Pickup help, please...

[higain_guitar]

Hi, I acquired two bridge pickups: (1) a J-50BC and (2) a J-80C for my 1992 Jackson Soloist (please see attached picture below).

1. First question: Is the second one (the lower one in the image) a Japanese made or an American made pickup?

2. Second question: Which one of these (the J50bc or the J80c)--both will be used with the JE-1200 mid boost--would be better for 80s metal in the style of Megadeth, Randy Rhoads/Jake E. Lee Ozzy stuff, etc.

Thanks,
HG

[BigE13]

The J80C should be an import. I have several Import pups out of Model series guitars that use the exact same stickers...I has a 475 Dlx Exotic with the J50BC and it used the boost. Sounded amazing! I read somewhere that the J80C is hotter though and might be better for Metal.

[higain_guitar]

Thanks. Does anyone know if the J80c is naturally more dark (less high frequencies) than the J50BC?

[higain_guitar]

Also what about using a J90C pickup with a JE-1200 mid boost... would that overkill? Has anyone done it and liked it? thanks....

[pianoguyy]

Also what about using a J90C pickup with a JE-1200 mid boost... would that overkill? Has anyone done it and liked it? thanks....

I think the J90c was made for the JE1200. Its like chocolate and peanut butter. Each perfect on their own, but put them together perfect becomes existential ---

I will point this out though...
I loved it on my old rig. It is not impressive on my new stuff.
I used the same amp/fx for 20+ years. And I loved it for all that time. But a year ago, I finally replaced it all with some modern gear --- the circuitry is useless.

[higain_guitar]

I will point this out though...
I loved it on my old rig. It is not impressive on my new stuff.
I used the same amp/fx for 20+ years. And I loved it for all that time. But a year ago, I finally replaced it all with some modern gear --- the circuitry is useless.

Thanks, but so you mean the modern gear circuitry is useless or is the old jackson circuitry useless with the new amps?

[pianoguyy]

I love my new setup, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten it and certainly wouldn't be keeping it if I did get it.

I meant option 2
With my new gear, I see no difference when using the midboost at 10 vs the midboost at 0. Well, almost no difference.
It could be the way I have the new stuff set. It could be the input impedance of the new stuff. I don't know why it is how it is, it just is how it is.

[higain_guitar]

I love my new setup, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten it and certainly wouldn't be keeping it if I did get it.

I meant option 2
With my new gear, I see no difference when using the midboost at 10 vs the midboost at 0. Well, almost no difference.

May I ask what your new setup is. I am using an orange dark terror with vintage tubes into an orange ppc 1x12 cab with celestion v30s...

[pianoguyy]

I now have a fx/modeler unit. And I go straight to the pa.

[shreddermon]

The J80 is definitely a hotter PU than the J50. Not sure about tone shaping for these two, relative to each other. There were USA made J80s, too, but agree your's looks like an import.

[straycat]

The J80 is a distortion class pick up the J50 is not.The J50 is a medium output pick up like a PAF Gibson.
The J80 is like a Duncan Distortion,
The amp is where you get your drive so the pick up really doesn't matter.
I can get thrashy metal tones out of a P90 single coil pick up just by EQing the amp.

[straycat]

The "C" stands for ceramic magnet.
The J50's with no "C" on the label are Alnico magnets.
Ceramic generally will be a hotter pick up

[higain_guitar]

thanks, I have heard that import pickups are a little louder then USA made Jackson pickups. Have you found this to be true?