Duncan Custom/Jazz in RG1527

Travis · #1 01-26-2004, 10:32 AM

All right, enough time has passed that I can make an educated case for this pickup combination.

1st, the installation of the Custom bridge/Jazz neck combo was a pain in the ass. The screws on the underside of the pickup had to be clipped because the body route of the guitar was so shallow. Second, the dog ears of the pickups had to be altered to fit as well. They had to be bent and shaped to fit the mounting dimensions of the guitar. This was not giving me a good vibe to start out with.

2nd, once the pickups were in, I played around with it. First impression: the Jazz pickup is the best neck pickup I have ever heard and it will be going in all of my neck-humbucker equipped guitars from now on. The Custom was a decent pickup and compared well to the Distortion and JB pickups I have in other guitars. The lower output took some getting used to, but the notes were all very crisp and clear sounding.

3rd, after playing with it for a while, I adjusted some of the individual pole pieces for each pickup. This only made the Jazz better and more defined (still the best neck pickup in my opinion). Now on to the Custom, it screams! The lower register has a well defined sound even when under heavy distortion. The lead notes are clear and bright without being too bright (think of a lead tone similar to the Distortion with a little less bite).

This pickup combo is a winner in the RG1527. The only downfall was the install problems. If you can get past this, then I highly reccomend the Custom/Jazz for your 7-string needs.

trajectory fish · #2 01-26-2004, 10:42 AM

I've had a Jazz 7 in my RG for a while now, but I've been putting off clipping the pole screws because I was afraid it would affect the sound of the pickup. What did you use to clip the pieces?

Tubarão Guitars · #3 01-26-2004, 10:49 AM

I have a JB/Jazz combo on my red7 custom.
It's really killer

TubarãoGuitars

frankfalbo · #4 01-26-2004, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trajectory fish

I've had a Jazz 7 in my RG for a while now, but I've been putting off clipping the pole screws because I was afraid it would affect the sound of the pickup. What did you use to clip the pieces?

It does. I've generally heard that it brightens the sound. I can't figure why other than it shortens the magnetic field. But I don't know if that focuses more magnetic field on top of the coil or if it widens/narrows the aperture for that coil or what. Anyway, I think a better alternative (if you don't use a router) is to press the pickup in place, then look for the indentations left by the poles. Mark them, and drill little recesses with a 3/8" bit. That's oversized but it will give some clearance. If you don't have a drill press, you can measure and tape off the drill bit so you know when to stop. Even if you messed up and drilled through to the trem cavity you haven't hurt anything.

Travis · #5 01-26-2004, 06:08 PM

The Seymour Duncan rep said that the only effect clipping the ends would have would be that it would make the magnetic field a little stronger resulting in a slightly hotter pickup. I was also told that they would still honor the 21 day exchange policy even with the clipped screw ends. I would advise checking on your own if you plan on doing this, however.

By the way, I actually didn't modify the pickups. I had a tech do it so just in case there was a problem, I wouldn't be liable for any damage. If you have the means and don't mind doing the work yourself, I highly reccomend it. The tone is worth it.

Emg707 · #6 01-27-2004, 11:15 AM

Why the hell would clipping the pickup height screws effect tone? That makes no sense other than all it should do is be shorter so it wont hit the bottom of the pickup route. Pickup height screws do not effect tone. Or are you talking about something completely different?

frankfalbo · #7 01-27-2004, 12:00 PM

Calm down there friend, its a reality. In most single coils the poles are the magnets. In most humbuckers there is a central magnet that magnetizes the non-magnetic pole pieces. It's located under the coils. The poles "deliver" the magnetic field to the strings, and create an oval shaped magnetic field. Whether that oval is longer, shorter, fatter, or thinner affects how the strings are heard. The strings are disrupting the magnetic field. Lets get obsurd to illustrate the point. If the poles were 2" long that would dissipate and elongate the magnetic field, and weaken it overall. Output would drop. That's why.

Quote:

Pickup height screws do not effect tone.

Yeah, you'll have to take that one back. But that's okay I've been wrong before too.

Emg707 · #8 01-27-2004, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankfalbo

Calm down there friend, its a reality. In most single coils the poles are the magnets. In most humbuckers there is a central magnet that magnetizes the non-magnetic pole pieces. It's located under the coils. The poles "deliver" the magnetic field to the strings, and create an oval shaped magnetic field. Whether that oval is longer, shorter, fatter, or thinner affects how the strings are heard. The strings are disrupting the magnetic field. Lets get obsurd to illustrate the point. If the poles were 2" long that would dissipate and elongate the magnetic field, and weaken it overall. Output would drop. That's why.

Quote:

Pickup height screws do not effect tone.

Yeah, you'll have to take that one back. But that's okay I've been wrong before too.

I'm talking about the screws that adjust the overall height of the pickup on the ears. Not the pole pieces, but the actuall pickup height
mounting screws.

These screws.

Two hands31 · #9 01-27-2004, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emg707

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankfalbo

Calm down there friend, its a reality. In most single coils the poles are the magnets. In most humbuckers there is a central magnet that magnetizes the non-magnetic pole pieces. It's located under the coils. The poles "deliver" the magnetic field to the strings, and create an oval shaped magnetic field. Whether that oval is longer, shorter, fatter, or thinner affects how the strings are heard. The strings are disrupting the magnetic field. Lets get obsurd to illustrate the point. If the poles were 2" long that would dissipate and elongate the magnetic field, and weaken it overall. Output would drop. That's why.

Quote:

Pickup height screws do not effect tone.

Yeah, you'll have to take that one back. But that's okay I've been wrong before too.

I'm talking about the screws that adjust the overall height of the pickup on the ears. Not the pole pieces, but the actuall pickup height
mounting screws.

These screws.

Yea, and they weren't.

Emg707 · #10 01-27-2004, 03:10 PM

These screws.

[/quote]

Yea, and they weren't.[/quote]

What are you talking about lol?

trajectory fish · #11 01-27-2004, 03:27 PM

On the underside of my SD pickup, there are 7 screws, one for each pole piece. These screws protrude beyond the depth of the mounting ears, thus creating a conflict between the pole-piece screws and the body of the guitar, in that they both wish to occupy the same space at the same time. This of course, is not possible, so I removed the pickup from the RG and placed it in my main guitar, a Dean EVO 7, where it fits nicely.

I'm sorry if my syntax is a little strange, I'm in the middle of reading Douglas Adams :P