Antiquity JB > new production JB

[B2D]

Year ago I had an MJ-wound JB from the 80's and I loved the sound of it. I (stupidly) sold it for something else. When I got a new JB, I was struck by the fact that it wasn't THAT different, but just different enough that I preferred the older one.

There's been a lot of debate on and off about how the new ones don't sound quite as sweet as the old ones. I'm not going to get into the details of that debate, but I know where my preference is, and it's not in the current production models.

Yesterday I tried an Antiquity JB that a friend installed in his PRS, just wanting to see if there was any difference. He told me there was. I thought that it would be worth checking out if it was ANYTHING like the old ones.

And guess what.

It is.

Thumb up, man. It's that JB sound and it's juuuuuust right this time. When I buy a JB again (and I know I will because I've had a few) it's gonna be the Antiquity version.

Just thought you'd like to know.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

Do you think the Antiquity is closer to the sound of classic 80's hair metal?

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

ask MJ to make you a scatterwound JB with butyrate bobbins and a RCA5. it's like putting a slice of heaven in your guitar. clarity. definition. yet also like going around a hairpin turn at a high speed in a Porche you've never driven before.

 

[SAVAGE DISTORTION]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

I think this thread prove's that there are three different sounding JB's
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...rison-is-here!&highlight=Antiquity+JB,35th+JB

I like the ant JB the most followed by the 35th.
On a side note definitely try the new perpetual burn, it is like the JB's little brother.

 

[B2D]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

Do you think the Antiquity is closer to the sound of classic 80's hair metal?

I didn't really test it out for that. All I know is that I prefer the Antiquity to the production model JB. If I was using this pickup for that sound, yeah I think it would go great.

ask MJ to make you a scatterwound JB with butyrate bobbins and a RCA5. it's like putting a slice of heaven in your guitar. clarity. definition. yet also like going around a hairpin turn at a high speed in a Porsche you've never driven before.

I dunno about the scatterwinding, but the JB does have the latter two characteristics: http://www.seymourduncan.com/2011products/antiquity-jb-jazz-set.php

I think this thread prove's that there are three different sounding JB's
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...rison-is-here!&highlight=Antiquity+JB,35th+JB

I like the ant JB the most followed by the 35th.
On a side note definitely try the new perpetual burn, it is like the JB's little brother.

I'll check the PB out, thanks.

 

[darthphineas]

Antiquity JB > new production JB

PB is alright, but I find it to have a different voicing outside of having the different output. Flatter mids and softened highs. Probably closer to a brother of the C5 as well as a cousin of the Demon and FS.


The scatter wound JB I asked MJ to make for me is worth the cost. Definitely a deeper dive than just swapping a magnet.

Have a Concept Set that should arrive any time and I'm curious to see how that matches up with my old JBJs and my newer JBs from the 90s and newer, as well as the custom shop scatter wind.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

I need to have MJ wind me an antiquity JB trembucker for my blue Charvel. I can't tell you why, but the antiquity JB sounds better to my ears than the production as well.

Not that the normal JB sounds bad mind you...

 

[B2D]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

I need to have MJ wind me an antiquity JB trembucker for my blue Charvel. I can't tell you why, but the antiquity JB sounds better to my ears than the production as well.

Not that the normal JB sounds bad mind you...

The normal JB is a great pickup, but I personally always had these little nagging problems with it that a) I couldn't dial out and b) I didn't have with the older one.

Good to know I'm not alone in what I'm hearing here...

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

I dunno about the scatterwinding, but the JB does have the latter two characteristics: http://www.seymourduncan.com/2011products/antiquity-jb-jazz-set.php

that's why I went that direction. other obvious variances for mine were short legs and 4-con lead wire.

I'd been trying a few models (other than SD) that are scatter wound. then I saw some confusion about if SD will scatter wind or not. I simply asked MJ and she said that they can and will scatter wind.

I wanted an ultimate JBJ, so I even narrowed it down to going with the standard spacing (like so many of the 80s JBJ models were) and just put it in a Kramer Baretta (where so many of the 80s JBJ models were found).

 

[SAVAGE DISTORTION]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

that's why I went that direction. other obvious variances for mine were short legs and 4-con lead wire.

I'd been trying a few models (other than SD) that are scatter wound. then I saw some confusion about if SD will scatter wind or not. I simply asked MJ and she said that they can and will scatter wind.

I wanted an ultimate JBJ, so I even narrowed it down to going with the standard spacing (like so many of the 80s JBJ models were) and just put it in a Kramer Baretta (where so many of the 80s JBJ models were found).

yeah those kramer JBJ's are really special for whatever reason? they are more like the 35th maybe?
but some don't feel this way and i am glad since i bought one for $20 a week ago.

 

[SAVAGE DISTORTION]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

PB is alright, but I find it to have a different voicing outside of having the different output. Flatter mids and softened highs. Probably closer to a brother of the C5 as well as a cousin of the Demon and FS.

.

yeah i guess thats a fair comparison but i cant help hearing something very
JB'esque about the PB i got?
The high mids are definitely not as pronounced but i hear those killer harmonics and singing lead tone of a JB.
We all have diifferent rigs so maybe thats it?

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

The PB is definitely a little flatter in the mids. Not scooped, but not dimed either. I was surprised by the highs in the PB, as when I heard it compared to something between a JB and a 59 and then I heard someone compare it to a 59/C hybrid, it was a concern. I might have preferred a little tighter lows, but that's a preference.


Sent from my armored space station via iPad using Tapatalk

 

[B2D]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

that's why I went that direction. other obvious variances for mine were short legs and 4-con lead wire.

I'd been trying a few models (other than SD) that are scatter wound. then I saw some confusion about if SD will scatter wind or not. I simply asked MJ and she said that they can and will scatter wind.

I wanted an ultimate JBJ, so I even narrowed it down to going with the standard spacing (like so many of the 80s JBJ models were) and just put it in a Kramer Baretta (where so many of the 80s JBJ models were found).

I have to wonder what an Antiquity JB would sound like with a scatterwind and a degaussed roughcast A8...

The JB8 was a killer pickup but its one weakness was that it was a tad too high output and it tended to fatigue the ears. I wonder if an A8 mag degaussed and scatterwound would fix that.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

Some might say a JB8 isn't a JB. [emoji6]

However, I totally agree with what the A8 does to the JB... and the Custom for that matter - oversaturation and ear fatigue.

MJ is pretty well versed and it might be worth giving her a call or sending her an email. In fact, I'm waiting on a CS order....so just wait on that question for now. lol!


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[JohnnyGuitarCA]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

ask MJ to make you a scatterwound JB with butyrate bobbins and a RCA5. it's like putting a slice of heaven in your guitar. clarity. definition. yet also like going around a hairpin turn at a high speed in a Porche you've never driven before.

What's an RCA5?

 

[Hairmail]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

What's an RCA5?

Roughcast Alnico 5. I heard many of the JB's from the 80s were made with those, at some point Duncan switched to the polished ones.

 

[Glorioso]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

ask MJ to make you a scatterwound JB with butyrate bobbins and a RCA5. it's like putting a slice of heaven in your guitar. clarity. definition. yet also like going around a hairpin turn at a high speed in a Porche you've never driven before.

What guitar? What style? I'm looking to also create this for a PRS CU24 but for more of a Metallica, AC/DC, Judas Priest tone not too much high end speed metal stuff.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

What guitar? What style? I'm looking to also create this for a PRS CU24 but for more of a Metallica, AC/DC, Judas Priest tone not too much high end speed metal stuff.

Darth is not on the forum, and this is an old thread, so he won't answer. But you can get those sounds with a Custom or Custom 5 (for less mids).

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

It does seem to me that the magnets Duncan used in the 80's were rougher and more pitted than the polished magnets they use in most production pickups these days.

The magnets from the 80's don't seem quite as rough as an Addiction FX Roughcast but they're still a little rougher and more pitted than today's polished magnets.

The Duncan 59 has been a favorite Duncan humbucker of mine since....forever.

I still have half a dozen or so from the 80's and they do sound a little rounder in the treble and a little fuller and more textured in the mids compared to the 2016 59 set I have.

A lot of people have noticed that...that they prefer the older 59's.

But I can make a new 59 set sound just as good or even better (to me...) with a magnet swap to RCA5.

 

[Glorioso]

Re: Antiquity JB > new production JB

It does seem to me that the magnets Duncan used in the 80's were rougher and more pitted than the polished magnets they use in most production pickups these days.

The magnets from the 80's don't seem quite as rough as an Addiction FX Roughcast but they're still a little rougher and more pitted than today's polished magnets.

The Duncan 59 has been a favorite Duncan humbucker of mine since....forever.

I still have half a dozen or so from the 80's and they do sound a little rounder in the treble and a little fuller and more textured in the mids compared to the 2016 59 set I have.

A lot of people have noticed that...that they prefer the older 59's.

But I can make a new 59 set sound just as good or even better (to me...) with a magnet swap to RCA5.

I think I am going to try RCUOA5 Antiquity 59N and JB

This should be fun...