Well...what do you think?

Very nice, I was reading your previous thread with deep interest as I have a similar conundrum on my 2014 Marty Friedman as to what to do with the pups.
Looks great!
 
Very nice, I was reading your previous thread with deep interest as I have a similar conundrum on my 2014 Marty Friedman as to what to do with the pups.
Looks great!
Thanks! It doesn't look as sexy as I'd imagined but I like it.

But I kind of miss the JB bridge pickup the guy before me had in it.

That was fun!
 
Definitely an improvement. I'm just surprised you were able to get double-cream Seth Lovers--I thought only Dimarzio could sell those. (Did you have to buy them as "covered" and then remove the covers yourself?)
 
Definitely an improvement. I'm just surprised you were able to get double-cream Seth Lovers--I thought only Dimarzio could sell those. (Did you have to buy them as "covered" and then remove the covers yourself?)
Yes. That's how they have to do it. Duncan randomly sells zebra and double cream under the covers too. So you'll get a surprise sometimes!
 
Double cream looks great!! Are you liking the tones?
I like the neck pickup better than the bridge. The bridge is very "polite".

I've had these in another guitar for a few days and thought the same thing. I removed them and I replaced the polished alnico 2 magnets with roughcast alnico 4 magnets which are a little stronger. But the Seths are still just too polite sounding.

I'm spoiled by the Dragon 1's in my other two CE22's and by the JB bridge pickup that was in this guitar when i bought it

So although I love the looks, these pickups will probably not stay.
 
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I love the way it looks.

The Seth Lovers are just a little too polite sounding. Good jazz and blues pickups. Good for cleaner rock playing. Not powerful enough or ballsy enough for more saturated modern sounds, even with an overdrive pedal.

I've been spoiled by the Dragon 1 pickups in my '95 and '97 CE22's and the JB and Duncan Custom pickups that were in this guitar before I made the change.

Never liked the JB in other guitars. Love it in this one.
 
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I love it too. Looks wise.

The Seth Lovers are just a little too polite sounding. Good jazz and blues pickups. Good for cleaner rock playing. Not powerful enough or ballsy enough for more saturated modern sounds, even with an overdrive pedal.

I've been spoiled by the Dragon 1 pickups in my '95 and '97 CE22's and the JB and Duncan Custom pickups that were in this guitar before I made the change.

Never liked the JB in other guitars. Love it in this one.
Wait, you mean it’s not all about looks? :p
 
Well I took it all apart again. The old volume control stopped working and the tone control was sketchy. I guess the previous owner overheated them or something.

So I put new 500K CTS pots in it. Added the original treble bleed cap to the new volume pot. Used a Sprague Orange Drop .02 capacitor on the tone control. Replaced most of the wiring.

The previous owner didn't know much about wiring...but he did choose a great bridge pickup so I put the black Duncan JB back in.

Used a black Duncan 59 neck humbucker I already had, but I altered it with an alnico 2 magnet so it wouldn't be too bassy.

Sounds much, much better. I wish the pickups were cream because that's what I bought this guitar for.

But I put the double cream Seth Lovers on Reverb and sold them a couple of hours later for $200! About what I paid for them.

Now that the volume and tone controls are working properly I can definitely hear more highs and sizzle from the JB compared to my Dragon 1's.

Think the next time I change strings I'll replace the polished A5 magnet in the JB with a roughcast Alnico 5 magnet and see if it sweetens the treble a little. Always has. I know Duncan uses a roughcast alnico 5 in the Custom Shop version of the JB.

Might even try an alnico 8.

I still think guys looking to buy a bridge pickup that has a lot of the vibe and tone of the Dragon 1 should check out a JB.

It sounds superb in this CE22.

Anyways, I'm happy. Got a great "new" guitar!

 
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Well I took it all apart again. The old volume control stopped working and the tone control was sketchy. I guess the previous owner overheated them or something.

So I put new 500K CTS pots in it. Added the original treble bleed cap to the new volume pot. Used a Sprague Orange Drop .02 capacitor on the tone control. Replaced most of the wiring.

The previous owner didn't know much about wiring...but he did choose a great bridge pickup so I put the black Duncan JB back in.

Used a black Duncan 59 neck humbucker I already had, but I altered it with an alnico 2 magnet so it wouldn't be too bassy.

Sounds much, much better. I wish the pickups were cream because that's what I bought this guitar for.

But I put the double cream Seth Lovers on Reverb and sold them a couple of hours later for $200! About what I paid for them.

Now that the volume and tone controls are working properly I can definitely hear more highs and sizzle from the JB compared to my Dragon 1's.

Think the next time I change strings I'll replace the polished A5 magnet in the JB with a roughcast Alnico 5 magnet and see if it sweetens the treble a little. Always has. I know Duncan uses a roughcast alnico 5 in the Custom Shop version of the JB.

Might even try an alnico 8.

I still think guys looking to buy a bridge pickup that has a lot of the vibe and tone of the Dragon 1 should check out a JB.

It sounds superb in this CE22.

Anyways, I'm happy. Got a great "new" guitar!

I like it better with the double black look. I keep some PRS pots in the drawer just in case I ever need them. I first bought some when a friend contacted me about replacing one of his volume pots. I love the way the PRS pots feel. I actually had to replace both volumes on my 594 when I put the 57/08s in it. I didn't think I overheated them but I must have because they both stopped working after I put the new pickups in. I swapped them out for new ones and all worked as it should so I can only assume I either applied too much heat or the new pots are not built quite as well as the older ones I had in the drawer.

I wish I knew more about the magnets like you. I think there have been times when I have swapped a pickup when changing the magnet may have been a better answer, if I knew what to try.
 
I like it better with the double black look. I keep some PRS pots in the drawer just in case I ever need them. I first bought some when a friend contacted me about replacing one of his volume pots. I love the way the PRS pots feel. I actually had to replace both volumes on my 594 when I put the 57/08s in it. I didn't think I overheated them but I must have because they both stopped working after I put the new pickups in. I swapped them out for new ones and all worked as it should so I can only assume I either applied too much heat or the new pots are not built quite as well as the older ones I had in the drawer.

I wish I knew more about the magnets like you. I think there have been times when I have swapped a pickup when changing the magnet may have been a better answer, if I knew what to try.
Just watch some Youtube videos, buy an assortment of magnets and start swapping. You'll learn quickly. And it's fun!

You do need some good pickups to experiment with. I like Duncan 59's.

AddictionFX sells magnets. I tend to like roughcast magnets more than polished, .

I'd buy two each of: alnico 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and ceramic.

If you're listing them in order of strength, alnico 3 should actually be alnico 2.

Alnico 3 is the weakest but it works well in a neck pickup.

Alnico 8 (along with ceramic) is the strongest and I'd only use it in a bridge pickup. But I don't really like the tone.

I tend to like A2, A3, A4 and A5 the best.
 
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