New JM project

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gdgross
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New JM project

Post by gdgross » Mon Jun 10, 2019 10:21 am

Hi guys, thought I was new here but it turns out I already created an account some time ago..strange.

Anyway, I’m building a JM from warmoth parts mostly, with a couple tweaks like a bigsby trem for one.

I’ll also be routing the area in between the pickups for a potential middle pickup. Don’t know if/what I would want in the middle, but I think I’ll rout a place for it before I finish the body anyway.

Anyone have thoughts on pickups they like/dislike for. A modified middle JM position? I’m thinking something unlike JM pickups for a different flavor, maybe a p90 or lip stick pickup or something.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
Geoff

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Amon 7.L
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Re: New JM project

Post by Amon 7.L » Mon Jun 10, 2019 10:40 am

Welcome onboard, Geoff :)

I'd personally go for a Jaguar neck pickup for both sound and aesthetics reasons.

That said, the same question has been asked here:
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index ... s.1539170/

Another mod that was really fashionable a while ago is the Top 20 to replicate Robert Smith's JM.
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... hp?t=55178

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gdgross
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Re: New JM project

Post by gdgross » Mon Jun 10, 2019 10:49 am

Thanks Amon - yeah thought about a jaguar or strat pickup, but I think I’m leaning towards something more, well...different? I guess aesthetically a jag would be a better choice than a strat pup, but aren’t they essentially the same?

Saw a guy with this thing in a Tele neck a month back:

https://flic.kr/p/2gbjCfY

And have been trying to find out what it is with no luck so far. Had a real sweet tone to my ears. We’ll see if my detective skills can unearth this mystery pickup.

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Amon 7.L
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Re: New JM project

Post by Amon 7.L » Mon Jun 10, 2019 11:07 am

gdgross wrote:
Mon Jun 10, 2019 10:49 am
Thanks Amon - yeah thought about a jaguar or strat pickup, but I think I’m leaning towards something more, well...different? I guess aesthetically a jag would be a better choice than a strat pup, but aren’t they essentially the same?

Saw a guy with this thing in a Tele neck a month back:

https://flic.kr/p/2gbjCfY

And have been trying to find out what it is with no luck so far. Had a real sweet tone to my ears. We’ll see if my detective skills can unearth this mystery pickup.
Strat and Jaguar pickups should be essentially the same, or so I've read but I can tell you that out of the two strats I own, none of them sounds like the neck pickup of my Jaguar. Could probably be due to the different pots (250k vs 500k to tame the shrills) but surely I can ear too very different distinctive sounds.

I can't tell you what kind of neck pu that Tele sports, maybe a custom specs? Can you post a link to some live action to get any idea of the sound you're after?

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gdgross
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Re: New JM project

Post by gdgross » Mon Jun 10, 2019 12:54 pm

Amon 7.L wrote:
Mon Jun 10, 2019 11:07 am
Strat and Jaguar pickups should be essentially the same, or so I've read but I can tell you that out of the two strats I own, none of them sounds like the neck pickup of my Jaguar. Could probably be due to the different pots (250k vs 500k to tame the shrills) but surely I can ear too very different distinctive sounds.
Or the scale length?
Amon 7.L wrote:
Mon Jun 10, 2019 11:07 am
I can't tell you what kind of neck pu that Tele sports, maybe a custom specs? Can you post a link to some live action to get any idea of the sound you're after?
I’ll have to search to see if I have any sound clips, but My initial impression right off the bat that it was mellower that a normal Tele neck pickup... seemed more balanced for lack of a better word. But who knows there was a huge pedalboard too haha.

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Re: New JM project

Post by jvin248 » Mon Jun 10, 2019 2:20 pm

.

+1 the Jaguar pickup with the teeth/claw bracket. The output of Jaguar pickups are in the middle between Strat and Tele.

Based on the picture of the Tele ... that's an old Teisco Tulip pickup from 1963, construction is similar to a classic JM (thin and wide bobbin, center magnet). Ry Cooder started that trend and people are buying old Teiscos just for the pickups and trashing the rest (a bit sad). I resurrected a 63 Tulip a couple weeks back. It's a fun guitar once the frets are leveled and a setup is completed.

If you want to go radically different ... find a P-Bass pickup and install that in your guitar. I put one in a Strat and it's definitely on the bright end of pickups -- placed at the bridge it's easy to twang. Or a Brian May type Burns Trisonic clone. TV Jones types used in Gretsches. Dynasonic styles.

Consider where in the middle your middle pickup is going. Look up the Robbie Robertson Custom Shop Strat ... he took a stock SSS Strat and moved the middle pickup tight against the bridge pickup, and then added a push/pull series switch.

.

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gdgross
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Re: New JM project

Post by gdgross » Wed Jun 12, 2019 12:02 pm

Thanks jvin!! That’s a lot of good info :-)

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Re: New JM project

Post by Steadyriot. » Thu Jun 13, 2019 1:09 am

Tradition would dictate a Teisco Top 20 pickup ala Robert Smith:
Image

But a Goldfoil or a Jaguar pickup would be fun too!
Image
Image
"If someone duetted with a Bald Eagle, they could rule the Country charts from here to eternity." ~shadowplay

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gdgross
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Re: New JM project

Post by gdgross » Mon Jun 17, 2019 12:18 pm

Yeah, I’m actually starting to think of a gold foil p90 or something pretty different....like the look of the teisco pups tho!!

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