Has anybody tried the JB split in the Neck?

[mongrollo]

I've already posted something similar in Tips and Clips but i wasn't so lucky. I hope i'll have a better one here.

Recently i have tried the JB in the bridge split/paralle and it has a very nice single coilish tone. Something like a tele. I was dealling with the idea of replacing the neck humbucker with another Jb and use it in the same way.

The final configuration will be a set of JB's with a mini-switch to go from single to parallel.

Any suggestions?

[RG 2570]

Re: Has anybody tried the JB split in the Neck?

I've already posted something similar in Tips and Clips but i wasn't so lucky. I hope i'll have a better one here.

Recently i have tried the JB in the bridge split/paralle and it has a very nice single coilish tone. Something like a tele. I was dealling with the idea of replacing the neck humbucker with another Jb and use it in the same way.

The final configuration will be a set of JB's with a mini-switch to go from single to parallel.

Any suggestions?

have you considered the stag mag for this purpose?

[ArtieToo]

Re: Has anybody tried the JB split in the Neck?

To reinforce what RG said, I just put a pair of Stag Mags in a guitar with switches to be able to select north or south poles in either the bridge or neck position. By far, my favorite sound is the neck position with either the north/both/south selected. I may replace the bridge SM - which is ironic since the SM is designed to be a bridge pup.

[mongrollo]

Re: Has anybody tried the JB split in the Neck?

have you considered the stag mag for this purpose?

Actually i did. But somebody from this forum told that the Jb has a more Fenderishs tone when split comparing with the StagMag.

The Jb that I already have it is nickel covered so i would like to keep the looks of the guitar with both pickups looking the same. But also the nickel cover wiil provide some shielding to the pickup when split so it will avoid some hum.

Artietoo

You are one of the very few that uses this pickup and your experience makes me reconsider the StagMag. Did you tried it in parallel? My experience with other pickups tells me that a humbucker keeps much of the split sound when wired in parallel. That would be very usefull when playing on noise enviroments...

[mongrollo]

Re: Has anybody tried the JB split in the Neck?

Oh sorry! Artietoo, you already had tried in parallel. How would you describe the sound? Is it like the single coil one?

[ArtieToo]

Re: Has anybody tried the JB split in the Neck?

Oh sorry! Artietoo, you already had tried in parallel. How would you describe the sound? Is it like the single coil one?

The term "parallel" can be used two different ways here, so let me make sure you understand how I use mine.

With my "split" switches in the middle, both p'ups are wired as normal humbuckers. That is, each p'up is in series relative to itself if I have the 3-way in the neck or bridge position. If I put the 3-way in the center position, the two p'ups are then in parallel with each other.
In other words, completely ordinary, twin-humbucker operation.

Now, I can take either "coil-split" switch, and select the north or south coil, individualy. That operation is independent of the 3-way switch. Which means, I can have, 15 different combinations.

But, one single pickup never has its own coils in parallel on to itself.

Each one of the 15 different combinations yields a slightly different tone, but I don't think of it as 15 different usable sounds. More like, the ability to zero in on two or three tones that are just right. The three most usable tones, oddly enough, are the three different positions of the neck p'up:

North, humbucker, or south. I don't find the bridge Stag Mag to be quite as useful, and thats why I'm thinking of replacing it with my C5. I'm also thinking of transplanting both of these over to the Strat before I make that decision.

I'm still hoping to post some clips of the different positions real soon. Maybe in a day or so.

[ArtieToo]

Re: Has anybody tried the JB split in the Neck?

Ooops . . . left out an important fact. One of the reasons I'm going to switch these to the Strat is, the Patriot has an unusually wide bridge. So much so, that the outside two pole pieces are under the spaces between the E/A and B/E strings, instead of being under the strings themselves. (This is only at the bridge position.)

This could have a lot to do with why the bridge p'up is somewhat weak.
I want to try them in the Strat, (with "normal" bridge spacing), before passing judgement.

[mongrollo]

Re: Has anybody tried the JB split in the Neck?

Thanks Artietoo for such a long explanation!!

It seems that people it is never fully satisfied with the StagMag. Hoever ussually people doesn't use it in the way they should (split). I am waiting for you clip and for your experiment with the strat!!!

I think i am going to post a clip in the Tips and Clips so you can judge better about the sound of the JB split in the bridge.

Sometimes I think that it is too trebly...

[Lightning]

Re: Has anybody tried the JB split in the Neck?

Mongrollo,
I Every time I listen to recordings of a JB split in the neck of my Melody Maker I start thinking of building a JB/vintage coil hybrid to put back in that guitar. I removed the JB cause when using the full (series) JB I didn't have a bridge PU that could keep up with it. Of all the pickups I've tried the split JB in the neck is special and deserves to be in the neck of the MM (I use that guitar for slide).

Artie123,
Could you post on how and what type of switch you used for the coil select switch. I know how to get 0ne coil, series, or parallel off of a 2pdt, even considered adding wafers to a switch craft to do it but never got around to it.

Thanks,Chuck

[mongrollo]

Re: Has anybody tried the JB split in the Neck?

Whow!

You just gave me the last push. I think I just going for it. i am going to swap the 59'neck for the jb split. I think they will balance better in volume. In a few days i will post a clip with the JB split in the neck and in the bridge so you could judge by yourself.

Thanks Lightning!!

[msplines]

Re: Has anybody tried the JB split in the Neck?

I use neck position JBs split and the slug side( towards the bridge) is the most "Fenderish" of the combinations, a really nice hollow hoot to it. I keep the pickup fairly low down to get the best tone(s) so there is no problem at all with a bridge humbucker powerwise and when you put the neck JB in humbucking operation it's a beautiful fat, singing tone - highly recommended.
I tried the stagmag in all positions on all my guitars, but frankly it was not at all what was wanted. (see reviews)

[ArtieToo]

Re: Has anybody tried the JB split in the Neck?

Artie123,
Could you post on how and what type of switch you used for the coil select switch. I know how to get 0ne coil, series, or parallel off of a 2pdt, even considered adding wafers to a switch craft to do it but never got around to it.

Thanks,Chuck

Here's the switch I used: Jameco DPDT on-off-on

This switch would be better: Jameco SPDT on-off-on

One half of my DPDT isn't used, and the SPDT is a bit smaller. Its important, however, that you get the on-off-on operation. You wire the black wire to one end, the green to the other, and the red/white combo to the middle. That lets you put the switch in the middle for normal humbucker operation, and flip it either direction to select the north or south coil.

The difference between north and south coils is subtle, but noticable. It just lets you "tweak" the sound.

[Lightning]

Re: Has anybody tried the JB split in the Neck?

Artie,
Wow OK shunt the coil. Hate saying this but Da. Kent tuned me on to one the other day, leave the coil (being bypassed when splitting) dangling in the circuit by one leg (that's a pole saver when wiring a rotory). I thought that would be a antena and a big no no...I haven't tryed it yet but I trust he's right. Anyhow, if you knew how many hours I spent staring at the switchcraft trying to get single/series/single. Even considered combining the wafers of another switchcraft to get more poles. I wouldn't short out a 500 Giga watt generator to cut the lights out but I guess we won't melt the switch with the output of a JB coil. Invader could be different...ya think?

Chuck