New JB Modding Experiment

[JB6464]

I really would like to try a JB/59 hybrid, wondering how different it would sound compared to the Custom/59 hybrid.

[zionstrat]

I really would like to try a JB/59 hybrid, wondering how different it would sound compared to the Custom/59 hybrid.

I've been waiting for somebody to do a 59 JB or a custom JB... I love the JB for its second position split for very quacky Strat sound but I find the humbucker tone more and more limited over the years. I keep hoping that someone will try a hybrid so the JB coil can continue to quack but the other coil provides a more useful humbucker.

[TheCanadianNews]

Initial impressions from the J8 ("jate") are positive:
In my Les Paul, I would describe the tone as precise, chunky, and definitely powerful output. I am deacribing it closely to a Duncan Distortion mixed with the vowel like attack of the usual JB.

For comparison, I was using a A4 overwound (9k) PAF for the Custom Shop before swapping. I love that pickup, but I wanted something that could handle progressive/fusion music better for fast lead runs. Different flavors! I use Gibson Quick Connects with separate pickup rings to make the swap in under 5 minutes.

In overall tone, I hear a slight mid/bass increase, and a treble decrease. I was concerned the JB elements would harsh my impression, but I find it pleasantly fluid sounding, if you listen for it. It's definitely not overbearing, which was my goal of an A8 swap and 'airing' the magnet. For reference, I am using a Bogner Ecstasy with the controls close to noon, "Tight" excursion switched, and Bright 2 engaged.

I played some parts from Tool (Schism, Stinkfist, The Pot) as well as Aerosmith (Walk this Way, Last Child) and it did very well! Easily finds Plexi and high gain EL34 tones. I did find it to be a bit too powerful with the same settings to accurately reproduce Yes (Roundabout) where a true PAF tone might be desired. There is no sense of loose/flab response, so the largest discrepancy is in feel.

As a final thought, it cleans up very nicely. There is something I particularly appreciate about a powerful humbucker rolled back to 5 that something like a PAF cannot quite execute.

I'll post more as I use it.

[TheCanadianNews]

I've been waiting for somebody to do a 59 JB or a custom JB... I love the JB for its second position split for very quacky Strat sound but I find the humbucker tone more and more limited over the years. I keep hoping that someone will try a hybrid so the JB coil can continue to quack but the other coil provides a more useful humbucker.

This is a genius idea. Describe what you mean by "more useful humbucker"?

[AdrianSD]

Initial impressions from the J8 ("jate") are positive:
In my Les Paul, I would describe the tone as precise, chunky, and definitely powerful output. I am deacribing it closely to a Duncan Distortion mixed with the vowel like attack of the usual JB.

For comparison, I was using a A4 overwound (9k) PAF for the Custom Shop before swapping. I love that pickup, but I wanted something that could handle progressive/fusion music better for fast lead runs. Different flavors! I use Gibson Quick Connects with separate pickup rings to make the swap in under 5 minutes.

In overall tone, I hear a slight mid/bass increase, and a treble decrease. I was concerned the JB elements would harsh my impression, but I find it pleasantly fluid sounding, if you listen for it. It's definitely not overbearing, which was my goal of an A8 swap and 'airing' the magnet. For reference, I am using a Bogner Ecstasy with the controls close to noon, "Tight" excursion switched, and Bright 2 engaged.

I played some parts from Tool (Schism, Stinkfist, The Pot) as well as Aerosmith (Walk this Way, Last Child) and it did very well! Easily finds Plexi and high gain EL34 tones. I did find it to be a bit too powerful with the same settings to accurately reproduce Yes (Roundabout) where a true PAF tone might be desired. There is no sense of loose/flab response, so the largest discrepancy is in feel.

As a final thought, it cleans up very nicely. There is something I particularly appreciate about a powerful humbucker rolled back to 5 that something like a PAF cannot quite execute.

I'll post more as I use it.

That's good work, thanks for the time you took to document it. Really curious how/if the JB8 with a treble bleed mod will work together to give you a PAF-ish like tone, just by adjusting the volume to taste. Though from my understanding PAF implies a rather mid scooped sound and JB is anything but scooped, regardless of the magnet used.

[GuitarDoc]

I really would like to try a JB/59 hybrid, wondering how different it would sound compared to the Custom/59 hybrid.

I tried that hybrid several years ago. The funny thing is that it still sounded essentially like a JB. No matter what you do to a JB, it still sounds like a JB (or at least it still retains that defining JB upper mid tone sound).

[TheCanadianNews]

Does anyone know what makes a JB, a JB? Winds, gauge of wire, balanced/imbalanced coils, etc would all enlighten the topic as we consider mod options.

[TheCanadianNews]

One of the defining things about a JB that is noticeably different is how it handles clean vs. dirty amps. I actually find I use my volume knob on my guitar more with the J8 versus when I have a PAF. With the PAF, it is more organic, but I find the volume knob does cost some power behind the sound. A rolled back JB gets that dialed back thing useful in heavier music that can only happen with a high gain amp and high output pickup. That is unique to these types of designs.

By comparison, I have not been a huge fan of the clean sounds it produces, and brings me to back to why I switched to PAFs. It can only go into high gain territory with drive pedals. For example, running Green on my Ecstasy is either clean or a singing Dumble esque thing. Both are great, but you cannot get a pushed tone.

[Mincer]

Yes, a clean JB is....an acquired taste. I never have acquired it.

[ArtieToo]

Yes, a clean JB is....an acquired taste. I never have acquired it.

Oddly, the import "designed" version strikes me as being slightly smoother, or warmer. It's hard to put adjectives to subtle differences.

[jeremy]

Does anyone know what makes a JB, a JB? Winds, gauge of wire, balanced/imbalanced coils, etc would all enlighten the topic as we consider mod options.

16k would suggest #44 wire. balanced coils as most duncan buckers are. wind? youd have to unwind one to find out. not sure how any of that really helps with mag swaps though

[zionstrat]

This is a genius idea. Describe what you mean by "more useful humbucker"?

Less of the mid Spike and a decent clean tone. Of course you can get this with many other Duncan pups but again I love that JB coil against the middle coil for quack in number two position.

[TheCanadianNews]

16k would suggest #44 wire. balanced coils as most duncan buckers are. wind? youd have to unwind one to find out. not sure how any of that really helps with mag swaps though

I take somewhat of a scientific approach to swaps. If you can quantify it, you can target characteristics.

[Ashurbanipal]

Interesting. I'm also one of those for whom the regular JB isn't a thing - bit too hot and the quality of the mid is idiosyncratic. I have 'aired' other hot pups over the years and aside from lowering their output a bit, it also reins in the mid, so might be worth attempting.

But, it must be remembered that the JB had its debut in the later 70s, when amps had less gain and most were still non-mv. I should think plugging a JB loaded guitar into a non-mv Marshall would certainly balance out the qualities of such an amp (same principles behind the DiM Super D). We've got so many amps and pedals with infinite gain these days, and a JB, which remains more or less the same, won't necessarily be to everyone's taste in such a scenario.