Recommended Guitar Tech in Dallas, TX for JPX-6 BFR mods

[Crowyote]

Hi guys,

I recently scored one of the beautiful Turqouise Pearl JPX-6 Ball Family Reserve guitar w/ the Roasted Maple Neck and ebony fretboard.

I did not acquire this guitar because I am a fan of JP, but because I liked it's versatility and the finish. I'm classically trained and the piezo pickup responds beautifully to all the flourishes I do. Also, my very first guitar (as a pre-teen) was a Squier Mexistrat and I enjoy the opportunity to get back to wanging away (as Satriani would say).

I've grown to love the feel of the guitar so much that I decided to sell my Jackson Soloist SL1T ( you can find it now on ebay, if you're interested). However, what I do not love are the pickups. With the 5-way switch I can only find two positions ( bridge pickup and coils together) that are useful with the range of effects that I regularly employ.

I'm rather spoiled because I carefully modded my Jackson with a Hot Rail, and a P-rail with a Triple Shot. My favorite setting has been the P-rail in parallel mode.

So what did I do, I went ahead and ordered my new P-rails (SHPR-2 and SHPR-1). Only then did I realize that the guitar was designed to only fit Dimarzios. I also ordered a pair of Triple Shot Rings, sacrilege I know to drill into this beauty . . . but I would like to access a supremely broad range of tones for my studio session work.

After doing a supreme setup on the guitar with EB Cobalt 11's and slightly raised action, Dallas Guitar Repair turned away the modification job.

So I turn to you my fellow Musicman players and the company peeps, for thoughts on how to get this job best accomplished.

Is it possible to keep the 5-way switch and access some truly odd combinations with the Triple Shots?

Or shall I change it to a 3-way switch? If so, which switch is highly recommended as a top of the line replacement?

Any recommendations on a good tech in Dallas, who has known experience with these guitars?

I have contacted at least 2 highly recommended guys, who have asked me "what kind of guitar is that?"

 

[DrKev]

Congratulations Crowyote and welcome to the forum! (Please note - unofficial forum rule, guitar does not exist without pictures!)

Around here, some of these guys will have you against a wall and shot for drilling into such a guitar, but it is of course your guitar so do whatever you want. If in the future you decide that another guitar may suit you better, any permanent modification will seriously hurt your resale value.

But, there are plenty of options that any guitar tech worth their salt should be able to do. You could replace the stock volume or tone controls with a push-pull pots and access series, parallel, and single coil modes that way. No permanent modification to the instrument and (nearly) all of the choice that the triple shot rings can give you.


edit: Of course, the guitar might look really cool with the rings on. (...runs and hides...)

 

[beej]

Wow ... here's an application for the game changer!

If the pickups fit, then there's probably a few things you could do. Off-hand, perhaps replacing the tone control with a rotary switch would allow you go get the different split configurations. Etc.

 

[tommyindelaware]

nothing wrong w/ making a guitar your own. well.......unless of course if the router slips....

 

[Crowyote]

Gamechanger? 'fraid not

Wow ... here's an application for the game changer!

The only other guitar I considered was the Moog Paul Vo Collector's edition in transparent Aqua . . . but it has the same problem as the game changer . . . only 22 frets. Also I've heard the Wilkinson vibrato develops a tendency to "wobble," and the circuitry interferes w/ a fix; and of course, the price is exorbitant.

There is one other problem with the Game-Changer . . . no ebony fretboard. No ebony, and I won't get it. I'm classically trained and spoiled by my years playing on ebony boards - just love the crispness.

So c'mon guys any recs on a tech?

 

[beej]

What I meant was- this would be a perfect application of the switching technology, to put that in the JP along with your pickups (The GC is the switching system itself, the Reflex is the guitar it's currently available in.)