JB_J 50th

As an ardent follower of all things Seymour Duncan, I am happy to see the 50th Anniversary commemoration of the JB & Jazz pickups. These might not be everyone's cup of tea, especially if you are from the DiMarzio camp. The JB is an in-your-face pickup when paired with the right kind of amp drive / gain. From a personal perspective, it dislikes pedals or any excessive processing. The jazz here hold its own when it comes to clean tones but it's also a closet avenger when it comes to driven tones. Am I buying this commemorative set? There seems to be no news of a trembucker version for the JB, so...

Pic: SD

Standard Sunday

Sunday with the Standard (S2 Standard 22 satin). This was an unplanned purchase. The S2 Series were given the American treatment rather recently  & it came with a revised price which contradicted the manufacturer's philosophy of making the S2 range affordable price-wise. The model you see here is the pre-revision Standard 22 in a satin finish. The reason you don't see the wing button tuners there. I like PRS for its 25" scale length. That in-between (Fender's 25.5" & Gibson's 24.75") feel & tone makes it different (to me). I'm also quite a sucker for non-gloss finishes especially the neck. This was clearing for a good price at Davis GMC once upon a time so I had to grab it. 

I don't quite fancy the default pickups so these are Seymour Duncans (JB / Jazz). I don't see too many covered JB trembuckers available here so it was grab & go from Davis GMC. The neck pickup is a pre-owned unit which the previous owner did not install into his guitar. It was virtually new. I don't whammy so the bridge sits flushed against the body.

Greenie midweek

Will always make time for this guitar. The middle single coil got a green treatment but remained stock. There's no denying that this guitar is actually nothing special, just a commemorative S-Series given a very loud colour. Those green Seymour Duncans: Custom (b) / Jazz (n).

The rail way

Finally. Seymour Duncan now offers more pickups in its rail design. Simply put, these are existing models given the pole pieces-less rendering as seen above. The JB & Jazz models are offered individually or as a set (Hot Rodded).

Also available - Nazgul & Sentient (as a set as well).

Prior to this, SD rail models are limited & somewhat costly, the most affordable being the Dimebucker. The Slug, Jupiter & Diablo are custom-based models which retail for more. I bet there would be some peculiar characters who would claim they hear a different tone coming out of these ones due to the absence of pole pieces. 

Pics: Seymour Duncan

Orville

This was a fun partial restoration project completed today. It's an Orville (Japan) Les Paul that weighs a tonne. It had been through a few owners & surprisingly in a good condition (lightly used). 

 

This is pretty much the reason why this guitar is so heavy; there's a sumptuous amount of maple on top of the main mahogany body.

Why did I remove the pickup mounting rings? This is the reason. Folks, for vintage specs instruments, especially the Les Paul variety, the correct mounting ring length is less than 9cm. Guitars with modern, wide necks (eg. Jackson), it's a little longer (9.1cm). Apparently, the incorrect version was installed in this guitar causing material compression as seen above. 

This is how it looks like after the correct mounting ring was purchased & installed. Folks, respect your instruments. It shouldn't be equipped with ill-fitting accessories. In a buy-sell situation, it becomes a reason for others to mitigate prices. It also reflects on you as the owner; why pay more to individuals who don't give a hoot about their belongings especially when there are crucial follow-ups to be done  post-purchase. Anyway, the bridge mounting ring was retained as it was of the correct measurement. My take on the matter - someone over-tightened the neck mounting ring & it cracked. That person bought the incorrect replacement part & couldn't get an exchange for the correct piece. 

Also folks, it is my habit to reinforce the pickup coil tape with a new layer for older pickups. During installation / removal from the guitar, the sides might rub against the mounting ring repeatedly causing some wires to be exposed. In terms of looks, it is more presentable should you decide to sell the pickup away. The Seymour Duncan pickups in this guitar: JB (b) / Jazz (n).

Finally, a fresh set of Darco (10s) strings. Summary of other maintenance procedures not visually documented:

• Replaced tune-o-matic / hard tail bridge. New set of GOTOH parts.
• Replaced tuners / machine heads. Also a new set of GOTOH units. Three out of the six were wobbly & could not hold tuning well. 
• Replaced all rusty & rounded pickup mounting screws.
• Fret polish.
• Cleaned & re-moisturized fretboard. The amount of gunk removed... OMG.
• Thorough wipe down & polish of body, neck & headstock.

Red

I played this one yesterday. In conjunction with CNY, I grabbed the nearest red guitar & this was it. Didn't play the single coil much (Duncan Hot Strat), just the JB & Jazz all the way through. It's true that some guitars with their individual quirks & tone, would influence what you play. So this one, compounded by my heavy rotation of Atheist albums for the last couple of days, saw some tech-death moments which have not been my playing staple lately. Unlike the other metal sub-genre, all these tech-y stuff requires purposeful playing & very little peddling unlike black metal, for instance. Also, speed is optional. If you listen to Pestilence, it's mid-tempo for the most part.

Hope everyone is still revelling in the CNY celebrations with loved ones.

Revival Thursday

Not too long ago, this guitar was unplayable. It's been looked into & the following tweaks were done...

The primary fault was the chronic fret buzz. It seems that someone tried to file the frets down to get rid of this but was unsuccessful. There were black marker stains on many frets. It's the typical (& correct) approach of identifying problematic frets & marking them down for filing. The stains would be gone when the filing's done but in this case residue black stains were not taken care off.

A closer look revealed a need for proper neck tilt. I managed to shim the neck (hence the visible maple bit you see above) to raise the rest level as well as rectify the tilt angle. The neck was also bowed & that was easily attended to via a quick truss rod tweak. Action was re-set for a set of 9 - 42 but there's residue string buzz. Culprit - popped out frets. These were hammered in. Only 2 frets underwent minimal filing. I wonder what happened to this guitar along the way & the way it was re-set up disappointed me because it was still unplayable but put up for sale. Tsk, tsk, tsk...

The default Ibanez Quantum pickups meant nothing to me. Seymour Duncan JB / Jazz are the replacements. The gold pole pieces - inexpensive tweak to match the hardware livery of the guitar. Adds zilch to tone, of course.

The 5-way selector is the circuit board type to supplement the coil split option. The terminals are well-labelled but you need to follow the replacement pickup manufacturer's colour code which might be different from the Ibanez pickup colour code (seen above).

This gap between the saddles might be minimal but it caused string misalignment (against the pickup pole pieces). Noticed the other saddles are seated properly without gaps in between? Well, so much for QC.

Also replaced - tuners. The default ones were locking version but it added weight to the headstock & the neck dive was intolerable. Easy fix, yes?

Re-string Sunday

Wanted to go for an early morning walk but it poured, breakfast was indoors as well. Gave my S570B a re-string. Had not been playing this one for a while because I'm not really into 24-fretted S-Series any more; these just turn me off. This one, I  kept because it sounded awesome after the pickups swap: Seymour Duncan Jazz / QP Staggered / Custom. Also, bought Curt Mangan strings to re-live the moments. Not returning to this brand due to the price increase. 

The Custom is an interesting pickup, it's a ceramic magnet pickup but voiced to be medium output with a generous treble serving. Despite being scooped-sounding, I don't hear much of this through the amp. That's why we need to hear pickups in action as opposed to relying on the manufacturer's EQ spec. 

Pic: SD

Thumbs up: Cort G300 Pro

Spent a week with this Cort G300 Pro. Not my guitar, belongs to the guitarist of local band, Urban Sensation. This was sent to me for re-string & set up. This has to be one of the best value-for-money guitar in the mean time. That roasted maple neck & Seymour Duncan (JB / Jazz) combo are easily the highlight of this guitar. Not forgetting stainless steel frets & tusq nut, all for a sub-$800 price tag. The action of this guitar had to be re-set for a set of 10s. My only beef with this one is that the bridge curvature was not conforming to the fretboard radius. In fact, action for some strings were uneven. 

The G300 Pro is actually an offset design that invites a robust application for virtually any music genre. 

The neck profile, according to the manufacturer, is a palm-friendly V but after a week of handling, to me, it's very C-esque. Whatever the case, it's one of the most comfortable necks out there for sure.

Pics: Cort

ESpecially good

Following the demise of many G-type Edwards models from the catalog (darn!), if you are into serious value for money, do consider the E-SA-160LTS ($1.5K) which is virtually an - you guessed it - ES copy. I believe the final batch of these instruments are available at Davis GMC in the mean time.

This cherry version with small block inlays is also equally appealing. The only reason why I'm not getting one is because of the wider ES body design. Being a small-framed individual, this restricts playing, especially in the sitting position. Pickups on board: Seymour Duncan Jazz / Custom 5.

Pics: ESP Japan

S-pop

Played this one in the morning. Didn't give it too much thought - just grabbed & played. Plain strings were corroded & the neck was slightly warped. 

Decided to give it a re-string before resuming play. Was thinking of only replacing the plain strings but there were no loose strings around so it was a complete re-string in the end, might as well. The fretboard got a little treatment & the neck attended to as well so now it's to my preference once more. The pickups you see here: Perpetual Burn (b) / Quarter Pound (m) / Jazz (n). Despite looking rather captivating, the veneer poplar top is not holding too well, it's starting to come off round the pickup cavities. 

Re-string Thursday: Anni Greenie

I'm in one of those mood swings again; rejecting anything with tune-o-matic in the mean time. This Greenie here got some playing time today; the entire morning, in fact.

But not without a re-string first. Look at those rusty strings & I kept this in its hard case all along. The fur / lining that came into contact with the strings caused this to happen. To think that the hard case was supposed to prevent such things from happening.

Darco to the rescue. The pickups in this guitar: SD Jazz (n) / Ibanez default (m) / SD Custom (b).

Black jazz

July's absolutely unnecessary gear tinkering begins with this Seymour Duncan Jazz humbucker which is currently resident in my PRS Singlecut.

It is now a blackened affair. Why was this done?

So that it matches the bridge Pegasus in terms of aesthetics. Totally unnecessary, yes? But it makes me happy 😬

SG Stealth

The Gibson SG Standard is perhaps a guitar to be left as it is. Any mods & the re-sale value would dip. Because this guitar is mine, it will manifest a form suitable for my needs & aesthetic pleasure regardless of what lies ahead in terms of  value. I do not buy instruments to be shackled by such expectations & the general conjecture of what an SG Standard should be. As you can see from the initial details above, it's now in stealth mode.

The original full face pickguard had been blacked out. It's not a replacement pickguard, it's the original with the side's 3-ply given a paint job; one of the easiest thing to do in this case. Also, the pickups are now Seymour Duncan JB / Jazz pairing. It's the custom floor black cover version. Screws were given the noir touch as well.

One more time - the hard case is supposed to protect the instrument against the elements but it's another disheartening episode of distrust; metal reacting with the interior lining resulting in pitting & corrosion. This hardware made way for a worthy replacement; the Faber ABR-1 style tune-o-matic bridge. If you are interested, Faber parts are available at TYMC.

In line with the stealth theme, reflector knobs & cream toggle switch cap were removed & replaced with black ones. I've grown too accustomed to the knobs' function & moved away from having them labelled volume & tone. Over time, we should be conditioned to know what these do instead of resorting to visual reliance. 

Finally, the obligatory black truss rod cover & a fresh set of GHS 10.5s to propel doomed thoughts. This guitar is detuned half a step & will not be a reference for nice songs for a long time to come.

Screws

I bought this Seymour Duncan Jazz (SH2) used. It's in perfect working condition, no issues. The issue here  are the screws. This pickup was removed from another guitar which had this pickup as default, the screws used were factory default as well. Upon purchase, the screws were not passed to me so I resorted to using unused SD screws I have lying around here.

The problem is, the default factory screws were not of the same size as the ones used by SD. The holes in the pickup mounting flaps were bigger. I had to resort to third party screws bought from a hardware store (the black ones you see above) to make it work. The default SD ones (the chrome ones) are smaller. If you wish to purchase after-market SDs, do anticipate this situation, best to ask for the accompanying screws from the seller. If the pickup is a replacement unit purchased from an authorised dealer, this won't be an issue at all. Guitar manufacturers are not obliged to use SD supplied screws at their factory. It makes more sense for them to use whatever screws that save them more especially the ones supplied in bulk. 

Re-string + goodbye

A very difficult decision but it had to happen - said goodbye to my Edwards E-LPC to raise funds for my chemo bills (due next week). In terms of tone impression within the singlecut domain, this guitar is a beast, especially after the pickup swap (gold covered Duncan JB / Jazz). The E-LPC came with in house EH pickups which, in my opinion, are above average but lacks the punch when it comes to distortion. As for me, it's all about distortion. It was handed over to a friend who is a Les Paul enthusiast; a deserving transfer of ownership, I must say. Gave it a quick re-string - D'Arco 10s - before the farewell.

550 Sunday

Spent time with my RGs. The 550s you see above are from the same Genesis family but different iterations. The DX has a granadillo fretboard & a set of Seymour Duncans (JB / Hot Strat / Jazz). The Road Flare version sports a maple fretboard & kept in its original form, no mods. 

Are there benefits from swapping out the default pickups to some other brand names? It really depends on the owner - are you happy with the default pickups? The in house Ibanez V/S pickups are alright. They are not bad in any way, still capable of pulling off good rock tones. However, I realize that if too much distortion is dialled into them, they sound honky / nasal. The Seymour Duncans, on the other hand, has more tolerance for distortion, maintaining clarity & note definition. 

We're into the final week of April. That's fast. 

Selling: Jackson DK2T

It's gonna be an emotional farewell - saying goodbye to my Jackson DK2T (made in Japan). It's the final guitar I bought from the Swee Lee Katong branch at Katong Shopping Center before the store moved to I12 Katong which had also shut down. The Seymour Duncan pickups are default from the factory & it's one of my guitars with a mean straight-to-amp tone. Thanks for understanding that my price is final, everything goes to my chemo bills in the mean time & it's gonna be tougher in time to come as I will be on no-pay medical leave. 

• Jackson: DK2T made in Japan (generic bag included, minimum padding)
• Default pickups: Seymour Duncan JB (b) / Jazz (n)
• Mods: 1) Push-pull coil split tone pot 2) Russian K40Y-9 tone capacitor
• Self-collect: CCK / Yew Tee mrt station
• No reservations / trades
• Confirmation / queries: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• Price: $800 (final)

Still Duncan-ing

I've been playing slimmer necks lately, I think it helps keep my fretting hand more at ease due to its preferred profile. More importantly, it addresses my needs. The whole of last week, I've been with the RG550DX mostly.

I gave it a Duncan makeover with whatever pickups I have lying around here. So here's the lineup:

• Neck: Jazz
• Middle: Hot Strat (RWRP)
• Bridge: JB

Very happy with this trio. Many players would have second thoughts about the JB being in a guitar with locking, double action whammy bridge. To many, it sounds next to shrill due to the excessive midrange / top end.

Even the manufacturer's EQ representation of the pickup's performance suggests it is unsuitable for such a guitar. But I guess it all boils down to the real time tone one hears & for me, I've been hearing the JB in action in many guitars so despite the documented suggestion, I know if it's gonna be a make-or-break investment. Yes, we generally need a good bottom end push for guitars with such a bridge but it doesn't exclude other pickups that manifest a different tonal range than the traditional expectations. The other two pickups in this likeness are Duncan's Custom Custom (TB-11) & DiMarzio's D'Activator. 

Wishing you a good Monday & a good week ahead - take care. ✌🏽

Pic: Seymour Duncan

E-LPC

 

So I bought this. It's the Edwards E-LPC. It's not an attempt to embrace make believe; it's not a Gibson by any means. The feel is different, especially the neck. I also did not retain the default pickups. Gave it a Duncan JB/ Jazz treatment because that's what I want to hear, I do not wish for an LP Custom voicing. OK so it's another black guitar for me, it's forgivable because it's a good one.