JB just doesn't sound the same... Ideas?!

[mikesaidthis]

What's up. I have had a SD JB in the bridge position of my Korean Epi LP Custom for about 4 years now. Has always been a perfect combination. Nice, kinda bright pickup in a slightly darker guitar, I love it. Well, loved... recently, the guitar sounds darker, and less responsive, even playing through the same gear. The only thing I have done is change strings from D'Addario 11's to DR Tite Fit 11's. Shouldn't have made a huge difference... and even when I first put them on, I didn't notice the change in my tone. Anyone have any clues? I'm contemplating just stripping it and re doing everything. Oh, one more thing... the neck pickup is the stock Epi pickup... cause I never use it on this guitar, and it still sounds the same as always I think... However, I can't be too sure as I rarely/never use it. Thanks for the help.

If I can't figure it out... any suggestions on a new pickup for it?

[FuseG4]

Re: JB just doesn't sound the same... Ideas?!

If all your other gear has not changed, I bet it IS the strings.

D'addario uses a hexagonal core and then the nickel plated steel is wrapped around that, leading to a bright sound.
DR uses a round core for their wound strings leading to a warmer sound.

String brand, tension, construction... that stuff makes a big difference! Maybe you didn't hear it at first and it took a while for your ears to hear the changes?

Pickups don't usually change their sonic character as far as I know, even over decades alnico magnets hold their charge very well.
Sometimes they can become degaussed if you leave the pickups in the presence of a strong magnet for a long time, for instance if you always lean the guitar up against the amplifier and you speaker has a big magnet. However even that is still probably a negligible effect.

There's the small possibility that your guitar is "breaking in". Even though it has a thick finish on it, years of vibrations may still have the effect of evening out minute spots of natural tension between the wood and the hardware, the neck and the body, and even microscopically in the cell walls of what used to be... a tree.

Anyways I would see if you can compensate by dropping the pickup a millimeter or so and raising the pole piece screws.
Oh yeah and try switching back to D'addarios.
If that doesnt work, try a brand new full strength, polished alnico 5 magnet, or try a ceramic magnet.
If that doesn't work, then think about a new pickup.

[Rockstar216]

Re: JB just doesn't sound the same... Ideas?!

Did you change the height of your pickup?

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: JB just doesn't sound the same... Ideas?!

One easy way to find out. Put on a fresh set of daddarios like the set you used to have on and see if that fixes it and we can go from there.

[L'Jerome]

Re: JB just doesn't sound the same... Ideas?!

Does your amp possibly need new tubes? Re-tube and bias if they are old. This will liven up a dull sounding amp up like you wouldn't believe.

Happy playing!

Jerome

[beaubrummels]

Re: JB just doesn't sound the same... Ideas?!

I'm with Fuse and Fallofthebone. If you only change one thing and the sound changes, that one changed thing is the first thing to suspect.

[darthphineas]

Re: JB just doesn't sound the same... Ideas?!

If it's been in there 4 years and now you have a problem, might be best to be patient as follow some of the previous recommendations.

But if you are considering different strings, there is also GHS and Ernie Ball and Dean Markley. I've bought a few guitars from a builder that uses La Bella as their OEM and they are great too.


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[Letus]

Re: JB just doesn't sound the same... Ideas?!

D'Addario 11's made my Epi Les Paul come to life, in a way, and sound at once more aggressive and balanced. They're excellent for everything from pinch harmonics to thrash-metal tones, and make a huge difference unplugged.

[Johtosotku]

Re: JB just doesn't sound the same... Ideas?!

Are you sure the bridge height didn't change accidentally when changing the strings?

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: JB just doesn't sound the same... Ideas?!

Really?

You changed string brands, got a different sound you didn't like and proceeded to blame the pickup? Oy Vey.

[mikesaidthis]

Re: JB just doesn't sound the same... Ideas?!

All good suggestions. Thanks!

Yes. I blamed the pickup. I have used the DR Strings on other guitars that once had D'Addario's and didn't notice the same change. I don't know what it could be... so I'm just looking for suggestions to fix it, or a reason to gut it and start over.

[Gibson 1964]

Re: JB just doesn't sound the same... Ideas?!

Just change to the same type of strings you had before.

It isn't the pickups.

[dystrust]

Re: JB just doesn't sound the same... Ideas?!

+1 on the string change.

I recently switched from D'Addarios to DR Tite Fits (after playing DR a few years previously) because I didn't like how bright the D'Addarios were comparatively. It may also have taken a bit for you to notice due to string break-in.