Compareable Seymour Duncan pickup to the J-90C

[Ricker]

I have a Charvel Model 3 with a JB in it. I've been thinking of installing a Seymour Duncan pickup that is similar to the J-90C that used to be in it. I was thinking the Duncan Distortion or the Duncan Custom. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[Ricker]

Oops! Sorry, this should have been in the Import Charvels forum. Well, I have a Jackson Stealth also.

[garykeller15]

jackson pickups are junk. i have a 1990 left handed charvel 475 metallic black, which had jackson pickups. They were complete crap, i changed mine to dimarzio super 3 in bridge and two fast track 2's in neck and middel. i took out the junky midboost, turned it into another tone. and hooked the now 2 tone controls to each fast track 2 . i gave away the jackson pickups to my best friend after i had the pickup changed. jackson pickups are basicall as dull and toneless as the stock pickups in the series 10 firewood guitars.

[Razor]

jackson pickups are junk. i have a 1990 left handed charvel 475 metallic black, which had jackson pickups. They were complete crap, i changed mine to dimarzio super 3 in bridge and two fast track 2's in neck and middel. i took out the junky midboost, turned it into another tone. and hooked the now 2 tone controls to each fast track 2 . i gave away the jackson pickups to my best friend after i had the pickup changed. jackson pickups are basicall as dull and toneless as the stock pickups in the series 10 firewood guitars.

It all depends on the type of music you're playing. For 80's metal, there's not a better pick-up for the money than a J-90C. Hell, I like the J-90 in my Model 2 as much as I like the Screamin Demon or JB equipped guitars I have and have had. I think you'll find that there are a lot of people here who disagree with your opinion, especially when it comes to the J-90's.

Almost forgot...Duncan Distortion would be a good fit for the Model 3.

[Sunbane]

jackson pickups are junk.

[Racerx2k]

Yeah, that's BS. The Jackson pickups that were in all of my my Charvel/Jacksons were great, especially the J90c. Some of my favorite pickups. I'd be curious as to which Duncans are comparable to the J90c, as well.

[sgray]

jackson pickups are junk????

Bs....+1

[Sunbane]

The Jackson 80's to early 90's pickups are of good quality. From the mid-90's on, they were indeed junk, but then they weren't built in the USA either.

[straycat]

94 on up I agree.But the 80s early 90s J series Jackson pickups kick ass.The mid boosts are OK at best but remember its 20 year old technology.I have a closet full of guitars with Jackson pickups and they rock with the best of them.If you want 80s tone none better than a J-90c.
Blanket statements like that don't fly around here.
Hell back in the day Savatage's guitar player used import Charvels with the J series pickups.Bang Tango's guitarist Charvel model 2 J-90c.Femme Fatale's guitarist Bill D'Angelo USA Jackson super strat J-80n J-90c bridge,all had killer tone.

[Zerberus]

I have a Charvel Model 3 with a JB in it. I've been thinking of installing a Seymour Duncan pickup that is similar to the J-90C that used to be in it. I was thinking the Duncan Distortion or the Duncan Custom. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Closest would be a JB with the standard sized Ceramic magnet of a Duncan Custom. The DD is theoretically the same thing, has the same coils, but the oversized magnet pushes it too far in the other direction again

And if the late 80s USA made Jackson pickups are so crappy, then feel free to send me all of yours for proper disposal.

[Nazgul]

Here's a nice J90c for 20$:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Jackson-J90C-Pickup_W0QQitemZ320116186667

BTW, I made a JB vs. J90c comparison once. I'm gonna upload it now and post the link.

[Nazgul]

Here's the link:

http://files.filefront.com/Jackson_J90c_vs_Seymour_Brar/;7557341;/fileinfo.html

I archived it with WinRar to reduce the size of the file.

Guitars were:
Jackson RX10D (J90c - alder body - 250k pot - 0.11-0.49 strings in D)
Jackson DK2 (SD JB - alder body - stock pot (500k?) - 0.09 - 0.42 strings in D)
It was recorded with a Line 6 POD directly to a PC. There's an image file that shows what were the settings on POD.

It's not much, but I guess it shows the difference .

[SEAN RAF]

I used to have a knee-jerk reaction to JC's fitted with Jackson pickups; that is, I'd rip them out before even plugging in. I think it was because the Model 6 sounded like arse with the J50(?) and the active boost circuitry. I have owned 3 Model 2's and I either installed a JB or an EMG 81 as a matter of course. What turned me back on to the J90's that I'd ripped out was installing them in a friends cheap and nasty Squire strat. I can't believe how vicious that pickup sounds. I suspect that because the Squire is made from sun dried toilet paper, the J90 loses some of its bass frequencies and gains some bite/attack.

[mhalsey]

What he said. The Jackson pups in my '92 Fusion EX kick ass!

[jackson1]

I suspect that because the Squire is made from sun dried toilet paper, the J90 loses some of its bass frequencies and gains some bite/attack.

Noted!