The JB "I call BS on everyone" thread

[Aceman]

Stay tuned! Got some of the recording gear re-arranged, have my eye on a pickup platform, got a new vid lighting system....

Sponsored by Acey Deucey Productions.

[Clint 55]

Ace, you kinda remind me of Bowser.

[frankfalbo]

I'm going out on a limb...that when the company that invented them - an artist and a bunch of really smart engineers, decided to change anything - if they though it was in anyway, shape, or form superior, or even different, they would have called it the Super JB or whatever "New and improved" there was. Why? To sell a crap-ton as JB players replaced their old ones and new players swarmed on it because it had or didn't have the one thing that kept them all away.

And yet - that didn't happen did it? Except with Antiquities.

No, nor would it have. Lots of companies make running changes that they think are performance neutral, and then later they decide (whether through customer input or internal efficacy) that they’re not performance neutral. Dimarzio makes running changes all the time. Some old Super Distortions have smaller magnets with a steel bar shim to make up the difference. They didn’t tell anyone, and they didn’t tell anyone when they went back to the correct sized magnet with no shims. And that’s one of their most iconic pickup models.

Btw in my Fishman R&D we can swap and listen to different pickups in real-time. And yes I’ve made it known that my double cream butyrate JB, a prime JBJ, and a newer production JB were all involved, and everyone in the room heard the differences as clear as day. Most were trained eared professionals but not all. Some were there in admin or project management capacity and still heard it.

This is not to suggest or promote Fishman purchases, rather just to say that if you cut your teeth on 90’s-2000’s JB’s and you like them, then keep buying them and enjoy. If you have and prefer JBJs or even older JBs and The JB Model, then check out the Antiquity JB or tell MJ what you like.

But if you do the test right, even just the differences between the new and Antiquity are audible to anyone loosely skilled in the art, and also you can feel the differences under your fingers.

[AdrianSD]

Why is it that a JB can sound shrill, nasal and loose when plugged straight into a Marshall amp, yet the very same pickup in the same guitar can sound tight, fluid and very expressive when using an overdrive as a boost? I'm absolutely in love with the Custom Custom, but for high gain I found myself playing the JB more and more lately through a Maxon OD9 and a Marshall DSL. Beats hands down SD Distortion, few DiMarzio buckers and a custom rewind using Alnico 2.
What's so special about the combination, other than my distorted perception?

[GrilledChickenSalad]

But if you do the test right, even just the differences between the new and Antiquity are audible to anyone loosely skilled in the art

yes

[Lewguitar]

But if you do the test right, even just the differences between the new and Antiquity are audible to anyone loosely skilled in the art, and also you can feel the differences under your fingers.

And that is the very skill that I get flamed for mentioning everytime I mention it. Most of these guys doing comparison videos are simply not skilled players who can shape a note with their fingers. They don't notice nuanced differences under their fingers because they can't play with any nuance. They don't hear differences because they lack the skill to take advantage of those differences. Boy do they hate to have that pointed out.

[Aceman]

Which means that almost every other player, and a good chunk of the listeners, can't tell the difference.

Either the player is too "weak" to sustain the sonic vicissitudes out of it - so the listener has no chance anyway,
Or, my belief, that the listeners are not that astute in hearing
And that EVEN if they are, they will not necessarily prefer the amazeballs JBJ to a factory fresh JB - even IF they can tell them apart.

You are welcome to come over and play Lew - being such an amazing nuanced player. Or is Dave a hack?

[Aceman]

Lots of companies make running changes that they think are performance neutral, and then later they decide (whether through customer input or internal efficacy) that they are not performance neutral.

And lots of changes happen that are totally sound and performance neutral. For example - Gibson changed from long to short tenon necks and no one knew forever. People ONLY started to care once someone showed/told them. Then suddenly the sustain sucked on short tenons. Yeah...right, sure.

And - as with most guitar products, they are NEVER blind tested for sound or preference by the *ahem* vocal public. Which is everyone here saying they want a JBJ or whatever - that I believe couldn't tell which is which.

What your ears say vs what your eyes say when combined with what your mind thinks can all be cleared up with the right presentation.

Let me know when you are gonna be in FL Frank. Unless Lew says you are hack without nuanced fingers too.

[Securb]

And that is the very skill that I get flamed for mentioning everytime I mention it. Most of these guys doing comparison videos are simply not skilled players who can shape a note with their fingers. They don't notice nuanced differences under their fingers because they can't play with any nuance. They don't hear differences because they lack the skill to take advantage of those differences. Boy do they hate to have that pointed out.

You seem to contradict yourself with the quote you cited. You claim only people with the highest acumen can tell the differences between various musical products. FF just stated even product managers and others with no discernable musical skills could hear the difference in the different models of the JB. There are other guitarists beside you and Jeff Beck that can hear and feel the differences in a piece of gear.

[Lewguitar]

Let me know when you are gonna be in FL Frank. Unless Lew says you are hack without nuanced fingers too.

Nice try Troll. No, it's very clear that Frank can hear and take advantage of subtle qualities that you cannot.

But if you do the test right, even just the differences between the new and Antiquity are audible to anyone loosely skilled in the art, and also you can feel the differences under your fingers.

So you, Ace, are clearly not "anyone loosely skilled in the art", or able to "feel the differences under your fingers".

Now are you going to insult Frank Falbo for saying the same things I've been saying?

[LLL]

Hm. Wanna know what I really think?

I call BS on "Vinny" doing whatever he claims he's gonna do in this thread.

It'll never happen, because this thread is just another cry for attention.

BTW, I have an 80's JB with the JBJ sticker and it is a phenomenal pickup.

Been digging JBs since the 80's.

[misterwhizzy]

Well, this is all completely on-brand.

[Aceman]

Hm. Wanna know what I really think?

I call BS on "Vinny" doing whatever he claims he's gonna do in this thread.

It'll never happen, because this thread is just another cry for attention.

BTW, I have an 80's JB with the JBJ sticker and it is a phenomenal pickup.

Been digging JBs since the 80's.

Yes - but is it any more or less phenomenal than a JB I go over to GC and purchase today? Is it even different? And if different - is it preferable to that one? And who can tell and who can’t...

[Clint 55]

Not necessarily more phenomenal, but different. Also cool for a gear head to have a piece of history. I don't think non musicians could tell a difference, but I think most guitarists could tell a difference in the room or playing them. I would be able to demonstrate the difference to 100% of guitarists.

[Obsessive Compulsive]

It depends on the age of the person doing the test. As you get older you lose the ability to pickup up certain frequencies. It's not an opinion, it's a fact and has been proven scientifically. Google it.

That said, the BS is on anyone over 60 claiming to be able to distinguish between a regular JB, a JBJ, Antiquity JB, Chinese JB, etc. Except maybe Keith Richards...lol.