JB+59'-4c vs JB jr+Little 59' dilemma

[DrJackson]

Hello friends!

The idea started in this way, I want to buy a DK2 Dinky guitar whose "factory settings" is HSS, but as I like to have a Strat with the SSS pickup setting, occurred to me that could make this modification to the guitar

As I want real single coil sound pickups, a P-Rail option would be discarded from the start
As the Single Coil I would choose a Fender Custom 54' or a Custom 57/62' and As a Humbucker I would choose a Mini JB or a Little 59' (not Sure)

Should I put the Mini Humbucker toward the bridge or towards the Neck? How It would be more appropiate?

Having said this, I have already a Dinky DK2M with JB and 59'-4c pickups, with Split Coils Push-pull, So it occurred to me make this change too, taking advantage of the theoretical "twang Strat Tone" which It would have wit he maple fretboard

JB jr+Little 59' Pickups Paired with Fender Custom 54' Pickups, but here is the question: how close is the sound of the JB+59'-4c in comparison with the "Mini" version?
and what should be the arrangement of the pickups?

Thanks a lot!

 

[eschoendorff]

Re: JB+59'-4c vs JB jr+Little 59' dilemma

That's a pretty damn cool idea! I say, go for broke and put the hummers in both positions.

But, it's a Jackson, so you might want to consider a Hot Rails in the bridge

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: JB+59'-4c vs JB jr+Little 59' dilemma

Neither pickup could have a lip like a traditional strat pickup. Even with lipless designs the width of the routes would need to be enlarged since the ears are more widely spaced than a humbucker. The pickups would need to be direct mounted since most pickups rings aren't wide enough to mount single coils. However I have done the same thing in a pickguard with no problems with a swimming pool route.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: JB+59'-4c vs JB jr+Little 59' dilemma

also keep in mind that with the 24 fret neck your neck pickup wont sound like the neck pickup of a stratocaster. Single coils yes strat no. A lot of the twang on the neck pickup is from its location under the strings. Even the middle pickup on a DK2 is in a bit different location from a strat.

I have to ask with all the killer strat guitars available why go through the hassle of fitting and routing this guitar to fit this set up into it?

To me the lil jb sounds little like the full size jb. I'm not a fan of naming the lil humbuckers after a larger full size pickup. Most of them are good pickups in their own right but sound nothing like their name sakes.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: JB+59'-4c vs JB jr+Little 59' dilemma

The JBJr has a ceramic magnet, effectively making it a JB+Jr, but it should be close enough.

I did put 3 single-sized hums and a Classic Stack in a 2-hum guitar:

The 3 minis were Custom Shop models: DistortionJr, CustomJr, and JazzJr.
Had I known at the time that all the Lil/Jrs used ceramic mags, I woulda saved myself the extra cost of the DDJr and just got a JBJr.

With a 6-way rotary switch to select them all. Of course this was a mahogany neckthrough/mahogany body with 24 frets and striped ebony board and Floyded, so the Strat tones weren't going to win a SRV sound-alike contest.


And I thought the P-Rails had separate magnets under each coil? If so, that means the Rail will sound Stratty enough.

 

[eviltobz]

Re: JB+59'-4c vs JB jr+Little 59' dilemma

That looks like it could be the greatest bridge humbucker of all time

 

[j9fd3s]

Re: JB+59'-4c vs JB jr+Little 59' dilemma

great idea. i'm not sure which pickup would be happiest in what spot, but it would be pretty simple to leave enough wire to switch em around.

 

[jestre700]

Re: JB+59'-4c vs JB jr+Little 59' dilemma

The MusicYo Kramers had "quad rail" humbuckers that used this idea. If you're thinking of turning them all on so you can "go to eleven" you might want to google those pickups to see what folks thought of them.

 

[eviltobz]

Re: JB+59'-4c vs JB jr+Little 59' dilemma

I did put 3 single-sized hums and a Classic Stack in a 2-hum guitar:

With a 6-way rotary switch to select them all. Of course this was a mahogany neckthrough/mahogany body with 24 frets and striped ebony board and Floyded, so the Strat tones weren't going to win a SRV sound-alike contest.

That sort of idea is really starting to appeal to me actually. how did the guitar sound with 2 hummers stashed in like that? did you get the chance to play around with using them together in series and parallel?

I'm thinking that something like a JBjr and a lil 59 crammed in with a switch to have each on it's own, series and parallel modes, and another switch to coil tap them could be amazing. Or maybe terrible Would those 2 pups serialised right next to each other lead to a super high output hybrid of ultimate win, or a painful cacophony?