Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

[fullfistrock21]

Does Anyone else think its dumb that they put a JB in signature model? He played a duncan distortion! Why would they do this? Maybe they jut have an abundance of JB's and buyng new distortions would be expensive? I donno does anyone know why they do this?:sigh:

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

No, but from what I've read Randy used various guitars/pickups so it wouldn't really matter what pickup they chose, someone would find fault.
The JB is a pickup I like, but I haven't tried one in my RR3, or the Distortion. Maybe I shoulda!

 

[fullfistrock21]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

i heard he used a distortion in his jackson, super distortion in his sandival V and stock in his les paul

 

[Captain Tightpants]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

i heard he used a distortion in his jackson, super distortion in his sandival V and stock in his les paul

+1, that's what i've always heard.

 

[jhale667]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

i heard he used a distortion in his jackson, super distortion in his sandoval V and stock in his les paul

I've always heard the same thing too...if I recall correctly, it was stock Gibsons in the LP, Dimarzio Super Distortions in both slots in the Sandoval Polka-dot V, and both the Rhoads prototypes that Randy played before his death had the Duncan Distortion/Jazz combo...

Just scored a TB2N cheap on Ebay the other day...haven't heard one in years, but I remember liking it, and am looking forward to "rediscovering" it...:cool2:

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

I think it's probably just because most people that buy RR Jacksons do it because they like the guitar, not because of the Randy Rhoads connection. For that reason, maybe they feel the JB is the more attractive pup to buyers?
Dunno - my RR3 came with Duncan Designed pups, which I THINK were based on the Distortion, I'm not sure.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

JB's get pushed onto an unsuspecting public all the time. It works well for some guys, but is awful for many others. A very controversial PU. Even some of it's biggest fans admit that it sounds "atrocious" in some guitars. The JB was one of the first aftermarket PU's, and in the decades since then, their have been many better high-output bridge models made. To me, it was a rough first attempt, and the Custom series (C5, CC, and Custom) far surpasses it.

If Randy used a DD, I'd like to hear the explanation from the guy who made the decision to put a JB in his signature guitar. Everywhere you look you see JB's, and of course, you see many being pulled & sold on the used market. When are manufacturers going to learn?

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

It's honestly kind of a stretch to call most of those Jacksons a Randy Rhoads signature, anyway. A JB in it makes as much sense as a Floyd.

 

[jhale667]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

It's honestly kind of a stretch to call most of those Jacksons a Randy Rhoads signature, anyway. A JB in it makes as much sense as a Floyd.

Actually, the Floyd totally makes sense because the 3rd prototype Randy was waiting on at the time of his death had a Floyd on it...I have an interview somewhere where he talks about being "excited to try one"....

As I recall, Vinnie Vincent ended up with that one (at least, that's what he said)...it was the gold metalflake with the pin-striping he used on the Creatures tour (saw it, remember it vividly -it was an old-school non-fine tunable one), the one he later painted hot pink...:earl:

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

'Zactly, it may be called an "RR" but it's just a name for a now standard guitar shape, like SG or Les Paul. No one buys a Les Paul because Les Paul himself used one - they buy it cause they like the look/feel/tone/whatever.

I never even heard Randy's playing when I bought my RR3 - I bought it because I saw guys like Dan Spitz play it and thought it looked a cool guitar (and I couldn't afford a Ran!) It's been a ***** to get the thing to sound as good as my JB equipped Soloist though! I just hope the Blackouts can do me a job!

 

[tc]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

Diocletian, if you have one of the older RR3s then I'm sure that one had Detonators, which are based on the Invader. If those pickups have huge allen heads then yeah they're based on the Invader.

I think they use that combo because it's kind of their signature set...most Soloists I've seen (and even Dinkys) come with a JB in the bridge. I guess it's because it's seen as the 80's sounding pickup. I think most HH Jacksons also have a Jazz stuck in the neck.
I've also seen some Warriors with Full Shreds though...and of course the MG series which come with EMGs

 

[jhale667]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

OK, my bad...did a little research, and the one Vinnie got did NOT have pinstripes...

...it was gold metalflake with an O.G. Floyd on it! Got that right, at least!

 

[Darth Nihilus]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

Are you sure the gold Jackson Vinnie played on the Creatures tour is the pink one he later used when he went solo? I recall the pink Jackson having only one pickup. Am I wrong?

 

[alashredder]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

JB to a lot of manufacturers is a universal pickup that sounds great with all types of music. From blues to raw rock as described by the Duncan website..right? It's a well balanced pickup. Granted, some of us don't like the JB and rip it out for whatever we want. Another reason why a lot of guitars come JB equipped is that it's probably one of the most popular pickups used. At least they don't use their stock pickups that probably sound worse than the JB..am I right?

On another note, on the older Randy models..they did use the Duncan Distortion in both positions I believe.

 

[DonP]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

JB to a lot of manufacturers is a universal pickup that sounds great with all types of music. From blues to raw rock as described by the Duncan website..right? It's a well balanced pickup. Granted, some of us don't like the JB and rip it out for whatever we want. Another reason why a lot of guitars come JB equipped is that it's probably one of the most popular pickups used. At least they don't use their stock pickups that probably sound worse than the JB..am I right?

On another note, on the older Randy models..they did use the Duncan Distortion in both positions I believe.

Yes, the JB is an all-around "safe" choice that manufacturer's tend to pick.

Jackson USA pickups sound quite good. I have no reason to pull them.

Neven heard of anyone using a DD in the neck.

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

Diocletian, if you have one of the older RR3s then I'm sure that one had Detonators, which are based on the Invader. If those pickups have huge allen heads then yeah they're based on the Invader.

Yeah they had the big allen heads, and LOOKED like Invaders, but I seem to recall reading that although they look like Invaders, they were actually based, soundwise, on the Distortion. I could be wrong.
Never liked em much either way. But then I never liked the real Invaders in it either!

 

[Dru Edwards]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

Yes, the JB is an all-around "safe" choice that manufacturer's tend to pick.

+1. It's a great brand name (SD) which helps increase the marketing aspect of any guitar, especially among people who are less likely to swap pickups.

 

[DonP]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

Yeah they had the big allen heads, and LOOKED like Invaders, but I seem to recall reading that although they look like Invaders, they were actually based, soundwise, on the Distortion. I could be wrong.
Never liked em much either way. But then I never liked the real Invaders in it either!

I know nothing, but I've read that the Invader uses the same coil wind as the JB / DD.

 

[jmh151]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

Jackson has used MANY pickups in the RR-1 over the years, depending on what the public wanted. The PCS Rhoads (the first line) was accurate and had the Distortion/Jazz combo.

Then Jackson used Bill Lawrence pickups for a few years, as well as Jacksons with active mid range boosters and pre amps.

Since late 90's they've been using the JB/Jazz combo since it was a popular combination, and not that many people are complaining.

The Sandoval V had a Dimarzio Superdistortion/ Dimarzio PAF combo. That guitar was built for looks, didn't sound that great, and had a problem staying in tune as it had no truss rod.

The black and gold RR-1 Randy got had a duncan distortion/jazz combo. That's what the PCS is based on.

Randy didn't care for Floyd Rose trems or trems in general. I read an interview where he said he's leave the whammy bar abuse to EVH, and that for his purposes, a properly setup Fender trem was just as good.

The best tone Randy got was from his white Les Paul with stock pickups. His tone through that was clear, whereas it was buzzsaw/jar of bees whenever he used anything but the Les Paul.

 

[jmh151]

Re: Randy Rhoads Jackson Question

I know nothing, but I've read that the Invader uses the same coil wind as the JB / DD.

I don't know if this is true, but it also uses much larger magnets, and those huge black oxide nuts for polepieces.