Differences between JB and '59?

DeanSweden

DeanSweden

New member
Guys, I'm torn between a JB or a '59 bridgemodel for my LP.
I already have a '59 to go in the neck and I'm tempted to get
another one for the bridge for a more vintage-y vibe.

However...

Beeing à MAJOR Jake E Lee fan and a fan of 80's music in general,
I've been looking towards the JB as well, so now I need your
expertise to guide me towards one or the other :)

/R
 
Re: Differences between JB and '59?

With the '59, you will come up short gain wise to hit the difficult passages for 80's Jb shredding. The '59 is a great pickup but doesn't drive the amp and will need extra gain compared to the JB. The JB is a much more full sounding pickup. The '59 has real scooped mids that give it a great presence and edge... for this reason, they sound fabulous in mahogany. The harmonics aren't dripping off of the fretboard like the JB and legato passages need extra gain to sound as fluid as the JB.

The JB has a searing and grainy distortion where the '59 is more of a "hard rock" AC/DC vibe. The JB with the volume rolled back can do the same stuff that a '59 does but with a "cold" tone where the '59 is much warmer.

The JB is much more versatile if you lean towards 80's music and metal.

The '59 will be more versatile if you're into hard rock and vintage tones... it is the quintessential Les Paul pickup though.

If you've got great pick technique, then go for the JB. If your pick technique is more on the average side, get the '59, you simply won't be able to control the JB's harshness and be unable to dig it out of the mud if your mahogany sounds a little dark.

That's why everyone recommends the Custom for those wanting the power of a JB but unsure whether or not it will work in a heavy Les Paul.

Oh and '59s have a fantastic resale, JBs and customs do not. You could easily start with a '59 and sell it if it lacks juice or seems too scooped.

If you set your amp with a good amount of treble, forget the JB, it likes to drive a warm set-up.
 
Re: Differences between JB and '59?

DeanSweden said:
Guys, I'm torn between a JB or a '59 bridgemodel for my LP.
I already have a '59 to go in the neck and I'm tempted to get
another one for the bridge for a more vintage-y vibe.

However...

Beeing à MAJOR Jake E Lee fan and a fan of 80's music in general,
I've been looking towards the JB as well, so now I need your
expertise to guide me towards one or the other :)

/R
Click to expand...

dean do yourself a favor and get the duncan custom or C5 in a LP. this will be more 59 like, and still do the jake stuff as good as a JB would with some eq tweaking:14:
 
Re: Differences between JB and '59?

Many folks have tried and disliked the JB in a LP. I think it works better in Superstrat setups and can even be bright in those.

You may find you like it but since you're asking our opinions...I go with the suggestion of a Custom style. I had a C5 and was going to install it a Gibson but ended up trading it. Many remark about how good the Custom 8 is in a LP or SG.

There is another option to get one of the 59/Custom hybrids that are often here for sale to put in the bridge position and get the 59 in the neck.
.
 
Re: Differences between JB and '59?

zenmindbeginner said:
With the '59, you will come up short gain wise to hit the difficult passages for 80's Jb shredding. The '59 is a great pickup but doesn't drive the amp and will need extra gain compared to the JB. The JB is a much more full sounding pickup. The '59 has real scooped mids that give it a great presence and edge... for this reason, they sound fabulous in mahogany. The harmonics aren't dripping off of the fretboard like the JB and legato passages need extra gain to sound as fluid as the JB.

The JB has a searing and grainy distortion where the '59 is more of a "hard rock" AC/DC vibe. The JB with the volume rolled back can do the same stuff that a '59 does but with a "cold" tone where the '59 is much warmer.

The JB is much more versatile if you lean towards 80's music and metal.

The '59 will be more versatile if you're into hard rock and vintage tones... it is the quintessential Les Paul pickup though.

If you've got great pick technique, then go for the JB. If your pick technique is more on the average side, get the '59, you simply won't be able to control the JB's harshness and be unable to dig it out of the mud if your mahogany sounds a little dark.

That's why everyone recommends the Custom for those wanting the power of a JB but unsure whether or not it will work in a heavy Les Paul.

Oh and '59s have a fantastic resale, JBs and customs do not. You could easily start with a '59 and sell it if it lacks juice or seems too scooped.

If you set your amp with a good amount of treble, forget the JB, it likes to drive a warm set-up.
Click to expand...

I agree with a lot of this, but not all of it.

Big 80's? JB - it's THAT sound. Just like a SuperDisitortion is the 70's.

My ear hears a 59 as scooped, but that's my ear more than the pup. It certainly has decent mids. But it has more bass/treble.

As for the power of the JB, that depends on your amp. Honestly, lot's of amps today have enough juice to put a lipstick covered Dano pup into the mega shred zone. The JB has a different eq curve, and is what I'll call more/faster responsiveness than a 59.

I do like me a Custom! And a Distortion. And like those - that 300k pot in the LP may well be just what you need to take the edge off the JB.
 
Re: Differences between JB and '59?

I had 59's with 50's wiring in a lp copy,just before I installed them I tried jb/jazz and they didn't work great for that guitar.It was a blues guitar,not low action speed metal guitar.So I put 59's and 50's wiring in and was very impressed.The pickup's sound great in rosewood/mahgany guitars and and are cool looking too.
 
Re: Differences between JB and '59?

Ed Hunter said:
dean do yourself a favor and get the duncan custom or C5 in a LP. this will be more 59 like, and still do the jake stuff as good as a JB would with some eq tweaking:14:
Click to expand...

C5 or (preferably) CUOA5. Warm and vintage-y if you pick light; grindy and screams good when you pick hard with drive.....
 
Re: Differences between JB and '59?

The best way to describe it i reckon would be kinda like the difference between a blackface twin and a hot rodded JCM 800 marshall.
 
Re: Differences between JB and '59?

Ed Hunter said:
when did he switch?
Click to expand...

'85-86ish I believe, it was before Badlands anyway :)
Ozzy years had the Holdsworth proto though, which I've
read here is a JB pretty much. Keep in mind that this was ONLY
in his charvelized Fender. the other guitars were a stock JB :)
 
Re: Differences between JB and '59?

DeanSweden said:
'85-86ish I believe, it was before Badlands anyway :)
Ozzy years had the Holdsworth proto though, which I've
read here is a JB pretty much. Keep in mind that this was ONLY
in his charvelized Fender. the other guitars were a stock JB :)
Click to expand...

Ultimate Sin really has that bright JB tone going on
 
Re: Differences between JB and '59?

DeanSweden said:
'85-86ish I believe, it was before Badlands anyway :)
Ozzy years had the Holdsworth proto though, which I've
read here is a JB pretty much. Keep in mind that this was ONLY
in his charvelized Fender. the other guitars were a stock JB :)
Click to expand...

good to know cause i love the jake and the JB! LOL!!!
I heard the AH is extremely smooth unlike the JB
 
Re: Differences between JB and '59?

Also, modern JBs have a polished A5. If you get one and think it's a touch too harsh, slap a roughcast A5 in there. The originals way back when had the RC5s.

AND for reference, a few thrash bands used the JB too. Megadeth used the JB for what...two decades? And Dave's new Blackout set is essentially an active JB/Jazz set. Scott Ian of Anthrax used the JB a lot in the early days. He changed a few times, but now has the JB again. ve always loved the tone of those bands. If I remember correctly, one or two of the Iron Maiden dudes used the JB a few times, too. Not sure when or what albums, though.

The JB/59 set definitely rocked hard in my LP. I still have the 59, and actually just ordered another JB. I dont know why I took it out and sold it in the first place. It's the one pickup that no matter how many times I tried another pickup in this guitar, I always went back to the JB.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Rex_Rocker
I got another CS JB!
Replies
12
Views
704
Sam SG
S
PFDarkside
Looking for a pair of complimentary humbuckers for hard rock/heavy metal
Replies
12
Views
776
PFDarkside
PFDarkside
J
Got some humming and crackling issues with new SH '59 and JB pups.
Replies
9
Views
437
Chistopher
C
Masta' C
For the "JB" Nerds... (Inductance and DC Resistance values for older JB models)
Replies
11
Views
586
Rex_Rocker
Rex_Rocker
alex1fly
Time to make some hybrids?
Replies
15
Views
768
alex1fly
alex1fly
Back
Top