Skip navigation
Up to Discussions in James Tyler Variax Guitars
250 Views 8 Replies Latest reply: Sep 3, 2012 6:51 AM by TheRealZap RSS
jimbasara Just Startin'
jimbasara
28 posts since
Nov 1, 2007
Currently Being Moderated

Aug 26, 2012 5:56 PM

Anyone swap out pickups on a JTV-69???

The magnetics on my 69 sound bland to me and I want to upgrade them.  The folks at Sweetwater said that they are not integrated with the modelling electronics so they can be swapped out easily.  Have any of you done this, or can you confirm that the pickups can be easily swapped out?

 

Thanks.

  • Sonny1096 Just Startin'
    Sonny1096
    Currently Being Moderated
    Aug 26, 2012 6:29 PM (in response to jimbasara)
    Re: Anyone swap out pickups on a JTV-69???

    I haven't yet, but am considering swapping out the bridge pickup.  I would also be interested to hear from anyone who has already done it, and if there are any special tips/tricks to know about when doing this on the JTV.

  • TheRealZap Expert Line 6 User
    TheRealZap
    11,829 posts since
    Dec 22, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    Aug 26, 2012 7:18 PM (in response to jimbasara)
    Re: Anyone swap out pickups on a JTV-69???

    i've not done it, but here's the wiring diagram: http://line6.com/support/docs/DOC-2496

    doesn't look any more difficult than a regular guitar.

    • jimbasara Just Startin'
      jimbasara
      28 posts since
      Nov 1, 2007
      Currently Being Moderated
      Aug 26, 2012 7:25 PM (in response to TheRealZap)
      Re: Anyone swap out pickups on a JTV-69???

      Thanks for the diagram.  I'll get my Fralins on order and let you know how it goes.

    • toasterdude Just Startin'
      toasterdude
      745 posts since
      Oct 23, 2006
      Currently Being Moderated
      Sep 3, 2012 4:20 AM (in response to TheRealZap)
      Re: Anyone swap out pickups on a JTV-69???

      TheRealZap wrote:

       

      i've not done it, but here's the wiring diagram: http://line6.com/support/docs/DOC-2496

      doesn't look any more difficult than a regular guitar.

      I assume the w1, w2, w3 etc are pads or connectors on the "motherboard" of the JTV? I really should open up one of the ones I have here. If that is true then it can be more cimplicated if you want to do anything different than the wiring that comes with the JTV. For instance on a JTV 69 I would like to have bridge and neck p rails and have the middle position be BR and Neck combined rather than middle pickup.

       

      On my 59 xplants I may want to add a middle pickup and get the same combinations. 1- bridge 2- bridge and middle, 3 bridge and neck, 4 middle and neck and 5 neck. I guess I could hack that by wiring a middle pickup in paralel with both bridge and neck pickups.

       

      I assumed the mobos on the JTVs were all the same? Apparently I was wrong as there must be some way for the JTV to know what mag pickups are wired to it.

  • DrFunk Just Startin'
    DrFunk
    59 posts since
    Apr 25, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Aug 26, 2012 9:51 PM (in response to jimbasara)
    Re: Anyone swap out pickups on a JTV-69???

    Yes! I agree with you...the JTV magnetic pickups sounded bland...So,I swapped them out. I did take the guitar and the wiring diagrams that I got from this site to my local guitarshop. A friend of mine is a guitar tech there, and he did the surgery. I put  a custom Duncan Trembucker in the bridge and 2 Fender Customshop 'Fat Fifties' single coils. It sounds terrific! These are the pickups that are found on the Fender Customshop Showmaster (strat) guitars. Now I have the best of both worlds.Be sure to maintain the string height precisely as this seems to have the greatest effect on whether the Line 6 models sound authentic or not.

    Otherwise,I see no downside here. Good luck in your pick-up swap...

    Funky

    • TheRealZap Expert Line 6 User
      TheRealZap
      11,829 posts since
      Dec 22, 2006
      Currently Being Moderated
      Aug 27, 2012 3:55 AM (in response to DrFunk)
      Re: Anyone swap out pickups on a JTV-69???

      I actually like the JTV stock pickups... and i'd be putting them in more of my guitars if i could...

      but it's all in what you like.

      • toasterdude Just Startin'
        toasterdude
        745 posts since
        Oct 23, 2006
        Currently Being Moderated
        Sep 3, 2012 4:22 AM (in response to TheRealZap)
        Re: Anyone swap out pickups on a JTV-69???

        TheRealZap wrote:

         

        I actually like the JTV stock pickups... and i'd be putting them in more of my guitars if i could...

        but it's all in what you like.

        I may be able to help you with that at some point. I will have 3 sets of the JTV pickups form the 59s and one set of 69 pickups. Not sure If I should sell pickups and 69 neck seperately. Sell the "gutless" guitars or hold onto all of it in case the next gen variax comes out, and I want to upgrade to those electronics, then I could reassemble the JTVs and sell em.

        • TheRealZap Expert Line 6 User
          TheRealZap
          11,829 posts since
          Dec 22, 2006
          Currently Being Moderated
          Sep 3, 2012 6:51 AM (in response to toasterdude)
          Re: Anyone swap out pickups on a JTV-69???

          wow dude, you make my collection of Line6 gear look pitiful.

          hoping to pickup a 69 at some point... i have a 59 now.

          might be a good idea to at least hold onto them while the warranty is active...

          and even after, probably worth posting the extra things at a ridiculous price on ebay a few times just to see if you get any bites.

          i do think that any nextgen stuff would be a ways off...

          i'd like to see a nextgen acoustic or bass myself, but who knows what they're working on?

More Like This

  • Retrieving data ...

Bookmarked By (0)