Jem/J-Custom Pickup A/B samples (listen)

kennydoe · #1 10-06-2005, 03:32 PM

To prove the point that good guitar tone has more to do with the preamp than with the guitar itself, as long as the guitar has decent pickups in it. (from this thread http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40469 ),
I decided to record an A/B comparison of my J-Custom 8670 (Mahogany/Ebony/AN/TZ) and my Jem BFP (Basswood/Maple/PAF/Evolution) played thru the same amp (Peavey EFX 112) in the same session with the same settings.

there are 3 sound changes in each. Both start out neck position with guitar volume knob down around 2-3, then it kicks up to 10, then switches to bridge pickup. The solos are similar, but not the same (improvised to a large degree).

The guitar was plugged straight into the amp and mic'd up with an SM57 plugged straight into the computer's recording interface.

~Kenny

Solo 1 - Jem
Solo 2 - J-Custom
Each mp3 is 1.5 MB and about 1:30

Feel free to let me know which one you like better

EDIT: ANSWERS ARE IN. FEEL FREE TO USE THESE IN YOUR DECISION ON WHAT PICKUPS TO BUY IF YOU'RE TRYING TO DECIDE.

Chroma · #2 10-06-2005, 04:15 PM

Solo 1 sounds brighter but more clear and articulate so I'm guessing it's the BFP, Solo 2 to me sounds a little bassier and fuller, I'm guessing it's the J-Custom,

*edited* I blabbered about digital recording and had nothing to do with this lol

phlame · #3 10-06-2005, 04:25 PM

This was easy,

1 is the J-Custom
2 is the Jem

kennydoe · #4 10-06-2005, 04:33 PM

one of you is definitely right

glad to see that my theory is working.

The Dark Wolf · #5 10-06-2005, 04:45 PM

I'm gonna guess 1 is J-Custom, 2 is the EVO.

Nice playing BTW, kenny!

phlame · #6 10-06-2005, 05:00 PM

hey Kennydoe, what is that lick right in the middle from? I recognize it but can't pinpoint it. It's driving me crazy, please tell me what song that is from.

edit: Is it a David Gilmoure lick from Dark Side of the Moon?

shredfreak · #7 10-06-2005, 05:07 PM

It's Little Wing from Jimi Hendrix.

kennydoe · #8 10-06-2005, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phlame

hey Kennydoe, what is that lick right in the middle from? I recognize it but can't pinpoint it. It's driving me crazy, please tell me what song that is from.

edit: Is it a David Gilmoure lick from Dark Side of the Moon?

"It's Little Wing". no sh!t...really? classic.

phlame...please be more specific about which sample it is (1 or 2) and where it happens in the solo. I didn't put any intentional quotes in there, but Gilmour is a huge influence, so it's not surprising that something like that may have come thru in my playing.

What...no guess on which guitar is which?

~K

phlame · #9 10-06-2005, 05:11 PM

it happens in the middle in both of them.

I already posted my findings on which one was which, i had the second guess. I coyld tell by the neck pickups, it was easy to tell an AN from a PAF.

kennydoe · #10 10-06-2005, 05:21 PM

in the middle of both of them...is it the same lick both times? what's the time marking?!?!

Sorry i overlooked your guess.
~K

phlame · #11 10-06-2005, 05:27 PM

It doesn't give me any time on this end, just a bar with a streaming arrow if ya know what I mean.

Anyway if you just scroll the arrow to right in the middle it will start(on both tracks). It sounds like it happens to be the first lick as soon as you change to the bridge pu on both tracks.

Great playing btw.

kennydoe · #12 10-06-2005, 05:32 PM

gotta love quicktime. but at least they install 2 tons of crap you don't need.

If it's the lick that starts the 2nd half of the form, it's the lick that Hendrix does there..it's also from the melody of the song. IT just belongs there

And if that's what you're referring to, then we both owe Mr. Shredfreak an apology

Bend to E___E-D-B-D-B...that one?

~K

PS: Thanks for the compliments

phlame · #13 10-06-2005, 05:36 PM

Yep, that's the one. It will be stuck in my head all day now

Back to our scheduled programming; Who can tell which is the J-Custom and which is the Jem, and why?

kennydoe · #14 10-06-2005, 05:44 PM

Hear Hendrix do it the right way here.... http://www.invisibleband.com/HLW.mp3

buddroyce · #15 10-06-2005, 09:43 PM

The first one sounds more like the J-Custom 8670 as tonally, it's a bit brighter than the second. It's been a while since I had a guitar with a paf-pro in the neck, but the first clip does sound more like my 9570, 8670 and my rg1880 (all with TZ and AN pickups).

If I recall, the Paf-pro does sound a little darker and doesn't quite have the same output the AN has, especially when the volume is rolled down. (That and I know Kenny's RG8670 like all stock wired 8670's have a treble bleed wired to the volume pots, giving it some more top end when the volume was rolled down. Dunno if the Jem BFP had it).

Mind you, I could be wrong. (50% chance of guessing it right). I am technically a guitar tech first and guitar player second.