OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

[Lucy Diamond]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

Hi,

Happy Monday after Wrestlemania!!!

What kind of amp are you playing though and what are your settings?

 

[Dan186]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

Hi,

Happy Monday after Wrestlemania!!!

What kind of amp are you playing though and what are your settings?

It's a 5150. It takes more than the amps settings to fix this. Actually I really like the idea of the hot wound alnico 2. A friend is going to let me take his holdsworth duncan bridge for a spin. I hope he remembers to bring it tomorrow. Still waiting on floyd brass block... should be here within 2 days I'm not changing anything until i hear that in there first

To answer other questions... have an original floyd in there. I bought guitar brand new. Sl2 with maple cap. Cherryburst. Knife edges are fine. It's just all of it put together makes it difficult for me to work with...ebony maple neck thru maple cap floyd etc. .. But I really feel a hot wound a2 is the ticket. Alt8 might be too thick not loose enough. Put in me same place as the dmz super dist. From what I understand holdsworth duncan is an alnico2. So if i like that, I might buy that from him or get a custom custom. I really agree with what the poster said a out frankenstein, 78, but also custom custom. This guitar needs an a2 to make me happy. I really hope. Lol. Thanks guys will update as I try stuff.

And yes I know an original floyd already has a brass block. But this is more brass. So yeah. Got the brass trem claw already. I'll post my thoughts on all of that too.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

I've been trying to figure this out for a while...

The longstanding rumor is that the Allan Holdsworth models use an Alnico II magnet, but if you order one from the Custom Shop, they always come with an A5.

Here's the Custom Shop description:

In the early ‘80s when high gain and hot pickups were the way most players leaned, Seymour modified one of his humbuckers for a friend who was a master Fusion player and composer.

The AH combines overwound coils and an Alnico 5 magnet with two rows of adjustable screws. The impact of the screws adds meat to single notes and lower midrange to chords.

DC Resistance: 16.8k

Having observed the differences in response that the 12 screw pole pieces make first-hand in softening the attack of a pickup, I have to wonder if THAT, combined with the slightly overwound JB coils, which enhances the mids and pulls back the top end just a wee bit, is what leads people to assume the originals used an Alnico II, since it's a bit warmer and thicker feeling/sounding...

 

[Dan186]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

I've been trying to figure this out for a while...

The longstanding rumor is that the Allan Holdsworth models use an Alnico II magnet, but if you order one from the Custom Shop, they always come with an A5.

Here's the Custom Shop description:

Having observed the differences in response that the 12 screw pole pieces make first-hand in softening the attack of a pickup, I have to wonder if THAT, combined with the slightly overwound JB coils, which enhances the mids and pulls back the top end just a wee bit, is what leads people to assume the originals used an Alnico II, since it's a bit warmer and thicker feeling/sounding...

I am very sorry to pass that misinformation. Me and my friend at work were chatting and I asked him if it had an a2 and he did a search and found where 9n this forum someone said it was an a2. Glad to know it is an A5 and thanks for the correction! This one is not from the custom shop tho. It's an original one from whenever they were part of the line.

 

[Dan186]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

Ok he brought the pickup and im trying it out tonight regardless if i get the brass block in the mail today or not. It actually says on the back of the box it is an Alnico 5. Tried to upload a photo of the back where it says alnico5 but it says it failed. Oh well. I'll update on the pickup in the jackson sl2 once I have some fun with it.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

I typically upload photos to Photobucket.com and then use their "img" link to post pics here...

Alternatively, if you PM me, I will give you my email address so you can send me the pic directly and I will upload and post it for you

 

[Dan186]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

Strange. I sent 2 pms requesting your Addy but they won't show up in my sent folder. Plz excuse me being a newbie here, I wonder if I'm doing something wrong? It loads as if it is being sent, yet nothing is in my sent folder after refreshing.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

I got your PMs. You're not crazy...at the very bottom of the PM box, there's an option you have to check that says "Save a copy of this message in your Sent Items folder" to keep a copy. Unfortunately, any sent messages you save count against your total message storage, so most of us don't use that option.

 

[Dan186]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

Ok the holdsworth didn't help any. No matter what pickup I put in it takes away resonance/presence and you are left with a very tight response. No more pickups. I'm going to try the brass block tomorrow...it's supposed to be here then. And if that doesn't work I'm selling it. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

Here's the back of the box for an original 1980's Holdsworth pickup:

Now members can clearly see that the Holdsworth clearly had/has an Alnico V magnet, not an Alnico II

Thanks, Dan186!

 

[Dan186]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

now that my initial frustration has subsided a little, I must say the holdsworth is a nice pickup. It's more "shimmery" than a JB...more "sparkly" on the high end and less rough. Not that I consider a JB really ice picky/rough in the slightest, it's just the holdsworth is a bit softer. It's cool. I like it. I'd probably love it in another guitar. Definitely waaay better to my ears than the Super Distortion it just replaced. But of course that's just my taste. The problem I believe more than anything is the response from the ebony board. The way it affects your attack and somehow the way it imparts its tone. I simply don't like it. I have rosewood boards, maple, and that was my first ebony. After many pickup swaps (of which the same pickups were in my other guitars) I feel pretty confident it is the ebony more than anything. I've heard multiple guitars with maple boards and also rosewood. It imparts a certain response in your playing that you can hear in your attack. Rosewood - mushy for lack of a better term, but not in a bad way, maple -more snappy but not too bright, and ebony - very glassy and tight - God awful to my ears. Regardless if I have a JB, Tone Zone, Super Distortion, Duncan Distortion, Holdsworth, 59 neck, Air Norton, Breed neck (plenty of distortion/output but TOO fat/muddy what have you) it is always noticeable to me. Maybe a mahogany body would help aka LP....but whatever. I'll try the brass block and see if it does anything for me. If not I'll sell it and maybe buy a new guitar. That's always fun too. lol.

I think ebony would work best in jazz guitars, bass guitars. And that would be it. Of course YMMV. Just my opinion.

 

[Dan186]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

Man now I'm a bit confused. I put in the brass block. (If u do this, just add one regular tension string and it should balance out the difference in weight from original floyd block) I was dead set on selling it last night. But now it's definitely different for the better. I'm home with my kids today so I won't be able to spend as much time as I'd like right now with it. But I'm really surprised. Some placebo effect? Hmmmm. I need more time with it..might drop down half step too. I never noticed a difference in those demo youtube videos with brass blocks. Always thought they were BS. however there is a difference. More thump. More volume. And it seems to have helped the ebony effect some. Now I can't sell it..yet. definitely tired of dropping money into this thing. Anyone have a custom custom they want to trade lol?

I'd be interested in trying the stone block now that I've tried brass. However, 100 bucks for a block is a bit much. Hell I don't want to spend 80 more on a pickup lol. I sent photos to masta c of the guitar with the block installed and holdsworth pickup.


Update- I have been playing off and on today and there is definitely a difference. It's no where near as bad as it was. And it was less than 30 bucks. I highly recommend trying a floyd brass block if you have problems. I should have started with the block and then the pickups. I never would have tried dimarzio for the meatier sound. That is cured. That annoying glassy tight attack seems to have softened as well. Warmer, less brittle.

Can someone describe the differences they experienced between a jb or holdsworth and a custom custom? Thanks.

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

+ another for the aforementioned DiM Super III

.02

 

[BloodRose]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

Alt 8 is a pretty cool pickup. Big and fat sounding.. not sure if it would be loose enuff for you tho. (its been quite awhile since I had mine..) Custom 8s are my personal faves..

 

[leftyjackson]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

Man, I had the same issue with my SL2H. It was bright and lifeless at the same time. I just could not get that mid chunk that I get out of all of my other guitars. I tried the following: JB & 59, Live Wires HM set, Invader, Distortion, Dimebucker & finally EMG 81 & 85 set.

A wide range (albeit all in the high gain territory) of pickups for sure, but nothing got me the tone I was looking for. I blocked the Floyd at one point, bypassed the tone, tried 1 meg pots, you name it. I finally gave up and sold it - it was so aggravating that my most expensive guitar was the worst sounding.

 

[Dan186]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

I hear ya leftyjackson. However, I can honestly say the floyd big brass block just may have saved that guitar. It sounds waaay better. Is it good enough? Yes I think so. That 27 dollar block is the biggest bang for my buck I've ever experienced. I haven't put in the brass trem claw yet..but I'm sure that could help a little too.

And I just ordered a Custom Custom. Lol. I'm really hoping that pickup is the icing on the cake and makes it all really come together. We will see.

I have to return the holdsworth tomorrow so later tonight I'm going to swap back in the dmz super d and see what sounds like with the big brass. Oh yeah, I still have basically full range going up with the block on the sl2. So if you are thinking of doing it...START THERE....then swap pickups....

 

[leftyjackson]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

I hear ya leftyjackson. However, I can honestly say the floyd big brass block just may have saved that guitar. It sounds waaay better. Is it good enough? Yes I think so. That 27 dollar block is the biggest bang for my buck I've ever experienced. I haven't put in the brass trem claw yet..but I'm sure that could help a little too.

And I just ordered a Custom Custom. Lol. I'm really hoping that pickup is the icing on the cake and makes it all really come together. We will see.

I hope you have better luck than I did - sounds like things are heading in the right direction! Funny thing, I recently got an Indonesian RRXT and it destroys the Soloist tone wise - and it's made of Nato and came with Duncan Designed pickups! Can't wait to hear it with the floor shop custom Distortions I got for it.

Anyway, can't wait to see how things turn out with the CC. Good luck!

 

[Dan186]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

So I tried the super d in there again post brass block install. And yep, that sounds good too now. I can hear that "resonance" or reverberation on the D G B strings with single notes more so now. Before it was more smooth, glassy, sterile. Today was the first time I've ever been excited to play that guitar. I've been loosening the truss a bit too. Strings feel too tight. I never even really set that guitar up because i couldnt stand its sound. Good stuff. Can't wait to see what the CC does. I know I sound like a commercial, but I think I'm going to get more brass blocks for my other guitars.

 

[Dan186]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

I received the Custom Custom today....wow. In the soloist, not sure it gets any better. That guitar went from worst to first. I may have to try a CC in my other guitars.

So final conclusion on why the Jackson sounded horrible....it had a 32 mm floyd block along with maple neckthru, ebony board etc. I have an 80s Kramer that has a 32 mm Floyd block that has always been a bit weak too. My san dimas reissue has a 37 and other guitars I've had with 37s never had this issue. I'm guessing it really stood out with the soloist because of its other features plus the smaller 32 block made it really brittle and sterile. The fat brass block made a HUGE difference. I couldn't get over it at first and kept playing trying to hear how bad it was and it wasn't anymore. The CC really pushes this guitar to my favorite due to the nice fat lead notes I get now. More so than with the super d or holdsworth i was trying in it. Awesome pickup. I'm very happy with that guitar now. Thanks for all your suggestions.

Hopefully this helps someone with their Jackson before they give up on it. Don't give up, get a fat brass block and the right pickup for your taste. It should make a world of difference.

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: OMG This guitar is killing me. Need pickup advice!

Glad it's sorted!!!