R.D.
Power User
To me the stock JB never sounded right so I've done some testing and I believe I've gotten very close to this broken JB sound.
Unfortunately there would be no way to accurately know where the pup was broken but I seem to recall reading that a prototype guitar at Ernie Ball was made where Eddie could turn the "feature" on and off to experient with a toggle switch.
Which led me to believe it could probably be replicated with soldering a 160k resistor (1%, 250Mw) on the hot lead, total being near enough 180k.
I also replaced the JB polished mag for a roughcast (still Alnico V) magnet straight to a 500k EVH Bourns low friction pot with a Cornell Dubilier Mica Cap - (CD15FD151JO3F - 150PF, 500V, 5%). I guess when the 5150 was built in '83 they may have still been making the JBs with roughcast mags hence the choice.
Boy oh boy is it close. I'd love for you to test this out as well. To my ears it sounds absolutely fantastic and spot on. It's an easily reversed mod anyway.
Ps. I went with the current "look" of the 5150 by choosing the Reverse Zebra, which is I believe is still the Wolfgang pickup? But it's purely just for aesthetics for my own personal enjoyment.
Ps. Ps. Ignore the flux residue in the picture, I forgot to clean it off before taking the picture.
This does sound very similar to what Jalen Guitar did w/ the FW ( Fair Warning ) pickup that Jim Gaustad evidently consulted on ... ?