I've been grappling with this for a while now. My Charvel Model 3a from 1986. The original J-80c pups sounded dull - contrasted, obviously, to the brilliant sounding J80c pups in my Model 5 & Model 6 with the mid boost - so, I switched out the bridge pups with a Crunch Lab. Well, that sounded dull, too. Now, I put an Invader in, and it's a little better, but nothing in the bridge sounds really alive in this guitar. (note - same basswood body in all of these MIJ Charvels from this era).
I'm beginning to think the guitar is just cursed! But no, there must be a technical explanation, right? It's as if nothing I put in really shines, and that goes for the neck pup, too. I thought it might be the wood, but the guitar doesn't sound dull while unplugged.
I recently had a well respected luthier install the Invader and do a complete setup to the guitar. It plays extremely well. I'm simply wondering could it be the stock caps, the wiring, the pots, or something. They should have 500k pots in it, but maybe the Seymour Duncan YJM-500 Hi-Speed Volume Electric Guitar Pot would be more simpatico with the Invader? I really don't know, but I'm tired of paying a tech...and I've had Invaders in other guitars, and they don't sound this flat. Like I said, it's better than the Crunch Lab, but not as good as it should be.
Maybe Model 3as simply stink?
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
I'm beginning to think the guitar is just cursed! But no, there must be a technical explanation, right? It's as if nothing I put in really shines, and that goes for the neck pup, too. I thought it might be the wood, but the guitar doesn't sound dull while unplugged.
I recently had a well respected luthier install the Invader and do a complete setup to the guitar. It plays extremely well. I'm simply wondering could it be the stock caps, the wiring, the pots, or something. They should have 500k pots in it, but maybe the Seymour Duncan YJM-500 Hi-Speed Volume Electric Guitar Pot would be more simpatico with the Invader? I really don't know, but I'm tired of paying a tech...and I've had Invaders in other guitars, and they don't sound this flat. Like I said, it's better than the Crunch Lab, but not as good as it should be.
Maybe Model 3as simply stink?
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
Comment