[djpak]

ok, i was gonna pick me up a fernandes sustainer system to install in my jem, but i noticed something, the package comes with a single coil and humbucker pickup. why? are they both sustainer pickups?

 

[Koss]

If the package came with BOTH the single and humbucker, thent that's because the humbucker is only a cover to place over the single coil for use in neck humbucker config guitars. Just fills the gap.

 

[djpak]

i found the one that comes with the actual humbucker sustainer, but which would be better to get?

 

[djpak]

on second thought, how would the sustainer system work in the single coild section of a jem? would you recommend this or not?

 

[Koss]

The actual humbucker one. Because that works as a neck pickup when the sustainer isn't active. Though some say the sustainers neck pickup isn't that great, but it's better then nothing at all.

 

[Koss]

on second thought, how would the sustainer system work in the single coild section of a jem? would you recommend this or not?

It wouldn't work. It's a whole positioning thing. It has to be in the neck position.

 

[gpenguins]

Probably the best route is to get the signle coil one and mount it along with a good single like a Fast Track, an old IBZ USA C2, or something in the neck position, that way you can eliminate the dog of the Fernanades pickup. It likely will require a little additional routing depending on your guitar, but you'll still be able to get a good sound from your neck pickup that way.

 

[extremist777]

i found the one that comes with the actual humbucker sustainer, but which would be better to get?

Get the Sustainiac, is much better.

 

[bluealien]

They have 2 kits...

FSK 401 - This all prewired
Single Coil Driver - (Neck)
Humbucker - (Bridge)
1 Volume
2 Tones (1 tone for normal use, 1 tone for overall driver tones)
Board & Switches

FSK 101 - Not prewired
Humbucker Driver (Neck) its both the driver & neck pickup
Board & switch

Now Vai's Flo is based on rewiring the the FSK401 to use his single coil & evo humbucker. The second pickup in its neck is just a cover to fill in the hole in the humucker position.

The big issue with this install is where you want the toggle switchs, because they are mouned on the board, you have to rout out wood for where board will go..

I just installed the FSK 101 kit, check out my thread on NAT:
http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41236

 

[djpak]

how does that fsk101 sound for you bluealien? does it sound ok? was it worth the cash?

 

[bluealien]

My guitar is a modded RG570 - basewood

Neck - FSK Driver Humbucker
Middle - HS2
Bridge - Steve's Special

I only have Volume & 1 tone setup.

I personally think the guitar sounds great for the $150 investment, but I did it myself.

DRIVER OFF, I have a sweet neck tone which seems close to my Evo Neck DP158, its just has slightly cleaner over tone.

With DRIVER ON, works across my all my positions, which just creates sustain, you can site there for days on a note.

So I have the Driver on with my bridge to get more of the bright lead sound & sustain, or you can just switch to bridge, and you have the creamy overtones of the neck sounds.

It's great to play around with the single notes sliding up and down the guitar or especial using the whammy, because it seems the note & tone never dies out; the auto Harmonic is cool also.

My neighbor came over and never heard of it before and thought I had some effect sample running, until I told him it was the pickup that just keeps the string vibrating.

I do feel the vibrations more on the lower wound strings.

I just think the routing is what I would be more worried about, and especially to a JEM. If you have no experience with using a router, I would suggest bring it to a shop, unless you will install this under your pickguard somewhere. (personally I think it will be in the way of other electronices or how you play external, under the pickguard.)

You can see here the toggle swiches on the board. (Board is about 2 1/2 x 3 inches)
http://www.bluealien.net/guitars/nat/pages/DSCF0344.htm

 

[djpak]

can you install the humbucker sustainer on an RG that only has 2 humbuckers and no single coil?

 

[Koss]

indeed.

 

[extremist777]

how does that fsk101 sound for you bluealien? does it sound ok? was it worth the cash?

The fsk-101 is missing the Mix mode!! GET The sustainiac or the fsk-401, but it needs much more routing.

 

[bluealien]

The fsk-101 is missing the Mix mode!! GET The sustainiac or the fsk-401, but it needs much more routing.

The FSK 101 & 401 uses the same board, so you have wire the extra pot, if you want to use the optional master tone. Extra routing will depend on where you want your toggel switches and extra pot.

FSK401 is prewired for you in (S - H), but it has Single coil neck Driver and their humbucker for the bridge, you will still have to wire a extra Single coil for neck if you want to have a humbucker in the neck position. Also if you have want a H-S-H configuration, you will also have to wire that too.

FSK101 has a Humbucker (Driver & Bridge pickup) for the neck and is not prewired. So you have to wire it all. (Note: They do not include extra pins or or 3 pin female connectors, I went to a local electonics store and got this for like $5 with extra wire) Extra pot & capacitor $5, Black Ibanez knob kit $5.

The difference is about $50, so either way, you will have to spend more money to use it the way you wish, if you choose to use other pickups in the configuration unless you already have everything.

 

[djpak]

so how much should it cost the have someone route my body and do wiring and installation for me? i just dont wanna be ripped off.

 

[bluealien]

Not sure... I never asked the deal near me what it would cost... maybe $60 - $100 for routing and $50 for wiring? You will also have to get a or make a custome cover for the hole if you do this from the back. I have see one version they did it from under the pick guard, but I think its very tight. (meaning contols ontop of each other)

FYI: When you route you also have to tape up the area or the paint will chip.

Its a big decision, to make and you do not want to wrek the guitar, unless its a better and then you can get another body, but a lot of your tone is in the body of the guitar, which is very important.

 

[djpak]

hey bluealien, what did you use to get your white sustainer?

 

[bluealien]

I uses a Plactic Enamel spay paint, I tested it before I did this to see if it would cause any issues, so far its holding up. when it dries it feels like plastic. Just a not, its a very runny paint, so you have to paint lightly with 1 coat at a time, wait about 15- 1 hr between coats, depends on your climate, (I only have abot 20-30% humidity here) for it to dry.

I actally started to paint it upside down to get the slight plastic ridges, on the sides, and did this several time to build up the layers, then was able to spray the top and get a nice finishing coat.

I would suggest painting something else first before you do this, so see how it paints. also note, if you wreck the pickup or if is a defect, I do not know if fernandez will take it back because it was a painted. I already had it in my guitar as is, then painted plastic wrap and placed it over the pickup, so see if the added thinkness changed the effects, or the driver, based on how it played I didnt notice anything difference. So I went for it...

Have fun

 

[extremist777]

you better take a look at sustainiac www.sustainiac.com first, Alan Hoover also has white drivers.