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Help me choose my JB / 59 wiring configuration

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  • Help me choose my JB / 59 wiring configuration

    Hello,

    I'm planning to install a JB and a 59 (4 conductor version) in my LTD EC-256.

    The guitar has 3 pots:
    - 1 bridge volume with push-pull
    - 1 neck volume with push-pull
    - 1 concentric pot for bridge tone and neck tone (no possibility of push-pull)

    I'm hesitating between two wiring options:

    Option 1: 1 push-pull to split the bridge PU, 1 push-pull to split the neck PU.

    Option 2: 1 push-pull to split both pickups, 1 push-pull to reverse the phase on the neck pickup.

    Option 1 would allow me to split the pickups independently, so in the middle position I could use one pickup in SC mode and one pickup in full HB mode.
    Option 2 would give me the out-of-phase tone in the middle position, but wouldn't allow me to split the pickups independently.

    So, specifically for the JB / 59 pickups, which is more important?
    Do the JB / 59 sound great together when one is in SC mode and the other is in full HB mode, or is this tone useless?
    Does the out-of-phase tone sound great with the JB / 59, or is that tone useless?

    Thanks!

  • #2
    Welcome to the forum. My vote would be for option 2. I haven't found the single/humbucker thing to be that useful. But it's a personal thing.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by ArtieToo View Post
      Welcome to the forum. My vote would be for option 2. I haven't found the single/humbucker thing to be that useful. But it's a personal thing.
      Artie, I haven't done this mod in so long I've forgotten the specifics. Can a humbucker be put in parallel with a single push pull switch?

      If so, that's what I would opt for.

      Use one switch for the neck pickup and the other for the bridge pickup.

      It's a much better, fuller sounding "single coil like" tone than split and the pickup remains humbucking.

      “Practice cures most tone issues” - John Suhr

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      • #4
        Yes. It can. http://duhvoodooman.com/musical/humb...lel_switch.gif
        “Practice cures most tone issues” - John Suhr

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        • #5
          I would do option, 2, but instead of changing phase, I would use it to switch between parallel and series for neck.

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          • #6
            I wouldn't do the out of phase thing electrically.

            If were going to do it I'd flip the magnet of one pickup like Gibson does on a stereo ES-355.

            Or like Peter Green did (perhaps accidentally) to his '59 Les Paul.

            Sounds better.
            “Practice cures most tone issues” - John Suhr

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            • #7
              I agree with everyone above. I'd parallel rather than phase. But again, it's a personal taste thing.

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              • #8
                I like option 1. Phase isn't a sound that is used well often. Simplicity is generally what I go for, though.
                Administrator of the SDUGF

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                • #9
                  I would use option 1 to set neck as SC and back the volume for rythm or cleans then keep the bridge as a HB with volume crancked for high gain rhythm and leads.
                  Who took my guitar?

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                  • #10
                    One 'bucker full and one split (your potential middle position with option 1) is one of my favorite sounds. I use it with both full bridge/split neck, and full neck/split bridge. I personally love it for high-gain, liquidy lead tones.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by ArtieToo View Post
                      I agree with everyone above. I'd parallel rather than phase. But again, it's a personal taste thing.
                      I had a two humbucker Strat and installed a PG neck and JB bridge.

                      I installed two 3 position mini-switches. One for each pickup.

                      I could get single coil, parallel or series from each pickup.

                      Rarely used the single coil option.

                      Parallel sounded more like a good single coil than the actual single coil option, and was still humbucking.

                      The single coil option sounded thin and plinky to me compared to a real Strat single coil.

                      The JB in parallel reminded me of a good Tele bridge pickup.

                      Not exactly, of course, but it reminded me of one.

                      “Practice cures most tone issues” - John Suhr

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Generally, if I split a humbucker, it's in conjunction with another, to get that quasi Strat notch quack. It's seldom, if ever, that I split a single 'bucker on its own.

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                        • #13
                          Many thanks for all the replies!

                          ​​Option 2 isn't that useful, it seems.

                          According to some replies, I may want to consider a 3rd option, which would be: 1 push-pull to put the bridge PU in parallel, 1 push-pull to put the neck PU in parallel.

                          How good /interesting is the tone in the middle position, when both pickups are in parallel? And when one pickup is in parallel and the other pickup is in series?

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