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Old 2004-08-12, 13:49
Party Time 2000
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Used Pickup Identification

I've bought a couple of used guitars and I cannot tell what types of pickups
they are. My '98 American Strat most likely has stock single coils.

My '84 B.C. Rich Stealth on the other hand, has two black humbuckers.
That's all I know of them. I believe that they are active since I have a
battery feeding into them when I open it up. Does anyone know how
to I.D. unknown pickups??
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Old 2004-08-12, 14:16
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You can be certain that they are active when there is a battery providing power.
But if there is no identifying features on the pickups, you can prolly be sure its not an known "brand" pickup, since big brands always put their name on it (for example, EMG and seymour duncan do this always)

An option would be to open up your guitar and look if theres anything on the back of the pickups that might identify them.

Anyway, how do they sound?
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Old 2004-08-12, 14:31
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get pics.
 
Old 2004-08-12, 16:05
Party Time 2000
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This is the best one I have for now. I'll get some better pics when I change my strings next.

When I first removed the pickups, I did not see any names or anything.
The screws were somewhat 'rusted'. I wonder if they're the original pickups
that came with the guitar. They are wrapped in black electrical tape and kinda rotate side to side but are still held firmly in place.

The tops of the pickup bars (The small silver cylinders, twelve per pickup, I don't know the name) are different for both the pickups I have. The bridge pickup 'caps' are counter sunk into the pickup. The neck pickup 'caps' are concave down (like a nip-on).

To my ears, they sound great. However, my limited playing experience does not allow me to accurately compare them to others. Great chugging sound when palm muting.

They have a problem when I play multiple strings simultaneously. What ends up happening is:

When the gain of my Mark III JCM 2500 into Marshall 2x12 celestions is turned up halfway (into the nice tube distortion stage) I get:

1 string = sounds clear
2 strings = sounds clear with the exception of a 'weird spot'
3 or more strummed (like a barre chord) = sounds muffled and not clear. The notes suffocate eachother.

The weird spot that I have mentioned is if say, I hold a 8th fret low e note (letting it ring), then I hit a 10 fret D string note, the sound starts to vibrate, like I have chorus on or something.

When I try to play as clean as possible, strummed chords sound okay.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Stealth pictures.jpg (27.1 KB, 323 views)
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Last edited by Party Time 2000 : 2004-08-12 at 16:24.
 
Old 2004-08-12, 16:58
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I can't tell what it is from that pic, but they look to be different from each other.

eh about that weird spot, it might be a worn fret or something, try and figure out what it is, a friend of mine had an ancient gibson lp which had soft spots on some frets too, he got it refretted and it played like a dream ever since.
 
Old 2004-08-12, 19:37
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Damn, nice stealth! Now switch out that Kahler Flyer for a Kahler Pro

if you know the model of the guitar you can e-mail bc rich an ask them about the stock pickups.

Those dont look active, meaning the battery is powering some sort of Boost or a built in effect. Figure out what all switches do... it could be some kid of extremely retarded coil-tapping configuration.

And their was NOTHING etched into the back of the pickups??
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Old 2004-08-12, 19:40
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yeah, it might be some kinda booster circuit like jackson has. I dunno... looks weird though, theres loads of switches and shit on your guitar.

have you opened up the back yet? if theres a feed to the pu's then it is active, one way or another, a booster shouldn't power the pickups, since they're placed in the loop before the jack connector. (or BC Rich has some weird ass system, I have no clue)
 
Old 2004-08-13, 16:25
Party Time 2000
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This is what I received after I emailed the tech support at B.C. Rich my serial number.

"Here's what the serial number log states:

NECK THRU MOHAGANY STEALTH - BLUE PEARL - KAHLER TREM - 1984

It was made at the custom shop in California. From the pic it looks to have a coil tap, phase reversal switch, and a booster preamp. We call this "Partial Electronics."
It almost has the same electronics as a Bich Supreme (the mother of all BC Rich USA models)

That's about all the info we have here."


I'll put a new set of strings on my stealth this weekend. I'll open it up and double check everything and acquire as much info as I can. I'll also take the battery out and see if it still works. (would that indicate a passive/active?).

The nut has been tampered with in the past. It has a locking nut on it now where before it had something else. See the triangular plastic piece? There used to be a rectangular piece because I can see the outline of the headstock 'finish' and two old screw holes. (See attached Pic)

This link to this dude's website is pretty cool. It's got intro music so watch the volume. Ronz BC RICH SITE

Go to 'Catalogues'
Then to '1983'
Then go to the fifth page and it has the specs and Rick Derringer holding his beauty (he designed the guitar and layout)

It says that the tremelo was optional and that there was a genuine bone nut.

It also says " 2 specially wrapped and wired humbucker pickups"

So you see, I still don't know what they are and why I am asking you fellows to help me out.

Yeah, I love my Stealth!
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Stealth pictures 4.jpg (16.0 KB, 228 views)
__________________
We will use the lamb
to catch the tiger,

but we don't use the
fish to feed the pussy.

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Last edited by Party Time 2000 : 2004-08-13 at 16:27.
 
Old 2004-08-13, 17:27
xdislexicx
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that's an ugly fuckin guitar.... but it has some nice specs...
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Old 2004-08-13, 19:15
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UGLY??!?!?!?!
HOW DARE YOU!

It has Passive Pickups. Most likely crappy stock.

So replace the flyer with a Kahler Pro and put some quality Passive's in there and you've got an even better guitar.

I dont understand what your asking about the nut..
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Old 2004-08-13, 19:50
Party Time 2000
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I'm just saying that the nut has been modified. Perhaps someone bought it without the kahler and then sent it into the custom shop and added the kahler bridge. That may explain the change from the bone nut to the locking nut. I would have thought that at that time, they would have switched (I don't know if they have yet) from stock pickups to better pickups.

About the 'Ugly' comment. To each his own. It plays extremely well and is very comfortable. It takes balls and confidence to play an axe like the stealth and the more I practice, the more I can back it up.

You may not like it xdislexicx but if I wanted to fit in, I would've bought a strat. Oops, I already own one!
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We will use the lamb
to catch the tiger,

but we don't use the
fish to feed the pussy.

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Old 2004-08-13, 20:38
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Id kill to own a stealth, exspecially one with a kahler and those fun doo-hickies
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Old 2004-08-13, 22:10
xdislexicx
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BLS


UGLY??!?!?!?!
HOW DARE YOU!


just look at it....
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Old 2004-08-13, 22:21
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Old 2004-08-16, 12:26
Party Time 2000
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Well, I'm a tit. I opened it up and they are both Dimarzio Humbuckers. Now I just gotta find out which ones they are. They are also passive. The battery powers up the preamp and other "doo-hickies". Hey BLS, why don't you go over and maim up xdislexicx for me. I may consider giving you the stealth...

xdislexicx: What do you play. Show me a picture.

PS Yeah, Chuck Rules!
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We will use the lamb
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Last edited by Party Time 2000 : 2004-08-16 at 12:29.
 
Old 2004-08-16, 13:27
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Stealths are awesome! But at the moment i'm stuck with my warlock
How much did you pay for it?
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Old 2004-08-16, 14:30
Party Time 2000
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I got (what I think and know) a killer deal. Some guy off of Ebay. I did a search for one out of the 'blue' and it popped up. At the time, I kinda gave up looking for them because I couldn't find any to buy or try out for myself. I took a huge chance never having played one before and that it was ebay.
The guy only had one real bid on it with two days to go. I tried to provide some reasoning for him by saying that the bid war at the end may only get him another $50 or so. I said that I'd give him an extra $200 over the current bid plus shipping. He gladly accepted and I bought for approximately $1000 U.S. It's ridiculous how much of a deal I got for it. I still can't believe it. When it crossed the border, I had to pay another 100 or two for CAN tax. Came out to $1600 CAN, with coffin case (which is easily $250 U.S.) Check out the B.C. Rich website and it shows the price list for the Stealth that I most likely have is $2400 U.S.

I just checked the website and it's completely changed! I'll have to look around for the link. I found it under custom shop before.
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Old 2004-08-16, 19:40
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Stealths are NOT common guitars, they are all american made. On the back of the pickups did it say any numbers?
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Old 2004-08-16, 22:23
xdislexicx
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Party Time 2000
xdislexicx: What do you play. Show me a picture.


well.... i don't have any actual pics of them... but here's some pics i found online.
i have an early 90's ibanez rg570 with some modifications.... disabled floyd style edge trem,dimarzio tonezone in the bridge,sperzle locking tuners, sanded down neck, ect..... plays like a dream.... it truely is a relic to me.

i also have an ibanez pgm30 with similar modifications.... but i'm selling it because, whats the point in having two guitars that are so much alike?....
i want to have several guitars that are nothing alike, more versitility and options.

but yeah, stealths might be good guitars and extremely rare.... but my god guitars like that look retarded imo.
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Old 2004-08-16, 23:02
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Awesome, you have a Paul Gilbert model???

Keep the gilbert.. sell the common ass rg
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Old 2004-08-17, 04:06
xdislexicx
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BLS
Awesome, you have a Paul Gilbert model???

Keep the gilbert.. sell the common ass rg

yeh, it's cool.... but i'm selling the pgm... i find myself more attached to the rg..... common or not... it just... i dunno, feels more natural.... it's got my sweat and blood in and on it(litterally).... i guess i just like it more....

but i can get more out of the pgm, because i bought it new and it's in muxh better condish, not to mention rare and discontinued, it's the 2000 series pgm30, which is one of the nicer ones they've made......
it's funny kinda... i never knew who paul gilbert was until i bought this guitar.... now i love him to death... this guitar isnt you normal signature style guitar, it's quality..... i paid like $600 for it new(hella discounted..)... then made $150-$200 in upgrades, locking tuners, wiring,bridge pu,ect..... it really is a sweet guitar.... i'm going to make it as close to stock again when i sell it....
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Old 2004-08-17, 16:25
Party Time 2000
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I don't recall seeing anything else but "Dimarzio - Made in USA" I'm going to try and locate some photos online.

xdislexicx:
"Whats the point in having two guitars that are so much alike?....
i want to have several guitars that are nothing alike, more versitility and options. but yeah, stealths might be good guitars and extremely rare.... but my god guitars like that look retarded imo."


Well, the guitars in your photos have a common shape with strats except the double cutaway is a little more pointy. The body of those guitars are all over the place. Considering that Leo Fender and Les Paul were arguably the first electric guitar makers, everything is pretty much based off of their designs. I suppose that you don't like any of the BC Rich line-up then? They have all kinds of different looking guitars. Look at the Bich and the Mockingbird. What are your opinions about them?

Check out the gunslinger... looks like your guitar. Which one came out first?

BC RICH BODY CHART

I just browsed through the Ibanez website and they, OMG, signed Mick from Slip-not, and another fella from Dudvayne. Bring on the nu-metal. B.T.W. Mick *was* with BC Rich. Too bad, we lost a good one...
__________________
We will use the lamb
to catch the tiger,

but we don't use the
fish to feed the pussy.

http://www.myspace.com/lordpartytime2000

Last edited by Party Time 2000 : 2004-08-17 at 16:28.
 
Old 2004-08-17, 19:14
xdislexicx
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Party Time 2000
I don't recall seeing anything else but "Dimarzio - Made in USA" I'm going to try and locate some photos online.

xdislexicx:
"Whats the point in having two guitars that are so much alike?....
i want to have several guitars that are nothing alike, more versitility and options. but yeah, stealths might be good guitars and extremely rare.... but my god guitars like that look retarded imo."


Well, the guitars in your photos have a common shape with strats except the double cutaway is a little more pointy. The body of those guitars are all over the place. Considering that Leo Fender and Les Paul were arguably the first electric guitar makers, everything is pretty much based off of their designs. I suppose that you don't like any of the BC Rich line-up then? They have all kinds of different looking guitars. Look at the Bich and the Mockingbird. What are your opinions about them?

common shape with strats eh?.... play an rg and then play a strat... being a double cutaway guitar doesnt mean it's strat like at all...... but i see what you mean.
as for b.c.'s i dislike most of them... the mockingbirds at least don't look too ridiculous... but most stock bc's sound like ass and the newer ones arent comfortable at all....

Quote:
Originally Posted by Party Time 2000
Check out the gunslinger... looks like your guitar. Which one came out first?

BC RICH BODY CHART

i'm not sure which came out first, but that gunslinger totally screams jackson...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Party Time 2000
I just browsed through the Ibanez website and they, OMG, signed Mick from Slip-not, and another fella from Dudvayne. Bring on the nu-metal. B.T.W. Mick *was* with BC Rich.

ha! lame.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Party Time 2000
Too bad, we lost a good one...

no you didn't.......
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Old 2004-08-17, 19:46
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xdislexicx
but most stock bc's sound like ass


some can say the same about Ibanez

or any low end model for that matter.
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Old 2004-08-17, 20:47
Party Time 2000
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BC Rich do sell plenty of low end guitars, that's for sure. I see all these bronze series warlocks and beasts at the shops around here.

I also see low end Ibanez in the shops selling as well.

Well, I'm a fan of BC Rich. The guitar I have is totally high quality. The next one I'm going to buy from them is the 10-string bich! There was one for sale in town but it had a tiny crack in the neck. Too bad, I would've bought it then and there. As for the Mockingbird, Slash has used one and Chuck also. I'll stay away from the Warlock because it's closely related to nu-metal but then again, Kerry King uses them.

As for your 'ridiculous' comment about the Mockingbird:

What do you base your ideal body shape off of? From your comments, it sounds like you're a mainstream guitar owner and plan to be one in the future. I guess if you want to look like everyone else, stick to what's the norm. Am I correct?
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Old 2004-08-18, 03:36
xdislexicx
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Party Time 2000
What do you base your ideal body shape off of? From your comments, it sounds like you're a mainstream guitar owner and plan to be one in the future. I guess if you want to look like everyone else, stick to what's the norm. Am I correct?

not really, the best guitar i've played imo was a parker fly deluxe.... and as most would say they're uglier than shit.... but i think the not only look good... but they play and sound better than almost any other guitars. prs,gibson,jackson,ibanez,fender, ect... not of them can touch parker imo.

i like good sounding and playing guitars that also look good.... the majority of bc's fail to meet one or more of those requirements.
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Old 2004-08-18, 04:51
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Parkers are a different breed of guitar indeed....

They sound way to thin for my taste. I also dont like that glass like fretboard. But the SS frets are soooo nice.
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