EBMM JP15 mods anyone (pickup focused)?

Chewie5150

Chewie5150

Fractal Fanatic
Has anyone swapped pickups on a JP15? I've read varying things about it. First of all mine is a 2018 and EBMM doesnt really have a record of when Dimarzios switched to the quick connects. I suppose i just need to remove to visually inspect. The other thing i've heard about is the cavities not being deep enough for other pickups. I really DO NOT WANT to eff around with routing the cavity. Why do i want to swap pickups? As much as i love Dream Theater its just not my 'tone'. The guitar itself is my best playing guitar but i dont play it as much due to the sound characteristics of the Dimarzio Illuminators. The only clean position I like on these is the middle, with coil tap. Everything else is just so dark to my ears.

My goal would be to put Bare Knuckle Pickup Rebel Yells. I've had them before in a JP6 BFR years ago and it brought that guitar to life. more my sound.
 
I have a JP15 Blueberry Burst, I find the Guitar to be a little bright for my tastes... Also, I saw my Cardiologist this morning and he told me that he spoke to the owner at Bare Knuckle and ordered Custom Pickups for a custom Guitar Build he has. They custom sized the Pickups to fit the pickup cavities in his guitar.
 
That's all interesting to me as I have a JP6 and have thought about swapping them out and I have BKP Rebel Yells in another guitar that I like.
 
Rain said:
I have a JP15 Blueberry Burst, I find the Guitar to be a little bright for my tastes... Also, I saw my Cardiologist this morning and he told me that he spoke to the owner at Bare Knuckle and ordered Custom Pickups for a custom Guitar Build he has. They custom sized the Pickups to fit the pickup cavities in his guitar.
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BKP has amazing customer service. I'll send them a message and see if they've had anyone request pickups for a JP15
 
charliet said:
I installed a Dimarzio Transition bridge with quick connect in my JP15. I like it better than the Illuminator.
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What year is your JP? I'm wondering if mine has the quick connect as well. My JP is 2018. funny, i had a transition in my Epiphone that I took out. I kinda regret it but getting a Nailbomb now instead on that guitar.
 
Been in contact with sales support at BKP they said they could round off the baseplates corners and do tri tabs. They're pretty sure that would drop in. If i wanted covers that would require modding the cavity which i wouldn't bother with. I guess next thing to do is open up the back cavity to see how scared i get with wiring. If its just a matter of color code/matching to existing i have no prob with that.
 
Opened up the cavity to take a peek. I don't think it is all that difficult; from what i can tell the two pickup leads come in at the top and go to either side of that pcb board. fine soldering is all. It'd just be a matter of matching corresponding color codes of Dimarzio to Bare Knuckle. Unless, i'm oversimplifying and I change one wire wrong and I get transported back to 1985. Anything is possible these days. jp15 cavity.jpg
 
Another thing i'm considering for simplicity sake (the quick connects) are to stay with Dimarzio. Also it would cut costs nearly in half compared to the BKP's. Wonder what everyone things of the Super distortions or say Steve's special in the bridge? maybe a PAF Joe in the neck. or any other Dimarzio suggestions?
 
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I really wish Music Man would stop it with all the circuit boards in their guitars. It's the opposite of user friendly or serviceable. I sometimes get the urge to get a Luke again, but that's one of the reasons I never pull the trigger. The other being the tiny frets and unswapable bridge on that particular model.
 
guitarnerdswe said:
I really wish Music Man would stop it with all the circuit boards in their guitars. It's the opposite of user friendly or serviceable. I sometimes get the urge to get a Luke again, but that's one of the reasons I never pull the trigger. The other being the tiny frets and unswapable bridge on that particular model.
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I feel ya. They certainly don't make it easy to change things up.
 
Chewie5150 said:
Another thing i'm considering for simplicity sake (the quick connects) are to stay with Dimarzio. Also it would cut costs nearly in half compared to the BKP's. Wonder what everyone things of the Super distortions or say Steve's special in the bridge? maybe a PAF Joe in the neck. or any other Dimarzio suggestions?
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If i'm not mistaken Mark Day uses the super distortion in his Les Paul Lifeson
 
Chewie5150 said:
I feel ya. They certainly don't make it easy to change things up.
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I'm actually wondering what happens if a pot mounted on a circuit board needs replacing. Best case scenario, you need to buy the pot directly from Music Man, which takes forever, and soldering on circuit boards is not something for the tinketer with faint of heart.

Worst case? I'm afraid to even ask...
 
rickster71 said:
If i'm not mistaken Mark Day uses the super distortion in his Les Paul Lifeson
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Funny you mention Mark Day. first of all, it was his youtube vids where i first discovered the Axe Fx Ultra. I was sold. Second, his playing is sick. Third, he influenced my choices over the years in pickups. EMG blackouts, Suhr Doug Aldrich to mention a few. The guy has great tastes for high gain. I really liked the Suhr's i had in my EBMM Axis years ago.
 
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