Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

[PerogyBoy]

This week I bought a brand new SH-4 (JB) model humbucker.
I installed it into my Ibanez. I followed the instructions precisely.
It was a simple job, IMO. When I plugged it in to have a go, the
sound was CRAP! very tinny, with low volume. My first thought
was that I goofed and did something wrong. I check it all, and everything
seems correct.

Today I took the guitar into the store where I bought it,
and had their tech guy check it out. He did everything I did, and
resoldered everything. He scoped it, and the specs were correct,
according to him. He agreed that it just sounded crappy, and that I
had a bum pickup.

The guitar store agreed to replace it for me. They now have it on
order, and I am awaiting my replacement. I put my original stock
pup back into the axe.

I'm glad it wasn't something I did, but was suprised that the pup
was "bad".

Just my 2 cents worth. I had read in this forum about the possibility
of pups being bad, and just my luck, I bought one. I haven't lost
faith in SD tho. I've had a stacked one in my Strat for over 25 years,
and it totally ROCKS!

my band of olde farts: www.oldeschoolrocks.com

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

I got one returned to me last week with exactly that problem. No matter how it was wired, it would only function as a single coil. We should mention this to Evan. There may be a problem with some recent JB's.

Lew

 

[brisk]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

I have one with the same problem. It came with a guitar so I can't return.

 

[Stratcat]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

It could have been built by one of the new employees from production assembly.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/website/other/jobs.shtml

 

[Breaking the law]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

Hmm. What could cause the problem? A faulty machine at the factory? That would be bad..

 

[Stratcat]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

I have one with the same problem. It came with a guitar so I can't return.

Yes you can.

 

[Breaking the law]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

I also think you can return a faulty pickup, even if it came with a guitar.
And, I just noticed, both faulty JB owners have cats as their avatars.. interesting.

 

[Stratcat]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

I also think you can return a faulty pickup, even if it came with a guitar.
And, I just noticed, both faulty JB owners have cats as their avatars.. interesting.

Cats are a wonderful animal.

 

[Marcel]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

The cats love the JB too and that's the reason whiy they do *** on it which shorten on coli and made the sound bad!
Just kdding!

Cats are a wonderful animal.

not just cats - that's the reason why i don't eat them....

 

[PerogyBoy]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

my cat loves to sit around and listen to me play...as long as it's quietly.
When I crank my Marshall....she leaves. Is she trying to tell me something?
heheheh

interesting to read of the same problem. I am not alone. Perhaps someone
needs to bring this to the attention of the company?

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

You guys are frightning me. I have ordered a JB trembucker, whic should be here in abouth a week. I know you can replace it but I live in Mumbai (Bombay) India. I oreder it from Guitar Electronics. I ordered it way back in the 3rd week of December, but they sent it only on the 10th of Feb.That was a long time to wait after they had proccesed my info on my credit card. The last thing I want is a bad pickup.
Guys do let me know what I can do....
I am getting goose bumps out here

 

[big_black]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

You guys are frightning me. I have ordered a JB trembucker, whic should be here in abouth a week. I know you can replace it but I live in Mumbai (Bombay) India. I oreder it from Guitar Electronics. I ordered it way back in the 3rd week of December, but they sent it only on the 10th of Feb.That was a long time to wait after they had proccesed my info on my credit card. The last thing I want is a bad pickup.
Guys do let me know what I can do....
I am getting goose bumps out here

I wouldn't worry too much I've owned several duncans and never had this problem. The ones I have right now are fom the '80s, but I've bought new before.

 

[Guitarist]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

my cat loves to sit around and listen to me play...as long as it's quietly.
When I crank my Marshall....she leaves. Is she trying to tell me something?

Maybe that she's a pussy? *rimshot*

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

I wouldn't worry too much I've owned several duncans and never had this problem. The ones I have right now are fom the '80s, but I've bought new before.

Well I hope every thing goeas allright. Hey buy the way what is the correct wiring for the Humbuker (true humbuking tone) series out of phase or series in phase?
I know i did have a look at the scematics but I wanted to know theroitcaly too.

 

[deadlifted]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

i also had an experience with a faulty JB. i was wondering for about a month why my tone sucks compared to my friend even though we had the same JB, and my guitar's better than his. hehe. it also lacks output and my jazz in the neck drowns the pickup in terms of.. everything. i brought my guitar to a luthier/electronics guy, and you know what he said? he said the JB i bought had reverse polarity. i don't know what that means but i was so disappointed since i already had it for a month and i can't have it replaced.. i also live in the philippines by the way, which have limited stocks in the first place. he said he can fix it, so when he was done voila! now i can hear the JB tone i hear on the sample here on the website. i almost gave up on JB's but i was glad it was fixed. bad thing though was that i had to pay extra just to have my pickup sound the way it should.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

There was some talk on the Les Paul forum about a similar issue with new JBs. Kind of scary.

 

[Artie]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

i was so disappointed since i already had it for a month and i can't have it replaced..

Keep in mind, SD's 21 day policy is for exchanges that are because you don't like it. If the pickup is actually faulty, I think they'ld want to make it right.

 

[PerogyBoy]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

There was some talk on the Les Paul forum about a similar issue with new JBs. Kind of scary.

can you point me to some of these? I'm curious....
I am having fears that when my replacement pup comes in
that it'll be a reject also....making me waste gas to go get it/return it
and soldering and installing it.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

I don't have the link right now but if you do a search for posts by Papersoul, you'll see a JB thread listed - I think it was toward the end of that one. He was more saying he found a lot of incosistency with recent JBs.

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Faulty SH-4 (JB) pickup

Keep in mind, SD's 21 day policy is for exchanges that are because you don't like it. If the pickup is actually faulty, I think they'ld want to make it right.

Artie the 21 day policy is Simply great but many of us die hard Seymour fans are not in the USA, I live in India. I dont even have a dealer out here. I have to order my pup or ask some one to get on there trip to the USA. I ordered my JB still waiting for it to come . What am I supposed to do if it is faulty?
Ok how do I cooreect reverse polarity ? Flip the magnet?