Pickups for Jackson soloist SL1?

[SF audio]

hey there,
I have soloist SL one with the stock pickups. Blah for the most part (except JB humbucker in bridge - cool enough). Which pickups work well in the middle and neck position? yes, there's lot's of choices - looking for anyone who's replaced their soloist pickups with better options and has a good story to tell.

thanks

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: Pickups for Jackson soloist SL1?

I never understood why Jackson put the Classic Stacks in those. They just don't seem to be the right fit. I am currently using an old-school Hot Rails neck and classic stack middle (since it never gets used). It is better than the stacks, and I like it fine, but it's not perfect for me, and I'm wondering what a JB jr. might sound like.

As for the JB in the bridge, I go back and forth with it. Sometimes it seems just right, other times it feels a little flabby on the bottom. I liked the Distortion in the bridge pretty well, except it lacks the color and musical tone of the JB. I think ultimately I'll end up trying a Bareknuckles, but that's many bucks away.

I guess I don't have a solid answer for you, but I'm sure someone will come along later with something. Too bad the SL-1 is HSS as there are tons of great humbucker options for neck (can you say Jazz?)

 

[Travis]

Re: Pickups for Jackson soloist SL1?

I've got a Distortion/Cool Rails/Hot Rails in my Charvel 650xl which is pretty much the same as your SL1 minus the ebony fretboard. These pickups are an incredible match for each other and I can get tons of different sounds and tones from them. Of course, I have each pickup wired to its own volume pot and the Hot Rails and Cool Rails can be split via push/pull pots. This combo makes the guitar a shred machine with enough versatility that I can play some down and dirty blues and even some pretty decent cleans when I want to.

But for you, it all depends on what sound you're after. Tell us a little more about your playing style and your rig.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Pickups for Jackson soloist SL1?

What kind of tone are you looking for?? Fat but smooth, or just fat, or crisp and clear, or....

 

[SF audio]

Re: Pickups for Jackson soloist SL1?

What kind of tone are you looking for?? Fat but smooth, or just fat, or crisp and clear, or....

Ok, here's what I'm looking for: Bridge - TB4 is OK, but prefer a little more beef in the low end/low mids, as the jackson sound is slick, but the trem takes away sustain and punch (comparing to my les paul). So, a humbucker like the Parrellel axis 2 looks like a possible, although the TB4 is not bad and I can make do with it.

For the single coils, I can live with the stock classic stack in the middle. Don't really use it that much. For the neck, I'm looking for a classic strat style sound, prefer a hum cancelling design, with a bit more power that the standard strat pickups..I currently have the JB Jr. in the neck position - sounds OK, but doesn't seem like a good fit for the guitar. Maybe it's the neck through body and tremolo that makes this guitar more difficult to find a good pickup match? Much easier with les pauls and strats...or maybe I'm nuts.:crazy:

thanks

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Pickups for Jackson soloist SL1?

Bridge: The Duncan Custom (TB-5) sounds like it would be right up your alley, give it a try some time...

Neck: Sounds like you would like the Vntage rails or Duckbucker, you may want to use a Bridge model for the extra output, though....

 

[Travis]

Re: Pickups for Jackson soloist SL1?

For the bridge, I think that either a Custom or a Distortion is right up your alley. Go with the Distortion if you want a more aggressive axe. The Vintage Rails in the neck is a good idea, but even with a bridge model, be ready for quite a bit of output drop compared to a Custom or Distortion in the bridge.

 

[SF audio]

Re: Pickups for Jackson soloist SL1?

For the bridge, I think that either a Custom or a Distortion is right up your alley. Go with the Distortion if you want a more aggressive axe. The Vintage Rails in the neck is a good idea, but even with a bridge model, be ready for quite a bit of output drop compared to a Custom or Distortion in the bridge.

thanks for the info. what about the PATB-2 parallel axis distortion? Similar to the SH6 distortion? The other pickups come in trembucker style so why the need for parallel?

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Pickups for Jackson soloist SL1?

THE PATB-2 is tonally very similar to the TB-6, but a bit darker and "airier"

 

[vinterland]

Re: Pickups for Jackson soloist SL1?

THE PATB-2 is tonally very similar to the TB-6, but a bit darker and "airier"

I'm going to be throwing one of those or a patb-1 in the bridge of my soloist hopefully very soon.

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: Pickups for Jackson soloist SL1?

Bridge: The Duncan Custom (TB-5) sounds like it would be right up your alley, give it a try some time...

Dude, you talked me into it (again). I'm gonna go and give the Custom another whack. I've learned tons since I tried it last. My recollection was that it had a pretty cutting, and dare I say "pretty" lead sound.