JB awww sound when clean

JimmyO

JimmyO

New member
On my charvelish partscaster I have a JB in the bridge and 59 in neck. (Alder body, maple neck, Floyd rose). With overdrive both pickups sound great, and with distortion the JB really delivers the goods. No problems with boominess from the 59.

However when clean the neck 59 sounds great, the middle position is heavenly, but switching to the JB in the bridge there is a really noticeable awwww tone. None of my other humbucker guitars with various PAF style pickups have this and I'm used to a smoother transition from neck, middle to bridge.

Is there anything I can do with the existing setup to get a smoother transition, and if not what bridge humbucker matches better with a 59 neck. Something versatile without the awwwww tone. (Here my head starts spinning due to all the options - 59, custom custom, pearly gates, APii, Custom hybrid, screaming demon, WLH, perpetual burn, etc etc). I keep going back and forth about swapping the JB because for overdriven lead tones it sounds so good.
 
Re: JB awww sound when clean

To me, without any fancy wiring, is the JB's weak point. That weird clean sound, that I can't find a use for. To be fair, almost no one uses the clean sound because it sounds so good into a boosted Marshall. The clean sound is ear-fatiguing to me, and since I play clean most of the time, I can't use it.
 
Re: JB awww sound when clean

Installing a push pull to put the JB in parallel can give a slightly more vintage PAF sound when clean with some guitar/ amp combinations..Not a perfect solution by any means but thought I would mention it.
 
Re: JB awww sound when clean

Mincer said:
To me, without any fancy wiring, is the JB's weak point. That weird clean sound, that I can't find a use for. To be fair, almost no one uses the clean sound because it sounds so good into a boosted Marshall. The clean sound is ear-fatiguing to me, and since I play clean most of the time, I can't use it.
Click to expand...

What would you suggest pairing with a 59 neck pickup for blues, classic rock and overdriven tones up to early 80s Van Halen levels. I need a good clean tone without the awwww.
 
Re: JB awww sound when clean

The "awwww" sound is the sound of a low resonant peak. A hot humbucker like a JB is supposed to have a low resonant peak, but if you have a large capacitance in you wiring it will sound even more "awww" like. Try plugging straight into the amp with a really short guitar cable to make sure it's actually the fault of the pickup. If it turns out that it is the pickup, you'd want to get a classic PAF type humbucker with a DC resistance between 7.5k and 8.5k in order to get a higher resonant peak and a good clean tone.
 
Re: JB awww sound when clean

thanaton said:
The "awwww" sound is the sound of a low resonant peak. A hot humbucker like a JB is supposed to have a low resonant peak, but if you have a large capacitance in you wiring it will sound even more "awww" like. Try plugging straight into the amp with a really short guitar cable to make sure it's actually the fault of the pickup. If it turns out that it is the pickup, you'd want to get a classic PAF type humbucker with a DC resistance between 7.5k and 8.5k in order to get a higher resonant peak and a good clean tone.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. I plug straight into a tweed Princeton clone with a short Fender cable, and also got a second opinion direct into a Mesa Lonestar. The JB doesn't have a terrible clean sound but it sounds a bit like engaging a cocked wah going from the 59 to the JB for clean tones. With overdrive the JB starts to sound more awesome.
 
Re: JB awww sound when clean

Yeah it's a age old dilemma that has led to all sort of promises of new pickups that can somehow do it all. The DiMarzio 36th Anniversary bridge or the Pearly Gates bridge are good choices if you want something that barks when dirty, but sounds decent clean.
 
Re: JB awww sound when clean

The DiMarzio 36th Anniversary bridge or the Pearly Gates bridge are good choices if you want something that barks when dirty, but sounds decent clean.
Click to expand...

The 36th Anni Bridge is an excellent choice. It's also VERY close to the VHPAF they discontined, which is another excellent versatile humbucker (if you can find one).
 
Re: JB awww sound when clean

I think the Duncan 78 CS model has excellent cleans as well. I use it in the bridge with an A2 Pro in the neck and they are are a fantastic combo clean or dirty.
 
Re: JB awww sound when clean

The JB is wound too hot to give a good clean tone. It sounds like mud. It lacks highs. Just a lot of upper mids.

You can switch it into parallel which should clean it up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: JB awww sound when clean

I would think something more PAF-based would be better for you, like a 59/Custom Hybrid. It does all levels of gain well, sounds great clean, and gets a good split sound. I have one of mine in an ash Warmoth. I think the higher output pickups will fail in the clean department, and you lose dynamics.
 
Re: JB awww sound when clean

Interestingly enough, I don't find that the older JBs (like the JBJ era and The JB Model) have that same awww tone.

After going through all of the different iterations of the JB for a series of articles on my site, this week is when I publish an overall comparison as well as personal favorites. It's already written, but will be live Wednesday morning.

The double cream nylon bobbin The JB Model was sent in to the custom shop and it was suggested it was actually Seymour's handiwork.
 
Re: JB awww sound when clean

darthphineas said:
Interestingly enough, I don't find that the older JBs (like the JBJ era and The JB Model) have that same awww tone.

After going through all of the different iterations of the JB for a series of articles on my site, this week is when I publish an overall comparison as well as personal favorites. It's already written, but will be live Wednesday morning.

The double cream nylon bobbin The JB Model was sent in to the custom shop and it was suggested it was actually Seymour's handiwork.
Click to expand...

Sounds cool, didn't know there were double cream Duncan pickups. My JB is a stock model from about 1994 and was my first aftermarket pickup when I was in high school and full of piss and vinegar. Knowadays I'm agreeing that a paf style pickup is more my style.

So am considering the suggestions of Pearly Gates, PAF 36th, 59/custom hybrid and 78 custom shop.
 
Re: JB awww sound when clean

DavidRavenMoon said:
You can switch it into parallel which should clean it up.
Click to expand...


This is the answer.

Get a Seymour Duncan TripleShot ring or a push-push knob so you can switch the JB in and out of series/parallel. I like the JB as a neck pickup but have it on a TripleSHot so I can get series/parallel and splitting options, which greatly expand the functionality of the JB. I have it paired with a Custom in the bridge of an all-mahogany neckthrough with maple cap and Floyd, and it's an excellent combo IMO.

As for double-cream Duncans, they're few and far between. I have a double-cream 59 that I used to make a pair of JB/59 hybrids, which are also great.
 
Re: JB awww sound when clean

JimmyO said:
Sounds cool, didn't know there were double cream Duncan pickups.
Click to expand...

Officially there isn't. The reason is that DiMarzio still has a trademark on double cream bobbins, even though they state on their FAQ that the standard color of their pickups is black.

What I've heard is you can order one from the custom shop, but it has to be sold with a cover on it! Once you get the pickup, you can remove the cover.

It will be noted that you will see two brands of pickups with double cream bobbins; Bill Lawrence and Carvin. The reason they can do it is they don't have six poles per coil, as shown in DiMarzio's trademark illustration. [emoji6]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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