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After having periodically replied to posts that in any way related to similarities or comparisons between the Alt 8 and JB, or magnet swaps in the Alt 8, I figured I’d share my experience of finally having had both pups in my Parker Nitefly.
For some reason I’d thought I’d read somewhere that an A5 mag in an Alt 8 is very close to a JB. Now that I have the JB loaded, imo there are some similarities, but not really very close overall.
An A5 in the Alt 8 makes it a much better pup imo, by making it more focused, taking away some of its excess bigness, which imo was just too much, tightening up its bass, and improving its leads. I’d thought I could live with it, but after viewing so many you tube clips (especially that impressive one where a guy goes thru all the SD high output pups in a row), after recently deciding to start up home recording after a 10 year hiatus, and after finding I missed edgier pups (the Alt 8 feels smooth to me) when I put a Norton in my strat, I decided to take a chance on the JB.
So far I’m glad I did. While leads aren’t quite as big or sustaining as the Alt 8 with A5, they are just as sweet sounding, but there’s also more hair and bite on the notes (but not as much as the Norton). The Alt 8 was just too smooth in comparison, and that includes chugging rhythms too. Chord notes are also clearer with the JB. And the notorious upper mid spike isn’t as bad as I expected. Maybe it just fits this guitar.
The bass is also less pronounced on the JB, which means notes are clearer and less the bass thick overall, but the sponginess I’d read about is certainly there. The Alt 8 with A5 had a harder attack. But I’m getting used to the mild sponginess and feel it may help the attack in the higher registers by adding chewiness.
As with the Norton, I was concerned after hearing that these would lock me into an 80’s type of sound, but I really don’t hear it, maybe because I don’t write those types of tunes, or maybe because the Parker kinda has its own sound.
I’m happy so far, but like all the other pup changes I’ve done, it will take a few weeks before I know for sure. But so far the JB has been the best bridge pup in this guitar. A Custom was my other consideration, and I wrestled over that choice.
In case anyone ever cares..lol
For some reason I’d thought I’d read somewhere that an A5 mag in an Alt 8 is very close to a JB. Now that I have the JB loaded, imo there are some similarities, but not really very close overall.
An A5 in the Alt 8 makes it a much better pup imo, by making it more focused, taking away some of its excess bigness, which imo was just too much, tightening up its bass, and improving its leads. I’d thought I could live with it, but after viewing so many you tube clips (especially that impressive one where a guy goes thru all the SD high output pups in a row), after recently deciding to start up home recording after a 10 year hiatus, and after finding I missed edgier pups (the Alt 8 feels smooth to me) when I put a Norton in my strat, I decided to take a chance on the JB.
So far I’m glad I did. While leads aren’t quite as big or sustaining as the Alt 8 with A5, they are just as sweet sounding, but there’s also more hair and bite on the notes (but not as much as the Norton). The Alt 8 was just too smooth in comparison, and that includes chugging rhythms too. Chord notes are also clearer with the JB. And the notorious upper mid spike isn’t as bad as I expected. Maybe it just fits this guitar.
The bass is also less pronounced on the JB, which means notes are clearer and less the bass thick overall, but the sponginess I’d read about is certainly there. The Alt 8 with A5 had a harder attack. But I’m getting used to the mild sponginess and feel it may help the attack in the higher registers by adding chewiness.
As with the Norton, I was concerned after hearing that these would lock me into an 80’s type of sound, but I really don’t hear it, maybe because I don’t write those types of tunes, or maybe because the Parker kinda has its own sound.
I’m happy so far, but like all the other pup changes I’ve done, it will take a few weeks before I know for sure. But so far the JB has been the best bridge pup in this guitar. A Custom was my other consideration, and I wrestled over that choice.
In case anyone ever cares..lol
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