Help identifying Neck "JB" pickup from a MIJ Jackson.

[RoMo9491]

I picked up a 2008 Jackson KE5FR MIJ recently which is/was advertised as having a JB/Jazz set, however when doing some maintenance/mods I had the pickups out and found that the neck pickup is labelled on the bottom plate as an SH4 not an SH2 as a Jazz should be. The bridge is labelled as a TB4 which is fine but I'm very puzzled as to what the neck one is as I've never been aware of a neck JB. I tried searching for info but found nothing conclusive so emailed SD and they said:

"Thanks for reaching out. It's a little tricky to say for sure, however, I would assume because the pickups were OEM for these guitars, they may have just been labeled like this for internal reasons.
Alternatively, this could be a neck version of the JB that was made according to Jackson specs. If that is the case, it would be nearly identical to the Jazz but slightly more mid present.
Jackson might be able to shed some more light on this for you. Because these weren't pickups we sold directly, I am unable to provide too much additional information on this specific set"

Now I thought it interesting that it could be a modified JB being almost the same as a Jazz except that when I did a resistance measure its showing as 16.05k which is more than double that of the Jazz I have in another guitar (measures 7.21K as it should) so seems like it is a neck configured JB?

I have emailed Jackson to see if they can help but haven't heard back yet so thought I'd see if anyone here has knowledge of what it is.

[beaubrummels]

My understanding of "neck JBs" is that they are simply a standard spaced JB with the logo on the other coil and slug/screws turned around.

[RoMo9491]

My understanding of "neck JBs" is that they are simply a standard spaced JB with the logo on the other coil and slug/screws turned around.

That's how I'm perceiving it too but its curious why they would say its a JB/Jazz set when clearly it isn't and not just call it a "JB set" or indeed why a JB neck isn't a standard product

[Adieu]

It's a regular spaced JB

A "JB neck" is just a JB in the neck... like an 81 neck. Or a Super 70 neck. Or a PAF neck. Or a vintage strat neck.

Etc.

As to why it's not promoted more, Duncan loves to market a huge catalog. They want you buying more stuff, not reusing your old bridge pickup in the neck.

[RoMo9491]

It's a regular spaced JB

A "JB neck" is just a JB in the neck... like an 81 neck. Or a Super 70 neck. Or a PAF neck. Or a vintage strat neck.

Etc.

As to why it's not promoted more, Duncan loves to market a huge catalog. They want you buying more stuff, not reusing your old bridge pickup in the neck.

That's not strictly correct though, the orientation is different between bridge/neck locations and this one has been configured for the neck position so its not just a bridge pickup put in a neck position and why still refer to it as a Jazz but maybe that's Jackson literary mistake?. That's why I'm curious as there was clearly a production alteration put in to turn a JB round for use in the neck.

Also if they wanted to pad their catalogue then wouldn't an additional JB Neck model do this perfectly?

[Hsb]

Is it possible a previous owner switched the Jazz ojr for a JB?

[jeremy]

i had an old jackson rhodes that i believe came with a sh4n and sh6b stock. or at least thats what it had when i got it and they guy said it was all stock. not sure the year but it was late 80's/early 90's with the stop tailpiece

[RoMo9491]

Is it possible a previous owner switched the Jazz ojr for a JB?

Yeah thats a possibility but where would he get a neck configured JB?

[RoMo9491]

i had an old jackson rhodes that i believe came with a sh4n and sh6b stock. or at least thats what it had when i got it and they guy said it was all stock. not sure the year but it was late 80's/early 90's with the stop tailpiece

I've seen some of the newer models come with dual Distortions so this could be the case and Jackson simply mis-wrote the specs. I've seen this error in spec listings with this guitar saying it was a bolt on when its a neck through.

[Hsb]

As some of the posts above state, it would probably be just a regular spaced JB in the neck. Im leaning toward that as well. There is no indication that it is a neck pickup. You can put any pickup in any position you like.

[RoMo9491]

Again thats not the case, if you simply put a bridge position pickup in the neck position the slugs/screws/logo will all be the wrong way round. The indication of it being intended for the neck position is the positioning on the pole pieces and screws? I would also assume things would get out of sync when splitting coils too as outer coil would become inner coil etc.

[RoMo9491]

[Demanic]

Of course, some of us would not be bothered by an upside down logo. Though I know that a production instrument probably wouldn't use that, so at some point Duncan made JB's with the logo in the proper place for use in the neck position.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

[St_Genesius]

Off topic, but the Distortion is a crazy good neck pickup. Difficult to balance with a bridge pup, but sounds great on its own.

I've seen some of the newer models come with dual Distortions so this could be the case and Jackson simply mis-wrote the specs. I've seen this error in spec listings with this guitar saying it was a bolt on when its a neck through.

[jeremy]

the neck sh6n is a very cool pup in both positions