Got my Yamaha Pacifica 611VFM back today

[Chistopher]

Re: Got my Yamaha Pacifica 611VFM back today

It looks like someone made the ugliest guitar they could think of, then Yamaha came along and said "let's make the opposite of that". Seems like it probably sounds hella nice too.

[T-Bone-BBQ]

Re: Got my Yamaha Pacifica 611VFM back today

It looks like someone made the ugliest guitar they could think of, then Yamaha came along and said "let's make the opposite of that". Seems like it probably sounds hella nice too.

So far I love the way it sounds with the JB2 and the Virtual P90.

[ArtieToo]

Re: Got my Yamaha Pacifica 611VFM back today

How does that JB A2 sound?

[T-Bone-BBQ]

Re: Got my Yamaha Pacifica 611VFM back today

How does that JB A2 sound?

IMO it sounds similar to a "normal" JB, but less harsh to my ears. If it's lost any output with the A2 magnet it's not much. The lows are still there, but not quite as strong or tight and the biggest difference for me is the shift in the mids (the lower mids seem a bit more) and the softer highs. It's somewhat similar to comparing a Custom 5 to a Custom Custom with respect to the change in the mids between the A5 and the A2 in those pickups.

I have found out tho that this pickup works great in some guitars and not so great in others. I had one in my PRS SE Tremonti Custom with a mahogany body/neck, maple top, rosewood fretboard and 25" scale and it sounded thin for some reason. I have no idea why, but I put that same pickup in my ESP LTD M50 with a basswood body, strat scale, maple neck and rosewood fretboard and it just kills. Very big sounding IMO. It also seems to like similar guitars with alder wood bodies. I also have one in a PRS SE Custom 24 with mahogany body/neck, maple top, rosewood fretboard and 25" scale and it's great there also. No idea why a JB A2 didn't sound good in that Tremonti...

[Mincer]

Re: Got my Yamaha Pacifica 611VFM back today

^I would agree with this. The JB2 is an improvement to me, but in the end, the wind was just too hot and had too much of an impact for a magnet change to really have a lot of effect like it does on winds that are a lot milder.

[T-Bone-BBQ]

Re: Got my Yamaha Pacifica 611VFM back today

^I would agree with this. The JB2 is an improvement to me, but in the end, the wind was just too hot and had too much of an impact for a magnet change to really have a lot of effect like it does on winds that are a lot milder.

I would agree. Overall it still has the same basic JB character, but the shift in the mids and softer highs make it much more useful to me. The stock JB has the sharper highs and the mids are centered higher which makes it overall sound brighter and more harsh IMO. It works that way for a LOT of people, but I like the slightly less output, less harsh version with the A2 magnet.

I think SD should jump at this and make it a production pickup, but what do I know? I'm no professional, but I've got 35+ electric guitars and most of them have Duncan pickups. This is my 5th guitar with a JB A2 in it and although I love the tone I'm tired of having to get magnets swapped out. I can get a Custom Custom if the Custom 5 isn't quite my thing, but can't get a JB with an A2 magnet unless I order a Custom Shop or do the swap myself. I'm not gonna swap the magnets because I'm afraid I'll mess something up, so I pay my guitar tech to do it for me. SD should make this version of the JB available for normal production pickups and they can name it my signature pickup so every time people see it they say "who the heck is that?"...LOL!!!