Problem with MM JP Pickups

[seth]

They seem very dull, almost as if the tone control is turned down quite a bit.
This makes the sound quite muddy & its practically impossible to do pinch-harmonics. I'm nearly positive it has nothing to do with my amp, as i've a les paul with a JB in it & you can pinch to your hearts content!
Anyone else have this problem or an idea of what may be causing it?
Thanks!

 

[jongitarz]

I have not heard of any problems like you describe. Are you saying you think it should sound like a Les Paul with a JB in it? It's a different guitar.

 

[Norrin Radd]

They seem very dull, almost as if the tone control is turned down quite a bit.
This makes the sound quite muddy & its practically impossible to do pinch-harmonics. I'm nearly positive it has nothing to do with my amp, as i've a les paul with a JB in it & you can pinch to your hearts content!
Anyone else have this problem or an idea of what may be causing it?
Thanks!

I wouldn't classify this as a "problem", just a difference. I have a JP and noticed too that the output is not nearly as high as that of my Axis (probably more like you're LP). I really have to give the amp a lot more gain to get it to sound close, but it is never as full sounding as the Axis, and it's not supposed to be! Those pickups are designed with some "air" or, clarity in them that other PUs don't have. It's just a different tone, you' have to tweak it more for higher gain. Remember, this PU was basically designed to be played on a dual rec where inherent distortion is not much of an issue!

 

[seth]

Are you saying you think it should sound like a Les Paul with a JB in it? It's a different guitar.

No no, not at all.
I'm just very surprised that it's so hard to pick a pinch harmonic on a metal guitarists sig guitar/pickups in comparison to the JB where they're practically jumping off the fretboard.

I wouldn't classify this as a "problem", just a difference. I have a JP and noticed too that the output is not nearly as high as that of my Axis (probably more like you're LP). I really have to give the amp a lot more gain to get it to sound close, but it is never as full sounding as the Axis, and it's not supposed to be! Those pickups are designed with some "air" or, clarity in them that other PUs don't have. It's just a different tone, you' have to tweak it more for higher gain. Remember, this PU was basically designed to be played on a dual rec where inherent distortion is not much of an issue!

Hmm, i see.
An old guitar teacher of mine had an axis & his sound was much more to my tastes, maybe i'll try switching out the pickups to the same combination that's in the axis.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Hmm, i see.
An old guitar teacher of mine had an axis & his sound was much more to my tastes, maybe i'll try switching out the pickups to the same combination that's in the axis.

Yeah - I have considered doing the same thing for the same reasons! I think it's been discussed previously on this forum what the DiMarzio equivalent pickups would be (Axis pickups are not available for individual sale). If you do a search you should come up with the right threads, if not, just start a new one.

 

[dan desy]

I loved my JPs, but I always thought the pickups were too dark and a little muddy.
Now if I played these guitars exclusively, like the JP man himself, it wouldn't be an issue, since you can EQ your amp for them. But trying to make them sound good with the same amp settings as other guitars, it was a little hard to let the JP shine through.

 

[louisgtr]

Individual experiences will be different, but I love the sound of the pickups on my JP. I can get a very full and heavy sound out of them without much tweaking, and pinch harmonics are very easy to get.

 

[SteveB]

I think the pickups on the JP are a little muddy, too. But I've tweaked my gear to work optimally with them and it doesn't really bother me.

It took a little while for me to find the 'sweet spot' for pinching harmonics on it. Just try hitting the string at different places... I think the JP has a tigher tolerance for pinching... it *is* a precision instrument, after all!

 

[vexed73]

I dont know anything about the JP but I know the best pickups I have used for getting pinch harmonics. First would be the Dimarzio Fred a great sounding pickup if you like a thinner sound. If you want more of a ZZ top sound and still have the cut through the mix as the Fred then Dimarzio's Breed is the ticket!! I was surprised I bought one on a whim once figuring it was worth a try but figured it would be like the tone zone wich I do not like. The breed has a vey classic tone but with just the right anount of hot rod thrown in. Pinch harmonics will jump out effortlessly. Oh well just the opinion of one who does not know better.

 

[seth]

Thanks for all the input guys, it's much appreciated.
I guess i'll have to decide if my JP pickups & me have a future together

 

[tommyindelaware]

just for the hell of......try using just a six foot guitar cable going straight from your guitar into your amp. if you use a pedal to get your overdrive.....use a little 3 footer to add that in your chain.
make any difference ?????

 

[jaxadam]

I too have noticed a dullness to the pickups in my EBMM JP. For pinches, whatever pickups I have in my Jem 77FP (I think PAF Pro's, maybe), they absolutely scream. I think they are a very in your face pickup, the EVO's in the new Jems to me are a little too much. But I do have to agree on the pickups in the JPs.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Guys -

You have to remeber that these pickups were designed for a certain person. As such, the characteristics of them reflect what he needs in playing. He plays real fast and needs lots of definition to AVOID muddiness. Now, I've played a boatload of pickups, and calling the JPs muddy, I think, is ridiculous. In fact, I would say they are some of the clearest pickups I've played - lots of definition. Play a chord - can you hear each individual string? Yeah you can - that's the way the PUs were designed. If you want them "smoother", give 'em more gain.

Your LP (and Axis) PUs sound smoother because they are more mushy (the frequencies from each strings are blending with each other causing the "smoothness" you hear from them. In actuality, from a sonic standpoint, this is in fact, more muddy.

I just have NEVER heard the JP PUs described as muddy by anybody I know, until I read this thread. I think that it is a terribly inapt description.

 

[glockaxis]

I dont know anything about the JP but I know the best pickups I have used for getting pinch harmonics. First would be the Dimarzio Fred a great sounding pickup if you like a thinner sound. If you want more of a ZZ top sound and still have the cut through the mix as the Fred then Dimarzio's Breed is the ticket!! I was surprised I bought one on a whim once figuring it was worth a try but figured it would be like the tone zone wich I do not like. The breed has a vey classic tone but with just the right anount of hot rod thrown in. Pinch harmonics will jump out effortlessly. Oh well just the opinion of one who does not know better.

How wouls you characterize (getting) pinch harmonics on your Luke?

 

[jongitarz]

Guys -

You have to remeber that these pickups were designed for a certain person. As such, the characteristics of them reflect what he needs in playing. He plays real fast and needs lots of definition to AVOID muddiness. Now, I've played a boatload pickups, and calling the JPs muddy, I think, is ridiculous. In fact, I would say they are some of the clearest pickups I've played - lots of definition. Play a chord - can you hear each individual string? Yeah you can - that's the way the PUs were designed. If you want them "smoother", give 'em more gain.

Your LP (and Axis) PUs sound smoother because they are more mushy (the frequencies from each strings are blending with each other causing the "smoothness" you hear from them. In actuality, from a sonic standpoint, this is in fact, more muddy.

I just have NEVER heard the JP PUs described as muddy by anybody I know, until I read this thread. I think that it is a terribly inapt description.

+1 I own a LP and my only complaint about it is that it sounds muddy in the neck position(OK and it is too freakin heavy) I don't own a JP yet, but I play them on a regular basis, and they are far from sounding muddy

 

[GHWelles]

Guys -

You have to remeber that these pickups were designed for a certain person. As such, the characteristics of them reflect what he needs in playing. He plays real fast and needs lots of definition to AVOID muddiness. Now, I've played a boatload of pickups, and calling the JPs muddy, I think, is ridiculous. In fact, I would say they are some of the clearest pickups I've played - lots of definition. Play a chord - can you hear each individual string? Yeah you can - that's the way the PUs were designed. If you want them "smoother", give 'em more gain.

Your LP (and Axis) PUs sound smoother because they are more mushy (the frequencies from each strings are blending with each other causing the "smoothness" you hear from them. In actuality, from a sonic standpoint, this is in fact, more muddy.

I just have NEVER heard the JP PUs described as muddy by anybody I know, until I read this thread. I think that it is a terribly inapt description.

What type of magnets are in the JP pups versus the Axis pups, and what are the DC resist numbers? The LP Pups are probably Alnico II at 8K ohms or so. Smooth and mushy from the Alnico II's but nice treble and cut due to the relatively low DC resist. Are the JP's ceramic mags and higher DC resist?

 

[blackspy]

Interesting ^^^^

I've never bothered to measure them. Does anyone know what the specs are on the pickups EB guitars, Axis and JP ? I'd love to know the exact specs. So I'd know where to go when looking for either similar or different pups.

 

[vexed73]

I find pinch harmonics are pretty easy on my luke, but not like with a Fred. I learned how to do them by accident when I had changed the humbucker on a steinberger gr4 I had bought in High School. The Fred made me do them by accident but I used my fingers and nails back then. I only learned how to use a pick within the last couple of years before then I would use my thumb and index nails together as my pick. I still find it easier to get pinch harmonics with my fingers as opposed to a pick. The 85 works good for them but takes more precision than the Fred or Breed.

 

[blackspy]

I don't understand what you guys are talking about here with regard to the pinch harmonics. I've never seen anyone, myself included, who needed certain pickups in order to get pinch harmonics. You can do them unplugged, or on an acoustic, it's technique, and where you do it on the string, more than pickup output, or tone in my opinion. Same goes for tap harmonics, chime (or touch) harmonics can sometimes be harder to do correctly, but I find this has more to do with fret height than anything else.

Go listen to VH doing Spanish Fly or Take Your Whiskey Home, loads of harmonics touch, pinch, tap ... on acoustic.

 

[ProgGuitarist76]

This was an interesting thread to read cuz I have no problem at all doing pinch harmonics on my JP...they aren't as "strong" as they are on, say, some of my Ibanez RG's with stock pickups, but overall, I've never encountered a problem getting a pinch harmonic to ring...there again, I don't do it very often. It isn't a predominent part of my style like Zakk Wylde...I'm more in the vein of playing like Petrucci, Michael Romeo, and Yngwie...but for the most part, it hasn't been an issue...maybe its the way you have the guitar set up...cuz, pinch harmonics to me, kinda work like articifial harmonics..in the sense that if your action is too low, you can't get them to ring too good..and also, where on the neck your trying to get them to ring, they are always stronger in certain areas of the neck then others (again, like regular harmonics)...anyway, just my 2 cents.

Peace