Question about pickup selection

[Cherrydogbrad]

I'm a regularly gigging/recording guitarist, playing and filling-in in a variety of different bands. Country to 80's dance to hard rock. I have a couple of old strats, have played alot of LP's and SG's and others, but oddly enough my favourite axe is a 15 year old Yamaha strat style. HSS. I currently have a JB in the bridge, a Classic Stack in the middle and a Hot Rail in the bridge. The bridge and neck p/u are over 10 years old and I should probably replace....the JB is going microphonic.
Any suggestions on a gameplan here? I like the sound of the JB, and I like having the option of single coil sounds for some of the country stuff I do.
Looking for a "one guitar does it all" type setup.
Thanks,
Brad

 

[Jay 77]

Re: Question about pickup selection

Definitely keep the JB if you'll be doing any form of 80's rock (and some pop). As for the singles, perhaps a little less muscle in the neck (Cool Rails maybe?) would be good for the country or blues stuff. You may even want a push/pull for the JB to split it if you need some bridge twang.

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Question about pickup selection

You can get the JB re potted .. it is not to difficult

 

[uOpt]

Re: Question about pickup selection

Don't change it if you are happy.

It's generally sufficient to just use a hairblower on the JB until the wax on the bottom visibly melts.

That, or the screws or springs are too loose. What kind of feedback is it?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Question about pickup selection

if you are basically happy then have the jb dipped to kill the microphonics and call it a day. if it aint broke...

 

[Cherrydogbrad]

Re: Question about pickup selection

Thanks for the replies so far.
I want to change out the HR anyways, since it's the old uncovered model....sometimes my high E gets caught under the lip....and it's a bit too beefy for the clean stuff. It's great for that glassy LP neck p/u type sound, but I need the cleaner sound more often. The classic stack in the middle sounds good...I'll keep it. And I do like the JB, so I may get a fresh one, or try the hairdryer trick. It's a high endy (around 4K) feedback that I get at moderate volumes occasionally when my rig is miced up into a large PA. Some of these places the sound dudes are really cranking the guitar. I've only encountered this problem in the last couple months.
Also, the guitar had a push-push switch to coil tap the bridge p/u. The switch is broke, but if I replace it is it possible to have it tap the coils on all 3 p/u at once?...IOW, so I could use any pickp individually as a single coil? The 5way is already wired to do the coil tapping on positions 2 & 4.
Thanks,
Brad

 

[uOpt]

Re: Question about pickup selection

Then try a C5.

 

[Cherrydogbrad]

Re: Question about pickup selection

Then try a C5.

What's that?...a Custom 5?

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: Question about pickup selection

Yes. It is.

Classic Stack plus should be cool for that country thing.

 

[Cherrydogbrad]

Re: Question about pickup selection

What value pots should I use for JB or C5 + Classic Stack Plus + Cool Rails?

Master vol, and Master Tone.

Thanks,
Brad

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Question about pickup selection

The split JB does a good country twang, especially combined with the mid pickup. Ditch the HR and throw a Hot stack in the neck and you'll be fine.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Question about pickup selection

Put a JB jr in the neck, duckbucker middle and repot the bridge.