JE1200 Mid Boost questions

[KK666]

Hi
i recently bought a charvel body that has the j200 singles and a j50bc with the je1200 mid boost system. I also bought a J90c pick up so its all comming here soon. What was the ussual pick up used with the je1200 system? I had a 1987 white soloist usa that had it with absolutely great sound but i never looked what the bridge model was. Will it also work with the j90c or will it ruin its tone? I am more into extreme distortion so i dont know how it will affect it. I am either gonna install them in a 1989 Rhoads custom ( 50nc neck and j90c bridge) or in a 1990 Soloist with either 50 or 90c on bridge but havent decided yet which one should be correct. Also i only have 2 pots space on the guitars and i always put the volume on the bottom for easy access so the mid boost should be on top and i will just skip the tone control which i never use, can anyone help with a diagram on how that would be?

thnx!

[Franx]

You can check the diagrams on Audiozone.dk

http://audiozone.dk/guitargallery/?content%2FGuitar_catalog_scans%2FJackson_Charvel%2F0020_electronics_pickups_manuals%2F1988_Jackson_Electronics%2F

The "usual" pickup was the J50c, but I guess, any pickup would work. Try the J90c and see (hear), if you like the sound.

[BigE13]

In most of the sound clips of the J90c and J50bc that I have heard, the J50 actually sounded just a little better (to me). This may be blasphemy because so many on the forum extole the J90C as being the best metal/hard rock pup Jackson ever produced. Not to say the J90c doesn't sound awesome because it does. My 475 Deluxe Exotic has the J50BC and the JE1200 mid boost circuit and it sounds amazing. I would try both out and see what combination gives you the warm fuzzies... Good luck and let us know your thoughts!

[Ward]

I have a soloist that came with a J50 with the je1200, and a Rhoads that came with a J80 with the je1200. I didn't like the sound of the j50, and took the whole set up out of the soloist. I do like it with the j80, and still have it in the Rhoads.

[Hellbat]

The J80's in my Model 5 played very nice with the JE-1200. They really were an awesome match.

[Zedder]

I have a Rhoads Professional Pro with JE-1200 and I don´t like its midboost device, sound is not what i´m searching for. I´ve already replaced J-50 bridge pickup with a J-80 and guitar´s sound improved a little, but not enough. I also have a J-90 which I like to try also, but I think it is impossible to get the sound I want with JE-1200 connected.

Is there an easy way to add a bypass switch so I could play withouth midboost? Straight connection without pots from pickups to output jack would be enough.

Most of my guitars have EMG 81/85 -pickup and I like the sound they give, but I would like to keep this Jackson Rhoads little different if possible.

[pianoguyy]

The thing about the 1200 -- or any pickup/electronic on the market --- is that it really depends on the rest of your gear and what your intentions are.
There are people who are going to say "EMG? EW!"
My favorite guitar has a j90c and je1200. I am the original owner. I loved the tone for almost 30 years. But then I replaced my entire rig with some modern stuff. There was no change in my tone on the new stuff between using the 1200 at 10 or at 0.
Turns out, it was the way I had my settings on the new stuff. I could change a little of this and a little of that, and I now have the ability to hear the 1200 again --- although, still nothing like the the differences I hear when ran through the old rig.


To answer your question:
Depends on your definition of easy. Especially since you aren't talking about solder-less parts.

It can be done.

[Zedder]

Yes, I have a soldering iron and I know how to use it...

My primary (home use) gear includes a very small all-tube Marshall, a Boss SD-1 and couple other Boss pedals (delay, chorus). My Jacksons equipped with EMG 81s sound very nice with that set up on both clean and distortion channel, but thats just my opinion of course. A Gibson Les Paul with Dimarzio Super Distortion sounds good too. With JE-1200 and Jackson pickups there is something wrong (my english vocabulary is not sophisticated enough to describe problem better than this). And that extra midboost adjust pot disturbs me somehow..

So: is it ok if I cut the pickup selector output wire and add a switch which directs signal to JE-1200 or straight to output jack? Is there a diagram for wiser connection?

[Hellbat]

I would just remove the JE-1200 and rewire the pickups to new potentiometers. Keep the Je-1200 safe and intact in case you ever change your mind or want to sell the guitar in its original state.

[chispallate]

I would just remove the JE-1200 and rewire the pickups to new potentiometers. Keep the Je-1200 safe and intact in case you ever change your mind or want to sell the guitar in its original state.

Hi, i wanna remove the JE-1200 of my Soloist pro 1990, ¿What potentiometers you recommend? ¿Cts long shaft?
regards

[Iceberg794]

I've changed the electronics on my 91 soloist pro.
I used cts long shaft pots. Keep in mind that you have to enlarge the pot holes with a wood reamer.

[toejam]

The Jackson electronics will work with any passive pickup, but were designed to work best with Jackson's pickups.

[Zedder]

I would just remove the JE-1200 and rewire the pickups to new potentiometers. Keep the Je-1200 safe and intact in case you ever change your mind or want to sell the guitar in its original state.

Yes, I did that. Now my RR Pro has J-90C (made in USA, taken from Charvel model series guitar, I guess) and it sounds pretty nice and similar to EMG 81. I used J-50Bs cover so its looks did not change at all.

I must say that I think JE-1200 and J-50B (or J-80) was a very lousy combination. With passive J-90C my Rhoads Pro sounds as it should. Why did they originally added this JE-1200 to RR Pro..? It must have been more expensive choice than regular hot high output pickups with passive electronics.

[pianoguyy]

Some of it has to do with the fact that they are the imports.
The guitars were nice, but the pickups seemed to have less quality control. JUST MY OPINION.

[Hellbat]

As far as I know the Jackson pickups in the model series were all USA made. The ones in my Model 5 were. They sounded great with the JE-1200. The main reason for using the electronics was for allowing longer cable runs without affecting the tone of the guitars.