Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

[boogiemonster]

Hi guys,

First time post, but long time reader of the forum. I know this question has been asked before and I have taken the time to read previous threads but would still appreciate any suggestions you guys have.

I have a Jackson SL2H (maple neck through, alder wings, ebony board, with floyd) with stock jb/59 pickups.

The 59 sounds really good clean but didn't really get a soloist for clean tones. The JB IMHO does not go with this guitar at all. It is just muddy and doesn't sound right. I have a Mesa Mk IV and no amount of tweaking with the 5 band eq seems to help the JB.

This guitar I suppose ought to be considered bright and the SD tone wizard suggests a Custom Custom for the bridge but I'm thinking an Alnico 2 magnet is still going to be muddy even if the eq is right.

Basically I want a sound out of both bridge and neck that is tight, bright, and retains dynamics. I've tried ceramic magnet pickups and EMG 81's in a similar guitar before and found they were bright, clear, and tight, but too compressed. I've stayed away from ceramic pick ups since but maybe time to reconsider.

Anyways, I'm thinking a Full-shred in the neck should tighten and brighten that spot up a lot. I'm leaning towards a Custom in the bridge because I think the Distortion will have too much output and be too bright. I also thought about a Screamin Demon for the bridge but it doesn't seem to be very much liked from what I've read.

Any other ideas? Am I way off here?

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

Custom/Jazz set is the way to go.

 

[hanumanlangur]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

Both the Jazz and JB are somewhat bright pickups, and very clear to my ears. But few pickups are going to sound bright with your electronics set up the way they currently are. You almost certainly have 250k pots and a 0.022uf or 0.047uf tone capacitor. Before you ditch any pickups, try out a 0.01uf tone capacitor instead. This should give you more clarity and headroom.

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

I have a Jackson SL3 which must be very similar to yours, and I absoloutely love the JB in mine. It was what prompted me to replace all my other pickups with Duncans.
Sorry, that's not much help!

 

[Quicksilver689]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

Be careful that the pickup you choose will not allow the highs to become harsh. IME, this happens easily when you have an ebony fingerboard just because they're so frickin' bright. I had that issue with my current axe, which has korina body with maple/ebony neck. I have a Crazy 8 (A8 mag) in the bridge now and I absolutely love it. I had a DiM. D-Sonic (ceramic mag) in it before and it just wasn't working out. I recommend that if you do stay with a ceramic mag pu that you choose wisely - the PATB-2 is a good choice, because sustain, full mids and warmth are enhanced while retaining clarity without being harsh. Although I've never tried an SH-5 Custom, I hear good things.

In the neck, the Jazz seems to work nicely, but you can also give the PATB-1n a try too.

Generally speaking, PATB's are great pu's all around, esp. if you have a Floyd on your guitar - they add back sustain and warmth lost from having a Floyd, while retaining clarity too. I've had great results with them.

The other thing that you should consider (I predict blueman335 will chime in on this soon to support this also) - pickups and tone can be tweaked by making a much less expensive investment in diff. value pots, caps, and magnets. Do a search and you will find multiple examples of this, as well as instructions on how to do this.


Best of luck!

 

[mustaine-who?]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

Both the Jazz and JB are somewhat bright pickups, and very clear to my ears. But few pickups are going to sound bright with your electronics set up the way they currently are. You almost certainly have 250k pots and a 0.022uf or 0.047uf tone capacitor. Before you ditch any pickups, try out a 0.01uf tone capacitor instead. This should give you more clarity and headroom.

Why would he have 250k pots in a dual HB guitar?

Full Shred in the neck would sound great. And the Demon is a killer PuP...I have one and love it.

 

[EL WHOPPO]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

Both the Jazz and JB are somewhat bright pickups, and very clear to my ears. But few pickups are going to sound bright with your electronics set up the way they currently are. You almost certainly have 250k pots and a 0.022uf or 0.047uf tone capacitor. Before you ditch any pickups, try out a 0.01uf tone capacitor instead. This should give you more clarity and headroom.

The SL-2H comes with 500K pots. I've had success with the Custom in my SL-2H, SL-2, and SL-4, and with either the Jazz for the neck or a Distortion in the neck. I tried just about every Duncan combo in the SL-2H, and the Custom ruled in the bridge slot.

 

[boogiemonster]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

Thanks for all of the helpful replies. :yourock: I hadn't really considered the pots and didn't even know there was a capacitor :doh:

Both the Jazz and JB are somewhat bright pickups, and very clear to my ears. But few pickups are going to sound bright with your electronics set up the way they currently are. You almost certainly have 250k pots and a 0.022uf or 0.047uf tone capacitor. Before you ditch any pickups, try out a 0.01uf tone capacitor instead. This should give you more clarity and headroom.

I opened up the back cavity. The tone pot definitely is 250k but the volume pot is soldered over so I can't tell for sure. The thing between the selector switch and tone pot which I assume is the capacitor says 022k.

It's interesting, if SD recommends putting 500k pots in a humbucker equipped guitar I wonder why Jackson would use 250k ones? Most of Jackson's guitars come with two humbuckers too???

 

[boogiemonster]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

I tried just about every Duncan combo in the SL-2H, and the Custom ruled in the bridge slot.

That's what I was hoping to hear, but this new Alnico 8 pickup got my attention too.

If only they made a quick connect system for all pickups I'd buy a bunch and try them all.

 

[DonP]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

I have an SL2H and the last thing I'd call it is muddy.

Very bright compared to any guitars I have. I will say it likes Marshall tube amps, and of all things my POD 2.0.

I'm keeping my SL2H stock, but if I did swap I'd try a full shred. I have a custom custom but haven't put it into an axe yet.

 

[Quicksilver689]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

It's interesting, if SD recommends putting 500k pots in a humbucker equipped guitar I wonder why Jackson would use 250k ones? Most of Jackson's guitars come with two humbuckers too???

It depends on the pickups used, as well as the desired tonality of the guitar. Some use 250k pots to smooth out the highs a little. Lower value k pots (300, 250, et al) filter out more highs, while higher value k pots (500k, 1Meg, etc.) allow more highs through. Diff value caps can affect this also.

Just thought I would post for those who may not know. I just learned more about this recently myself, thanks to these here parts in the forums!

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

Aren't some of SD's pups DESIGNED to be used with 250k pots? Like the JB?

 

[uOpt]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

Pretty much everything excluded

No ceramic magnets. Bridge: from what you write about the JB you won't like the Custom. The Custom Custom is not bright. Neck: you don't really say what's wrong in specific with the '59 except you want a hotter pickup.

Pair of '78s?

If you hadn't bashed ceramic I'd say you want a DD pair.

 

[boogiemonster]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

Pretty much everything excluded

No ceramic magnets. Bridge: from what you write about the JB you won't like the Custom. The Custom Custom is not bright. Neck: you don't really say what's wrong in specific with the '59 except you want a hotter pickup.

Pair of '78s?

If you hadn't bashed ceramic I'd say you want a DD pair.

I said I didn't like my experience with ceramic magnets in the past but clearly I'm willing to try them again or I wouldn't be thinking about a custom.

I realize why people don't believe me that I find the soloist dark and muddy but that's how it sounds to me with these pickups. The '59 in the Soloist's neck almost sounds as dark as my SG with stock neck pick-up. I want it to be tighter and brighter.

Anyways, thanks for all the info guys. I've learned a few things about pots and capacitors.

 

[slightly_rude]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

Boogiemonster, I've been where your at.
Stock pots in the SL2H are 500K volume and 250K tone with .022 cap. Like you, I don't use my Jacksons to play clean. I too, have tried many pickup combos over the past few years with my Soloists due to the same things you are experiencing. I have found for me and my amps (playing with dirt) that the Dimarzio Air Norton in the neck and an Air Zone or Super Distortion in the bridge work the best for the SL2H (the Duncan Custom Custom was also acceptable but not quite right). This is mainly due to the maple/ebony combination. I have tried the JB, the Screamin' Demon, the Custom, the C5, Dimarzio Steve's Special and the Norton in the bridge but those didn't work for me. In my SL2H-MAH, the Duncan Custom Custom, Air Zone and Super D all work well with the Custom Custom being my preference (but not by much). The Custom Custom never ceases to amaze me in the guitars I have it in. The Duncan description does not do it justice. The bottom is looser but not out of control and the highs are just right. Single notes have that fatness to them that most Dimarzios have but yet it's more dynamic. The Air Norton in the neck is too muddy for the MAH but the '59 is quite usable in that guitar. I would like to find something a little heavier in the neck though for the MAH.

 

[boogiemonster]

Re: Replacement pick-ups for Jackson SL2H

SR thanks for the suggestion. I looked at the description of the Air Zone and it sounds interesting.

I also have a Jackson USA SLS which would be kind of similar to the SL2MAH. I think the SLS has a little bit more mass though and a bit thicker maple top. Anyways, it came stock with a Pearly Gates and '59 in the bridge and neck respectively. The '59 sounds better in this guitar than in the SL2 but still too dark and loose for high gain stuff to me. Although this guitar I do use for clean so I don't mind the '59 in it for that. A jazz would be interesting to try in it.

The Pearly Gates sounds quite good going through the red channel. The bass is still a little loose but much better than the JB. The clarity is much better too.