HSS - AHB-2b Blackouts Bridge + Blackouts preamp on cool rails Mid & Tone Zone S Neck

[Stratfix]

HSS - AHB-2b Blackouts Bridge + Blackouts preamp on cool rails Mid & Tone Zone S Neck

Yes a Tone Zone Stat size humbucker in the neck. The blackouts preamp added highs and tamed the Lows on the Tone Zone. Good match in volume with the AHB-2b. I added the volume boost switch to the AHB-2b. I had to, I thought the Tone Zone bridge put in the neck would be too loud, not loud enough for the AHB-2b on full strength. Thickest Meanest Jackson I have ever Played. Even get wicked clean funky quack with the neck and middle together. Meant for Metal ? Best modern Jazz neck pickup sound I have ever heard. The cool rails sounds amazing on the preamp. The 5 way selector switch made no transition noise between pickups.

 

[jeremy]

welcome to the forum!

interesting setup for sure. how do you have it wired?

 

[Stratfix]

The AHB-2a is the hot to the 5-way bridge, ground, and 9volt feed . The Blackouts preamp 9volt line goes with the same 9volt line feed as the AHB-2b. The coil rails and the Tone Zone both go to the Blackouts preamp. From the Blackouts preamp the neck and middle each go to the 5-way switch. I Added a 25k pot before the jack hot out, inside the cavity taped off at 80% volume. A micro switch cuts in or out the internal volume pot, and lets the signal come out full strength. Full strength is too much for most solid state amps and pedals, they just crackle. So I have 2 micro switches , one that boosts the whole guitar volume and one switch that boosts the bridge. This gives me 2 stages of boost on the bridge. To have a volume cut switch, there is many ways to wire it, this is the easiest, and it works. I don't want to figure out what resister to use on the micro switch, I dialed in the volume cut I wanted. Unconventional.

 

[Stratfix]

I have to add that this is not a sound for many people. the bass is overblown, I mean way over the top over blown bottom end with hardly any treble, except a bit on the cool rails