[Counterstriker]

I have a Vantage VS-695, that I tried to sell, but can't. So I decided to jerry-fy it on a budget - and my budget is pretty much buying 1 Pickup I can't get a middle pickup routed. It's just to much. So I want to know would a Super 2 in the neck still be close to the jerry tone? Did jerry ever use his neck pickup in rosebud? and yes I will have it be able to coil cut.

thank you!

[czyfingers]

The middle is really the spot to nail it. You could try it and make it so when split, the bridge facing half of that super 2 is active, but I have a feeling that in that spot it's still going to sound to "neck pickup" like and not have the treble bite you want for Jerry tone. That spot on the strings just come with a tone that is always going to be there, regardless of what pickup you're using. It's not a bad tone, but probably just not the one you're looking for. If you can't unload the guitar, you could always try it and if it's no good, you could use the super 2 in a nother guitar later on. You're going to need it anyway, no matter what guitar you use for Jerry stuff.

[DeadlyHeptet]

Counterstriker, no guarantees, but send me info on the Vantage; condition, how much you need to get for it, etc. I know someone who buys them and I can pass your info on to him.

[mijknahs]

Maybe even the bridge pickup with the coil that is closest to the neck? Sometimes my bridge pickup sounds very similar to the middle pickup as long as it is the north coil.

[playingdead]

Unfortunately, I don't think you can really get there from the neck position ... I have three Super IIs in my Tiger, and was thinking about dropping one in my PRS in either the bridge or neck slot, but after doing some experimenting with both the bridge and neck pickups on the Tiger, you just can't quite get that same tone. Sounds too thin in the bridge and too dark in the neck. Think about how different the three pickups on a Strat sound, just an inch or two of position makes a large difference in tone.

[mijknahs]

Which coil? North or South? If it's the one closest to the bridge in the bridge pickup, it's going to be WAY too thin and brittle sounding. The North coil sounds much better in the bridge position. Quite useful. It's nails the country Jerry sound. But it absolutely has to be the north coil.

[strumminsix]

Unfortunately, I don't think you can really get there from the neck position ... I have three Super IIs in my Tiger, and was thinking about dropping one in my PRS in either the bridge or neck slot, but after doing some experimenting with both the bridge and neck pickups on the Tiger, you just can't quite get that same tone. Sounds too thin in the bridge and too dark in the neck. Think about how different the three pickups on a Strat sound, just an inch or two of position makes a large difference in tone.

It is very amazing. Part of the charm of my Jackson is the location of the neck pickup being closer to the bridge.

[mijknahs]

Also, if you want to split the coil in the neck, make sure its the coil closest to the bridge that is active. It will sound much better (opposite of the bridge).

The best thing for the middle pickup (if you have one) is a switch that toggles between the north and south coil. I found I never use the middle in series (just too muddy) and sometimes I like the north coil and sometimes the south coil. The north coil is more full sounding and sweet sounding but the south coil cuts through more and has a more nasal tone (which reminds me more of the '81 tone).

[playingdead]

North coil in the bridge, south coil in the neck. Closer on the bridge than the neck, but no cigar ... easy enough to tell when you can A/B with that middle pickup.

I get the country sound with the bridge Super II as a humbucker, YMMV

[mijknahs]

I'm not saying it sounds like a middle pickup but if you only have a neck/bridge to work with, and didn't want to mod the guitar, that's what I'd do.

I actually have a Les Paul with a coil tap switch and it sounds pretty good. No, it doesn't sound like Tiger with the middle pickup but it still sounds 70's Jerry-ish with either pickkup (country with the bridge, mellower stuff with the neck). And in series it gets a great '68-'71 tone.

[keirweir]

I may be going a bit against the grain here but I frequent my neck PU here and there to get a 90's JGB tone. That neck setting with a good chunk of reverb can really capture that JGB era. I find picking down over the north side of the bridge PU on neck with good chunk of reverb really nails it.

The middle PU however is my first choice.

[Chuckles]

Excellent point Keir! People don't pay enough attention to the difference in where they are picking... one guy's picking on the same axe is going to sound very different from another's if they pick in a different place. So many variables...