Gibson SG Faded Mahogany- Put A JB Back In Bridge, This Time With A 500K Pot SUCCESS!

[Ryan84]

Originally when I put a JB in the bridge of my SG Faded I hated it. This was months ago, and I blame the 300K pots for dulling the sound and output in an already EXTREMELY dark guitar. I didn't even know enough under the hood of how pot values can throttle back tone and output.

Now....

I know everybody on Duncan says if you use a 500K pot with JB SH-4 your ears will bleed from the treble,the world will end and the space time continuum will be disrupted forever. They also say DO NOT put a JB in mahogany it usually WON'T sound good.

But I decided to man up and give this a shot since this Faded was so dark and I just grew a hatred for the stock 490 pickups (sounded dry as hell). Something had to give.

So I had my tech change all the pots to CTS 500k and added better caps and this guitar is back in business. Only difference is on my amps from Fender to Marshall I turned knob from 6 to 4. No ice pick, just way more output and clarity/punch. Plus, my in between position with the Jazz neck is very clear too and not muddy anymore. Before I found myself turning up treble on my amps unsuccessfully trying to make this SG not sound like mud.

I'm not saying put a 500K on a JB in a super bright Fender, but in a dark SG it worked out good at least for me.

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Gibson SG Faded Mahogany- Put A JB Back In Bridge, This Time With A 500K Pot SUCC

Nice man! It's always good when stuff works out. Beautiful SG as well.

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Gibson SG Faded Mahogany- Put A JB Back In Bridge, This Time With A 500K Pot SUCC

Congrats on finding a solution to your problem.

It's an excellent idea to have a bright pup with a 500K pot for clarity, then just reduce the amp's treble to get rid of the extra high end. You get the clarity with the tone you want.

Good job.

[Ryan84]

Re: Gibson SG Faded Mahogany- Put A JB Back In Bridge, This Time With A 500K Pot SUCC

Nice man! It's always good when stuff works out. Beautiful SG as well.

Thanks I appreciate it!

[ItsaBass]

Re: Gibson SG Faded Mahogany- Put A JB Back In Bridge, This Time With A 500K Pot SUCC

A lot of people describe the JB as being trebly. I don't get it; to me, they seem like they are designed to eliminate treble, and only focus on low and low-mid grunt. They seem like they need 8-billion-Ohm pots to me. Glad it finally worked out for you with a 500K. For me, even 1M pots have not been enough to get the wet blanket off of the tone when using JBs. The only way I would ever use a JB again would be in a single-pickup guitar, in which you didn't have to worry about getting a neck pickup that matched, or in a guitar with a similar sounding neck pickup. That way, I could set the amp in a way that worked for both pickups (i.e. with an extreme rolloff of the low end, and extreme boosting of the high end).

[Ryan84]

Re: Gibson SG Faded Mahogany- Put A JB Back In Bridge, This Time With A 500K Pot SUCC

A lot of people describe the JB as being trebly. I don't get it; to me, they seem like they are designed to eliminate treble, and only focus on low and low-mid grunt. They seem like they need 8-billion-Ohm pots to me. Glad it finally worked out for you with a 500K. For me, even 1M pots have not been enough to get the wet blanket off of the tone when using JBs. The only way I would ever use a JB again would be in a single-pickup guitar, in which you didn't have to worry about getting a neck pickup that matched, or in a guitar with a similar sounding neck pickup. That way, I could set the amp in a way that worked for both pickups.

Goes to show you man we think against the grain. I didn't find it trebly whatsoever with a 500K. And I mean, it was designed for a 250K cause it was put in a TELECASTER. Maybe the most trebly twangy guitar ever even over a Strat.

The reasons I think I always go back to a JB bridge are:

I am almost always an Alnico 5 guy, single coils too.

It's one of the highest output Alnico's at 16.4K.

I play ALOT of Alternative Rock (which it is legendary for). Plus, it covers so many other genres well.

I just never can get along with ceramics, they are good distorted but something about the cleans on them I hate.

Considering all these options there aren't a ton of other pickups that would be right for me.

[Gibson 1964]

Re: Gibson SG Faded Mahogany- Put A JB Back In Bridge, This Time With A 500K Pot SUCC

I have liked the JB and have used it only with 500k pots. The JB is a good sound. Not my main sound by any means, but a good sound that works for a lot of players.

[Ryan84]

Re: Gibson SG Faded Mahogany- Put A JB Back In Bridge, This Time With A 500K Pot SUCC

I have liked the JB and have used it only with 500k pots. The JB is a good sound. Not my main sound by any means, but a good sound that works for a lot of players.

Glad it works for you too! I'm surprised people don't use it more often in Gibson's with a 500K since they tend to be dark sounding guitars anyways. Especially mahogany at least to my ears.

[speed2dirt]

Re: Gibson SG Faded Mahogany- Put A JB Back In Bridge, This Time With A 500K Pot SUCC

Yea, I think this forum unjustly gives the JB a bad rep. It is a classic for a reason. All the hate over how it doesn't work in Les Pauls when history shows us numerous people have played/recorded successfully with a JB in a Les Paul, just shows how fickle this forum can be. The sad part is that some people will never try some of these pickups because a few outspoken opinions. I had no intention of ever trying a JB because of the general concensus, but found a good deal on a custom shop JB in P-90 housing for my '70s Tribute LP and have been supremely happy with it. To me, it's hot but with a vintage vibe. It can crunch well and do some good thrash, but roll off the volume and it can do the blues and classic rock. It's extremely versatile.

An eye opening experience was seeing Seymour at the last UGD sound amazing with a cheap Schecter loaded with JB/Jazz pickups. Right then I knew what the JB could truly do.

[Ryan84]

Re: Gibson SG Faded Mahogany- Put A JB Back In Bridge, This Time With A 500K Pot SUCC

Yea, I think this forum unjustly gives the JB a bad rep. It is a classic for a reason. All the hate over how it doesn't work in Les Pauls when history shows us numerous people have played/recorded successfully with a JB in a Les Paul, just shows how fickle this forum can be. The sad part is that some people will never try some of these pickups because a few outspoken opinions. I had no intention of ever trying a JB because of the general concensus, but found a good deal on a custom shop JB in P-90 housing for my '70s Tribute LP and have been supremely happy with it. To me, it's hot but with a vintage vibe. It can crunch well and do some good thrash, but roll off the volume and it can do the blues and classic rock. It's extremely versatile.

An eye opening experience was seeing Seymour at the last UGD sound amazing with a cheap Schecter loaded with JB/Jazz pickups. Right then I knew what the JB could truly do.

I totally agree man. I remember reading in an article I think something like 500,000 JB humbuckers have been sold. So I don't really understand the hate when it's sales track records are the polar opposite. I think it's usually from metal players who say it doesn't stay tight enough in very low dropped tunings. I can't really think of any criticisms I have with the JB in both my SG and Jaguar along with the Jazz matched in the neck. Extremely versatile and dynamic.

It reminds me of TheGearPage and how a lot of times I tend to NOT like the brands that they love, yet I like a lot they hate. For example I can't get into digital multieffects all the times I've tried (even Strymon and Eventide). And that's what's on everybody's pedalboard. I tend to like mostly the older analog pedals for modulation and only really use digital for delay and reverb.

That's ok with me though I like to form my own opinion of what I like the tone of. Forums can get really caught up in the herd mentality. Although on the most part, both here and TGP people usually are very nice and helpful. Even if they disagree whether something sounds good or not. But I do notice a lot of "DON'T DO/USE THIS FOR THAT", or "THIS WON'T WORK" talk that's for sure. When every guitar, wood, neck combinations yields different tones.

[whatshisname]

Re: Gibson SG Faded Mahogany- Put A JB Back In Bridge, This Time With A 500K Pot SUCC

I've never understood why people say that the JB, and mahogany, don't play well together. Granted, everyone hears things differently, but, it's one of my favorite combos. And, yes, I use 500k pots, too. That mid spike, that people tend to complain about, is what I LIKE about it.