Question about active system and pickups

[MilesTed]

Hi There,
I have a couple of questions...

I have an old Jackson that I know very little about. I bought it used in the early 90's. I love the guitar. It plays great. However it has an active boost system (I believe the je 1200). This seems to make it noisy so it's been in "practice guitar" status.

I was thinking about taking this boost system out and just using the stock Jackson pickups (they look like emgs but say Jackson). My question is, will this work or are the pickups reliant on the 9volt and active system to work?

Also, I don't know much about the make/model. It is a neck-thru-body Jackson Professional. Serial J00117 with HSS pickup configuration. From the serial chart I was looking at, the serial number doesn't make sense as it has too many digits. J0035-J0406 indicates 1984 San Dimas but my serial doesn't quite match up.

Any info would be appreciated! Thanks

[DR5Guy]

As far as I know the pickups are low-impedance and will not work without the onboard amplifier/booster. You can find more details here:

http://audiozone.dk/cm/thumbnails.php?album=66

[MilesTed]

Cool

Ahh, thanks for the link. I'm now quite convinced I have the low impedence JE 1200 1H2SC configuration.

That's good know!

Anyone have info on the make/model? I'm guessing from the strat-like shape, no pickguard, 5 way switch and vol/tone/mid boost control scheme that it is an early 90's Soloist Pro maybe?

Update: did some digging around the site and I'm quite sure it's a Japanese made Soloist Pro.
I believe this is an exact copy:

http://www.jcfonline.com/gallery/jack-solos-pics/jack-solo-pro91.jpg

[dg]

The pickups will work without the boost system. That model should have a J50BC in the bridge and 2 J200 stacked hums. The J50BC will sound fine, and it was often installed in guitars that didn't have the active systems. The J200 tends to sound pretty pretty bad without the active electronics, and the manual even says that it was designed especially to work with them.

[bratfink]

IIRC the active circuit is a preamp boost, and therefore acts independantly of the pickups.

Like having a boost pedal in your pedal chain.

They do make a lot of noise, you have to learn how to play all over again with them to stop your fingers from making those tiny movements over the strings that generate the noise and learn to mute the strings you don't want ringing out whilst playing the strings you do.

I love mine!

[DonP]

The pickups will work without the boost system. That model should have a J50BC in the bridge and 2 J200 stacked hums. The J50BC will sound fine, and it was often installed in guitars that didn't have the active systems. The J200 tends to sound pretty pretty bad without the active electronics, and the manual even says that it was designed especially to work with them.

LOL! Sounds like something I typed in the past.

The J200's are muddy without the boost, but sound fairly stratty (maybe EMGish) with the boost.

And OP, yes, it sounds like you have a MIJ Soloist Pro. Take good care of it.

[MilesTed]

Hmm good to know

Hmm after reading info on the system, it seems to indicate that it is a "low impedance" system. That seems to make me think you must have the active "guts" there. In any case, I rewired and it seems quieter now. I think I had a loose ground.

BTW here she is:

[dg]

The Jackson active electronics systems are low impedance. The pickups can work within that low-impedence active system, or they can work in a regular passive setup if you decide to take out the circuit. My 750XL came from the factory with a J80C in the bridge and a J50BC in the neck position, and no active electronics. Both of those pickups were also used with active systems in other models. The only pickup I know of that they only used with active electronics was the J200, probably more because of how it was voiced than for any other reason. You can also use any passive pickups you want with the Jackson electronics. I've got Duncans in a Model 6 with the JE-1200 and it works fine.

The most important thing is that you've got the thing to quiet down, and now you can enjoy it! I had a weird ground loop thing going on in my Model 6 when I first got it, but it's been one of my quietest guitars since I got it sorted out.