Jason Becker and Quarter Pounder on a 91 Charvel?

F

Firewind66

New member
Hi guys,
Just purchased (the parts to) a 1991 Charvel SDK 105 SH from Japan, one of the very cool models they were making at the time exclusively for the Japanese market. Amazing neck and luthiery, just like all the Charvel and Jackson MIJ from 86 to 95 (thank you Ittaru Kanno!)
It's a dinky with 24 frets, 24,75" scale, mahogany body, humbucker in the bridge and slanted single coil in the neck, stunning Cobalt Blue Pearl.
Here some pics of the beauty.
This to me is a pure tribute to 80's shred, all my youth.... ^^
So as far as pups I'm into medium output and after a lot of thinking I am ready to settle for a Jason Becker in the bridge, and a Quarter Pounder in the neck, I am wondering if anyone here has tried that combination or could offer some insight? I know De Martini uses a Quarter Pounder but his bucker is special sig specs and I don't know them.

As a way of comparison I have a 1990 Jackson Fusion Pro that has 2 Cool Rails and a Full Shred, absolutely killer combination, I highly recommend it. And a Jackson DK2M Snow White with a JB and a '59.

Thanks \m/

SDK1.jpgSDK2.jpg
$_12.JPG
 
Re: Jason Becker and Quarter Pounder on a 91 Charvel?

Just wanted to say welcome to the Charvel family!

I have no experience with either of those pickups but the Perpetual Burn is on my short list so if you decide on that please report back!
 
Re: Jason Becker and Quarter Pounder on a 91 Charvel?

Looks like a standard triangle-base single coil won't fit without routing; a Stack Plus will. Or possibly a Jaguar QP? But not certain.

EDIT: NM, looks like a newer QP does have the flange-less base. Be aware that some of the older pickups will have the triangular base, if you go used.
 
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Re: Jason Becker and Quarter Pounder on a 91 Charvel?

I have experience with the Perpetual Burn and QP Strat neck separately, but not together.

The Perpetual Burn I tried in an SG - not the typical home for it, but I got a good feel for the pickup. It felt to me like a more open and organic Full Shred. It's still tight and controlled under high gain, but it feels slightly less stiff and with a little more low end. It is by no means a low-end-y pickup; it's got a pretty even EQ.

The QP Strat neck I tried in the Charvel DeMartini sig. It sounded fantastic, but I didn't like how it hummed, being a true single coil, in the high gain setting one would typically use that guitar.

Cool Rails is the first S-size pickup I think of to pair in the neck with a PB bridge. 2 other choices might be Lil Screamin Demon or Little 59 (neck versions).
 
Re: Jason Becker and Quarter Pounder on a 91 Charvel?

Kamanda~SD said:
Just wanted to say welcome to the Charvel family!

I have no experience with either of those pickups but the Perpetual Burn is on my short list so if you decide on that please report back!
Click to expand...

Thanks dude, the guitar is being put together, I'll report soon.
 
Re: Jason Becker and Quarter Pounder on a 91 Charvel?

Silence Kid said:
Looks like a standard triangle-base single coil won't fit without routing; a Stack Plus will. Or possibly a Jaguar QP? But not certain.

EDIT: NM, looks like a newer QP does have the flange-less base. Be aware that some of the older pickups will have the triangular base, if you go used.
Click to expand...

You are correct, I believe all Jackson and Charvel of that era had narrow single coil slots, that fitted their own brand pups, I did have to rout to get the cool rails into my Jackson as you can see on the 3rd photo, I didn't want to do that on the SDK, which is why I looked for a pup that could both suit me and fit without routing. But thanks for the heads up, someone could get in trouble for not being aware of this.
 
Re: Jason Becker and Quarter Pounder on a 91 Charvel?

stratguy23 said:
I have experience with the Perpetual Burn and QP Strat neck separately, but not together.

The Perpetual Burn I tried in an SG - not the typical home for it, but I got a good feel for the pickup. It felt to me like a more open and organic Full Shred. It's still tight and controlled under high gain, but it feels slightly less stiff and with a little more low end. It is by no means a low-end-y pickup; it's got a pretty even EQ.

The QP Strat neck I tried in the Charvel DeMartini sig. It sounded fantastic, but I didn't like how it hummed, being a true single coil, in the high gain setting one would typically use that guitar.

Cool Rails is the first S-size pickup I think of to pair in the neck with a PB bridge. 2 other choices might be Lil Screamin Demon or Little 59 (neck versions).
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback, I hear what you say. I'll give it a shot, neck for me would be clean or creamy lead (as I get older I have finally begun to understand that a good lead tone means less gain lolz). I will keep you posted with the tests.
 
Re: Jason Becker and Quarter Pounder on a 91 Charvel?

You can order the correct base (oval) for the Quarter Pound. It falls under our Floor Shop Custom options. That sounds like a wicked combo, btw. I'd love to see when it is completed.
 
Re: Jason Becker and Quarter Pounder on a 91 Charvel?

Kamanda~SD said:
Pictures are mandatory haha
Click to expand...

Well just got my SDK back today, quite upset really because the luthier's shop (reportedly the best in Paris, ex James Trussart team) did a pig's job as far as I'm concerned, but that's another story.... so here are some pics of the family... from left to right 1990 Jackson Fusion Pro, 1990 Charvel Fusion Deluxe, 1991 Charvel SDK105 SH (internal Japan market), 2008 Jackson DK2M, 2010 limited edition Ibanez RGR465.

For the record, the pink Fusion Deluxe will very soon receive a neon green Custom Custom in the bridge,,, did anyone say "eighties"? lolzaxe-family-01.jpgaxe-family-02.jpg
 
Re: Jason Becker and Quarter Pounder on a 91 Charvel?

Mincer said:
You can order the correct base (oval) for the Quarter Pound. It falls under our Floor Shop Custom options. That sounds like a wicked combo, btw. I'd love to see when it is completed.
Click to expand...

Just got the guitar back, and the setup job is crap so I haven't gotten to the full test yet... But as far as the pups WOW! even more than I expected, the combo is absolutely killer.
The quarter pounder is nice and warm, sweet and clear, and the Jason Becker is great, have to agree with the description by stratguy23 above, I have a feeling this will be a very versatile combo, good for pop, modern blues, excellent for hair metal for sure, spot on I think.

Ah, forgot to mention some specs of the SDK setup. 3-way switch and a mini switch to split the bucker (originally like other Charvels and Jacksons of the time, it had some EQ boost system hence the switch).

Can't wait to get the custom custom in my Fusion Deluxe and hear what it does. :)
 
Re: Jason Becker and Quarter Pounder on a 91 Charvel?

I'd love a review of both guitars when you get them up and running their best.
 
Re: Jason Becker and Quarter Pounder on a 91 Charvel?

Awesome Collection there! And glad to hear your digging the pickups, really hard for me not to pull the trigger on a PB haha
 
Re: Jason Becker and Quarter Pounder on a 91 Charvel?

Hi guys,
After some time, some adventures and some more bucks spent, my axes are finally ready and cooking, sorry for the delay.
After the Paris disaster I ended up taking my guitars to a master luthier I've known for years in Barcelona, Jordi@Herrera Guitars, he's got magic fingers and you can feel the love in his work, highly recommended.

See above for the guitar specs (both are 24,75" scale and no, they won't djent ^^), I wanted 2 axes that would handle 80's stuff from hair metal to pop to Pink Floyd, and, as a whole, all I can say is that my expectations have been exceeded. Both these axes have a tonal versatility that you would never expect from their looks, in great part due to Jordi's inventive wiring options.
On both guitars the upgrades are: brass trem blocks, CRL switches, CTS pots, Switchcraft jacks.

Charvel SDK 105-SH (the blue one). SD Quarter Pounder in neck, SD Jason Becker in bridge.

3-position switch: 1.neck 2.neck and bucker inside coil 3.humbucker (yeah I know, unlike most people I count my positions starting with the neck pup).
The mini switch was originally for a mid-boost EQ thingy that many of the Charvels and Jacksons had at the time (always hated that, plus it had a battery inside the control cavity, which was a pain in the ass to change).
So now the mini switch is a 3-position control for the humbucker, that goes full/split(inside coil)/parallel. Meaning that altogether I have 7 different switching options with just 2 pups, which is close to mind-boggling for my little musician's brain.
The tonal palette is amazing, from fat neck to crunchy bucker and all sparkling stratty tones in-between. I can get fat SRV tones, sparkling Edge and Gilmour, classic crunch for 70's rock, and singing sunset strip metal, all in one axe that plays like butter. On the metal side, I can get those ultra cutting Queensryche cleans or that fat clean AIC tone from Bones... in fact I am just starting to scratch the surface of all I can do with this axe... I am changing my whole gear setup as well, which doesn't help as I don't have my familiar gear and tones for reference.

Charvel Fusion Deluxe (the Pink Panther, and now with that pup they can see me from space, lol). Original Charvel J200R in neck, SD Custom Custom in bridge

5-position switch (I've looked at the wiring and I can't say I understand how it works haha)
1. neck 2. neck and bucker inside coil 3. neck and bucker parallel (but inside coils are louder) 4.neck and bucker parallel (but outside coils are louder) 5. humbucker
As I said, positions 3 and 4 should sound the same but they don't... :dunno: but who cares, I don't know how a computer works either, but that doesn't prevent me from using and enjoying it right?
I have to say I never liked the original Charvel and Jackson pups, but I'm surprised at how good this one sounds, so much so that I won't replace it, it sounds a bit like a Cool Rails with the tone knob slightly rolled off... The Custom Custom surprised me, I expected it to be like a sort of vintage hot rodded PAF but it is more powerful and ballsy than I thought, pleasant surprise, great for 80's metal, with a slightly more modern sound. Oh, and it's just... so green. :bigthumb: (Actually the green SD custom shop bobins are a furious yellowish neon green, as compared to the DiMarzio for example).
Again, a crapload of very different tonal options.

Oh, and for anyone wondering... it's my first time installing brass blocks, these are no-brand Korean 34mm blocks I got in the UK for 20 bucks a piece, and they are great, they really do make a noticeable difference in clarity, sustain and power.

It will take some time for me to unleash the full potential of these axes and get used to the switching options, but I can already say the pup combos are killer.
Below some nerd pics of all the secrets, enjoy ^^.fusionsdk1.jpgfusionsdk2.jpgfusion3.jpgfusion4.jpg
 
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Re: Jason Becker and Quarter Pounder on a 91 Charvel?

Kamanda~SD said:
Awesome Collection there! And glad to hear your digging the pickups, really hard for me not to pull the trigger on a PB haha
Click to expand...

Dude, here it is finally. I do apologize in advance if I cause you any GAS and pup envy :naughty:
 
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