New pickup for Alder V guitar?

[JonWormwood]

Jackson KV2, alder body, maple neck thru, ebony board. Has a jackson j50bc in it (low output, lots of low mids, kinda stuffy for rhythm work, smooth for leads)

I don't tune too far down. Want to stay with passives. So far I've been thinking

Dimarzio Evo
Seymour Distortion
Seymour Full Shred

It had a JB in the bridge and I did not like it. Though it has been awhile...

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

The Full Shred is also kinda low-output and furry-sounding, while the Distortion is definitely my favorite Duncan (haven't tried any Dimarzios besides the Tone Zone which I didn't like, though it was awhile ago). I also had an SH-5 Duncan Custom for awhile, which I at first liked, but it's a bit scooped and upper-mid peaky - I say Distortion!

 

[53Crëw]

I'll more or less second what Marcus said. The Distortion has good clarity and output. Full Shred, to me, is pretty meh... It's a lower output compared to the Distortion, and the tone, as I recall, was nothing very inspiring.

I actually like the JB in Jacksons. At least it sounded good in my old SL2H. Of the ones you mentioned, I'd personally go with the Distortion.

 

[JonWormwood]

The Full Shred is also kinda low-output and furry-sounding, while the Distortion is definitely my favorite Duncan (haven't tried any Dimarzios besides the Tone Zone which I didn't like, though it was awhile ago). I also had an SH-5 Duncan Custom for awhile, which I at first liked, but it's a bit scooped and upper-mid peaky - I say Distortion!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFO9phrDBig

Cool, I haven't seen that video.

I really enjoyed the sh5 as well.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

Get an EMG ALX and combine that ABQ with your j50bc=best tone ever!
Still liquid leads but much tighter for rhythms.
Alternative: EMG 57/66 (feel and sound passive, but are really tight and crunchy like actives)
Or: EMG JH set...got those in 4 of my guitars (two of which are V, one even a KV2...sound is somewhere between the 57 and an 81.
Tight like an 81 but more low mid growl.

But again, cheapest and probably best route would be the ABQ, that way you can also preserve the look (standard sized pickups look weird in the larger frames of the j50)

 

[JonWormwood]

Get an EMG ALX and combine that ABQ with your j50bc=best tone ever!
Still liquid leads but much tighter for rhythms.
Alternative: EMG 57/66 (feel and sound passive, but are really tight and crunchy like actives)
Or: EMG JH set...got those in 4 of my guitars (two of which are V, one even a KV2...sound is somewhere between the 57 and an 81.
Tight like an 81 but more low mid growl.

But again, cheapest and probably best route would be the ABQ, that way you can also preserve the look (standard sized pickups look weird in the larger frames of the j50)

I made a few JE1000s . I agree it makes it a great combo, much tighter and higher output. I wonder if the ABQ is THAT much different.

I've been playing the j50bc for years so I'm just looking for something different.

 

[deLuther]

Take away cover from J50BC and set it closer to strings, output will be much greater, also more highs. It`s easy to try, cover can be removed with moderate force.

 

[JonWormwood]

Take away cover from J50BC and set it closer to strings, output will be much greater, also more highs. It`s easy to try, cover can be removed with moderate force.

Too close and it gets too muddy. Have cover off. I've got je1000 with a few db boost. It has that furry thing as Marcus coined.

I'm not saying I don't like it. Just wanting to try something else.

I really like my j90c too. It's like a modern j50bc. But it's not f-spaced which is weird.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

F-spaced or not doesn't really matter, that's mainly a cosmetic thing IME.
The j90 is very similar to the Duncan distortion, so you might like that one (one of the best Duncan pickups ever)

 

[53Crëw]

F-spaced or not doesn't really matter, that's mainly a cosmetic thing IME.

+1

 

[deLuther]

Tried J50BC in my Caparison TAT and Charvel SDK-085, both have F-spaced pickups initially, without any problem.

Also there is fact that boosters can cut highs, because of high input capacitance to ground, J50BC without any boosters can sound more bright.
It can even have top end comparable to SD AHB-1
Here some test DIs: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3630120/24032012_DIs.rar
Including EMG 85 and SD AHB-1 at 18V, J50BC without any boosters and with Caparison CMB3 midboost (comparable to JE-1200, original an modified version, but with midboost at minimum). Personally I`m did not liked J50BC in alder neckthru, too bright

 

[Boneman]

Duncan Distortion should be tried in every guitar.

 

[JonWormwood]

F-spaced or not doesn't really matter, that's mainly a cosmetic thing IME.
The j90 is very similar to the Duncan distortion, so you might like that one (one of the best Duncan pickups ever)

I haven't used it in about 3 years. I'll put it in sometime this week

Tried J50BC in my Caparison TAT and Charvel SDK-085, both have F-spaced pickups initially, without any problem.

Also there is fact that boosters can cut highs, because of high input capacitance to ground, J50BC without any boosters can sound more bright.
It can even have top end comparable to SD AHB-1
Here some test DIs: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3630120/24032012_DIs.rar
Including EMG 85 and SD AHB-1 at 18V, J50BC without any boosters and with Caparison CMB3 midboost (comparable to JE-1200, original an modified version, but with midboost at minimum). Personally I`m did not liked J50BC in alder neckthru, too bright

Cool comparison.

 

[JonWormwood]

F-spaced or not doesn't really matter, that's mainly a cosmetic thing IME.
The j90 is very similar to the Duncan distortion, so you might like that one (one of the best Duncan pickups ever)

So I installed the j90c...

J90c + je1000 = too much high mids. Ill just stick with the j50bc for now

 

[HCL]

I can't stand the JB in my DK2. Distortions sound like the same but more of it. Invader maybe?

 

[Lasse Lammert]

So I installed the j90c...

J90c + je1000 = too much high mids. Ill just stick with the j50bc for now

Yeah, I wouldn't use the je1000 with the j90