I knew this was going to happen!

[walt]

One of my strats I have fitted with a pair of bridge 59s. This guitar has a floyd on it and has a great tone and feel to it. I now have an audtion with a 80s band doing Judas Priest, Ozzy, some VH. I'm positive that the 59 will have no problem handling the Vh duties, however, I'm wondering about the others. I have a JB laying around here and the thought of replacing my beloved 59 with that JB is entering my mind (the very reason I didn't sell the JB years ago ...... blastomy!! :smack: ). The last time I played that JB was with a pair of RioGrande Tallboys, so my question is this. Will the JB pair up with the 59?? Audition is this friday so chime in!!

Thanks!!

 

[Mllerrin]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

The Jb/59 is what comes stock on most guitars carrying SD's from the factory, althought I have heard they are a bad match as the JB is all about spiked mids while the 59 has more scooped mids.

As long as your amp has enough gain on board you should be fine IMO.

 

[saladin]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

The 59 sounds much better to me then a JB.

 

[JacksonMIA]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

That's what came in my Jackson. It's not a bad match, IMO, but I just feel like the JB belongs in a single hum axe. As long as you're doing pre-Zakk Ozzy, I think either will suit you well for all of those. If you're doing Zakk era Ozzy, you'd have your work cut out for you tone-wise.

 

[JHN]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

As long as you have an amp with enough drive,you can play ANYTHING with a 59.If not take with you an extra distortion pedal and you'll rip their heads off.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

Use the pickup you're most comfortable with. I know I don't play my best when I'm using a tone I don't like. If you like the 59, just rock with that. :burnout:

 

[papersoul]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

Walt, I thought you liked lower output pickups?

 

[ponch]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

Use the pickup you're most comfortable with. I know I don't play my best when I'm using a tone I don't like. If you like the 59, just rock with that. :burnout:

Ditto, I can't play with stuff i don't feel comfy either. YOU know whats best deep down. :smokin:

 

[ErikH]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

Stick with the 59's. Let the amp do the work. I've been pulling off Maiden, Priest, Ozzy, Van Halen, Sabbath, AC/DC and a crapload of others using a Little 59 in one guitar and a DiMarzio PAF in another.

 

[oldschoolrock]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

I would swap it out. The JB's are a better match for music you are talking about. Why have a better match and not use it. You can always turn down the gain or drop the guitar volume a bit if it is too much. Like they say: "it's better to have it and not need it then to not have it and need it."

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

I'm on the use what feels best to you. If it doesn't matter to you you'll find that the JB will give you those pinch harmonics easier, but you'll have quite a bit more compression for better or ill. For me it would be ill.

Luke

 

[papersoul]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

I would swap it out. The JB's are a better match for music you are talking about. Why have a better match and not use it. You can always turn down the gain or drop the guitar volume a bit if it is too much. Like they say: "it's better to have it and not need it then to not have it and need it."

With the right amp, you should never need it. The JB really is more of a medium output pickup anyway....but still you'll get a bigger, more complex tone with the lower output pickup and using the amp's gain. The 59 actually isn't that much lower output anyway....remember it uses thicker wire. Once you get med-high gain pickups...no matter how much you turn back the amp's gain...they always seem too compressed.

 

[oldschoolrock]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

With the right amp, you should never need it. The JB really is more of a medium output pickup anyway....but still you'll get a bigger, more complex tone with the lower output pickup and using the amp's gain. The 59 actually isn't that much lower output anyway....remember it uses thicker wire. Once you get med-high gain pickups...no matter how much you turn back the amp's gain...they always seem too compressed.

With the right Amp I might agree I don't know. Depends on which Amp. But pickup for pickup the JB is the better choice IMHO. If you started from scratch and had to choose between the JB and the 59 which would you go with for 80's metal? 59's end up on the neck for most metal guitarists. Yes the JB is more compressed but overall IMHO it is a better match. I personally have a Custom Custom which sounds perfect to my ears through my Jackson but especially through my VHT. I play 80's metal as well.

Actually if you are going to switch out pickups why don't you cough up $70 bucks and get a SD Distortion or $120+ for a Custom for more uniform mids.

 

[walt]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

Walt, I thought you liked lower output pickups?

I do, which is why the JB isn't in my guitar yet. I know that the JB is the pickup used mostly in that time era which is why I posted the question.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

As long as you have an amp with enough drive,you can play ANYTHING with a 59.If not take with you an extra distortion pedal and you'll rip their heads off.

Absolutely....Remember that both Vai and Satch were using PAF Pros in the 80's. While being a modern pickup, they are still lower output... As others have said, let the amp do the work.

 

[walt]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

Once you get med-high gain pickups...no matter how much you turn back the amp's gain...they always seem too compressed.

I totally agree with this and it has made my mind up for this. I have always said that it is easier to take a lower output pup and push it to where you want it versus a med/high output pup and try to bring it back to clean.

BTW, my amp is a line6 pod pro (not the xt) > 482 BBE > Carvin tube power amp into 2-2/12 cabs loaded with celestions. I use the Plexi model with a Keely SD-1 to push it over the top. I think I'll be ok with the 59s.

Thanks for everyone's input!

 

[Davey]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

That's what came in my Jackson. It's not a bad match, IMO, but I just feel like the JB belongs in a single hum axe. As long as you're doing pre-Zakk Ozzy, I think either will suit you well for all of those. If you're doing Zakk era Ozzy, you'd have your work cut out for you tone-wise.

yes.. singlehum, single volume axe. there the JB realy shines imo.



i had a JB/59 combo in my epi sg and it was a realy nice pair

 

[ErikH]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

Just because that's what was used then doesn't mean it has to be used now to play that stuff. And actually, out of the 3 examples given, only one was a JB user and that was Jake E. Lee with Ozzy.

 

[papersoul]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

I totally agree with this and it has made my mind up for this. I have always said that it is easier to take a lower output pup and push it to where you want it versus a med/high output pup and try to bring it back to clean.

BTW, my amp is a line6 pod pro (not the xt) > 482 BBE > Carvin tube power amp into 2-2/12 cabs loaded with celestions. I use the Plexi model with a Keely SD-1 to push it over the top. I think I'll be ok with the 59s.

Thanks for everyone's input!

How is the Carvin tube power amp? I am thinking of getting a TS-100.

 

[walt]

Re: I knew this was going to happen!

How is the Carvin tube power amp? I am thinking of getting a TS-100.

Bought it in 1990 and it's rock solid.