I need some ideas concerning replacement pickups!

[Brad]

Okay, here's the deal. I have my 1988 Model 6 and am looking swap the pickups out. Can anyone set me in the right direction as to what's best concerning types of wood, placement, etc? I don't want to do any cutting or routing if possible. I have been looking at a set of Seymour Duncans {Custom (b) Lil' 59 (m) Coolrails (n)} and a set of EMG's 85,SA,S. What are my options concerning ease of dropping either sets in.
Also, in matters of upgrading the JT-6..... I understand an OFR will drop right in butu is there some question concerning the block?

Thanks.....

[etaeniura]

Re: I need some ideas concerning replacement pickups!

The custom and lil 59 are great sounding pickups. I have the custom in my epi LP, and had the lil59 in my fusion special. I have never used EMG's but general concensus is that they are great. Witht he passives, all you will have to do is unsolder the leads from the old pups, and solder in the leads from the new ones. The EMG's will require a little more electrical work.

As for the OFR, you just have to make sure it has the long block for non-recessed trems (42mm, IIRC) Someone had mentioned that the OFR may rub in the cavity a bit (the part that secures the arm under the baseplate) but I believe that is only a matter of removing a tiny bit of material from the route.

[Newc]

Re: I need some ideas concerning replacement pickups!

Since it has the older, EMG-style single routes, you'll have an easier time installing either EMGs or Duncan Lil/Jrs as opposed to Fender-style tabbed singles.

If you're going for a Cool or Hot Rails, you'll have to find the older non-tabbed version unless you wanna do some surgery on it or the guitar.

You WILL need to keep the humbucker ring, though, as they were oversized. Dave (Budman) can make you one that will fit the original mounting holes but the hole won't be so big that the uncovered pickup would flop around like an original de-covered Jackson pickup would.

EMGs are fine for just about any wood, just as long as you've got plenty of EQ to shape the final sound you want. They do have their own tonal characteristics (i.e. 81/85/etc), but it's been my experience that they don't have the same type of sound a passive pickup would (I promise I'll get that 2x4 with EMGs built one day [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] )

I don't know if a JT6 block can swap even with an OFR block.

[noodlesatf]

Re: I need some ideas concerning replacement picku

I have a JB Jr, Lil' 59, and Distortion (all Duncans) in mine, and it absolutely kills.

[Brad]

Re: I need some ideas concerning replacement picku

Thanks for the info guys..... I think I would rather have the Duncans but really don't want to go cutting on guitar.
Noodles, you have a pm.

[pott]

Re: I need some ideas concerning replacement picku

I'm going (in a year or so) for a Distorsion in the bridge, a JB jr in the middle and a custom staggered in the neck for awesome bluesy strat like tone. I'd be very polyvalent. But well I have a model 4, not a 6, it's basswood, but the tone wizard suggests about the same combinations and I liked what I heard.