JB in the neck

[dd12939]

I know this has been covered before at some point, but could any of you that have used it detail the qualities of the JB in the neck slot of (mahogany, if possible) guitar?

Thanks

[flank]

Re: JB in the neck

try to get a hold of Zerberus, i know he uses a JB in the neck

[msplines]

Re: JB in the neck

I use it in the neck of a Les Paul Studio and another LP 'type', both mahogany with maple caps. I use them set low due to the high output in order to match the bridge pickups (Screaming Demon etc) and use the slug side split extensively which gives a lovely hooting single coil tone very close to strat neck pickups.
When used humbucking, they give a gorgeous thick singing paf sound, Gary Moore, no worries.
I tried loads of others before settling on this setup and I've never taken them out since.

[ratkent]

Re: JB in the neck

I absolutely love the JB in the neck of my LP Custom. When I had the JB in the bridge position on that particular guitar it had this high-mid peak that I just could not dial out so I replaced it with a Duncan Custom. Just for grins I put the JB in the neck and it is a perfect match. The frequency peak that I hated with the JB in the bridge gives the neck a really sweet tone. Cleans sound more articulate and solos have a nicer attack and singing quality.

[dd12939]

Re: JB in the neck

Are cleans any good when using both coils?

[UCSDBoy]

Re: JB in the neck

I heard a JB goes well with a Duncan Distortion in the bridge, or similarly higher output bridge pickups, but I've never tried it...

[korovamilkdud]

Re: JB in the neck

Are cleans any good when using both coils?

You'd be pleasantly suprised. I was.

Do you mean in series (both coils of that one pup) or middle position on 3-selector switch?

Middle position was actually quite bright, but it wasn't harsh at all, and you can lower the JB to calm that sound down a bit. It was actually middle-selector tone incarnate, if that makes any sense at all.

[dd12939]

Re: JB in the neck

I meant using the whole JB, and not having the bridge pup at all... I didn't really figure I'd get too many pretty clean sounds out of a DD bridge...

EDIT: another idea... I remember someone a while back slapped an AII magnet in there - I've got a couple of those lying around. Might that sweeten up the sound some, and still keep the "rockin'-ness" of it?

[mongrollo]

Re: JB in the neck

I have the JB in the neck of one of my guitars (mahogany) and It is fine. I use Split/parallel to mach the output of the 59 I have in the bridge. The cleans are quite good and usable. But don't spect the pickup to sound like a single coil or a low output paf pickup in clean mode. The sound lacks richness... So, if cleans are important to you may be this won't be your pickup. But If you like distorted and you play clean sometimes then you can use the pickup split or in parallel and get a sactisfactory tone.

I don't think cleans will good in series mode in the neck.

Breo

[boze]

Re: JB in the neck

I placed a JB in the neck of my koa strat, and I agree. It's very Gary Moore-ish at times but there's a bit of brightness as well. It's well-rounded and cleans up pretty ok. There are other humbuckers that clean up better, but it does a really good job of being clean.

I'd post a shot of it but my files are over 100k.

Boze.

[msplines]

Re: JB in the neck

While I think of it, if you decide to go for the HB setup only, parallel is the thang rather than series, brighter and no noise. The only other thing to consider is the cap on the neck, you may have to experiment, but it will be worth it!