How are the Jackson js32 pickups?

[Top-L]

I ordered a js34 HSS silverburst. It might get here this century.

I think i will put a Fred in the bridge as that will be a decent match with singles...but only if those singles are decent.

My last chinese superstrat actually had pretty great pickups. The neck was like a Jazz clone and the bridge was hot alnico like a Full Shred.

 

[Demanic]

You might want to play it for a few weeks before you think about changing anything. Unless of course you just have a few spare pickups laying around. I would put a JB Trembucker in the bridge if it were mine.
Unless you plan to play heavily on the singles, I wouldn't worry about replacing them. They'll sound better than you think.

 

[Inflames626]

It might be my imagination, but I hear a slight difference between hum canceling singles and true singles, especially stacked hum canceling singles. Something about them kills the highs, dynamics, and transients a bit vs. a true single coil.

I might also prefer 2 true singles instead of RWRP to cancel hum so it's more vintage authentic.

My guess is the Jackson singles will be hum canceling, as many singles seem to be these days. To me those sound more like humbuckers in a single coil housing.

I'm weird for a metal guy in that I like a pretty mid output bridge pickup (say 12-14k) but I almost always insist on the lowest wind singles I can find--usually 50s spec. I find you get more of that Mark Knopfler spanky Strat sound that way. The real choice is whether you want a bright Strat or a warm Strat--so I have a lot of HSS Dinkys so I can have bright/warm Strats.

I would only go up in single coil output if you have something hot in the bridge like a JB (around 16k) and want output levels matched.

Since I mainly only record, it doesn't bother me to have mismatched pickups in terms of volume. It's just important that the instrument makes the sounds I want.

Very, very rarely will I go for high output pickups in both positions. I don't solo with a hot neck pickup much, but I'm working on a guitar with a JB in the neck and Dimebucker in the bridge. I'll save something like a Duncan Distortion or Parallel Axis (16k+ output) for guitars I exclusively track solos with because they cut through well and compress without sounding squashed.

 

[Inflames626]

I don't have a lot of experience with side by side hum canceling single coil pickups (my guess is the bass guys who use the Apollo Jazz bass pickups would know about that). But I do get a sense that many people prefer a side by side hum canceling design over the older stacked design because side by side sounds more like a true single coil.

 

[Inflames626]

What Demanic suggested with a JB is a good start because it matches well with a lot of pickups. But, I find it too flabby in the lows/low mids for modern metal. Something like a Duncan Distortion is more my kind of sound. It can sound a little harsh in the highs though.

Even better for me was the AHB3 Mick Thomson Blackouts and the very, very underrated Parallel Axis Original and Distortion versions. Like a regular Duncan Distortion but smoother and more articulate. I'd try those. They even have single coil versions for them. The pole pieces are unique and cool looking to me but admittedly are an acquired taste.

Absent those options, EMG 81 in the bridge always works, but I do mine with the 24 Volt Mod. I've tried this with the EMG SA and S as well. An EMG SA in the neck in 24 volts becomes super warm and much more expressive. It doesn't sound vintage--more like a mini humbucker, maybe. Again, an acquired taste.

I will probably swap the old hardwired SA/S pickups I have from the 90s and try them with the SV/SAV models, which are more based on 50s Strats. The SLV models are higher wound versions based on Steve Lukather's specs.

You can ignore the X series EMGs as once EMGs are in 18 volts or above they pretty much become X series tonally.

 

[Inflames626]

Full Shred bridge might be a good option for an HSS too. I have a Jason Becker and Custom Custom I'm looking to try in HSS guitars as well.

 

[Top-L]

You might want to play it for a few weeks before you think about changing anything. Unless of course you just have a few spare pickups laying around. I would put a JB Trembucker in the bridge if it were mine.
Unless you plan to play heavily on the singles, I wouldn't worry about replacing them. They'll sound better than you think.

This is what i will do. I bet they sound good.

Pickups i have that i could install.

Fred
Evolution
Crunch Lab
Duncan Custom


I havent tried the Crunch Lab yet. Either that or the Custom will probably win.

 

[Mincer]

It might be my imagination, but I hear a slight difference between hum canceling singles and true singles, especially stacked hum canceling singles. Something about them kills the highs, dynamics, and transients a bit vs. a true single coil.
.

Not all stacked pickups are the same. Some companies just throw 2 identical coils on top of each other, and essentially make a humbucker that way. SD has a much smaller coil on the bottom which just targets the hum. Before you give up on stacked pickups, try some more out there.