JB+ maple body, maple neck, maple fingerboard = Tone Heaven

[UnderTheFlame83]

So, I have an all maple single humbucker Kramer that's been put away in its gig bag for a long, long time in storage. Honestly I have so much gear (that can also be a bad thing) that I almost forgot about this guitar. I upgraded it long ago with a JB I think is from the 90s. Man, this guitar is perfect for just about anything. And after playing it again today, it reminds me why the JB is still my favorite pickup.

 

[oilpit]

God the JB is such an incredible pickup. The first time I tried one was in the bridge of my Les Paul, and I really disliked it
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the bass was flubby and midrange sounded like Kermit the frog. I removed it almost immediately and touted myself a JB hater for a solid 2 years. That all changed when I picked up a MIM Stratocaster off Craigslist, it had a 'mystery' Duncan humbucker in the bridge, I didn't expect much from it, and when I plugged it in for the first time it just SCREAMED, like no pickup I had ever heard. I was obsessed.

As I'm sure you've guessed, that pickup turned out to be a JB. I've since tried it in ever strat style guitar I've ever owned at one point or another, just because it's so damn good.


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[UnderTheFlame83]

Yeah I put a JB Jr in my alder body 97 strat and was blown away how good it sounded. Perfection. The first Duncan I bought and the first I installed. Sounds just as good as the one in my Kramer, or any of the others in my guitars.

 

[UnderTheFlame83]

97 Strat

 

[JB6464]

I want a JB Jr but with rails .

 

[Artie]

I want a JB Jr but with rails .

A JB Jr and a Cool Rails are pretty close in DCR, and have the same magnet. The CR might be your ticket.

 

[Aceman]

I am not, generally speaking, a JB fan. That said I tend towards Mahogany body, 243/4 scale, mahogany/rosewood neck guitars. Probably not surprising.
Last one I owned I hated (but got a crap ton of tone compliments live). Swapped the mag for an A8 and was very happy for a long time.

But right now I have one in a Dean Cadillac that I just love!

At the end of the day, I really think the JB is a great pickup all around. I could play Rock, Blues, Metal, Shred. or just plain Pop with it if I wanted. I think that is one of it's real strengths. There will always be a more bluesy, metal, articulate, or whatever. But a JB is a great all around pickup period. No reason to hate it. It is the Glock of pickups.

No doubt there are places it almost always shines (Floyd & Superstrat) and places that it may be hit or miss...(All Mahogany Les Paul). But it's rarely tragic. I also think that it is fairly maligned on the internet by skewed perception. on the Les Paul deal. I bet a to - and I'll even say 80% of all JB to a Les Paul players are wayyyyy happier with their JB than the 498 they threw out. It's just here in tone snob land where we get that particular.

 

[Aceman]

I want a JB Jr but with rails .

And the Custom Shop wants to make you one.

 

[Artie]

And the Custom Shop wants to make you one.

(They'll charge $160, and drop a Cool Rails in the box.) :9:

 

[devastone]

An A2 JB in all maple sounds great too.

 

[JB6464]

A JB Jr and a Cool Rails are pretty close in DCR, and have the same magnet. The CR might be your ticket.

A CR bridge is 10.6k and the JB Jr bridge pickups are 15.2k , that's not pretty close when your talking almost 5k in difference imo .
Also the CR pickups are slightly scooped , In tone I would say that sounds more closer to a LIL 59 at 11.7k than a JB Jr which is more mid heavy and a lot hotter .

 

[Artie]

A CR bridge is 10.6k and the JB Jr bridge pickups are 15.2k , that's not pretty close when your talking almost 5k in difference imo .
Also the CR pickups are slightly scooped , In tone I would say that sounds more closer to a LIL 59 at 11.7k than a JB Jr which is more mid heavy and a lot hotter .

Sorry. I was looking at neck pups. 9.8k CR vs 10.1k JB Jr.

 

[UnderTheFlame83]

An A2 JB in all maple sounds great too.

I have to try that.