Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

[blueman335]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

It would work very well IMO, for blues/classic rock. My only 'personal' problem would be with too much boominess in the neck for me. I like a lot of neck chord work. To avoid that I would consider a JAZZ (N) 59(B).

+1. '59N's can be boomy in 335's and LP's. You can either lower the bass side of the PU, put in another magnet, or just get another PU to begin with.

 

[NotCardio]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

OK, so if I've got this right, the general opinion seems to be NOT to put a 59n in a 335 or an LP (which, isn't that what it's modeled after, a 59 LP bucker?), but it would be OK in a Fender-type (read Strat)?

I've got a 59n in my Explorer GT, which I guess is sort of somewhere between an LP and a Strat. Which brings up another question - what if we were talking about putting it in an SG? Thin, like a Strat, but mahogany like an LP?

Man, I'm way more confused than when I started this thread.

Sounds like I can't go wrong with a Jazzn, but is it warm enough for dirty blues? And then in the 335, should I put a 59b Jazzn combo, or Antiquities, or Seths?

And then for the Explorer, 59s or Slashes?

My head is spinning. I guess I'm just going to have to learn this stuff on my own through trial and error, and form my own opinions.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

OK, so if I've got this right, the general opinion seems to be NOT to put a 59n in a 335 or an LP (which, isn't that what it's modeled after, a 59 LP bucker?), but it would be OK in a Fender-type (read Strat)?

I've got a 59n in my Explorer GT, which I guess is sort of somewhere between an LP and a Strat. Which brings up another question - what if we were talking about putting it in an SG? Thin, like a Strat, but mahogany like an LP?

'59N 's are usually good in mahogany, especially SG's. In a thick slab of mahogany like an LP, they're often boomy. A pair of '59's is very good in an SG.

JazzN's also have an A5, which gives them some low end, but not nearly as much low end as a '59N because they're wound differently.

LP's are an unusual design (combination of fat body, short neck, warm wood), and PU's will often sound different in them; sometimes that's good, sometimes it's not. 335's vary, but some will have 'LP tendencies' (I went thru this with a '59N in a Sheraton).

Part of what we learn here is the how various woods and guitar designs impact PU's, and what we can do about that. That's where things like adjusting PU and pole piece height, changing pots, changing magnets, etc come into play. When you know what you do, you can often take a HB or P-90 that doesn't sound anything like what you want, and for a few dollars and a few minutes change it's EQ. We'll teach you how.

 

[NotCardio]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

Cool. The idea of swapping magnets sounds like brain surgery to me. Well, not so much complicated, but delicate, involved, and tedious.

Well, now I've got to decide what I want to do about that trade.

Thanks for all of the opinions.

 

[audiocheck]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

OK, so if I've got this right, the general opinion seems to be NOT to put a 59n in a 335 or an LP (which, isn't that what it's modeled after, a 59 LP bucker?), but it would be OK in a Fender-type (read Strat)?

I have a pair of 59s in a Les Paul. It is not a cut and dry rule, but 59n can get boomy. I try to listen to what my guitars sound like unplugged first. So putting a 59n in a LP (or other guitar) that has nice articulation even unplugged, then a 59n is ok. This is my case. Some LPs can lack that clarity and then a 59n would be the best choice.

As far as Seths and Antiquities, I have no experience with those, but I bet they would work. Maybe an issue if they are not waxed, I don't remember which ones are not waxed and which ones are.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

Cool. The idea of swapping magnets sounds like brain surgery to me. Well, not so much complicated, but delicate, involved, and tedious.

Low tech stuff. There's online instructional videos on mag swapping. Only takes minutes (the majority of that time is loosening and retuning strings). Replacement mags are several dollars each. The average 12 year old kid can change out a magnet.

 

[Archer250]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

Mag swapping is easier than soldering, just saying.

 

[NotCardio]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

Mag swapping is easier than soldering, just saying.

That's good, 'cause I friggin' hate soldering and I suck at it.

 

[NotCardio]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

Low tech stuff. There's online instructional videos on mag swapping. Only takes minutes (the majority of that time is loosening and retuning strings). Replacement mags are several dollars each. The average 12 year old kid can change out a magnet.

Are you implying that you can do pickup swaps without replacing the strings, just loosening them? I guess I need to start leaving extra winds on the posts.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

Are you implying that you can do pickup swaps without replacing the strings, just loosening them? I guess I need to start leaving extra winds on the posts.

Yes. Why throw out a good set of strings?

 

[NotCardio]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

Yes. Why throw out a good set of strings?

That's one of the things that's kept me from doing a lot of experimenting with pickup swaps. There never seemed to be enough slack to get them out (and in) without restringing and I don't play often enough to need to change them that frequently, as in very rarely. I don't get to play that often,and when I do it's not for very long at a time, plus I've got about a billion guitars (OK, it just seems that way sometimes) so no one guitar gets played that much. Actually, I do have about six or seven that are in the rotation, and others don't see the light of day for years at a stretch.

 

[NotCardio]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

Hey, not to belabor this thread, but, I forgot to mention that my original intention for the Explorer was for slide. Still same styles of music. Blues, classic/southen rock, dirty boogie (think George Thorogood).

Does that make a difference in anyone's opinion? I wouldn't think so, but I just thought I'd check.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

Makes me wonder what a Whole Lotta set would sound like in that Explorer.

 

[NotCardio]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

Makes me wonder what a Whole Lotta set would sound like in that Explorer.

After a little time in this forum, I'm starting to wonder that myself. But I think if I sprang for a set of those, I'd probably put them in one of my Epi LPs.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

OK, so if I've got this right, the general opinion seems to be NOT to put a 59n in a 335 or an LP

59s are excellent pickups in both of those axes, and many others besides. They are a recreation of the 1959 paf recipe and are even wound on the original pickup winding machine from the gibson factory.

I know a guitar tech who once put the Jazz/JB combo in an Epi Dot 335, and he claims it was the best sounding guitar he'd ever heard

i reckon you can dismiss that guy's opinion as someone who is prone to hyperbole.


Anyways here is what i would recommend for you:

explorer: 59n, custom bridge. See how you like those together. If they need tuning in to find your own personal tone preference, swap magnets until you are perfectly satisfied.

335: a pair of 59s.....again swap magnets until you are happy - especially is rewiring 335s is a time consuming process (ive done it multiple times in my 335). Make sure that you do it right, and you will only need to do it once. Use high quality 500k pots from cts or bourns and nice caps too. Make sure the switch and jack and good quality too.

The reason for these recommendations is simple - both customs and 59s sound great with pretty much any magnet, so its just a matter of tweaking to taste - and in the case of your 335, swapping magnets is a lot easier than replacing pickups. So basically, you cant go wrong with these pickup selections. Both axes will sound killer...its just a choice of what kind of killer you like best.

JB? nah. not for either of your axes unless you want to shred and wail. They are very hot and very present with a real high end scream that cuts through with high gain for singing, legato leads and pinch harmonics. Thats all great stuff, but you will have difficulty getting smoother vintage tones and sweet singing clean tones. To answer your question about why seymour likes them....thats because they sound great in his tele/gib, which has very little in common with either an explorer or a 335. Its all horses for courses.

re: wlh's: i have a set in my 335, but i reckon they would sound awesome in just about anything.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

Hey, not to belabor this thread, but, I forgot to mention that my original intention for the Explorer was for slide. Still same styles of music. Blues, classic/southen rock, dirty boogie (think George Thorogood).

Does that make a difference in anyone's opinion? I wouldn't think so, but I just thought I'd check.

fwiw i use an alnico II equipped 59n and a custom custom bridge in an sg standard which i use exclusively for slide. Its a pretty nice combo. regular 59 and custom 5 would be ace too.

 

[audiocheck]

Re: Difference between '59B and JB bridge?

Hey, not to belabor this thread, but, I forgot to mention that my original intention for the Explorer was for slide. Still same styles of music. Blues, classic/southen rock, dirty boogie (think George Thorogood).

Does that make a difference in anyone's opinion? I wouldn't think so, but I just thought I'd check.

Yea, I will retract the Distortion recommendation.