Jazz bridge in the neck . . .

[Artie]

I didn't want to hijack that other thread, but I've seen this come up several times in the last few years. So what's the deal with putting a Jazz bridge in the neck position? How's it different than a 59?

 

[Demanic]

I'd imagine that it would be a bit thicker through the mids. Just like putting a 59b or Full Shred b in the neck position. Usually it's done to balance out a smoking hot bridge pickup.

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[Mincer]

I would think it would have less bass than a 59.

 

[superpete]

i have it in the neck of a les paul custom, and for me it's perfect. i guess it's kinda inbetween the neck versions of the jazz and the 59 as far as bass goes...a little fuller than the JN but not boomy like the 59n can sometimes be described as (full disclosure, ive only had a 59n in two guitars and i never thought it was boomy, but others certainly have). i just like it because it has the clarity and articulation of the JN, but with just a bit more push.

 

[Clint 55]

Imo, putting a vintage bridge in the neck sounds fantastic. All ur doing is putting an 8k range humb in the neck instead of a 7k range. It's just slightly darker and hotter. Still has the vintage response but is less jangly and a little more solid than a 7k range neck humb.

 

[Teleplayer]

I tried it once in 25.0" scale ibanez AZ 24 fret single cut mahogany guitar. I put a U0-A5 magnet, which may be where I went wrong. It was too dark, so maybe the Stock A5 magnet would have been better. APH-1n, EMG 89, Dimarzio 36th anniversary, or even the stock ibanez "Elite" ceramic magnet humbucker were better options for me.

 

[Artie]

Thanks guys. Good info.. I've got a stock neck that I'll try. Then go from there and see what I think. I just keep seeing this come up, and was wondering.

 

[Artie]

I guess I can hijack my own thread, but while we're on the subject, haven't people done a JB in the neck? How did that work out?

 

[Mincer]

There are a few signature models out there with a JB in the neck. I am not a JB fan, and in the neck, less so. I suppose it can work for more compressed distortion sounds, but I doubt it will have any touch sensitivity.

 

[Clint 55]

Imo, Demon level output is the limit for having any kind of cut in the neck. If you put a hotter pickup in the neck based on how much balls it has in the bridge, it doesn't really work out as expected and just sounds all warm and sloppy. BW and DD necks compensate with ceramic mags to increase cut but are too hot imo.

 

[ItsaBass]

'59 Bridge has more low end, less treble, and more output than the Jazz Bridge.

This is despite the fact that the Jazz Bridge is spec'd with the same magnet and more wire (both of which are presumably 42 gauge).

That means the difference must be in how the coils are wound, or in how the magnets are charged.

They have never advertised that the magnets on either of these are softened in strength.

I believe '59s are wound on the old Gibson machine, with whatever winding pattern it uses.

The Jazzes must be wound with a different winding pattern, resulting in different coil dimensions, I'd think. Maybe they are a bit more neatly wound, which would theoretically result in smaller coils even with a bit more wire length.

The pickups are in the same basic family (A5, 42 AWG, PAF-based pickups), but the '59 gives a "meatier" tone.

 

[Demanic]

Imo, Demon level output is the limit for having any kind of cut in the neck. If you put a hotter pickup in the neck based on how much balls it has in the bridge, it doesn't really work out as expected and just sounds all warm and sloppy. BW and DD necks compensate with ceramic mags to increase cut but are too hot imo.

For the hotter one's that you mentioned, running them in parallel and or swapping Filster out for her heads can make a big difference.

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[superpete]

Imo, putting a vintage bridge in the neck sounds fantastic. All ur doing is putting an 8k range humb in the neck instead of a 7k range. It's just slightly darker and hotter. Still has the vintage response but is less jangly and a little more solid than a 7k range neck humb.

yeah what i like about it is, for lack of a better term, it doesn't feel like it doesn't belong there...it sounds "correct". like, when i've played a JB in the neck, it would give a unique sound and not react like a more traditional choice for the neck would. you may like that or you may not depending on what you're doing. but when im playing the jazzb in the neck, i never think what a unique feel i'm getting with a bridge bucker in the neck, i just think that it sounds great as a neck humbucker. Sorry if this seems jumbled, im having trouble finding the right words to describe it.

 

[Demanic]

Doesn't sound jumbled at all. It's similar to what Clinton said. Same character, just a bit hotter. I would hardwire a JB in parallel if I were to put it in the neck position.

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[Clint 55]

Yeah superpete, I feel exactly the same way. I have a 59 set with the 59b in the middle. Whenever I play the 59b I just think how great it sounds as a 'neck' sound. Sounds right and authentic. Just a hair darker and more rounded in contrast to the more airy and jangley neck.

 

[Artie]

Thanks again guys for all the good info. I've got some experimenting to do. But I am going to start with the Jazz neck, since it's for a specific project that I want to try.

 

[jeremy]

the 59 and jazz use different #42 wire so thats part of it and the wind is different too so thats probably the other part. ive compared jazz and 59 magnets and i didnt notice a significant difference

 

[oilpit]

As a few others have said, most vintage output bridge pickups sound really good in the neck position, especially when paired with a spicy bridge pickup. I'm gonna take it one step further and say that the Jazz Bridge is actually more at home in the neck position than a lot of other humbuckers, '59 is a bit too boomy, APH lacks high end, haven't tried the PG but I imagine that would be pushing the output dangerously high. But the Jazz bridge, oh man does that pickup just SING in the neck position. It's a wonderful choice.

 

[Lewguitar]

'59 Bridge has more low end, less treble, and more output than the Jazz Bridge.

This is despite the fact that the Jazz Bridge is spec'd with the same magnet and more wire (both of which are presumably 42 gauge).

That means the difference must be in how the coils are wound, or in how the magnets are charged.

They have never advertised that the magnets on either of these are softened in strength.

I believe '59s are wound on the old Gibson machine, with whatever winding pattern it uses.

The Jazzes must be wound with a different winding pattern, resulting in different coil dimensions, I'd think. Maybe they are a bit more neatly wound, which would theoretically result in smaller coils even with a bit more wire length.

The pickups are in the same basic family (A5, 42 AWG, PAF-based pickups), but the '59 gives a "meatier" tone.

If I remember right, both the 59 and Jazz use 42 ga. copper wire but the coating is different.

Plain Enamel for the 59 and Poly (SPN: Single Poly Nylon) for the Jazz and A2 Pro.

The thickness of the coating would probably have some bearing on the tone of the pickup.

I can see how it might be argued that if the coating is thicker, each layer of winding would have a tiny, tiny bit more distance between each layer of the copper inside the coating, because of the thickness of the coating.

Not being a scientist I can't explain it any further than that.

 

[Artie]

But it is interesting how the tiniest minutia of pup design can change it's whole character. It's what makes this hobby fun.