yt: SH4 vs. J50BC vs J90C vs J80 Vs EMG

[Lasse Lammert]

Here's a video for you comparing those pickups..
I love the EMG as well as the J50BC (those two obviously have a very different output volume, but both have great tone).
The J90C is pretty cool too (reminds me of a Duncan Distortion)
The J80 is like a better sounding SH4 IMO (those two are quite similar, the J80 sounds just a bit more balanced I think).

but hear for yourselves:

 

[deLuther]

Thanks, Lasse.
BTW, do you have DIs of this comparison, by any chance?
Do you use some booster in guitar (like ABQ previously)?

 

[Lasse Lammert]

yes, I do have DIs....not sure if I'm too lazy to export them though

No Boost in guitar, just the pickup (hence the different output)

 

[deLuther]

Please, it will be interesting to hear these DIs
It seems for me that SH4 compared to J80 have slightly dull sound, similar thoughts I`m have comparing AHB-1 to EMG 85.

 

[Machinated]

hmm actually liked the 81 least out of these. cheers for doing it.

 

[AllanD]

Isn't J50 the one Alexi Laiho used? If so, that pickup is worth money.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

Isn't J50 the one Alexi Laiho used? If so, that pickup is worth money.

yup

 

[Melb_shredder]

LOVE the J90C on this one! Awesome

 

[JHA]

Isn't J50 the one Alexi Laiho used? If so, that pickup is worth money.

I found J-50BC in my 1990 Charvel Charvette. It's funny since it was one of the cheapest Charvel models at the time and Jackson used the same pickup in their USA Soloist models etc.

 

[deLuther]

Maybe not the same, but my J50BC from my Charvel Model 6 have resistance as specified in catalogs. J50N and J80C from Charvel SDK (Fusion Plus, approximately 1993 year of production) have larger resistance than in catalogs, maybe of later production period (J80C is F-Spaced, J50N is also has slightly wider spacing than J50BC). Also they features shorter legs compared to J50BC from Model 6.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

I found J-50BC in my 1990 Charvel Charvette. It's funny since it was one of the cheapest Charvel models at the time and Jackson used the same pickup in their USA Soloist models etc.

BUT there is a USA made and an Asian made one...different sounding pickup!

some info:

http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/65941-jackson-pickup?p=868831&viewfull=1#post868831

 

[JHA]

BUT there is a USA made and an Asian made one...different sounding pickup!

some info:

http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/65941-jackson-pickup?p=868831&viewfull=1#post868831

"All jackson pickups stamped jackson into the metal pickups are imports, yet they were used in usa built guitars. I have even seen stamped cases that were taken apart and custom rewound in the custom shop... usually prototypes or for a celeb guitar."

Taken from that link. Though we need to remember that "import" in the 80-90s meant Japan and were cheap and not much valued at the time. Today Japan made guitars are valued and considered great quality e.g. Tokai, Ibanez, Takamine, old Charvels...

 

[PhilTheBeard]

I actually dig the 81 the best out of these

 

[deLuther]

Japan-made Jackson pickups also were without Jackson logo on baseplate:
older variant from Model 6 made in 1989:

From SDK, 1993:

Maybe both were made by Gotoh.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

yeah, those are all definitely Japanese.

 

[deLuther]

Lasse, can you post at least DIs with J50BC?

 

[JeffTD]

Digging the JB best here actually, less woofy/thick compared to the J50/80, J90 and 81 have a top end harshness I'm not feeling.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

Less woofy?
Damn, I wish I'd have posed solo'd tracks, the sh4 I horribly boomy compared to the rest, the only one with a similar low end is the j80, but that one has balanced mids withouhh the fizzy top at least.
I'll try to post DIs tomoz

 

[Robert W]

I thought it was hard to really tell what these pickups really sounded like because of the under-gained/flubby sounding tones.

 

[JeffTD]

The others just sound really thick in comparison, JB has a nice cut to it that counteracts that. Definitely know what you mean about it being boomy in the low end, though!