Help with pickup suggestions, replacing JB in super strat

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zedexseven

New member
I recently bought a Charvel HS Hardtail, the bridge is a JB. I bought the guitar because I love how it plays but don't necessarily play a lot of shred/80s metal. I just really love the neck on it. Basically if Fender had neck options like Charvel I would be playing a fender :)

These days I mostly hard and classic rock. I am looking for a versatile pickup that will cover stuff like Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Foo Fighters, and some classic stuff like Led Zeppelin and ZZ top etc..

I am thinking I should probably get a mid output pickup and let the amp do the work for the gain? The pickup should be good at both rhythm and lead if possible. So far the top suggestions I have seen are the Pearly Gates and the PATB-3. Anything else I should take a close look at? Guitar is an alder body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard, hard tail, and is very light.

Really the sound in my head I am looking for is a nice open sounding pickup with a good balance of low/mid/high that is not harsh or flubby, just sits nice in the mix and sounds thick but can still cut though. Anything like that exist?
 
Re: Help with pickup suggestions, replacing JB in super strat

When I ditched the 80s for a milder sound, I switched the JB for a DiMarzio AT-1. A good description would be a less obnoxious, well-rounded JB... Has better dynamics, too.

Mind you, it's not as hot as the JB, but it's definitely hotter than, say... a Pearly Gates

 
Re: Help with pickup suggestions, replacing JB in super strat

I got a PATB-3 for one of my Floydcasters and it's a fantastic medium output pickup- warm but stands out in a mix, and great balance of lows and highs. I don't know why there isn't more of a buzz about these- maybe because they look weird. A very underrated option if you ask me. Have a Pearly Gates Plus at the bridge of a Showmaster and that's very good in a 25½" scale axe, too. Just a hair more drive and beef that a standard PG.
 
Re: Help with pickup suggestions, replacing JB in super strat

Those genres you describe, it seems like a JB would be able to do them all. So the question to ask yourself is, what don't you like about the JB as it is? That will help you decide where to go with your upgrade. A DiMarzio PAF Master might be a good replacement as an overall all-rounder.
 
Re: Help with pickup suggestions, replacing JB in super strat

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I should have said what I didn't like about the JB. Recently I picked up an American Special Tele with the texas special pickups in it. I was very surprised how well these handled high gain rock while still remaining clear and punchy, but not getting overly compressed. I think the texas specials are rated around 9k or 10k. After playing the tele and then plugging my JB equipped charvel it sounds flat and compressed, just a little boring. That started me on the path of thinking maybe I don't need ultra high gain pickups for the style of music I play since my amps can create most of the gain. I play through a Marshall DSL or Orange Terror so getting the gain I need isn't an issue.

So I am looking for a pickup that sounds something like the fender texas pickups. I realize I won't get single coil clarity from a humbucker but if I can get closer to that sound than the JB I will be happier. That is why I was looking up the PATB3 and PG since they were recommended as being more open/clear humbuckers. I tried using the Duncan pickup selector but it only suggested high gain pickups for the style of music I play.
 
Re: Help with pickup suggestions, replacing JB in super strat

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I should have said what I didn't like about the JB. Recently I picked up an American Special Tele with the texas special pickups in it. I was very surprised how well these handled high gain rock while still remaining clear and punchy, but not getting overly compressed. I think the texas specials are rated around 9k or 10k. After playing the tele and then plugging my JB equipped charvel it sounds flat and compressed, just a little boring. That started me on the path of thinking maybe I don't need ultra high gain pickups for the style of music I play since my amps can create most of the gain. I play through a Marshall DSL or Orange Terror so getting the gain I need isn't an issue.

So I am looking for a pickup that sounds something like the fender texas pickups. I realize I won't get single coil clarity from a humbucker but if I can get closer to that sound than the JB I will be happier. That is why I was looking up the PATB3 and PG since they were recommended as being more open/clear humbuckers. I tried using the Duncan pickup selector but it only suggested high gain pickups for the style of music I play.
 
Re: Help with pickup suggestions, replacing JB in super strat

Is it a 4 conductor JB? If so try wiring it in parallel.

No guarantees but it won't cost you anything and connecting the two coils of the JB in parallel sounds pretty good and a lot more like a single coil.

And it'll still be humbucking.

Worth a shot.
 
Last edited:
Re: Help with pickup suggestions, replacing JB in super strat

zedexseven said:
Thanks for the suggestions so far. I should have said what I didn't like about the JB. Recently I picked up an American Special Tele with the texas special pickups in it. I was very surprised how well these handled high gain rock while still remaining clear and punchy, but not getting overly compressed. I think the texas specials are rated around 9k or 10k. After playing the tele and then plugging my JB equipped charvel it sounds flat and compressed, just a little boring. That started me on the path of thinking maybe I don't need ultra high gain pickups for the style of music I play since my amps can create most of the gain. I play through a Marshall DSL or Orange Terror so getting the gain I need isn't an issue.

So I am looking for a pickup that sounds something like the fender texas pickups. I realize I won't get single coil clarity from a humbucker but if I can get closer to that sound than the JB I will be happier. That is why I was looking up the PATB3 and PG since they were recommended as being more open/clear humbuckers. I tried using the Duncan pickup selector but it only suggested high gain pickups for the style of music I play.
Click to expand...
Yup. You're in luck. The AT-1 I recommended is less compressed and fuller than the JB, while having VERY similar harmonic content

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk
 
Re: Help with pickup suggestions, replacing JB in super strat

Archer250 said:
Yup. You're in luck. The AT-1 I recommended is less compressed and fuller than the JB, while having VERY similar harmonic content

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Cool man I might give that one a shot. Worst case I can probably find a use for it in another guitar.
 
Re: Help with pickup suggestions, replacing JB in super strat

Look on ebay for a used Pearly Gates PLUS. It is a Pearly Gates beefed up a bit to pair with Texas Specials.
 
Re: Help with pickup suggestions, replacing JB in super strat

This is a job for the Perpetual Burn model.

Alternatively, try swapping to an A2 bar magnet in the JB.
 
Re: Help with pickup suggestions, replacing JB in super strat

I second the pearly gates

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
 
Re: Help with pickup suggestions, replacing JB in super strat

Pearly gates in the bridge will get you closest to tele twang.
 
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