Pickup recommendation for a Charvel 650XL

[agresivo]

Which of these pickups do you recommend for the bridge position of my Charvel 650 Custom: Bill Lawrence L-500XL, Dimarzio X2N or Seymour Duncan Distortion?

What couple of single coils pickups would be appropriate to accompany the bridge pickup?

I used to have two EMGs (81 and 85) in a Jackson Fusion. I like their power, but not the sterile sound they have sometimes.

I want the pickups to be passive, but the bridge pickup should be powerful enough for 80s metal rythm (even thrash metal!) and not too noisy for soloing.

I am tempted to try a L-500XL, a L-280SM (middle) and a L-250HP (neck), with a Q-Filter for the neck and bridge positions. Perhaps, turning on the Q-Filter will balance the sound when combining the L-500XL with the L-280SM. What do you think of this combination?

Thanks!

[rodrigo_echeverri]

Re: Pickup recommendation for a Charvel 650XL

well, you probably know better than me there but I really liked the JB for a passive pickup...

I do have a Charvel 650XL but I have EMGs in it (SA/SA/81) and I enjoy the sound betten than anything else I have heard in my life.... I will never go back to passive pickups for that guitar.

[Ace]

Re: Pickup recommendation for a Charvel 650XL

My 650 Custom has the stock Jackson active PUP's with the mid-boost in it still. I thought about changing them out for the SA/SA/81 setup, but after I played it some more, I decided that I liked the PUP's that were in it a lot. It doesn't sound like any of my other guitars at all. My advice is, if you still have the stock PUP's in it, give them a week and see if you really want to change them. And if you do, shoot me an email, I might think about taking them off your hands for you!!

[redmanjj]

Re: Pickup recommendation for a Charvel 650XL

I like the stock pickups as well, especially with the flexibility of the mid-boost circuit. I roll it off to get a good "twang" when I want it and I crank it when I want to play a little "soup".

I have two EMG equipped guitars as well, but they are no better or worse, IMHO, than the standard Jackson pickups in my 650.

I did REALLY like the SD JB in another one of my guitars that I sold however.....

[taxistationary]

Re: Pickup recommendation for a Charvel 650XL

I would prefer the stock JE1200 active circuit, J-50BC humbucker, and the 2 J-200's single coils. If your going to replace the stock setup, the Jackson J-80, or J-80C should do the trick. I own 3 650XL's, and in each I have different pickup configurations. My black one has a J-80C humbucker with the stock J-200's, and the JE1200 was gutted. My Pearl White 650XL has 2 EMG S/A's, and an EMG 81. Last but not least; My pearl red one has a J-50 humbucker with 2 J-200's, and the JE1200 was gutted. I truly like the sound of all my 650XL's.

[ May 04, 2003, 01:22 AM: Message edited by: john ]

[Mordor]

Re: Pickup recommendation for a Charvel 650XL

I had an EMG 81 too,and I did not like its sterile sound too.So I changed it with a X2N.Man,this PU is just for crushin metal!

[1trussell]

Re: Pickup recommendation for a Charvel 650XL

I've got a Distortion in the bridge and a Hot Rails in the neck of my 650 XL. They match up really well together. Although they do an amazing job of sounding metal, they are not very versatile for the clean sounds. I'm still looking for a middle position pickup to help with that. One other thing to mention, when I put the Hot Rails in the neck position, I had to have the cavity routed a tiny bit to accomidate that little triangle piece at the bridge side of the pickup (whatever it's called). That is something you might want to keep in mind when looking for single coil sized pickups.