Finding actual Jackson replacement parts?

[atarilovesyou]

I know that many out there just use whatever fits out there to replace small parts on their guitars, but I've been having a hell of a time finding a replacement neck pickup ring (with the screw/springs attached) for my Soloist. I've been to a bunch of shops and they all have generic parts, none of which match the shape and angle of the original.

I also need a replacement 3 pos. pickup switch for another Soloist of mine...too much "Malmsteen abuse" switching back and forth and now it has so much play to it I'm never sure when it's going to pop out of position!

I've checked out Jackson's site to no avail. Does anybody here know where I can get original replacement parts for my USA Soloist?....ONE THOUSAND THANK-YOUS!

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

They aren't actually Jackson parts so you just kind of have to look around... the 3-way switch, if it's a Les Paul style, can be bought from Allparts. If it's a blade type then any good Tele switch will do.

For the pickup rings, I'm not sure what to tell you... The new ones just use the Seymour Duncan Trembucker rings, which are flat. I would have to see a pic, but finding an exact replacement is probably not going to happen, and the screws and springs are not "attached" on any mounting ring I've ever seen. You might check out/contact fretsonthenet.com because he makes custom mounting rings.

[RacerX]

You might try JCFer Daves biz: http://www.fretsonthenet.com/

[Kisonen]

Dimarzio pickup rings will fit your soloists. If it came with standard size pickups. Older oversize rigns are available from Dave's shop.

Allparts and Stewmac have toggle and blade switches that fit.

[atarilovesyou]

Thanks for the help, guys. The 3 way switch looks pretty unique, though...I'd like to get one that looks like the original (kinda like a jet toggle, rather than a blade 3way). I'll check the Duncan site for the rings, cause the pickups are Duncans after all. Thanks!

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Allparts 3-way toggle should be good. It doesn't come with the tip, I haven't been able to find the nice metal tips they use anywhere.

http://www.allparts.com/Short-Straight-Toggle-Switch-p/ep-0066-000.htm

[atarilovesyou]

Allparts 3-way toggle should be good. It doesn't come with the tip, I haven't been able to find the nice metal tips they use anywhere.

http://www.allparts.com/Short-Straig...p-0066-000.htm

I wonder if I can just unscrew the tip and replace it with the original Jackson tip?...hmmm. Worth trying, I suppose. I like the look of the Jackson toggle tops, but to be honest the switch didn't really hold up to much abuse at all. Is it truly not possible to order some from Jackson itself, or FMIC?...seems kinda strange.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Yes, you can just use the original tip. There are "import" switches out there that look just like that one, but have a smaller thread and don't quite work with the Jackson tip.

But that one should be the same size all around - I ordered a couple in the gold version and checked that my Charvel/Jackson switch tips fit on them great, unlike the "lookalike" I got from Guitar Parts Depot.

[atarilovesyou]

You might try JCFer Daves biz: http://www.fretsonthenet.com/

I'm finally getting around to ordering some nice metal rings for my two SL2H's...

...only problem is that my guitars aren't with me at the moment! My guitars were made in 2007; Dave is asking exactly which pickups I have in these guitars. They've got what I thought was typical bridge n' neck pickups, the JB and 59. But according to the Jackson website, the bridge humbucker (JB) is a TB4, a trembucker pickup which is apparently slightly longer than the 'standard' Duncan pickup.

Is this kinda like the Dimarzio F Spaced deal, where the poles are slightly wider to accomodate the Floyd spacing?

In any case, these replacement rings are a bit pricy for me to find out the hard way. Could one of you Soloist experts let me know more about this, as Dave tells me that the TB4 type pickup ring will work and a 'standard' Duncan ring may not.

Many thanks in advance!

[bratfink]

As an aside to this; Can anyone tel us where you might find the Jackson special 5 way selector used in the 80's JE equipped guitars?

You know the one that did the coil tapping etc.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Yes, "trembucker" is like F-spaced. It's a pickup made for wider string spacing.

Soloists with Trans finishes will use a chrome or gold metal ring. They aren't "Trembucker" rings but the pickups don't sit up high enough for it to really matter.

Graphics & solid colors will use a flat black "Trembucker" mounting ring. These are the same rings that come with the Seymour Duncan Trembuckers. They will use one for both the bridge pickup and the neck pickup, even though the neck pickup is not a Trembucker.

Trembucker rings have a larger hole in them, and they are also larger overall. Not by a lot, but a little. If you use a DiMarzio or Pro Line or whatever ring in place of the black plastic Trembucker rings, you will see the outline of the old ring where it was "crushed into" the paint.

I don't know if Dave's Trembucker-size rings are the same OD as the Duncan ones. I would imagine they are. So you probably want to order two Trembucker rings from him - unless you don't care about seeing those faint lines where the old rings were.

[atarilovesyou]

Thanks, Jazz! I'm going to get four of his Trembucker spaced flat rings. He's also asking what thickness I want...lol, you wouldn't happen to know the height of the stock SL2K ring heights, would ya?...lol, I truly am sorry for all the Q's, your karmic return shall be IMMENSE, I say!

I actually have a Dimarzio in the bridge of one of my SL2Hs...I wanted to see how Vai I could get. The rings have no problem with the Dimarzios, so I'm just going to replace em' with the Trembucker rings anyway. Hopefully I won't see any finish issues under the old rings (I don't recall seeing any when I swapped the pup out).

Along with a Q I had above with the three way selector switch, which a member gave me a link to All Parts, I did a quick search for a Switchcraft 3-way toggle...as the USA Selects have these installed, I figured I might wanna go with a more 'real deal' switch. They don't have the fancy knob top, but I think I can swap it out. Take a look if you like:

http://guitarpartsresource.com/electrical_toggleswitches.htm

Only problem is, again, there's a lot to choose from. Not sure which my Soloist will prefer, or if I should just get the generic one from All Parts.

PS kids!...that's how I effectively ruined my 3-way toggle, by doing Yngwie-style 'flip switching' from neck to bridge...if you see his youtube vids, he really whacks that switch. So, after not long of doing to my Soloist, I need a new switch as it basically always wants to return to the centre position. Lol!...and who knew finding actual replacement parts would be such a task. You'd think you could call up Jackson and say, "Hey dudes. Can I buy a switch and some pickup rings?"....lol.

[Newc]

Well, that's because they don't make them, they buy them. DiMarzio makes the pickup rings (only rings Dincan makes are TripleShot switching system rings), and Switchcraft makes the toggles.

As for the old Jackson 5-way, the Fender SuperSwitch is the same thing, only the tabs/contacts are laid out a bit differently (1-5 instead of 5,1,2,3,4 like the Jackson).

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

The Duncan trembucker rings are not DiMarzios.

http://cgi.ebay.com/DUNCAN-Short-Trembucking-Mounting-Ring-Black-W-Screws-/370090816839?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item562b21b547

These are the same ones that come with the TB-XX pickups.

[Newc]

Been a while since I bought new TBs, so I don't recall if they came with rings or not, and if so, who made them. Every used ring I've ever looked under either said DiMarzio or nothing at all.