Jackson DK2L - Pickup Help!

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riffmagus

New member
Hey all,

Just after a spot of advice - I have recently picked up a Jackson DK2L with a JB trembucker in the bridge and 2 single coil SD STK-1's for the middle and neck respectively.

Now, I already have a Yamaha Pacifica for blues/SRV stuff - Gibson LP with Deactivators for C# Doom and Sludge - so the Jackson is to be my Metal Chops guitar.

Everything I do is studio based, so I just run everything through a Line 6 POD X3 live. I'm really wanting to use this guitar for early Metallica/Slayer/Sepultura/Pantera style work so it's staying in E standard.

I'm loving the crunch from the JB - but perhaps due to the magnet pull on the middle and neck pu's I CANNOT get it as high as I would like before 'wolf' tones and magnet pull come into play.

So, am considering removing the middle and neck pickups to just use the JB. I mainly use the bridge anyway - and for fast riffing, pinch harmonics and solos I feel this would be perfect.

Does anyone know how just removing the middle and neck pu's would adjust my tone? Even with JUST the JB selected adjusting the middle and neck pu's drastically alters the tone. I'm after a clear, harmonic, fluid lead line sound and great for chugging - so guess the extra magnetic pull of the single coils is getting in the way??

Hope I'm making some sense, if anyone has any hints or tips before I go about removing the middle and neck pu's please let me know!

Cheers.

-Riffmagus
 
Re: Jackson DK2L - Pickup Help!

Go ahead and take them out, put some springs in those holes like Page Hamilton. Or, if you want to keep them there, you can get some dimarzio air singles. They have some odd construction that puts a pocket of air in between the magnet and the rest of the coil, and magnet pull is significantly decreased. Take a look at those, maybe fix the problem for you.

Good luck!
 
Re: Jackson DK2L - Pickup Help!

I have to say I don't really follow your problem.
What are "wolf" tones?

You've tried lowering the single coils? You could also try just disconnecting the single coils rather than removing them just now. It'd be a simple, 2 minute job, and would let you hear what difference (if any) it makes.
 
Re: Jackson DK2L - Pickup Help!

'Wolf' tones to me are notes when the magnets are too close - it either cuts off the sustain - or when holding a chord it just does not ring right - to my ears anyway.

The thing I find the oddest is that with the bridge pickup selected - how come adjusting the height of the middle and neck pu's alters the tone? Surely they are turned 'off' in this position??

Whilst playing with the DK2 this afternoon I did get a really useable Master of Puppets tone using the Modern High Gain Amp sim - but i notice that the JB needs the mids almost maxed - and that it really does react depending on how the treble is set. Never had a pu like it before. Great for riffing though. My ears are becoming more and more impressed.
 
Re: Jackson DK2L - Pickup Help!

Removing the pickups completely rather then just disconnecting them also removes the influence of their magnetic fields on the strings, as well as any chance of interference with the bridge pickup field.

However, I doubt they're close enough to the bridge to have an effect on the JB's field.


But still, they will affect the strings.


I doubt you'll find any drastic tonal effects by completely removing them like you would by removing the Tone control or bypassing the controls completely.
 
Re: Jackson DK2L - Pickup Help!

I have a feeling there's something more at work here, like a faulty pot.
 
Re: Jackson DK2L - Pickup Help!

Well, after conducting my rather scientific tests - using a screwdriver to see which pickups are 'on' in each position I can say that in the Bridge position BOTH the JB and the middle STK-1 are on.

Now, I would say that in the bridge selector position ONLY the JB should be on - right?

If so, I might just have to sort the wiring.

Also, the tone pot does not have a particuarly good roll off - just goes from bright to muddy - no sweet spot inbetween. May aswell replace the tone and volume pots and even put in some decent capacitors before I even think about taking any pu's out or swapping them for others.

If anyone can give me some decent pots/capacitor suggestions that would be great. I do have some paper and oil caps in my LP - is there an equivalent to use in the Jackson?

Although, am seriously considering just ordering a Bill Lawrence XL500 to pop in the bridge - always wanted to try one. Or is the Full Shred a similar style?
 
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