80’s JB details

J

jimlp

New member
80’s JB details

I have been looking into getting and Antiquity JB but then thought about getting the pickup it is based on for less money, I have no idea what to look for as far as confirming it is from the eighties. What should the baseplate supposed to look like? Shoud have a sticker with the model and an initial on the back as well? Thanks for any info I receive.
 
Re: 80’s JB details

Re: 80’s JB details

Get one that Seymour wound. Pay the price. Thank me later.

Seymour-Duncan-The-JB-Model-banner-800x445.jpg
 
Re: 80’s JB details

Re: 80’s JB details

Or just go and get the cheapest JB you can find, tweak the treble ,001 inches on the amp and rock on.
 
Re: 80’s JB details

Re: 80’s JB details

Or just get an ANT JB and be done with the endless mods and searching . :)
 
Re: 80’s JB details

Re: 80’s JB details

If you want the street cred of owning the real thing, hunt a vintage one down. If you want the cred and can't find a vintage one, get the Antiquity. If you love the sound, any one will do...even modern ones.
 
Re: 80’s JB details

Re: 80’s JB details

To me, the magic in getting a great PAF wound by someone who knows what they’re doing is all the subtle harmonics and touch sensitive dynamics.

With a JB, you’re getting anything but subtle. Buy whichever one you want. You can always swap magnets if you want, but it’s a 16k + wound humbucker. It’s going to scream, not purr.
 
Re: 80’s JB details

Re: 80’s JB details

Not looking for any “cred” I had an Antiquity JB a couple of years ago and thought it sounded a bit different than the regular production model but my memory may be incorrect, everyone raves about the 80’s models so I figured I may try one but had no idea how to date them.
 
Re: 80’s JB details

Re: 80’s JB details

The oldest ones are different. Don’t have the spike people complain about and clean up rolling back the volume.
 
Re: 80’s JB details

Re: 80’s JB details

Mine is an 80s model, which I bought because it was double black, no logo and significantly cheaper than an Antiquity JB. I didn’t see any shop floor customs when I was looking.

It does clean up well, but it sounds a lot like the 498t it replaced. A little clearer, but same ballpark. Everyone whines about the upper mid spike in the 498t too, so I’m guessing they aren’t a lot different. Apparently I like that tone.
 
Re: 80’s JB details

Re: 80’s JB details

Put it this way, my 59 was made sometime after 2000 best I can tell and it sounds great too. If I could have found a JB without the logo from that timeframe I’d have just saved the money. In hindsight I’m about to put covers on them so I probably wasted time and money anyway.
 
Re: 80’s JB details

Re: 80’s JB details

jimlp said:
Not looking for any “cred” I had an Antiquity JB a couple of years ago and thought it sounded a bit different than the regular production model but my memory may be incorrect, everyone raves about the 80’s models so I figured I may try one but had no idea how to date them.
Click to expand...

There's a drastic difference between a Ant and a stock JB. The Ant sounds very rustic. My 86 JBJ sounds rustic compared to a stock model but not quite to the extreme of the Ant. I also believe the wind to be different as it sounds more like a old PAF and is smoother without that ultra mid bite. Imo spending $90 for a sweet, real deal, vintage JB isn't exactly getting ripped off. That's way less than boutique price for a sweet boutique pickup.
 
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Re: 80’s JB details

Re: 80’s JB details

I just listened to the comparison between the three models and the Antiquity JB sounds more open and aggressive compared to the production model

Clint 55 said:
There's a drastic difference between a Ant and a stock JB. The Ant sounds very rustic. My 86 JBJ sounds rustic compared to a stock model but not quite to the extreme of the Ant. I also believe the wind to be different as it sounds more like a old PAF and is smoother without that ultra mid bite. Imo spending $90 for a sweet, real deal, vintage JB isn't exactly getting ripped off. That's way less than boutique price for a sweet boutique pickup.
Click to expand...
 
Re: 80’s JB details

Re: 80’s JB details

I compared my JBJ to an AntJB and a 35th Anni JB. I thought that the 35th is really a good reissue.
Maybe an Unoriented A5 mag swapped into a stock JB could be the ticket.
 
Re: 80’s JB details

Re: 80’s JB details

jimlp said:
I just listened to the comparison between the three models and the Antiquity JB sounds more open and aggressive compared to the production model
Click to expand...
i did too and i also like the ant jb best. more open, less stuffed. i rate the current production 2nd and the 35th anniversary dead last. too round and middy for my liking. i like some edge. maybe in a few yearS i see it differently
 
Re: 80’s JB details

Re: 80’s JB details

My old JB, which looks like the pic Beau posted, had a much more laid back tone than the other JB I’ve owned...and returned.

The wind on mine was lower dc and a roughcast mag compared to modern ones.

Luke
 
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