[CherryOrchards]

Hello. New guy here. 53 year old guy who plays 80s thrash while watching TV.

My question, I have a Jackson Student Soloist. Neck through. As I'm sure you all know NTs are a different beast then a bolt on or set neck. What is a good combo? Has a top mount Floyd so the neck is pitched.

One more thing, anyone ever seen a Dimarzio with a stamp on the back? Says X2N From Hell. I have no idea what this is in the neck of my RG.

[darkbluemurder]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

I just tried a google search to find out what pickups come stock in the Jackson student soloist and had no luck. For a sensible recommendation it would be helpful to know what pickups you have right now and what you want more/less of.

What amp are you using?

Cheers Stephan

[CherryOrchards]

I don't know what they originally came with. When I got it it had and still has EMGs. 81 in the bridge and an 89 in the neck.

When I don't want to piss off the neighborhood I play though a small modeling amp. When I don't care it goes through a Rivera Knucklehead II though a 4x12.

[CherryOrchards]

I have been a DiMarzio fan for a long time. I have an Ibanez with a Fred in the bridge and that oddly stamped X2N in the neck. Owned lots of Jems. Was always a fan of the PAF Pro over the Evos. Not sure if those work in a NT.

[CherryOrchards]

Maybe I should explain what I mean by the Neck Through comments. I feel that all 3 sound different, bolt on or Set Neck or NT. Bolt ons have a snappy sound is how I describe it. Set Necks are less aggressive than the Bolt On. More full than crisp. More sustain. Neck Through have an odd combo of both. Not only is it snappy like a strat it has that woody bottom end of a Les Paul. Turned to 14. They are resonant and brutal at the same time. Just my thoughts. Your milage may vary.

[darkbluemurder]

I actually have little experience with EMGs. I had the 81 in a guitar once and hated it with a passion. It replaced a JB and made the guitar sound thin and screechy. On the other hand I played a Jackson SLS with EMGs in a music store near my hometown and thought that was a fun guitar to play - good sounding, too.

If you always favored the PAF Pro over the Evolution it seems that you do not necessarily want high output - which is fine given that the Rivera should have enough gain on tap anyway.  Moe Joe, Fred and PAF Pro would all be good choices. The next step up in power would be the Norton in the DiMarzio line.

I am not the best guy to ask for neck humbuckers as I am not really a fan of them. I usually go for single coils or mini humbuckers in the neck. I would stay low output and on the brighter side, unless you definitely want "warm".

Cheers Stephan

[CherryOrchards]

Stephan,
Thank you for the info. I was thinking the PAF Pro might work. I would go with both for the neck and bridge. Not sure what the Jackson is made from as it was a 12 guitar run for some store in Texas. This is actually the 13th one made. Long story.

This is a late 90s era Jackson. They used Maple necks and Poplar wings at that time. This guitar is a tank though. Heavy in sound and weight. So I'm wondering if it may be all Maple as it seems to be heavy like those 80s Kramers that were Maple body. Only way to tell would be to sand the metal flake black finish off. Not gonna do that.

Question, did Dimarzio fix the silver topped bobbin Issue? All I remember is the Jem that came out with silver bobbins and the complaint was the silver flaked off. Did that Issue get fixed?

Tried to post a pic but too big.

[darkbluemurder]

Hmm - poplar normally is light weight so if the guitar is heavy it may be something else. Since it's a neck through you also cannot check the neck pocket. Poplar has a yellowish hue whereas maple is usually white or sometimes even pinkish.

No experience with silver topped bobbins.

Cheers Stephan