JB bridge tb4 sounds weak in Comanche

[jmp22684]

Re: JB bridge tb4 sounds weak in Comanche

Yeah it hum cancels.

Posted the DCR earlier, here it is again:
16.8 Bridge tb4
4.9 Neck and Middle z coils

I was thinking of a more permanent wiring mod that would leave the bridge pup wide open when I switch to it. For the most part, not all the time, I play with my pots wide open. Rarely do I make any adjustments. Part of that is I set everything up how I want it to sound in the rig. I like consistency, I use a global EQ to account for room/venue changes. Needing to get to a specific location on a pot isn't something I want. In instances which I do I have the rig setup so I can roll a tone pot off completely and then add a touch back as my quick adjustment for a particular song.

So with that said. I really wonder if it has to do with the different pot values and the caps involved. So I was wondering if wiring it up so it bypasses some of this could solve the problem.

The guitar I had the JB in is just a couple 500k pots and a single cap, pretty basic. Toss it into this Comanche with its wiring and BAM no more punch.

Part of me is wishing I tried the Will Ray z coil instead. That option is no longer available though as I screwed up my original marble pick guard. The replacement is $80 and I already spent that on the new one. Too deep to start back tracking.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: JB bridge tb4 sounds weak in Comanche

Welcome to the world of Z-Coils!

These MFD pickups are HOT! Yet, they keep all of their wide frequency response. I have an S-500 that had a JB, Jr. in the bridge when I got it. Yes, it had a thicker, more humbucker-y tone. But volume-wise...it really couldn't keep up with the neck and middle, even after I lowered them almost to the guard. Now, I would think that the full-size JB or TB-4 would be more powerful than the Jr. However, I also have an ASAT Deluxe with the TB-4 and SURPRISE...my Comanches' bridge pickups are higher output than the TB-4.

Now, one factor might be the PTB. Maybe. The volume pots on the Comanche are 250k, I believe. But so is the volume pot in the ASAT Deluxe. So.....????

I've thought about the Will Ray pickup, but no experience with it. I know some guys with Comanches think it's a MUST-HAVE. You might check the G&L Forum for opinions about it.

One thing for sure--MFDs are LOUD!

Bill

 

[jmp22684]

Re: JB bridge tb4 sounds weak in Comanche

I am going to definitely agree with that. I thought about dropping the MFDs a little, but I absolutely love the way they sound right where they are. Not going to sacrifice those. I like it. Going to leave it as far as they're concerned.

I do wish I hadn't screwed up my original guard. I should have just gone with the will ray.

At this point I am going to hit up addiction fx for a8 and c8 magnets and see what that does; its cheap enough.

My next step is going to be some research regarding the tonal effects of different pole pieces.

Eventually I may go and dive into some different pup options in my hss strat; my baby.... My first year fender ever made a deluxe strat (they were custom shops before) hss baby... The going to the grave guitar... At that point I may try out the JB in the strat and grab a new pickguard for the G&L + will ray mfd.

Right now I can't spend the 160 on a will ray and guard... So I'll see if I can get close and do a little salvage work with cheaper options such as the magnets and pole pieces.

Finances are still towards PA goals.... 10k deep so far... Ugh... Sad when much of that is snakes and cables. Lol

I've read a little on pole pieces and their tonal effects but much seems to be paraphrased or summarized. Even on the duncan sites, another I read on reverb.

Any good literary resources you guys know of?

I know tone is obviously highly subjective. So rather than trying to explain what I'm looking for it would be much more beneficial for me to read about the different characteristics of possible modifications and make my decision based upon what frequencies they effect vs what I think it is lacking or has too much of.

I always thought that trying to explain a frequency online would be like trying to describe purple to someone thats blind.

 

[Bodeanicus]

Re: JB bridge tb4 sounds weak in Comanche

The title pretty much says it.

I put the tb4 in my comanche. I had the sh4 that I put in my ESP and it was almost too much. I replaced that with a duncan custom, exchanged the sh4 for a tb4 double white. Like a moron tried to route my pickguard, snapped on the last cut.... Of course..... Then spent $80 on a new pickguard. Got the tb4 in there and .... Well it feels like a lost sneeze. Lots of back and forth and money and time. Completely let down.

Now I know this most likely has everything to do with different pots and caps. The Comanche is a passive bass treble wiring.

The problem is I love the way my Neck and Middle pups sound. Any change I make can't have an impact on those. Ive tried different combinations of heights with the tb4 and pole pieces. Its just not screaming the way I would have expected it to. Miles and miles from the sound I had in my ESP.

I'll add that since I am a moron I did this with two different JB bridge pups as I dropped the ball the first time and ordered the sh4 double white for the Comanche before realizing I needed the tb4. I assumed it sounded weak due to poor spacing.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Schematic: http://www.glguitars.com/schematics/S-500_schematic_blockdiagram.pdf

Even if there was a way to bypass a pot or two I could live with that. I'd like it to sound closer to the way it did with the esp and its 500k pots.

Next to the zcoils this thing sounds pretty weak and lack luster

If it isn't working for you, it isn't working for you. Try something else.

Sent from my KFGIWI using Tapatalk

 

[jmp22684]

Re: JB bridge tb4 sounds weak in Comanche

I would. Outside of my 21 day exchange period now.

I'll look for cheaper fixes and when ready to blow some more cash in a year I'll get back to it.

A8, A9, C8 magnets arriving Saturday. Will see how those fair

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: JB bridge tb4 sounds weak in Comanche

Aren't there people who custom-make pickguards for less than $80?

 

[jmp22684]

Re: JB bridge tb4 sounds weak in Comanche

I think its around 60 or so for the 4ply white pearl + shipping. Another 80 for the will ray. And this is after already spending on the custom zzh pickguard and sitting on a new JB trembucker. Its a heavy hit.

You also need to understand I have a pretty hefty amount invested in audio at the moment and already finished another custom pup job on another guitar. I am in pretty deep at the moment. Just can't add more to it. If it sits for a bit it is what it is.... I made a mistake. I'll own that and come back to it when I can. I have more than enough guitars to play on right now... Hmph. Still a let down.

In all seriousness though. I will be back with wiring once I start goofing with the magnets this weekend.

I did have the same pup in another guitar and this is miles from that. So it could be a matter of pots/capacitors.

There is still plenty to be done with the JB and the Comanche. Not throwing in the towel yet.

If I need to pull caps from the pots and swap those and then inline some caps to maintain the zcoil tone but open up the JB's tone. ... Lots to be done still.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: JB bridge tb4 sounds weak in Comanche

Understood. Just thinking, in a previous life I knew of people who would make custom pickguards for less than half that. I'm useless to say who in particular now would do it though. Part of me just thinks the Comanche looks better (and is more unique) with the stock pickup anyway so I'm biased I'm a big G&L fan.