JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

But with the EMG's the 85 should be in the bridge and the 81 in the neck. I would swop those puppys around and give that a try till you figure out what you want for passives in that git box.

+ 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 999

[Mad-Max]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

Yeah the full shred will get you there. Not as powerful as the JB and some folks would argue it's a little more sterile sounding but I love the thing. For what you're doing it'll need some help in the lower mids from your amp. Frankly I think the JB even with its higher output has better cleans than the full shred though. Has more warmth and sweetness, but there is a bit of twang to it. FS cleans are more airy and neutral, but emphasize the presence of the notes, and are less likely to distort when picked hard. The FS works very well for lower tuning because the wider vibration of looser strings fills in the lows and lower mids without garbling up: same with warmer sounding woods. In terms of treble, the FS has about the same amount as the JB, it's just that the bass and mids are reserved so it's less obnoxious sounding. JB on the other hand has boosted upper mids that carry the highs and give them more cut, and a spongier and warmer bass. Both are very dynamic sounding for their respective outputs but the FS is more so.

That being said the EMG 81 is a very focused and rather compressed pickup with heaps of midrange and treble. However its lack of headroom prevents it from getting certain frequencies of harmonics that things like the JB and FS can get, even though harmonics leap out of the 81 from the compression, gain, and tone. Overall both the JB and FS should sound even brighter than the 81 after the switch.

So a 250k pot JB will be your best bet. It will tame it's highs and take twang off the cleans. BUT try it with the 500k first. If it's unmanageable to your ears then switch to the 250k pots. Maybe your problem is that the EMG has a compressed high end so every note has this kind of sharpness you don't like that you can't really dial away without taking the highs that you like to have with it. In which case a JB would serve you well because it's tone is more flexible both with your hands and your EQ.

This totally explains a lot. I've been an advocate of the JB for quite sometime, so I've gotten used to the characteristics of that, and that must be why I'm not a fan of the EMG 81 all that much. I like a more dynamic sounding pickup.

Quick question, is there any pick-up that's like the JB but with a tighter bass? Or is there any way to tighten up the bass on a stock JB? Just curious. I heard that a Alnico 8 can really tighten it up, but I also heard that it's just for balls out metal, and I need something that can achieve more than just balls out metal.

[dvanburen]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

Quick question, is there any pick-up that's like the JB but with a tighter bass? Or is there any way to tighten up the bass on a stock JB? Just curious. I heard that a Alnico 8 can really tighten it up, but I also heard that it's just for balls out metal, and I need something that can achieve more than just balls out metal.

DD is like jb but tighter bass. You will get a high end fizz that some done like. I dont mind it, but its there. You can tighten up the bass on the jb by putting in an a8 mag but you will get a real screamer of a pickup. It'll become a one trick pony that will do nothing but yell and cuss at you. If that's what you want then go for it. Havent played an alt8 but if you like the jb sound, I think that and the distortion are the way to go for you

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

This totally explains a lot. I've been an advocate of the JB for quite sometime, so I've gotten used to the characteristics of that, and that must be why I'm not a fan of the EMG 81 all that much. I like a more dynamic sounding pickup.

Quick question, is there any pick-up that's like the JB but with a tighter bass? Or is there any way to tighten up the bass on a stock JB? Just curious. I heard that a Alnico 8 can really tighten it up, but I also heard that it's just for balls out metal, and I need something that can achieve more than just balls out metal.

Distortion would be a gnarly choice but it's cleans are a little too sharp for my taste, and maybe yours. In December I'm making a custom shop pickup that tries to take the eq curve and response of the Pearly Gates but brings it to the JB's output level, so similar to a dimebucker but less compressed but with a more raw vintage flavor and warmth. If you're willing to pay double for the pickup from the custom shop you're more than welcome to that design. Or you could also try the Custom 8. People love it here.

[darthphineas]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

there's a reason the JB has been THE model that people have been choosing for over 35 years.

any man that doesn't like the JB is the same sort of dude that is married to someone that makes him squat to pee.

[dvanburen]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

there's a reason the JB has been THE model that people have been choosing for over 35 years.

not me man. And not a lot of people..

any man that doesn't like the JB is the same sort of dude that is married to someone that makes him squat to pee.

i'm not married and i piss like a dude. You seem so offended if someone doesnt like the jb. Its ok, but its not that great..

[Mad-Max]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

Distortion would be a gnarly choice but it's cleans are a little too sharp for my taste, and maybe yours. In December I'm making a custom shop pickup that tries to take the eq curve and response of the Pearly Gates but brings it to the JB's output level, so similar to a dimebucker but less compressed but with a more raw vintage flavor and warmth. If you're willing to pay double for the pickup from the custom shop you're more than welcome to that design. Or you could also try the Custom 8. People love it here.

Couldn't I mess with the screws too? Maybe swap a row out for some Hex Screws to possibly tighten it up a little bit?

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

Couldn't I mess with the screws too? Maybe swap a row out for some Hex Screws to possibly tighten it up a little bit?

Yep, people do that too. But frankly dude, at stage volumes, the sponginess of the JB dissipates and it sounds just as tight as anything else. At least in my experience.

[Mad-Max]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

Yep, people do that too. But frankly dude, at stage volumes, the sponginess of the JB dissipates and it sounds just as tight as anything else. At least in my experience.

That's why I said that I can deal with the sponginess, but making it tighter would help enhance the tightness it better. I mean, my Mesa is already extremely tight as it is, so I wouldn't have any problem with tightness, but tightening the JB up would definitely help if I were playing on different amps and such, depending on which amp.

I'm still torn on whether the JB would be too bright in the guitar I'm considering changing the pickups in.

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

That's why I said that I can deal with the sponginess, but making it tighter would help enhance the tightness it better. I mean, my Mesa is already extremely tight as it is, so I wouldn't have any problem with tightness, but tightening the JB up would definitely help if I were playing on different amps and such, depending on which amp.

I'm still torn on whether the JB would be too bright in the guitar I'm considering changing the pickups in.

Try what's already been suggested first and flip the 81 and 85's positions and see if that doesn't work wonders for you first. Then if not, give the JB a try. If you can't stand the JB then try 250k pots. If you can't stand that then raise the screw side polepieces a little more and lower the pickup slightly to diminish a little bass. Then if that does't work add the hex poles after taking out the screws. Then if that doesn't work add a metal pickup cover on it to dim the highs and output. And if that doesn't work switch magnets and pots around until it does. And if that doesn't work buy Dimarzio.

[Mad-Max]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

Try what's already been suggested first and flip the 81 and 85's positions and see if that doesn't work wonders for you first. Then if not, give the JB a try. If you can't stand the JB then try 250k pots. If you can't stand that then raise the screw side polepieces a little more and lower the pickup slightly to diminish a little bass. Then if that does't work add the hex poles after taking out the screws. Then if that doesn't work add a metal pickup cover on it to dim the highs and output. And if that doesn't work switch magnets and pots around until it does. And if that doesn't work buy Dimarzio.

I can't say that I'll not stand the JB, because I like the tone it gives, and I've heard it perform successfully in guitars similar to mine, but I guess it's just a matter of trying it for myself.

I'm thinking maybe I can put the Hex screws in it to tighten it up, and then use some 250K pots to tame any access high end I might run into.

[dr. ad]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

does the guitar have a floyd or a TOM?

if you already have a JB in the other guitar, have you considered a distortion, demon, etc in this one? IMO, they cut through in a similar way and are a little more and a little less than a JB, respectively. both do surprisingly good cleans too

[dvanburen]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

The JB is awesome.

its ok. i like it in superstrats. hate it in about everything else. Do you not hear the midrange honk in that pickup?

The Custom isn't fit to lick the JB's beanbag.

Dude, the jb's low end sucks ass. its flubby and non-existent comparted to the custom. Do you not hear that either? I figured you would considering you seem to think you are the messiah of tone with your cute little JB..

Anyone who had crappy tone should pull that Custom out and put a JB in there instead.

i say the same thing but i swap the words jb and custom in that sentence. because the jb has a weird midrange thing. and the low end is flabby and weak

The JB doesn't work for someone, let me introduce them to these little knobs on the amp that affect tone. Tone is that thing that people that hate the JB know nothing about when they get off the short bus for their gig playing at the Tick-Tock Inn down next the interstate on the county line where Miller Lite really is considered champagne.

Naw man naw. My custom can kick your jb's ass man. I aint gonna stand for this bull crap. This is "Merica dude. I'm going down to the tick tock inn and im gonna be gettin' all gussied up on Millier lites, then me and you's gonna have it out over this one dood!! U better get ready honky, I'm gonna warm up yer damn forehead!...

ha ha, I love how pissed off you get when someone disses on your precious! Your funny man. Cheers

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[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

If /when you swap teh EMGs,try a 60 @ the nk...

[darthphineas]

Re: JB in an Alder body, with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

its ok. i like it in superstrats. hate it in about everything else. Do you not hear the midrange honk in that pickup?

Dude, the jb's low end sucks ass. its flubby and non-existent comparted to the custom. Do you not hear that either? I figured you would considering you seem to think you are the messiah of tone with your cute little JB..



i say the same thing but i swap the words jb and custom in that sentence. because the jb has a weird midrange thing. and the low end is flabby and weak



Naw man naw. My custom can kick your jb's ass man. I aint gonna stand for this bull crap. This is "Merica dude. I'm going down to the tick tock inn and im gonna be gettin' all gussied up on Millier lites, then me and you's gonna have it out over this one dood!! U better get ready honky, I'm gonna warm up yer damn forehead!...

ha ha, I love how pissed off you get when someone disses on your precious! Your funny man. Cheers

Sent from my armored Shortbus using tapa tapa talk

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