JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

TRex

TRex

New member
Im looking to clear up my boomy 59 in the neck, and get rid of the half chocked wah sound of the JB in the bridge.

The guitar is a Epiphone les paul standard, with new 500k pots and some sort of nicer .022uf caps. Im kinda wanting a hot rodded les paul, as my next Axe will be a more classic Lester style guitar.

With the 59 i was thinking an A4. Even and clear from what i hear. A3 is also a good one, bright and clear.

The JB i was thinking either a A2 or an UOA5. I want to make the JB sound more like a vintagy humbucker, without all the the chocked wah sounds. The A2 seems to be the lowest output, and less wah like. The vocal-ness is cool, but it is too much and harsh when used with my Cry baby.

Output is not a problem, as my amp is quite easily pushed.

So should i consider other magnets? Or is an A4 neck and A2 bridge perfect?
 
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Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

A4 in the 59, UOA5 in the JB.

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Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

IME - A2 in a JB doesn't get rid of the mid-punch of the JB. It's more like turning the tone control down to 6-7. That said, it sounds great. It still retains some bite and chop for muted playing. The softened top end makes a 'produced' sound, rather than a raw pickup sound you need to EQ some more. Whole Lottas are similar to me (a 'produced' sound that doesn't need EQ or tone controls), but WLH have more top end than an A2 JB.
 
Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

Demanic said:
A4 in the 59, UOA5 in the JB.

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Noted. How vintagey is the UOA5 magnet in the JB? Or is it just a tamer JB?

beaubrummels said:
IME - A2 in a JB doesn't get rid of the mid-punch of the JB. It's more like turning the tone control down to 6-7. That said, it sounds great. It still retains some bite and chop for muted playing. The softened top end makes a 'produced' sound, rather than a raw pickup sound you need to EQ some more. Whole Lottas are similar to me (a 'produced' sound that doesn't need EQ or tone controls), but WLH have more top end than an A2 JB.
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Really? Thats a little different than other accounts of magnet swaps in JBs. Seems like others say its a whole new animal with different magnets. Was it the same way with other magnets?

The softer overall top end sounds nice. Bite is welcome, just not as much as im getting right now.
darthphineas said:
Seems like totally different pickups would be the answer.
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Sure, but money and time are against me. Not to mention i don't quite trust my soldering yet.
 
Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

You can make a JB a little rounder with mag swaps but at the end of the day it's still going to be a JB, & your still going to have that upper mid spike....
 
Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

A 250K Volume pot will tame the JB somewhat.

However, I'll cast a vote for a JB/Custom magswap (ceramic of the Custom in the JB, A5 of the JB in the Custom to make it a C5).

I'd also suggest a JB/59 Hybrid. I made a pair of those for a short-scale heavy mahogany-body axe. They're not bad at all, really.
Still up in the air as to which coil should go where. I've got them so the JB coils are on the inside, and for my particular settings, the bridge seems a bit dark and the neck seems a bit overpowering. I normally have a naturally bright tone, so I can make a JB puncture drywall and don't find the 59n to be "woofy" or dark unless I cut the tone down to 0.

If you have one, I'd also suggest a Custom or C5 in the bridge and the JB in the neck hardwired for parallel. That'll help with the neck cleans and the power, and the Tone control does wonders.
 
Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

Nostalgic Distortion said:
You can make a JB a little rounder with mag swaps but at the end of the day it's still going to be a JB, & your still going to have that upper mid spike....
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Im not expecting to get rid of it entirely, but rounding should sooth it out
 
Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

Not sure how to answer as far as how "vintagey" it makes it. But I do have the set I described in my Shecter Blackjack, set neck mahogany body, and I like it. More mids in the JB with slightly softened top and bottom.

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Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

I'm using a JB (covered) with an A2. It still sounds like a JB. "Rounder" may be an apporpriate term but it isn't night and day. If it's the "ice pick" you are looking to get rid of, I thought the A2 helps a little but it doesn't rid the JB of it. The swap was worth the effort but it didn't transform the JB into a totally different animal. Not to my (bad) ears anyway.
 
Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

I don't think an A2 does a lot to change the strange mid-honk thing going on with the JB. I still hear it. I think you need a more open sounding pickup. However, if you have an A2, it is worth swapping to hear the difference. The tone change to me isn't super drastic.
 
Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

Mincer said:
I think you need a more open sounding pickup.
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yep. different pickups seems to be the answer. lots of people seem to think the DiMarzio Super D has something to do with a hot-rodded LP sound.

until then, tweak some knobs on the front of the amp.
 
Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

I think what you're going to like is an A4 59n, and a Custom 5 in place of the JB.

The C5 has nice output like the JB, but it's EQ is more like 9-5-8, as opposed to the JB's 6-7-8.

I'm a LP guy, and have come to really love the Pearly Gates and Seth Lover neck.... for bridges, the Brobucker, C5, Whole Lotta, Gibson 57+, Burstbucker2 etc.
 
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Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

Mincer said:
I don't think an A2 does a lot to change the strange mid-honk thing going on with the JB. I still hear it. I think you need a more open sounding pickup. However, if you have an A2, it is worth swapping to hear the difference. The tone change to me isn't super drastic.
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darthphineas said:
yep. different pickups seems to be the answer. lots of people seem to think the DiMarzio Super D has something to do with a hot-rodded LP sound.

until then, tweak some knobs on the front of the amp.
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Gearjoneser said:
I think what you're going to like is an A4 59n, and a Custom 5 in place of the JB.

The C5 has nice output like the JB, but it's EQ is more like 9-5-8, as opposed to the JB's 6-7-8.

I'm a LP guy, and have come to really love the Pearly Gates and Seth Lover neck.... for bridges, the Brobucker, C5, Whole Lotta, Gibson 57+, Burstbucker2 etc.
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I think ill try the A2 while im ordering magnets. Worst case ill give it a try in another guitar down the road.

I think maybe the extra low to middlle mids will even out the upper mid spike of the JB, allowing me to use my mid knob to bring it all down to taste.

Right not to get the upper mid under control i have to scoop my mids to 7/4/7 on my amp. Then it sounds lacking mids overall, which isnt what i want.

Worst case i waste $3 and have to buy a 59/Custom hybrid or Custom 5 and practice my soldering (or see what my tech would charge).

Blueman335 seemed to like his JB2 for classic rock in his LP Studio according to an old post i found on google. Mentions it as a rounded, fuller, less problematic JB.

Thanks for yall's advice though
 
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Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

Mag swap will fix the 59 situation - as said, A3 or A4.

JB on the other hand - no. Get a Whole Lotta Humbucker or something....JB is just "wrong" based on your comments.
 
Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

The A2 JB is a thing of beauty.


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Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

A2 in the JB is better for mahogany. A3 in the 59n will de-mud the bass.

I wouldn't use either of those in a Les Paul to begin with, but those magnet changes might make them useable.
 
Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

Aceman said:
Mag swap will fix the 59 situation - as said, A3 or A4.

JB on the other hand - no. Get a Whole Lotta Humbucker or something....JB is just "wrong" based on your comments.
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Thats what i might have to do... i think the might not be playing well with the wood though, which would mean a magnet swap would atleast smooth it out. The JB sounds great in other guitars, just is sharp and too vocal in this one.
SFW said:
The A2 JB is a thing of beauty.


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Aceman said:
So I have heard. JB8 fan myself...But A2 or A8 it isn't going to be that for Trex.
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Mr. B said:
A2 in the JB is better for mahogany. A3 in the 59n will de-mud the bass.

I wouldn't use either of those in a Les Paul to begin with, but those magnet changes might make them useable.
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Thats funny, because my says he has had great experences with 59 and JB in his les paul-ish guitars. Luck of the draw i guess.
 
Re: JB and 59 in a Les Paul magnet swap

I have a mahogany/maple/rosewood Brian Moore with a JB, and then a JB2 in- I hated it still. I eventually changed it to a Custom Custom, and like it a lot better.
 
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