Jazz Neck vs. Jazz Bridge

W

Wheelbarrow

New member
What's the difference between the two? I've got a jazz neck model sitting around, and I'm thinking about using it in the bridge of one of my guitars. Is it actually different than the bridge model or do they just name it differently when sold in a set?
 
Re: Jazz Neck vs. Jazz Bridge

the bridge has more output to compensate for less string vibration that happens at the bridge.

what kinda guitar? other pickups?

if you were matching it with whimpy vintage pickups then i would say you could probably get away with it.

its going to have "weak" output. which may not be a bad thing.
 
Re: Jazz Neck vs. Jazz Bridge

In bright or thin-bodied guitars, a little hotter bridge PAF-type PU can work work well in the neck. Usually in dark or thick-bodies (like an LP) a neck PU at 7,000 to 8,000 ohms is best to avoid a blurred, muddy sound. Everything else being equal, more ohms means more mids & less treble and clarity. But some PU's are wound with thinner wire or thin coils to change the EQ.

No hard and fast rules. Depends on what you want tone-wise. Some players use real hot bridge PU's in the neck, but that's usually for more extreme kinds of metal. Most neck PU's are wound less for better definition, and most bridge PU's are wound hotter for more output, more mids, and less treble. Remember you can use magnets to change EQ & output too.
 
Re: Jazz Neck vs. Jazz Bridge

Go ahead and try it. You'll probably like it. The Jazz is a very natural and nicely voiced pickup. It'll mostly be a reflection of whatever amp you're using, because it doesn't impart any sort of dramatic tone on it's own. It's just tight and clear.
 
Re: Jazz Neck vs. Jazz Bridge

I have bad experience trying to run bridge pickups in the neck. I know originally Gibson didn't have different pickups for bridge and neck at all. But it seems to be a valuable improvement.

The bridge version just has more winds on almost all sets.

There are exceptions with certain pairs, such as the Invader neck which is an entirely different pickup from the invader bridge. I'm also pretty sure that a DD neck doesn't have the large magnet from the DD bridge.
 
Re: Jazz Neck vs. Jazz Bridge

I have a a Jazz Bridge in neck of an LP. its great, not muddy. But i'm sure the difference in the guitars of same kind are much greater than difference between the Jazz versions. If you have a brighter guitar (Super strat, maple neck, Floyd) there is no reason to reject a JazzB. If the the guitar is naturally very muddy and dark, i would vote for the neck version in the neck slot.
 
Re: Jazz Neck vs. Jazz Bridge

I have bad experience trying to run bridge pickups in the neck
Click to expand...

I've just had the opposite experience... After reading a lot of through this forum, I've decided to put a Jazzb in neck and a C5 in bridge combo in my MIJ 1967 Emperador 335copy and it absolutely rocks! I can play just 'bout any kind of music.

Just don't forget to wire it with the '50s mod...

HTH,

Pepe aka Lt. Kojak
Milano, Italy
 
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