| Author |
Message |
Rguit
Username: Rguit
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, June 17, 2006 - 5:45 pm: | |
I bought this JSM and really like the guitar. I think I have posted a few times here asking questions about it and also ideas about tone. The guitar has excellent quality but now I think the pickups definetely have something to be desired, they are kind of bland. I was thinking of putting at least the SD jazz model in the neck position. Does anyone know the specs, magnet type, dc resistance of the super 58 ?? |
Funkle
Username: Funkle
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, June 17, 2006 - 8:01 pm: | |
According to CraigJC, The Super 58s use Alnico 3 magnets and have a DC resistance of around 9K
What kind of qualities do you want in a pickup?
I put a Benedetto A6 in the neck position of my AS200 and I love it. I was going for an improved jazz tone - darker and more compressed. |
Sri883
Username: Sri883
Registered: 05-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, June 18, 2006 - 10:26 am: | |
Funkle.....I was thinking of doing the same thing with my (1982) AS200. Did you wire the phase switch to the Benedrtto A6 and if so, how does it sound? I play alot of Sco, Stern, Metheny and the 58's seem bright with no effects. |
Fg100
Username: Fg100
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, June 18, 2006 - 10:35 am: | |
Sri883, What is the amp you're using? |
Funkle
Username: Funkle
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, June 18, 2006 - 10:47 am: | |
Sri, the A6 is made for jazz - it's voiced like a PAF but less bright, and softer, with a compressed attack. A very rich and complex sounding pickup. The AS200 still retains it's signature sound, but some of the edge is knocked off. It is definitely better suited to jazz now, but it is still what I'd call a bright jazz tone.
-Sven |
Funkle
Username: Funkle
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, June 18, 2006 - 10:54 am: | |
... Yes, I did wire the phase switch. I really don't use it very much, but it acts pretty much the way it did before, making the guitar slightly brighter and thinner.
One thing I ran into was that the lead wires were not long enough to reach the tri-sound switch, and I had to extend them. I also made an adapter bracket to retain the stock 3 hole look. See my recent post about the funkle adapter: http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/messages/12/16924.html?1149686659 |
Rguit
Username: Rguit
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, June 18, 2006 - 3:22 pm: | |
Well I think I am after a brighter jazz tone, (everyone is different), even though I love metheny and sco and all those guys, i am looking for more of a vintage, alnico 5, tone I think, from what you have told me, I think I am going in the right direction putting my seymour duncan jazz model in the neck position |
Craigjc
Username: Craigjc
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 9:07 am: | |
Yes, if you're looking for a brighter tone, you're probably looking in the right direction. The same pickup with Alnico 5 magnet will be brighter then with an Alnoco 3.
Sri883: You probably want to be looking into Alnico2. What Funkle described about his Bendetto A6 is very much how I would describe the tone Alnico 2 can lend to a pickup.
Not sure about the Bendetto's constuction, but for Jazz, I'd love to see a thin blade humbucker like a Bill Lawrence with Alnico 2 magnets. I would predict a pickup like that would be warm, clean, and clear, providing it wasn't wound too hot. |
Rguit
Username: Rguit
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 4:53 pm: | |
I think Benedetto guitars are tremendous, probably some of the best built and carved archtops in the history of archtop guitar building, I owned an original at one time. As far as the pickups, I am not happy with the tone, they are beautiful, usually have Alnico 5 magnets but are wound much too hot for a clear jazz tone if you are trying to play chords once in a while. Full chords will come out like mud with anything hotter than 8K, at least this has been my experience and I have tried a zillion pickups and have had several made by Seymour Duncan's custom shop. So for me, the super 58 and the benedettos do not give me the sound I want from a guitar to play jazz, personal preference. |
Funkle
Username: Funkle
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 10:33 am: | |
Rguit,
I agree that both the Super 58 and A6 are not as well defined on chords. I don't attribute it to the output, but to how the pickups are voiced. You can always compensate for a hot pickup by turning down the gain on your amp, or the volume control on your guitar. I think that for the most part, a pickup is either going to be soft and warm sounding at the expense of clarity. Or very clear and defined, but with a loss of warmth. There are exceptions which can come close to getting both.
The A6 falls into the former category - warm and compressed, but not as defined on chords.
The Bartolini PBF neck pickups fall into the latter category. Very clear and defined chords, but inherently bright.
The super 58 is pretty neutral, and adapts to the guitar it is in. Sometimes warm, sometimes twangy, but it is always a little muddy on big chords.
Craigjc, I agree on the different alnico descriptions. The Seymour Duncan Custom line is a great way to hear different magnets. They have taken the exact same pickup and offered it with ceramic, alnico II and Alnico V magnets. Essentially a hotter PAF style. The Ceramic Custom is raunchy and full of bite. The Alnico II Custom Custom is warm and laid back. And the Alnico V Custom 5 is similar to the Alnico II but with a little more bite, and harmonic content.
-sven |
Craigjc
Username: Craigjc
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 9:53 am: | |
Sven, amother way to hear different magnets is to partake in magnet swapping.
My latest Ibanez, an AF75DT, has a PAF-ish wound neck pickup and a very hot wound bridge pickup. Stock Artcore ones with ceramic magnets. While I appreciated the bite from these pickups, I wanted a more "vocal" quality. Started with Alnico 2. Ended up keeping the Alnico 2 in the neck and using Alnico 5 for the bridge. Much more detailed midrange now. For extra bite (and since I MUST have a master volume) I rewired 2 of the pots as coil splitters. I am quite happy with the results. |
Rguit
Username: Rguit
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 8:27 pm: | |
Is it true that a pickup with a nickel/silver cover will sound warmer that a pickup with an epoxy type casing like the benedetto S6, the floater, on benedetto's website he states that the blade style compensates for the non-metal cover. I prefer adjustable pole pieces because i am a control freak and like to adjust things. |
Wildfield
Username: Wildfield
Registered: 05-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 9:35 pm: | |
"I prefer adjustable pole pieces because i am a control freak and like to adjust things." - Rguit
I couldn't agree more. Although I like the tone of my AF105F (stock floating mini humbucker) the high E is weak. If it only had adjustable pole pieces. |
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