Closest thing to Zephyr humbuckers?
- Thread starter Reee
- Start date
how does a jazz bridge sound? like a lower output 59?
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Definitely not WLHs because the Zephyrs are scooped and the WLHs are middy. 59s could be an ok approximation because they're scooped and vintage output, but the Zephyrs sound exactly like Jazzes to me. Jazzes have solid but tight and not overbearing bass and an immediate response with modern tone character. 59s have boomy bass with a more liquid response and vintagey gibsoney tone character. To me, the Zephyrs sound exactly like souped up Jazzes.
shame that there is nowhere i can listen to the jazz bridge
i find the 59 bridge also to be very clear, how is the jazz bridge different?
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Jazz bridge is very similar to an S-Deco, which is intended to have a more Strat-like quality than normal thick, mid-heavy humbuckers. 59B is a great rock pickup, some people hear it as scooped (I don'tt hear it that way so much) but compared to Jazz the 59 doesn't have as much top end and the bottom end and mids are different. 59 has a low-mid kind of bottom end. Jazz has a tamed low mid and some. lower but tamed thump to it (IME). 59 top end rolls off or is way softer than the Jazz.
But all that aside, I'm not convinced any production pickup will be 'close' to a Zephyr. The Zephyr seems to have qualities of multiple pickups, like the top end of this one, the note definition of that one, the mid clarity of another one...etc.
Rather than trying to find one 'like' a Zephyr, it would be better to identify what sound you need and find a pickup that does that, even if you have to go custom shop. Because by the time you buy 3-4 sets of pickups and not naling your sound, you've spent more than double what a custom shop set would cost.
But all that aside, I'm not convinced any production pickup will be 'close' to a Zephyr. The Zephyr seems to have qualities of multiple pickups, like the top end of this one, the note definition of that one, the mid clarity of another one...etc.
Rather than trying to find one 'like' a Zephyr, it would be better to identify what sound you need and find a pickup that does that, even if you have to go custom shop. Because by the time you buy 3-4 sets of pickups and not naling your sound, you've spent more than double what a custom shop set would cost.
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The Jazz has less bass and more treble.
would you guys say that the Jazz Bridge is more raw and aggressive than the '59?
beaubrummels
Well-known member
No. It's not raw and agressive. It just has a different EQ. But the bridge model covers a hell of a lot of heavy rock ground in a Gibson. With the right amp and playing style, I suppose you could get an agressive aound out of it.
I would never describe the Jazz as more raw and aggressive than anything. It has more high end, and less bass than the 59, that's it. It is about the same power.
Artie
Peaveyologist
Can you describe "souped up?" I'm just curious as to why one would spend the premium price for Zephyrs, rather than just getting a set of Jazz's?
have you actually played them? they are pretty unique. the jazz might be the closest thing in the normal line but there are some definite differences. the neck bucker was so damn nice sounding, the clarity and way the individual strings blended together in chords was wonderful
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
No, I've never played them, but I can hear the differences just thru the demos. You can hear the profound clarity and definition to the bass and treble, plus a uniqueness to the tone color.
Just think it's obvious that the thing they're closest to would be the jazzes with the firm but tight bass, crisp highs, and clear and modern sound. Like in this demo of Falbo at 3:25:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swjx...=PremierGuitar
You can really hear the deepness and profound clarity on these demos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6f6...liaMusicCenter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CRG...=JackThammarat
PicoRiveraTele
New member
The Zephyrs were a marketing gimmick. Using silver wire in place of copper was completely pointless. Let's put it this way, what problem does copper represent that less resistive silver solves?
And they were "cryogenically treated" and used some unnecessarily fancy plastics? There's a solution in search of a problem if ever there was one.
If they did sound like the Jazz, it would have been because the bobbins have about the same number of turns of silver wire as a the Jazz has turns of copper wire.
And they were "cryogenically treated" and used some unnecessarily fancy plastics? There's a solution in search of a problem if ever there was one.
If they did sound like the Jazz, it would have been because the bobbins have about the same number of turns of silver wire as a the Jazz has turns of copper wire.
Believe it or not, they do sound different than regular passive humbuckers. If you want that specific sound, and think the unique features of these pickups are worth paying for, then they are worth it to the people who have no problem paying for them.
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