New Pup for Alder/Maple Charvel...???

WERNER 1

WERNER 1

New member
Hey guys,.. first post here, but I was around on the old forums ;)

I recently picked up a 2018 Charvel Pro Mod DK24 HH FR. It has an Alder Body w/Maple neck and came factory loaded with a TB-10 (Full Shred) and a SH-2n (Jazz)

The Music I play is quite varied, but I tend to gravitate towards the 80's Hard Rock scene... Like Dokken, Ratt, Poison, Scorps,..and so on. BUT, I also play a lot of more Classic Rock'ish type stuff as well very similar to AC/DC, older Bad Co, Early DefLeppard,.. those kind of low to mid break-up tones.

I run a Fractal AX8 and most classic/hard rock tones are based around a Jump'd plexi, Hot Rodded JCM 800,.. Freidman BE100.

The Charvel DK-24 - To me this thing just sounds "off".. even the Jazz neck pup doesn't sound good in the guitar IMO. I run a JB/Jazz combo in a lot of my LP's and they sound great in there for the most part. The TB-10/Full Shred just sounds "thin" to me,.. No meat to it if you will?

I know several guys run the JB's in this guitar and have had good results. Both the 59 and the Pearly Gates keep popping up as a reliable pup for the neck(?)

I have a USA Crossed Swords guitar that is the same Body/Neck set up as the DK-24 and it has the DeMartini Custom Shop pup in it and it sounds amazing! I'm kind of leaning towards ordering one of these through the custom shop in White w/Gold pole pieces/screws. (All though I keep seeing there's nothing available in the "TB" version? - What's that about!?!?) I think that pup should sound really good in there seeing as I've not even added an oversized brass block to the Crossed Swords guitar ...yet! :D

Another option was doing the JB or eventaking it one step further and making an JB8... I've never played a JB8 before, but it sounds quite interesting to say the least!

One last option is to reach out to Jeff @ High Order pickups and have him cook me up something really cool,.. He's done quite a few for me over the years mostly for my Kramers and they are amazing - Kind of cool having your own Custom Wound pup as well... but there's a big unknown factor going on there I think. He also did a custom prototype pickup for me based on His Maximus pickup... that one is killing it in a Jem copy I have..

Well I didn't really intend on writing a novel, but I wanted to make sure I had all the info out there..

Thanks in advance,
Rick
DK24.jpg
 
SuperD at the bridge, maybe AN for the neck.
It's really that maple board that would make me go that route over the Duncan standards.

If the guitar was just the same with an ebony board I would probably go JB/59 for your music styles.
 
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Cool guitar! I'd go for a Custom in the bridge and something like a Whole Lotta Humbucker for the neck. Great hard rock tones all around. I had an AX8 for years, and the Custom works well with those Marshall models.
 
In my Charvel San Dimas, alder body w. maple neck I've currently got Custom in the bridge and Full Shred in the neck, it sounds great, not thin at all. Came stock with JB and '59.Afaik TB-10 is basically a Custom 5 with hex screws, so before swapping the bridge out try different magnets. Try A8 or ceramic (standard Custom magnet). My favourite pickup mod now is Alnico 8 magnet in JB and Custom. You can also try swapping out the high E, B and G hex screws with filister screws from another pickup you have, at least one row if not both, it'll definitely fatten the sound a fair bit. Maybe try to experiment with what you've got before going down the pickups change rabbit hole. Have fun :)
 
Dave 74 - I had actually thought about the Super D,.but haven't used one in a LONG time... haven't used any Dimarzio's in a while for that matter.

Mincer - Custom (?) - That's the SH/TB-5 correct? ... I in fact use that A LOT in all of my Kramer Focus 3000's and a few others. They are all Alder body with Maple necks and Rosewood fretboards - They are all Floyds and Pickguard guitars as well. Very good pickup for my style, just wasn't sure if that would play well with the all maple neck or not. I'm sure I have one of those around here I can swap in.

AdrianSD - What kind of tonal changes did you experience when moving from the JB/59 to the TB-5/SH-10? I may try changing out the Hex screws real quick and see what changes that yields. I keep thinking about that JB-8,.. always wanted to try that, this might be the perfect oppertunity :D

I forgot that I have a White TB12 here... I may throw that in real quick as see how that fairs,.. It has worked out in a couple other guitars I have... :33:

I have a new FU Custom Bridge coming for it that will be set up with some TI parts plus the oversized brass block,.. I'm curious to see how that changes things .. I'm sure it will be more subtle though.

One other question I had,.. how hard is it to swap out the "Slug" poles on these pickups (Never done it) ... but I was wanting to change to Gold pole pieces and thought I'd just try and do it my self instead of having to buy a custom pickup :( ... I guess Duncan doesn't do work on pickups anymore... I think they used to swap that stuff out for like 10 bucks back in the day.. ... uhg!

Magnets - I have some A2's and A5's here... where's a good source for A8's and Ceramics? (Been a while since I've bought any of that type of stuff ..)

Thanks!!!
 
WERNER 1 said:
Dave 74 - I had actually thought about the Super D,.but haven't used one in a LONG time... haven't used any Dimarzio's in a while for that matter.

Mincer - Custom (?) - That's the SH/TB-5 correct? ... I in fact use that A LOT in all of my Kramer Focus 3000's and a few others. They are all Alder body with Maple necks and Rosewood fretboards - They are all Floyds and Pickguard guitars as well. Very good pickup for my style, just wasn't sure if that would play well with the all maple neck or not. I'm sure I have one of those around here I can swap in.
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Yes, if you have a spare TB-5, try it out! It works just as well with all maple necks, too. If it is too bright, swap out the magnet for an A2 (effectively making a Custom Custom).
 
I'd get a PATB3 in the bridge and a PATB1n in the neck but those look a bit wonky.

Other than that: Bareknuckle Holydiver set. Like the JB/Jazz set, but a bit more open, less congested and a lot more dynamic.
 
Custom Custom in the bridge, not sure what to recommend for the neck in the Duncan range, but something with more mids than the Jazz.
 
Thanks for all of the replies guys! ... I'm taking it all in and trying to make a good decision :D

I installed the Screamin' Demon in the guitar last night, and while it was a bit better,. it is still a bit Thin/brittle sounding :( After a LOT of tweaking my presets I finally got it closer to where I want my tone for this thing (See vid) I did recieve my new FU-Tone bridge with TI hardware and oversized brass block.. hopefully I'll get that on this evening or the next.

Here's a vid I did real quick with the Screamin' Demon in it. Nothing special. I'm running direct with my AX8 and recording the sound coming out of my studio monitors with my phone :dunno:

https://youtu.be/ngLDtP9QONo
 
Do you know what's under the hood, have you measured the pots and seen the cap?

Before I ever go pickup swapping, I always like to know for sure what the 'big picture' of the whole circuit is.

Maybe you got a rogue reading volume pot or something.
 
Mincer said:
The A2P works well with the CC (my favorite combo), but as you increase the gain past a hot Plexi sound, it can be smeary and mushy. It is wonderful before that.
Click to expand...

I use the A2Pn in high gain, and I love the buttery tones I get out of it... it definitely doesn't get mushy, at least not to my ears. I have it on a 22 fret alder bodied Tele.
 
Synapsys said:
I use the A2Pn in high gain, and I love the buttery tones I get out of it... it definitely doesn't get mushy, at least not to my ears. I have it on a 22 fret alder bodied Tele.
Click to expand...

Well, comparing it to modern metal pickups, it doesn't have that thump.
 
I know Jeff from a good while back on our own forum. He makes great pups and has fantastic attention to detail.


Alder strat + maple neck doing 80's hair and classic rock?

SH-5 Custom

Custom a lil too bright with a Floyd?

SH-11 Custom Custom
 
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Mincer said:
Well, comparing it to modern metal pickups, it doesn't have that thump.
Click to expand...

That's right, but I really am not into modern metal pickups. The most modern-sounding pickup I own is a Custom5, and I don't find it to be that modern...

I find it wonderful how different ears can hear different things, even untrained one like mine.
 
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