Hello everyone. Newb here...well 35 year player and electronics engineer.
I just purchased my 15th guitar (4 sold...now down to 11) and it is a Jackson Randy Rhoads 1 with a JB and Jazz combo. I always wanted one that was snow white with black bevels, and now they actually make them that way. I was not fond of Jackson wood or Jackson necks in the 80's and 90's, but the quality of everything, and the neck carve, has improved as of late. Great wood and great neck/action! Top quality these days!
Anyway, I have issues with the JB being anemic and gutless in the RR1. I once had the same set of pups in a Les Paul with the same problem. Love the Jazz, hate the JB. No guts...but I disslike mud, so pickup selection is sometimes tricky. I have tried SH-5's (I like it in an SG...gain too low for this RR1 axe), SH-6's (good in my ESP...not metal enough, me thinks), Invaders (hate them!...mud city), and all the PAF style pups (good classic tone...have many guitars with them). I also have a few Gibson guitars with ceramic 500T's (broad, powerful and clear...a bit top endy) I doubt any will get what I'm looking for. I'm looking for clean metal edge, no mud, good low mids with just the right chest thump (without mud), and no ice pick in the ear top end, but great cutting upper mids. What am I looking for in a SD bridge pickup?
The Jazz in this axe is perfect. The bass and mids are balanced. The low end on the Jazz makes the JB sound like a total wimp (because it is)! I put pull-switch pots in and tried SC on both. The Jazz is doing nice Strat type neck tones, and the JB sucks. After looking over the choices with the tone chart, gain levels, and magnet types, I think the Alternative 8 might be what I'm after. Since I'm keeping the Jazz I would like a matched (looking) set, so Blackouts are out for now until I exhuast these cosmetic options. Alnico 5 pickups have never worked for me, except maybe in the neck position. A5's ae harsh and shrill to my ears. I have never tried an alnico 8. I hope I made a good choice with the Alternative 8 (ordered and on the way). I tried to get on this forum before ordering, but had to wait for approval. So I wanted to replace the JB ASAP since I can't enjoy my new RR1 the way it is now.
Who here has experience with the Alt 8 pickup? What are your thoughts on it? Do you think it will do the trick, or should I look for something else in the SD line?
Thanks all!
Phil
I just purchased my 15th guitar (4 sold...now down to 11) and it is a Jackson Randy Rhoads 1 with a JB and Jazz combo. I always wanted one that was snow white with black bevels, and now they actually make them that way. I was not fond of Jackson wood or Jackson necks in the 80's and 90's, but the quality of everything, and the neck carve, has improved as of late. Great wood and great neck/action! Top quality these days!
Anyway, I have issues with the JB being anemic and gutless in the RR1. I once had the same set of pups in a Les Paul with the same problem. Love the Jazz, hate the JB. No guts...but I disslike mud, so pickup selection is sometimes tricky. I have tried SH-5's (I like it in an SG...gain too low for this RR1 axe), SH-6's (good in my ESP...not metal enough, me thinks), Invaders (hate them!...mud city), and all the PAF style pups (good classic tone...have many guitars with them). I also have a few Gibson guitars with ceramic 500T's (broad, powerful and clear...a bit top endy) I doubt any will get what I'm looking for. I'm looking for clean metal edge, no mud, good low mids with just the right chest thump (without mud), and no ice pick in the ear top end, but great cutting upper mids. What am I looking for in a SD bridge pickup?
The Jazz in this axe is perfect. The bass and mids are balanced. The low end on the Jazz makes the JB sound like a total wimp (because it is)! I put pull-switch pots in and tried SC on both. The Jazz is doing nice Strat type neck tones, and the JB sucks. After looking over the choices with the tone chart, gain levels, and magnet types, I think the Alternative 8 might be what I'm after. Since I'm keeping the Jazz I would like a matched (looking) set, so Blackouts are out for now until I exhuast these cosmetic options. Alnico 5 pickups have never worked for me, except maybe in the neck position. A5's ae harsh and shrill to my ears. I have never tried an alnico 8. I hope I made a good choice with the Alternative 8 (ordered and on the way). I tried to get on this forum before ordering, but had to wait for approval. So I wanted to replace the JB ASAP since I can't enjoy my new RR1 the way it is now.
Who here has experience with the Alt 8 pickup? What are your thoughts on it? Do you think it will do the trick, or should I look for something else in the SD line?
Thanks all!
Phil
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