Does anybody use the JB for anything different than heavy rock/metal?

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Re: Does anybody use the JB for anything different than heavy rock/metal?

TheArchitect said:
But not one of you has really spoken of a clean tone which is where the JB falls short in my opinion. Its just too dark sounding. Glassy clean with a lot of snap just isn't in its strengths. Versatility is defined by the Seth or 59 in my opinion.


I agree, in a mahogany set neck, the JB doesn't do a lot of things, but in an alder or ash body, the JB can do great OD AND cleans.
 
Re: Does anybody use the JB for anything different than heavy rock/metal?

Benjy_26 said:
I agree, in a mahogany set neck, the JB doesn't do a lot of things, but in an alder or ash body, the JB can do great OD AND cleans.

That's may be the problem. I've only used the JB in mahogany set neck guitars. It came stock in my Guild S-100 and I've tried in my home made #1. Which differences do you find in tone in the JB between a bolt on alder/maple and a set neck mahogany? May be that'll help me narrow the solution. :rolleyes:
 
Re: Does anybody use the JB for anything different than heavy rock/metal?

Breogan said:
Which differences do you find in tone in the JB between a bolt on alder/maple and a set neck mahogany? May be that'll help me narrow the solution. :rolleyes:


In alder, it has nice chime and a good sense of air. The lows are big, but still tight. It almost sounds like a big single coil. :)

Put it into pushed tube amp, and it has good mids, lots of chunk, and good highs without being screechy (IMHO).
 
Re: Does anybody use the JB for anything different than heavy rock/metal?

I found the JB to be too heavy-metal soudning in a Les Paul for my tastes. Way too much output and way too high-endy. I gave it a week and went back to the stock pickups in the Japanese Les Paul clone.

Other folks swear by them. Trust your ears; mine tend to lean VERY heavily towards vintage-sounding pickups and the JB really is not exactly that kind of pickup.
 
Re: Does anybody use the JB for anything different than heavy rock/metal?

The JB is a very versatile pickup.

If you want decent cleans, that can happen. With the JB, it sounds sweet when clean if you use the coil tap option. Of course, if you're adverse to using the tap, it can sound good when not split, but requires some tweaking. I find it too 'harsh' for cleans when it's not split unless I do a lot of knob twisting.

Your body wood, playing style and amp are all huge factors in your tone. To me the JB is just a great pickup overall, as long as I use my setup. I haved played classic rock, hard rock, and metal with the JB. Sounds very good in ash, which is my favorite Strat body wood. Never tried it in mahogany, though.

Mark
 
Re: Does anybody use the JB for anything different than heavy rock/metal?

I have kind of avoided the JB because it was so widely recommended. Don't get me wrong - I just tried to avoid what I thought was "the obvious". Recently I bought a great guitar fitted with two JBs and took them out because I didn't like the way the guitar sounded with them. So now I have two JBs - one is already installed and the other waits for its "partner in tone", the Jazz.

I do find the pup to be versatile. It's now fitted in my oldest guitar and it can do metal, hard rock, classic rock, and even country twang (when split). Everybody defines versatility differently, so I guess it's all about how the guitar souds to you overall - if you like your own tone or not.
 
Re: Does anybody use the JB for anything different than heavy rock/metal?

Now I am hearing a recording I've made a year ago... It's a JB split for rythm and mixed with the 59 neck for soloing. It has a great clean tone... Not completely teleish, but pretty close. (it's the second from the bottom if you click on my sig)

This reminds what Hellion says... You have to find the tone place for it... :)

Well, I guess curiosity will push me again to put in a guitar. I have two potential guitars to fit it.

25.5' scale, set neck, ebony board
24.75', set neck, rosewood.

Which do you think it'll suit best?
 
Re: Does anybody use the JB for anything different than heavy rock/metal?

The JB is a great pickup, but it seems to be one of those things where either you love it or you hate it. I found it was great for rhythm but a little difficult to coax a nice lead tone out of.
However, my guitar teacher uses a JB in the bridge of his USA hamer, and he can get some damn good tones out of that thing. He's a bit of a hard rock/fusion guy too... he swears by scott henderson (i do too, actually).
I personally like the custom and the screamin demon a whole lot more. I'd strongly suggest those to anybody who doesnt like the JB.
 
Re: Does anybody use the JB for anything different than heavy rock/metal?

Well, finally I decided to set my JB in my Home made #1. Now the Guild has a set of DM Paf classics. Tomorrow I'll restring them and I'll post a review.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts about the JB!!!! :D
 
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