JB Volume Balance Problems?

[ArtieToo]

I'll toss this in here, (because it's what I do), but don't forget the often overlooked technique of just adding a simple 2-resistor L-pad to attenuate the output, without changing the pup's character. The primary purpose of the L-pad is that it allows the pickup to continue to "see" the same impedance as it would without the attenuator. I just did a quick chart, using three common pot values, and the most likely attenuation values. 3 dB would probably be what you'd most likely use, and I can't imagine exceeding -6 dB. 6 dB would be cutting the output about about in half.

I've included the formula if anyone wants to calculate their own custom values. These are pretty simple with modern calculators. Calculate "Z" first, then plug it into the main formula. And remember to round the resistor values up or down to "standard" values.

[ArtieToo]

If you have dual-volumes, the resistors can just be added to the pot.

[David Garner]

I have a JB/59 set in one of my LPs and they balance fine. The neck is naturally a little more powerful due to its location relative to the fingerboard.

I think the key to the rest is getting the amp cooking a bit. If the amp still has a lot of headroom, perceived volume differences are going to be magnified since hitting the amp harder = louder. If a lot of the headroom is taken up already, hitting the amp harder = more saturated and compressed. You don’t have to be out of headroom but having the amp louder helps.

The other thing is EQ. When setting height, I set the neck pickup first, then the bridge. Then I set the pole pieces for each, mainly looking for balance, but you can also warm or brighten the pickup by raising the pickup and lowering the pole pieces or vice-versatile. But the real key is I usually have the bridge tone control on 5 or 6 and the neck on 10. This takes some of the cut from the bridge but gives you all the cut with the neck.

Set up that way, I can go from bridge to neck and back with no volume loss at all.

[Aceman]

A JB/59 shoved through a raging amp will be a lot more fine than a JB/59 through a Fender on uber-clean

I have never had problems with the blend, but I'm a raging marshall guy. I would say that I can generally get a decent setting by lowering a bridge a little, or raising a neck a little. Emphasis on "a little"