HNGD to Me!

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So, I disassembled the bridge and also the bridge on my MIM Strat. Everything measured up the same. I swapped over my String Savers and put on a new set of 9/42 strings that I have had forever (because I don't use them) and adjusted the action, reintonated and stretched the crap out of these puppies. These are XLs and I am so used to NYXLs now that I've gotten a bit spoiled by how little stretching you have to do to them.
 
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While I was at it I swapped in my machined brass trem block. It's 348 grams versus the 202 gram stock cast pot metal block. The block is made for a MIM whammy bar (threaded) so I had to use the stubby stainless bar from the Strat. I'm okay with this. I just need to get a black tip. The back cover doesn't quite fit now, but I usually don't run them anyway. Maybe I will trim it a little and put it back on.
 
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And I knew I wasn't going to be able to sleep until I got those nasty little import pots out. I used the 526k CTS for tone and had one at 549k I used for volume. I didn't see any reason to match them closer since they have different jobs. I also used a .015 Orange Drop cap on the tone pot. As you can see I have the ground buss wires on the pots. I did have to drill the holes for the pots out to 3/8". It was very easy.
 
Looks great! I'm convinced the JS2 line is the best bang for your buck mod platform out there.
I have to agree. I got this to test pickups in simply because it was so cheap and I don't want to keep tearing apart my Gibsons to test pickups. The quality is nice, it's in like new condition and it plays great. I'm going to convert my Strat into the test mule most likely. This Jackson just kicks it's butt in every category.
 
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Getting ready to pot a new bridge pickup for the Jackson. 9.8k ohms with an Alnico 8 magnet. I keep trying to get over 10k ohms with 42 AWG wire, but I keep running out of bobbin. I have about 6000 winds on the screw bobbin and 6200 on the slug bobbin.

Boris Dommenget says, "my Musclebucker is the most powerful pickup on planet earth. I found this receipe by mistake, it goes against every rule of pickupmaking by readings over 20k ohm. Never mind, it will blow you away, lots of power, attack and bite. The SCORPIONS favourite in most of their guitars...."

Mathias Jabs interview:

Before you joined Scorpions in 1978, you bought the brand-new 1976 Gibson Explorer that would end up being heard on a lot of early Scorpions classics...Then you started playing guitars made by Boris Dommenget, fitted with Musclebucker pickups…

“Yes, you mention the Musclebucker - honestly, I’ve never heard a pickup with so much output and yet still all the clarity. We used relatively high gain, yet you can hear every string in a full barre chord without it sounding washy, like one noise. You can hear all the individual harmonies – those are some great pickups.

“A lot of care goes into Boris’s guitars. He uses the best wood, with a stock of 'orina mahogany that’s very old (late-'50s), plus he uses nitro lacquer, which is the key to that sound. It’s the kind of cellulose that rubs very well into the wood, the vibrations feel more unlimited, as opposed to a polyester lacquer that feels more like a diving suit! You feel uncomfortable. Nitro is more like silk pyjamas by comparison!”
 
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So, I disassembled the bridge and also the bridge on my MIM Strat. Everything measured up the same. I swapped over my String Savers and put on a new set of 9/42 strings that I have had forever (because I don't use them) and adjusted the action, reintonated and stretched the crap out of these puppies. These are XLs and I am so used to NYXLs now that I've gotten a bit spoiled by how little stretching you have to do to them.

Bridge saddles looked like standard 10.5mm import spacing...
 
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It was bothering me and I couldn't sleep last night, so I rewound the screw side bobbin. I ended up at 10.53k ohms. Yeah baby! Finished repotting it a little bit ago. It was a good exercise to dismantle a potted pickup to inspect anyway. The wax most certainly does go all the way through the windings right to the center.
 

This video pretty much sucks, but I wanted to post something that yous all could get an idea of the tone of this pickup. I just installed it and haven't done any adjustments yet. It's got an A8 magnet and 42 awg poly coated wire wound to 10.3k ohms. It came down a little after it completely cooled from being potted. Feedback completely goes away if I get 10 feet from the amp. It's all bridge pickup. Tone maxed at the start and then on 0 for the high stuff.
 

This video pretty much sucks, but I wanted to post something that yous all could get an idea of the tone of this pickup. I just installed it and haven't done any adjustments yet. It's got an A8 magnet and 42 awg poly coated wire wound to 10.3k ohms. It came down a little after it completely cooled from being potted. Feedback completely goes away if I get 10 feet from the amp. It's all bridge pickup. Tone maxed at the start and then on 0 for the high stuff.
Crunchy!
I’m Diggin the tone @0 sound especially!
:cheers:
I want one……no…..two…..a set….but I would need to find a guitar to put them in…
 
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