Fans of JB in the neck?

[BeKindRewind]

I wanna try something hot in the neck of a guitar . JB in the bridge. I'm almost thinking a JB could do it - Jackson USA models come with Dual JB's and people seem to like those fine - in fact I used to have one, but it's been so long I hardly remember what it was like. All I remember was I had no complaints about that tone in 2009


Just wanted to see if anyone had a fresh take on this. I know there's been threads before but search function is not working. Anyone out there rocking this as a regular setup?

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[Despair]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

I have a JB with A3 magnet as the neck pickup in my RG570. I have it installed backwards (stud coil towards neck in neck position), with short (0.75" IIRC) hex screws under the wound strings, screwed in deeply on wound side, with the screws out to level volume. It's fat but doesn't fart out, and just sings on the treble strings. Surprising amount of sparkle at lower gain, better upper mids/presence balance than with A5, at least in this guitar.

(This is the same RG570 that the same SH-4 JB was horrid in when installed in as a bridge humbucker.)

I'm not sure I'd do dual JBs, but a magnet swap might get it to an interesting place. I tend to want different things from different positions. You might find it useful to try at least shorter screws (switching to hex heads is an easy way to do that, but means tool switches to adjust string balance, alloy change is the biggest factor in screw tone aside from length of screw, in readily swappable polepiece screws). Don't necessarily need the magnet swap, but angling the pickup & adjusting screws to compensate may be worthwhile to control flub in neck position. Can also look into Artie's de-mud mod, to attack from electronics angle.

JB3 neck with a Custom bridge is absolutely something I'd do if I wanted punchier rhythm (particularly for metal, but without the tearing presence of a lot of ceramic metal-oriented pickups), but with lots of harmonics on tap from the neck pickup for leads.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

It works a lot better in the 24 fret position. Wiring it parallel can also yield interesting results in the neck.

 

[Despair]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

It works a lot better in the 24 fret position. Wiring it parallel can also yield interesting results in the neck.

My RG570 is a 24-fret guitar, I haven't tried it in a 22-fretter, but I imagine you'd mostly just need to worry about low end getting too congested? Play with height under bass strings & pole piece heights (and screw length, shorter screw reduces bass and increases high end bite).

I went overboard to fix low-end on mine because the stock JB managed to be both tubby and nasal in the guitar. It is neither of those things in the neck with the magnet swap and everything else. But actually has more midrange, and more actual high end, as well. But much less of the JB's signature upper midrange spike, though it still has enough of that for harmonics to pop.

I have not tried it parallel, I suspect that'd be too low output with the A3, especially where I have a PATB-1b in the bridge that already tends to overpower it. It's odd having a relatively low output solo-friendly tone in the neck, and that can do fat riffs nicely without bloat and farting out.

 

[Cynical]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

I don't know where you heard that USA Jacksons use a JB in the neck; typically, they use a JB in the bridge and a Jazz in the neck.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

Oh man... back in 2005/2006 that was the hottest thing here.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

I've found that a Demon and up is hella hot in the neck. You don't gotta go full JB unless you want.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

While people do like hot neck pickups, I am wondering what you might like about having a neck pickup that hot. It will have to be a little lower in its ring to balance with the bridge, and that probably won't give the best tone.

 

[BeKindRewind]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

I don't know where you heard that USA Jacksons use a JB in the neck; typically, they use a JB in the bridge and a Jazz in the neck.

The KV2 I bought brand new in 2009 most certainly had a JB in the neck and I believe they kept them that way until recently changing it to a 59' model. It may have just been a King V thing

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[Clint 55]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

On the back burner is a cs 9k JB neck.

 

[jhansen]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

I installed a SD JB in the neck position on my Gibson Explorer. the high output sounded good with the right mood. I have reinstalled it in the bridge position on a epi Les Paul. The JB is made for the bridge position. In my opinion.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

I have always been a fan of a hot pup in the neck - for soloing.

There are a lot of old skool guys who used SuperDistortions in the neck. I cite Gary Richrath. Give his solo tone a listen off a Decade of Rock and Roll live.

The JB is the same deal. If you want to shred off the neck, great choice! Zerb was a fan of this here.

 

[Toejam]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

The KV2 I bought brand new in 2009 most certainly had a JB in the neck and I believe they kept them that way until recently changing it to a 59' model. It may have just been a King V thing

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Yes, the KV2 (and maybe the import KV3 or KV4) had dual JBs.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

my old jackson rhodes had a jb neck and distortion bridge. it sounded awesome for hard rock and metal. crunchy rhythm with the bridge, fat singing solos with the neck. cleans... well in the middle position with some chorus, it worked.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

when you are rocking out hard, the amp distortion has already put a hard ceiling on the volume. What you do get is the EQ curve and tone though.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

Yeah, some people love mudbaths !

B :wall:

 

[Aceman]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

No mud on the Weedeley Weedely strings in single note wicked harmonic mode.

 

[Pep2019]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

What I DO know is that a Dimarzio FRED sounded great in the neck of my Strat (reg 22 fret, Alder body, maple/rosewood neck).

 

[MusicFungi]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

I haven't pulled it out to confirm but my first gen Washburn Ola Parallaxe 7 string is supposed to have a JB in the neck. I don't utilize my neck pups that often but I have noted that it sounds very muddy under distortion. Solid for the bit of clean playing I've done on it.

 

[BeKindRewind]

Re: Fans of JB in the neck?

Well I thank everyone for the input. the reason I was wondering is cause I was recently enamored by hot neck pickups, playing my EMG guitars a lot and an Evolution neck and I like the idea of a neck pickup with a little more output and bite. the JB from what I'm seeing is probably gonna actually be TOO hot for me though. I've done some research and I think what I was actually looking for was probably a Distortion SH6 Neck so I'm gonna give that shot. It's a duncan I've never tried but based on the description it's pretty much what I'm looking for . hot neck pickup with hot harmonics and a little more top end sizzle than a vintage output neck pickup. thanks for the input guys