The right pickup for a Jackson RR2 or is it a wiring problem

[Deleted member 8761]

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 through aMesa 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?

 

[redrol]

I have a Seymour Duncan Distortion in my RR1. Sounds good to my ear. Nice and aggressive.

 

[Deleted member 8761]

I have a Seymour Duncan Distortion in my RR1. Sounds good to my ear. Nice and aggressive.

Yes, that s a nice one too. I had one in my soloist but i thought it was a bit on the loose side. The JB was a bit tighter I believe, but I can' t remember how it compared outputwise.

 

[glpg80]

I have a Seymour Duncan Distortion in my RR1. Sounds good to my ear. Nice and aggressive.

Yes, that s a nice one too. I had one in my soloist but i thought it was a bit on the loose side. The JB was a bit tighter I believe, but I can' t remember how it compared outputwise.

JB will be overall brighter than the SH-6 but they are the same pickup just different magnets, JB is A5, SH-6 is ceramic. I have both, JB woke up a really dark sounding guitar, SH-6 is great for an already balanced tone-wood guitar. You know how your guitar sounds by itself im sure, i would recommend either one of these for it - more towards the SH-6 IMHO

 

[Deleted member 8761]

I have a Seymour Duncan Distortion in my RR1. Sounds good to my ear. Nice and aggressive.

Yes, that s a nice one too. I had one in my soloist but i thought it was a bit on the loose side. The JB was a bit tighter I believe, but I can' t remember how it compared outputwise.

JB will be overall brighter than the SH-6 but they are the same pickup just different magnets, JB is A5, SH-6 is ceramic. I have both, JB woke up a really dark sounding guitar, SH-6 is great for an already balanced tone-wood guitar. You know how your guitar sounds by itself im sure, i would recommend either one of these for it - more towards the SH-6 IMHO

I have no further experience with poplar. Somehow the JB didn't deliver the goods to my ears. So it must be the wood or the wiring?

 

[Deleted member 8761]

At this point I would have expected some bareknuckle suggestions