FS neck and JB perfect combo?

[Nightburst]

I'm getting sick of the '59n paired with the JB. I always have to comprimise my settings to make them both sound good. Don't care for the split tone either. I really like both pickups on their own but I think the JB needs a hotter partner with some lesser bass and maybe a tad more mids than the '59.
Jb is a keeper, '59 will get a Custom as partner in my next axe so the JB needs a new partner... I'm not shure about the Jazz. It is hotter than the FS though. Opinions on the Full shred neck anyone? Jono_l has one in an RG I believe? Hope he can chime in on this.
What I want from the neck pickup is something versatile like the JB with reasonable cleans (preferbly good cleans) and good for fast riffing and palm muting under high gain.
Any suggestion would be very welcome.

 

[primo]

I've never tried one, but how 'bout a Pearly Gates neck?

Cheers Primo.

 

[Nightburst]

I've never tried one, but how 'bout a Pearly Gates neck?

Cheers Primo.

I've thought about that but isn't the PG quite similar to the '59?
Thanks for your input.

 

[scooter]

The FS is a great neck pup. Very smooth, good cleans and is very clear with high gain. Also, as primo said you may want to consider the pearly gates.

 

[Nightburst]

The FS is a great neck pup. Very smooth, good cleans and is very clear with high gain. Also, as primo said you may want to consider the pearly gates.

How is the pick response on the FS? Comparable to the JB? I'll be doing a lot of alternate picking and need precicion and responsiveness. Good heavy rythem tone?
Why would a PG be a good choice? I'm not nessicarely looking for a smooth sound. I like it edgy, raspy, but still warm.
I have no experience with a PG but I would say it's similar to the '59 with maybe a tab less bass. What I dislike about the '59 is that it won't ring out as far as the JB. Is this an output issue?
Thanks.

 

[scooter]

How is the pick response on the FS? Comparable to the JB? I'll be doing a lot of alternate picking and need precicion and responsiveness. Good heavy rythem tone?
Why would a PG be a good choice? I'm not nessicarely looking for a smooth sound. I like it edgy, raspy, but still warm.
I have no experience with a PG but I would say it's similar to the '59 with maybe a tab less bass. What I dislike about the '59 is that it won't ring out as far as the JB. Is this an output issue?
Thanks.

Gotcha. The FS would probally be better then for what you are describing. I find it very articulate when alternate or sweep picking. I wouldn't say that the rhythm tone is heavy but smooth and can give a nice thick tone. I've only played it in a Jackson Warrior USA which comes stock with an invader/FS. The PG does have less bass response than the 59. A bit more midrange. I guess I'd go with the FS. Should give you what you're looking for and would compliment the JB quite well.

 

[Nightburst]

Gotcha. The FS would probally be better then for what you are describing. I find it very articulate when alternate or sweep picking. I wouldn't say that the rhythm tone is heavy but smooth and can give a nice thick tone. I've only played it in a Jackson Warrior USA which comes stock with an invader/FS. The PG does have less bass response than the 59. A bit more midrange. I guess I'd go with the FS. Should give you what you're looking for and would compliment the JB quite well.

Thanks scooter, the FS seems the ticket but the'59 is smooth and thick too. I wonder if there would be any other pickup that would be more agressive and tight. I'm looking for something eqally voiced as the JB for neck position. Is that possible? Screaming demon perhaps? Still wondering about the output thing, the difference now is 7k vs 16k (59/JB) should I need something hotter instead of 7K or would a pickup with less bass and more mids be more pick resonsive?

 

[Marcel]

heard good things from the demon in the neck.

What about a DDn? It should be tight and has less bass response...
Never heard much about it. Maybe to hot for the JB?

Isn't the Fullshred neck as hot as the Jazz neck. They have very similar specs!

 

[Spoonman]

Second for the pearly gates. Its like a 59, but sweeter, less bass, more mids. Very nice pickup, depends on what you're playing though.

 

[Nightburst]

Actually my first neck pickup I got was a DDn. I liked it a lot but was too bassy compared to the JB. The 21 day policy doesn't apply in Europe so I had a tough time trying to get the store where I bought my pickups to trade it in for me. I decided to not take any chances and went for the '59 after consulting the SD forum. People told me to take either the Jazz or the '59. Should have gotten the Jazz maybe? There is just something about the name 'jazz' that turns me off. For all I know the Jazz might be perfect but if it is only clear and articulate, well that's not good enough. I want something that can cut, growl, scream and is raunchy and somewhat hot. I need a neck pickup that can work under high gain and cleans. Something like a DDn without the large amount of bass should be perfect, hence I thought about the FS. I really want something equally voiced as the JB.

I play fast punkrock/hardcore, my settings contain lot's of gain, bass and mids because they are based around the JB. (for reference think of the sound Thrice gets, but I don't tune in C)

Btw looking at the specs the Jazz and FS look very similar indeed!

 

[Farkus]

Ok, here is my 2 cents worth.

I'm using the Full Shred BRIDGE pickup right now...and I paired it with the Pearly Gates neck pickup. This works well for me, but I need it to do exactly NOT what you want (I think)...I use it for sweeter clean passages and for warmer fills in a hard rock context. I sure won't be sweep picking on it, I can tell ya that. But it also sound great with lots of distortion for smooth, creamy single note lines as well. I don't care much for the low end response on my sound when I'm cranked with the PG. If you want something CHUNKY on the bottom, I think that the PG might be a little too loose on the bottom end. If the FS neck is anything remotely like the bridge model, it will be tight and articulate.

Is it just me, or do we need a JB model for the neck position...I know, I've heard 'That's what the Jazz model is', but I think it's time that they engineer a pup for those of us who play it on the heavier side to match that JB...once again just my 2 cents worth. I've tried lots of neck humbuckers, but in the end I used a JB in the neck (lowered really far down) with a JB in the bridge. What do y'all think? I considered seeing if the custom shop would make me a pup roughly based on the JB for neck as well, just a thought...

Farkus

 

[Nightburst]

Ok, here is my 2 cents worth.

I'm using the Full Shred BRIDGE pickup right now...and I paired it with the Pearly Gates neck pickup. This works well for me, but I need it to do exactly NOT what you want (I think)...I use it for sweeter clean passages and for warmer fills in a hard rock context. I sure won't be sweep picking on it, I can tell ya that. But it also sounds great with lots of distortion for smooth, creamy single note lines as well. I don't care much for the low end response on my sound when I'm cranked with the PG. If you want something CHUNKY on the bottom, I think that the PG might be a little too loose on the bottom end. If the FS neck is anything remotely like the bridge model, it will be tight and articulate.

Is it just me, or do we need a JB model for the neck position...I know, I've heard 'That's what the Jazz model is', but I think it's time that they engineer a pup for those of us who play it on the heavier side to match that JB...once again just my 2 cents worth. I've tried lots of neck humbuckers, but in the end I used a JB in the neck (lowered really far down) with a JB in the bridge. What do y'all think? I considered seeing if the custom shop would make me a pup roughly based on the JB for neck as well, just a thought...

Farkus

After reading the Screaming Deamon thread I think something similar would be an ideal match at 10K using an alnico5 having good highs, precence and cleans. From what I've heard about the SD I think I like it more than the FS. But I haven't heard much about the FS. All I know is that I'm not looking for smoothness but agressiveness and growl and something hotter than 7K.
*edit* btw. exelent post Farkus! Thanks for your help!

I totally agree with you Farkus, there must have been more than a thousand posts similar to this one from people who are searching for a perfect neck pickup match for the JB. Most (if not all) of them are high gain players. It's funny how a pickup that was designed for Jazz/blues turns out to be the ultimate pickup for a lot of high gain guys. Well at least for me it is but I think more would agree with me on that.

If the folks at Seymour Duncan would create (I'm shure they can) such a new pickup it would become an instand classic. Sales would be out off the roof seeing as the JB bridge is already the most sold pickup at Seymour Duncan.
Personally I don't get a warm fuzzy butterfly in belly feeling when looking at the Jazz description. I have no doubt the Jazz/JB combo works perfectly fine for a lot of peope including the great man himself but I don't think it would be for me and a lot of guys out there on a high gain tone quest.
Maybe something to think about?

 

[Marcel]

I have the same prob finding a high gain PU for the neck that matches the JB.
I was just kthinkin of trying the JB/JB combo. Never heart anyone try this.
I'll gonna have the neck PU low: in my short experience the JB get on low positions more highs and is brighter.... Yeah and i want the neck hot! Don't care about cleans much.... Neck louder wouldn't be bad for me. And I could use my Tone pot as second Volume pot.

 

[Farkus]

I have the same prob finding a high gain PU for the neck that matches the JB.
I was just kthinkin of trying the JB/JB combo. Never heart anyone try this.
I'll gonna have the neck PU low: in my short experience the JB get on low positions more highs and is brighter.... Yeah and i want the neck hot! Don't care about cleans much.... Neck louder wouldn't be bad for me. And I could use my Tone pot as second Volume pot.

Hey Marcel,

Check out my previous post...I did the JB-JB combo for about a year or so. Got tired of changing guitars for a more crisp clean tone at the neck. If you don't need that, the JB-JB combo kicks serious tail. The neck position is so creamy...jeez, imagine Slash's neck tone on steroids. A lot of people were asking me how I got such a smooth, sizzling neck tone...that's how!! Like I said, we need a JB neck design so I don't have to lower it to even with the pickguard...it's way loud in the neck compared to the bridge when you have your bridge JB at a good distance for tone/sustain considerations.

Farkus

 

[papersoul]

I hate to say it....but what about switching the entire set up? Maybe Custom/59 or C-5/59 or PGn?

 

[Nightburst]

I have the same prob finding a high gain PU for the neck that matches the JB.
I was just kthinkin of trying the JB/JB combo. Never heart anyone try this.
I'll gonna have the neck PU low: in my short experience the JB get on low positions more highs and is brighter.... Yeah and i want the neck hot! Don't care about cleans much.... Neck louder wouldn't be bad for me. And I could use my Tone pot as second Volume pot.

You could also consider dual concentric pots. That way you can have it all or at least one master tone.
I don't think putting a JB in the neck would be the solution. I doubt that would balance out well.

 

[Marcel]

Hey Marcel,

Check out my previous post...I did the JB-JB combo for about a year or so. Got tired of changing guitars for a more crisp clean tone at the neck. If you don't need that, the JB-JB combo kicks serious tail. The neck position is so creamy...jeez, imagine Slash's neck tone on steroids. A lot of people were asking me how I got such a smooth, sizzling neck tone...that's how!! Like I said, we need a JB neck design so I don't have to lower it to even with the pickguard...it's way loud in the neck compared to the bridge when you have your bridge JB at a good distance for tone/sustain considerations.

Farkus

Ah sorry just read the first post. I thought the second was the same. Maybe you have to delete the first .

Sound good and bad. Neck PU with the Pickguard is good because I always hit the strings between 12 th and Neck PU and i hit the strings hard when 'chording and sometimes i hit the PU.
Now i have him that way too 'coz it's just crap against the JB neck. It's weird but my neck pu has screwed down at its own.

Ah smooth is maybe not that what i want to though if you call the JB in the bridge smooth to it could be perfect .
How is the bass in the JB neck i don't want to have more than in the bridge.

Nightburst:
Don't need Dual conc. coz my tone pot isn't in use....
I think i'm going to wire it with just 2 HB and two Vols. And 5 way switch with split option. Maybe 3 way and one push pull for split. BTW do you have the original Ibanez Pots or did you changed them.
That would give me enough options.

 

[Nightburst]

I hate to say it....but what about switching the entire set up? Maybe Custom/59 or C-5/59 or PGn?

I will try the '59/custom combo in a different guitar in the future. But fot this one right now, I won't even touch the JB. I have it in sweet spot and continues to blow me away everytime I play some guitar.

Marcel, yeah I knew you weren't using the tone pot but wouldn't it come in handy to have a master tone control? I don't think I would like the extra brightness added by removing the tone pot.
I replaced all the electronics, the tone pot was getting scratchy and I figuered I might as well replace everything.

 

[Marinblues]

I've never tried the FS but the PG seems close to what you are looking for. I have also tried the PG together with a JB and their "mids" meet somewhere very well. Not a bad combination, just slightly too agressive for me.

Marin

 

[Fusion1]

I probably have my Full Shred (neck) in a less than ideal guitar. I bought a Ibanez GAX70 (agathis similar to alder) for a beater, and the owner had installed a FS/DD(b). The DD sounds ok in that guitar, but the FS sounds very tubby under high gain. I was hearing how articulate this was supposed to be, but with a Recto setting, it's not the kind of crystal clear shred pickup I was expecting. Even under a Marshall setting the pickup seems muffled. One thing however it did sound great as a clean pickup for jazz. I might use this for my Epi Dot for the neck...