My 650XL vs. My buddy's JEM

[catzodellamarina]

My buddy from another band just bought a JEM7VWH and has been tormenting me with the sound. He brings it to shows and lets me play it. I told him it was overpriced and made some statement with a few beers in me, "My Charvel cost's less than half that and is every bit as good." Well I'm eating crow. His JEM is a super guitar and I want my Charvel 650XL to sound as sweet. My stock Jackson pickups and the midrange boost are crap. They are old and not very versatile. What would you recommend to replace them with? I'd like biting grind from the humb., crystal sparkle clean with the middle, and bluesy vintage Strat from the neck.

I've already got brand new chrome Shaller hardware on it, blocked the trem, and it's setup OK. I think it can still be a smidge lower. I can fly on his JEM neck, but it's also thinner and has no finish. When I decide on pickups, then I'll turn the MidKnob into an on-off switch.

Am I wasting my time or can the old Charvel, with the right pickups and mods compete with his Ibanez? How would a brand new, USA Soloist SL1 compare?

[joe web]

Re: My 650XL vs. My buddy\'s JEM

i would buy an evolution brigde pickup (JEM like [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] ), leave the original SC where they are, than i would pull out the original volpot and change it for a normal one. change the tone-pot to an on/off switch for the original midboost (which you pull off from the original volumepot) and now you have a special set-up.
this is what i will do next week with my soloist pro. i hope you understand what i mean.

you can try to use the SC without the midboost too. maybe you´ll like the sound.

if you like an unfinished neck, than take off the paint from yours.

[jgcable]

Re: My 650XL vs. My buddy\'s JEM

I am gonna catch a world of shit and get flamed big for the following statement.
Your 650XL couldn't hold a candle to your buddies Jem7VWH especially with the stock Jackson pickups and that preamp which I am not a fan of at all. Mud city in my opinion. I would NOT suggest tearing it apart ot try to mimic his sound. The closest reasonably priced "Jem" sounding guitar would be a Japanese RG470 or 550. There are no weaknesses in that model Jem. Neck, fit and finish, playability, trem, hardware, electronics, resale value, heck... even the case is friggin beautiful. Stop comparing and trying to clone his sound and go for your own. Throw a set of EMG's or some Duncan Customs in it and go for your own tone. There are plenty of 650XL's that kick major ass with the correct pickups.
I am a huge Ibanez fan BTW.... [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[1trussell]

Re: My 650XL vs. My buddy\'s JEM

I've got a Distortion/Cool Rails/Hot Rails set in my 650xl and it'll beat any JEM out there (for what I do). I've played a coupled of 7VWHs and a 7DBK and I would take my Charvel over any of them. Now, this is not to say that the JEMs are not nice guitars or that the quality is poor, far from it. For me, they just don't measure up to my good old trusty 650. Of course I bought it new in '92 and it is practically a part of me.

For the sound you're looking for I would suggest a Duncan Custom or Distortion for the bridge, a Vintage Rails in the neck, and a vintage flat for the mid. You'd have to order the Vintage Rails without the lip (or route the guitar like I did for my Hot Rails). But I think that this configuration would kick ass in the 650.

As far as trying to sound like a JEM. Don't even try, it'll never happen. The 650 sounds so good in its own right, it would be an injustice to try to copy another guitar's tone.

[etaeniura]

Re: My 650XL vs. My buddy\'s JEM

Are you trying to get a better tone, or better playability? Tone-wise you may have the advantage (650 is neckthru, right?), and with the right pickups could blow thew doors off the JEM. playability-wise, I assume your 650 has many more hours of playtime on it. Is there fretwear or uneven frets? How about the nut and saddles? Maybe a tech could do the setup for you and get better results? IIRC the 650 neck is a bit thicker than the Ibanez necks, so you may have a disadvantage there. Either way, comparing the two is like trying to compare sportscars-much of it is a matter of preference and style. If you have a very good technique, and the right amp, you could play almost any decent guitar and sound better than a wanker on the highest-end guitar out there. To sum it up, if you are happy with your 650, don't mess with it. If this little competition is just motivating you to make your 650 the absolute best it can be, then go for it. Make sense?

[1trussell]

Re: My 650XL vs. My buddy\'s JEM

Of course, if you're wanting to sell your 650 to fund a JEM, maybe around September when I get my student loan?....... [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[j2379]

Re: My 650XL vs. My buddy\'s JEM

dude when i was in a band the other guitar player had one of the early Jems with the vine inlay. my modded model6 smoked it. strip the back of the neck, shave it down a bit if youde like. put a set of Duncans, dimarzios or EMGs. & stop comparing apples to oranges.

[charvelguy]

Re: My 650XL vs. My buddy\'s JEM

The J-200 singles are not my fav pickup by far. If you want versatility and tone, start with replacing those IMO. SD rails are a good choice, or if you want a more chimy bell like middle, even a vintage style p/u like a noiseless vintage. The rails are a good matchup tho..and they look like Jackson blade singles.
I tossed out the J-200's from my Spectrum and replaced them with a Dimarizo YJM and a lil JB, as well as a 59 JR. Complete tonal change with each p/u, the guitar had a lot more clear highs, responsive punch, bottom. I could not believe the difference. It was like someone took a gag rag out of someones mouth when trying to speak.

I find some Jackson pickups are well suited to some applications, but on the whole these singles do not cut it. Try some of the clips on Seymour Duncans or Dimarzio's website..it'll give you an idea of what you want and which type of pup to go with.

[ May 27, 2004, 08:41 AM: Message edited by: charvelguy ]

[j2379]

Re: My 650XL vs. My buddy\'s JEM

you can probably strip & shave it yourself, plus its a nice view...ok bad joke

[catzodellamarina]

Re: My 650XL vs. My buddy\'s JEM

Thanks for the input guys. I'll be dropping it off at my local guitar engineer soon and getting some new pickups. I love the guitar and it's worth the investment. I'm not trying to copy his JEM, I'm just want it to sound as good. I can live with the neck but I still may have it stripped and shaved.

hmm... Stripped & Shaved? Doesn't that sounds like a bar we've all been to?

[1trussell]

Re: My 650XL vs. My buddy\'s JEM

What pickups are you going to put in there?