Installing P-Rails & Triple Shots on a JTV89F. Anyone else tried this?

[Unorthodoxic]

Going to be installing some Seymour Duncan P-Rails and the triple shot mounts to match in a week or so, just waiting on everything to get delivered.

 

My current plan is to solder the neck ground to W1 and the hot to W4&5 on the switch board, and for the bridge, ground to W10 and hot to W6&7. I'd love to hear from someone who's tried this before just to make sure I'm heading in the right direction.

 

[shredjsx]

Honestly before you go through all of that look at the Seymour Duncan pickup rings that have the switches built in, it will make your mod a lot easier

[psarkissian]

Pick-up height from pole piece to the strings will be a factor. Magnetic pull

on the  strings will induce warbling effect into the audio when in Model mode

using the piezos. The pick-ups are turned off in Model mode, but the magnetic

pull will still be there.

 

Being in Liverpool, you may want to seek out Tim Morgan, Shane Blower or

Mark Wright, in the midlands (in the Northampton and Warickeshire areas),

and pick their brains on this. They are the chaps who used to do guitars at

Line 6 Rugby, UK, before it closed. They know their stuff.

[Unorthodoxic]

Honestly before you go through all of that look at the Seymour Duncan pickup rings that have the switches built in, it will make your mod a lot easier

 

That's exactly what I plan on doing :).

 

Pick-up height from pole piece to the strings will be a factor. Magnetic pull

on the  strings will induce warbling effect into the audio when in Model mode

using the piezos. The pick-ups are turned off in Model mode, but the magnetic

pull will still be there.

 

Being in Liverpool, you may want to seek out Tim Morgan, Shane Blower or

Mark Wright, in the midlands (in the Northampton and Warickeshire areas),

and pick their brains on this. They are the chaps who used to do guitars at

Line 6 Rugby, UK, before it closed. They know their stuff.

 

Can't imagine there will be any addition pull from the P-Rails compared to the original humbuckers in the JTV-89. Unless I'm missing something?

 

Here's a quick diagram of what I'm planning:

 

[cruisinon2]

That's exactly what I plan on doing :).

 

 

Can't imagine there will be any addition pull from the P-Rails compared to the original humbuckers in the JTV-89. Unless I'm missing something?

 

Here's a quick diagram of what I'm planning:

 

I wouldn't expect an official "thumbs up" from L6. As far as they're concerned, mere mortals should never attempt such things. They stop just short of telling everybody to go to an "authorized service center" to change their strings.

[psarkissian]

"I wouldn't expect an official "thumbs up" from L6. As far as they're concerned,

mere mortals should never attempt such things."----

 

On the contrary, being something of a custom tweaker myself during the last four

decades, I get it. But, as a Line 6 person, I need to make people aware of some things.

Do your homework, know what it is you're getting into.

 

There are differing levels of knowledge and skill here. Need to make sure everyone

is aware of what they are getting into,... and I don't want anyone needlessly voiding

their warranties, because of altering some functionality.

For those who don't care about warranties,... as a guitar tweaker, all I can do is wish you luck.

 

 

"Can't imagine there will be any addition pull from the P-Rails compared to the original

humbuckers in the JTV-89. Unless I'm missing something?"----

 

The specs of pick-ups between companies may not be the same, spot-on to a gnats

behind. Seymour's specs might not be the same as our specs,... so just be aware of that

when adjusting pick-up height.

 

 

It's a different kind of cat, you have to cuddle it under the chin a little differently.

 

 

[Unorthodoxic]

Done and all working fine :)

 

[C_note]

Done and all working fine :)

 

 

How does it sound? I'm picking up a 69 in a few days and thinking of doing this mod.

[Unorthodoxic]

How does it sound? I'm picking up a 69 in a few days and thinking of doing this mod.

 

I really like the pickups, plenty of tones to be had. I reversed the neck pickup (as shown in the picture), gives a nice single coil sound that just was possible with the stock pickups coil split. I find the pickups much more vintage sounding than the stock pickups, but it can still do metal/djent stuff with the bridge as a humbucker.

 

Check out some reviews of the P-Rails on youtube, see if you like the sounds on offer.

[toasterdude]

Done and all working fine :)

 

 

 

 

Very cool. Does this mean the pos 2 and 4 do nothing? I have a 89 body here and was trying to figure out how to maybe wire with three pickups. I guess I can run the two leads from the p rails to both where you have yours connected and in parallel to where the plit coil would go. Then on both pickups just put middle pickup in parallel with the leads going to where the split coil would normally go.

[Unorthodoxic]

Very cool. Does this mean the pos 2 and 4 do nothing? I have a 89 body here and was trying to figure out how to maybe wire with three pickups. I guess I can run the two leads from the p rails to both where you have yours connected and in parallel to where the plit coil would go. Then on both pickups just put middle pickup in parallel with the leads going to where the split coil would normally go.

 

Position 2 is the same as position 1 and position 4 is the same as position 5. For what it's worth I ended up going back to the stock humbucker on the bridge, so I just have the one p-rail in the neck now.

 

Wouldn't have a clue regarding three pickups sorry.

[psarkissian]

Need special switch for a 3 pick-up version,... like what Oz Noy has.

Can't think in terms of passive guitar electronics anymore with these.

[jaminjimlp]

I am interested in putting a Fernandes Sustainer in my 89-F, Not positive but I believe that any pick up can be used for the Sustainer position (neck pickup). If so I would just leave the original JTV pickups, just not sure if it could use the same battery as the JTV. Would love to hear if it's been done already by someone. 

[toasterdude]

Need special switch for a 3 pick-up version,... like what Oz Noy has.

Can't think in terms of passive guitar electronics anymore with these.

Not sure I agree. I have a three pickup firebird with more tele stule pickup setup. It has JTV 59 electtonics and a separate switch to add middle pickup to the mix.

 

If we have an 89 working with two p rails and not doing coil split on pos 2 and 4. If we have poa 2 and 4 doing the same as pos 1 amd 5, adding a third pickup to position 2 and 4 should be doable.

[psarkissian]

It's active electronics, so there are subtleties of the circuitry that have to be careful of.

Turning Oz Noy's customized two pick-up 89F into a three pick-up version required certain

different switch and a circuit mod to match the impedances in magnetic mode, without pulling

down the circuitry in model mode.

 

The custom guitar luthier (with my guidance) did the initial work, then it came to me for some

fine adjustments to the circuitry. 

 

The 59 switching is a little different, but yes, it is do'able. But you have to know what you're

doing and know the circuitry well. It's not something for anyone to do. It's easy for me because

after servicing and repairing 1,500 of these guitars over the last six years, I have intimate

knowledge of the circuitry, and so I know what's do'able and what isn't.

 

Just be careful with mods, what works today, might crash down tomorrow. Some mods you

can get away with, others you won't.

 

 

Happy hunting. Rock On!

[toasterdude]

It's active electronics, so there are subtleties of the circuitry that have to be careful of.

Turning Oz Noy's customized two pick-up 89F into a three pick-up version required certain

different switch and a circuit mod to match the impedances in magnetic mode, without pulling

down the circuitry in model mode.

 

The custom guitar luthier (with my guidance) did the initial work, then it came to me for some

fine adjustments to the circuitry. 

 

The 59 switching is a little different, but yes, it is do'able. But you have to know what you're

doing and know the circuitry well. It's not something for anyone to do. It's easy for me because

after servicing and repairing 1,500 of these guitars over the last six years, I have intimate

knowledge of the circuitry, and so I know what's do'able and what isn't.

 

Just be careful with mods, what works today, might crash down tomorrow. Some mods you

can get away with, others you won't.

 

 

Happy hunting. Rock On!

I would gladly send to you for any mods but I believe you are on the other side of the pond?

[psarkissian]

Calabasas, CA.

Did the mod for Oz and others as a favor for high profile Line 6 endorsers and the boss.

The mods for Oz was done by guitar luthier Touch Singleton, and I just did some tweaks

to the electronics.

 

Mods are not something I normally do, as we do not have a custom shop here. And I have

a steady stream of regular service repairs.

 

I do have a colleague in Northampton, UK, who used to be my opposite number over there,

when Line 6 had location there. He has his own shop, Mark Wright Music, and still services

Line 6 gear, including guitars.

[toasterdude]

Calabasas, CA.

Did the mod for Oz and others as a favor for high profile Line 6 endorsers and the boss.

The mods for Oz was done by guitar luthier Touch Singleton, and I just did some tweaks

to the electronics.

 

Mods are not something I normally do, as we do not have a custom shop here. And I have

a steady stream of regular service repairs.

 

I do have a colleague in Northampton, UK, who used to be my opposite number over there,

when Line 6 had location there. He has his own shop, Mark Wright Music, and still services

Line 6 gear, including guitars.

Nice. I work for a company with their US office in Whittier. It seems each time Line6 has an open house it is the  day after I fly out of LAX, lol. I am going to NAMM again this year as we are streaming the live concerts outside. Only had a few minutes last year to hot L6 room to see the Helix Rack and Firehawk amp. Currently have 10 JTV xplants with 2-4 more in the works.

 

Funny part is I never notice the slight differences different body woods causes. Likely because I am using mags and models at the same time. I have also read several times that the xplant has to be same scale length as donor. Most of mine are not and either I am deaf or don't notice whatever problems may be caused.

 

I also have a variax acoustic 700 that needs new piezos and two variax nylons. One has been transplanted. The other is stock. Want to fix piezos on the acoustic 700 and maybe put the electronics in a solid body tele style guitar.

[psarkissian]

Piezos for the old version are still available. Check with Full Compass.

 

You're not deaf, it's something that's subtle, some hear it and some don't.

I hear it, but then, I've worked on 1,500 of these.

[jaminjimlp]

It's active electronics, so there are subtleties of the circuitry that have to be careful of.

Turning Oz Noy's customized two pick-up 89F into a three pick-up version required certain

different switch and a circuit mod to match the impedances in magnetic mode, without pulling

down the circuitry in model mode.

 

The custom guitar luthier (with my guidance) did the initial work, then it came to me for some

fine adjustments to the circuitry. 

 

The 59 switching is a little different, but yes, it is do'able. But you have to know what you're

doing and know the circuitry well. It's not something for anyone to do. It's easy for me because

after servicing and repairing 1,500 of these guitars over the last six years, I have intimate

knowledge of the circuitry, and so I know what's do'able and what isn't.

 

Just be careful with mods, what works today, might crash down tomorrow. Some mods you

can get away with, others you won't.

 

 

Happy hunting. Rock On!

So is the Fernandes Sustainer do'able? Are you familiar with it? 

[psarkissian]

Don't use it.

 

The two voltages won't be compatible,... go passive not active. And

there isn't enough space in the cavity for that and the JTV electronics.

 

If the pick-ups by themselves have a bulk resistance between 6k to 8k-Ohm,

then it's possible to insert them into the existing JTV circuitry.

 

You'd be better off just going with custom wound Seymour Duncan pick-ups

like Oz Noy did. Has a nice bite to it when in magnetic mode.

 

 

One other thing, any mods that alter the functionality of Line 6 guitars, will

void any warranties. String tree retainers and strap locks are not a big deal.

 

Just don't use too long a screw on the strap locks, a number of people have

shorted out their electronics and voided their warranty doing that,... and I had

to deal with results. Not a good thing.

 

 

Be very careful with mods. Line 6 does not endorse mods, and especially

ones that alter the function of the instrument. I'm here to give you all friendly

advise regarding this.

[jaminjimlp]

Don't use it.

 

The two voltages won't be compatible,... go passive not active. And

there isn't enough space in the cavity for that and the JTV electronics.

 

If the pick-ups by themselves have a bulk resistance between 6k to 8k-Ohm,

then it's possible to insert them into the existing JTV circuitry.

 

You'd be better off just going with custom wound Seymour Duncan pick-ups

like Oz Noy did. Has a nice bite to it when in magnetic mode.

 

 

One other thing, any mods that alter the functionality of Line 6 guitars, will

void any warranties. String tree retainers and strap locks are not a big deal.

 

Just don't use too long a screw on the strap locks, a number of people have

shorted out their electronics and voided their warranty doing that,... and I had

to deal with results. Not a good thing.

 

 

Be very careful with mods. Line 6 does not endorse mods, and especially

ones that alter the function of the instrument. I'm here to give you all friendly

advise regarding this.

Wow!!! What brand of strap locks were they???... I just put some Ernie Ball ones on (used the screws that came with it) and it is still working (screw looked about the same length)... I can't void the warranty if I just take the cover off and check right?

 

Warranty aside (I won't try this until it is out of the warranty period) if I routed out the body to fit the other battery and controls could that work? If I went as far as too add a pickup that was solely dedicated to the Sustaner circuit and no connection with the Variax wiring and circuit the it would work independently? I don't know if the Sustainer needs to be in the signal to operate fully... In the latter case I would probably just use a single coil in the middle position. Is this something that could be commissioned? Would line 6 do that?

[psarkissian]

"If I went as far as too add a pickup that was solely dedicated to the Sustaner circuit and no connection

with the Variax wiring and circuit the it would work independently?"--- if you could get it to work that way, yeah.

 

"if I routed out the body to fit the other battery and controls could that work?"--- there will be a change in

tone color, as the density of wood will change when you route it. You may or may not notice it.

 

"Is this something that could be commissioned?"--- out-of-warranty, you would want to find someone in

your area who is good with electric guitar mods. Shop around, check references. There are those out

there who say they're good, and those who are, then there are those who know enough about Variax

and JTV to do a descent job.

 

"Would line 6 do that?"--- afraid not. We don't endorse or support mods. If you were to send your guitar

in the most I would do is make it a stock guitar to the stock specs. I'm allowed to advise what not to do, and

how to not get into trouble with this stuff. And I already have a full plate of work. I kept busy here.

 

The mods I've done for notables, were favors for the bosses, as off-the-clock projects without time constraints.

Put all of that on hold, as I've juggling too many plates in the air lately.