Other pickup for Jackson RR2 or wiring problem?

[laurens]

Lately I have been swapping the bridge pickup in my Jackson RR2. The sound is just too tame for my taste. I have EMG's in my Jackson RR1T and that has more attack and bite IMHO. I'm looking for a passive pickup that gets me in the same ballpark as the EMG's. High output, not over the top but enough for 80's thrash metal. The RR2 has a poplar body and an ebony board, just 2 humbuckers and one volume knob. The original pickup is a Kent Armstrong HRO-1. I think that was his take on the SD JB.

So far I have tried a SD JB, Dimarzio D-activator and a Suhr Aldrich. It all lacked bite and agression IMO, even seemed a bit flubby/bassy on the low E string as well. Also tried different heights with the pickups. This is all through a Diezel Herbert. I do remember that the JB in my RR1 (alder body) sounded hotter (volume pots were 250k and that was through a Mesa Mark V) Unfortunately, I can't read the value of the volume pot (it has solder on it ), so that may be the issue.

What do you recommend? Perhaps 500k pot just to be sure, or other pickups?

[ralph]

Dimarzio X2N or SD Invader

[Kisonen]

X2N and 500k pot could be worth a try.

[laurens]

Thanks for the input! I have never tried the X2N, but I read that it has very high output. Isn't it too much for tight riffs?

[Twitch]

This may be a brain fart on my end, but whats an RR2? I thought "2" was skipped in the RR line, RR1 to RR3?

[laurens]

This may be a brain fart on my end, but whats an RR2? I thought "2" was skipped in the RR line, RR1 to RR3?

LOL, no brain fart on your end. The RR2 was short lived in production. It was made between 95-97. See the catalog:

http://audiozone.dk/guitargallery/?c...1997Page06.jpg

[hunter1970]

This may be a brain fart on my end, but whats an RR2? I thought "2" was skipped in the RR line, RR1 to RR3?

Yeah I've just recently picked one up,and at a decent price mine needs a little wiring TLC as someone has tried to wire it up themselves , my volume knob works the opposite than it should and there's a ton of solder on the knob, I may get it rewired but I'm definately looking for a hotter sound if the stock pickup aren't hot enough for me.
Nice USA Bolt-on model.

[Twitch]

LOL, no brain fart on your end. The RR2 was short lived in production. It was made between 95-97. See the catalog:

http://audiozone.dk/guitargallery/?c...1997Page06.jpg

Sweet, learn something new every day. I had forgotten about the 4 as well. Me likey that RR2, rear loaded and no inlays. Very classy.

[warlok]

That page shows the RR3 rear loaded as well. I thought they were all front (pickguard) loaded..?? Shows what I know about RR's..

[laurens]

Yeah I've just recently picked one up,and at a decent price mine needs a little wiring TLC as someone has tried to wire it up themselves , my volume knob works the opposite than it should and there's a ton of solder on the knob, I may get it rewired but I'm definately looking for a hotter sound if the stock pickup aren't hot enough for me.
Nice USA Bolt-on model.

Please check whether you have the original Kent Armstrong pups in there and let me know if you think they are hot. I need some comparison.

[hunter1970]

They look stock but I need to pull them to be sure, mine also has a coil tap push/pull volume knob, which I don't think is stock. I'm gonna get another knob and wire it normally.
I hear they are supposed to be pretty decent, but I play hi gain metal type of music and need a really hot pickup so I don't know if these will be hot enough but I'll post my findings here.

[Twitch]

That page shows the RR3 rear loaded as well. I thought they were all front (pickguard) loaded..?? Shows what I know about RR's..

That RR3 in the pic was the change over for the "Professional" series. The RR3 was rear loaded in that time period.

[Inazone]

I had an RR2 years ago, and had I ended up keeping it, I would have swapped out the Armstrongs eventually. I just put an SD Alternative 8 into my `96 DR2 (ash body and stock Duncans, otherwise same specs as RR2) and it really sounds great. It's a very high-output pickup, but isn't quite as mid-heavy as the Invader. You could back off your amp's gain a little without having to drastically alter your EQ, as the Alt 8 is really well balanced.

[RobRR]

Could always try a Duncan Dimebucker. Theyre nice and hot!

[theorifice]

The X2N is one of my favorite pickups. I've never had any issue with it getting muddy especially for downtuned fast thrash riffs. Currently I play through an ENGL Savage and it's a fantastically tight combination.