a couple using Bardens (IIRC), plenty that like the old Jackson pickups that came with their guitars. Whatever gets the job done, man.

[gilbertcoleo]

Re: Newbie Jackson Pickup Question

by the way, does dimarzio make active pikups?

didnt see any on their website.

[frankencat]

Re: Newbie Jackson Pickup Question

Actually, I like EMG's allot. As a matter of fact I just got the guitar and am goig to hold off on the Duncans for a while and just play it as is. I am seriously thinking about an 85-SA-SA set [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

My favorite EMG's are the 85 and the 60. I had a 60 in a Les Paul DC and it ruled! I had SD Live Wires in a guitar back in the 80's and they sounded good but not my thing.

[JACKSONWOLF]

Re: Newbie Jackson Pickup Question

One of my favorite combinations, only in Bolt On`s though, is a TB4 Jeff Beck in the Bridge, and a pair of STK1`s (Classic Strat Stack). For some reason though, the STK1`s don`t to me, sound as good in Neck Thru`s.

[jacksonaxes]

Re: Newbie Jackson Pickup Question

I'm one who likes jackson pickups, especially the J-50's and J-90's