Question For BP, the Music Man crew, or anyone in the know

[AgustinJP50]

Hi guys. I've been wondering about this for some time now, and I think the answer to this hasn't been posted yet. Does anybody know why the only guitars in the JP line that have Illuminator pickups are the ones that have the preamp? Why do the older models (original JP6, BFR, XI, 12, etc) still feature the Crunch Lab/Liquifire combo instead of the Illuminators? Does the preamp shape/affect the sound of the Illuminators even if the boost isn't turned on? It'd be great if BP or anyone of the EBMM guys could chime in.
Thanks a lot!

 

[xjbebop]

I might be wrong, but I think you answered your own question. ..

 

[Big Poppa]

Please when someone asks me a question let me answer it! hahahahah

Because the pickups in the guitar are period correct..... a jp6 is a jp6 and so on

 

[AgustinJP50]

Hahaha, thanks BP! So, if I'm getting this right, the original JP6 still comes with the Custom/D-Sonic combo instead of the Liquifire/Crunch Lab? Regarding my other question, does the preamp in the Majesty/JP13 affect or shape the sound of the Illuminators in any way when the boost is not active?
Thanks a lot!

 

[Firesource]

JP6 ships with the Crunch Lab/Liquifire. During the time the JP6 has been available, it's been produced with three different types of pickups.
The first custom set based on "Steve's special", and the Air Norton, the next set based on the D-Sonic and the Air Norton, and now the Crunch Lab/Liquifire.

 

[AgustinJP50]

Hmm but, following what BP said, that doesn't make sense, as the Crunch Lab/Liquifire are not "period correct" with the original JP6, or at least I think JP never used that model after those pickups came out...

 

[orion_21]

Yeah so my recollection from watching DVDs is that he used the CL/LF on the black clouds album in 2009 for the first time in his BFRs. On the previous tour for systematic chaos he had the bfr's with the d-sonic combo, and in the studio for systematic chaos (2007) he was using the BFR prototype which I assume also had the d-sonic. At some point the JPs and BFRs acquired the CL LF after that. Again this is from videos, behind the scenes etc.

 

[ohbugger]

From my understanding, when you order any of these guitars new, you will get the "most evolved" version of that model. So for this example, JP chose to change pickups throughout the years, and the decision was made to put them in the JP6 even though his main guitar in use may have been something else at the time. Then by the time the JP13 and Majesty came out, the older models were kept "as is" up until that point in time.