JB magnet swapping

[Karn Evil 9]

i might soon get my hands on a second hand JB for a pretty cheap price, so i've been thinking about experimenting with different magnets. what sort of magnet/guitar combinations do you guys recommend? i'm going for an 80's rock sort of sound (lynch, demartini etc) ; basically something tight yet something that screams
i have a stock JB in one of my les pauls that sounds pretty cool; this would likely be going in a strat
cheers in advance

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: JB magnet swapping

imo, a3 and a8 are the coolest swaps to try in a JB. a3 will give it a vintagy flavor with mids similar to a2, but with a little bit more treble. a8 on the other hand is a monster, it's like having the a5 in there with way more low mids and output, while tightening everything up.

 

[brunogio]

Re: JB magnet swapping

Do a search for JB8 and you should see lots of posts and feedback.

Personally I made the A8 magnet swap in a JB and think it is cool for a strat type guitar. I think you'd be happy with that given what you've written.

 

[BigJoe77]

Re: JB magnet swapping

FWIW, I like an A2 in the one I just installed.

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: JB magnet swapping

id try an A8 but that is more early 80s... maybe a ceramic, im not sure
The A8 may work though in the bridge and in the neck an A2 or A3

 

[GoDrex]

Re: JB magnet swapping

demartini - try the A2 in the JB

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: JB magnet swapping

btw a standard sized ceramic in a JB is somewhat of a duncan distortion lite, i've heard good things about it for people who are on the fence between a JB and a full power distortion.

 

[CaughtLikeFire]

Re: JB magnet swapping

i might soon get my hands on a second hand JB for a pretty cheap price, so i've been thinking about experimenting with different magnets. what sort of magnet/guitar combinations do you guys recommend? i'm going for an 80's rock sort of sound (lynch, demartini etc) ; basically something tight yet something that screams
i have a stock JB in one of my les pauls that sounds pretty cool; this would likely be going in a strat
cheers in advance

I'd recommend the A2 in the JB. used it and liked it. A8 was . . .meh. ceramic sounds almost identical to a Distortion.

Both guitarists that you mentioned use Duncans and both have a Custom Shop Model. Both the Lynch Super V and DeMartini custom pups are based on the JB and use an Alnico 2 magnet. The Super V is very much like the early JB prototypes. The DeMartini is a slightly overwound JB with an A2 (although honestly, my JB from the factory reads over 17k, so it's not necessarily a huge difference).

bottom line: an A2 is your best bet.

 

[uOpt]

Re: JB magnet swapping

The JB/A2 is one of the best pickups around, it give you the extra scream of a APH or PG bridge but with the fullness of the JB coils. Way more highs than e.g. a CC.

However, it is guitar dependent. So far I only like it in a Les Paul. In my SG it miserably failed.

With a thick ceramic it becomes a DD.

 

[SFW]

Re: JB magnet swapping

I've tried the A2 and A8 in the JB. In the end, I always put the A5 back in, as I think it sounds the best.

 

[Karn Evil 9]

Re: JB magnet swapping

cheers guys. i might try an a8 in the strat and experiment with some other magnets in my LP