Re: JB replacement recommendation?
Hey there Doc.
That POD Pro + Valvestate power amp rig is actually capable of some pretty decent sounds - I know because one of my friends used to have an identical setup for small clubs and he got decent sounds at any volume level.
As far as the pickup goes, I would recommend one of two approaches:
1. Try a magnet swamp with that JB. I myself like the JB's core tone but there's a few things about that pickup that always seem to bug me, and at one point I was using a JB with an Alnico 8 magnet installed instead of the stock Alnico 5. With the A8 magnet, the highs were smoothed out and the bass was extended and tightened, which I really liked. The downside was that the pickup was just a little too hot for me... somewhere north of 17K. But it sounded KILLER for mean rock tones. Other people prefer the JB with an Unoriented Alnico 5 magnet (UOA5) or even an Alnico 2. Try the magnet swap first. Magnet are cheap and the mod is reversible.
2. Try a popular alternative to the JB as a pickup. JB replacement is a common question, and I keep hearing the same suggestions pop up over time; Rio Grande BBQ, Suhr Aldrich, BKP Nailbomb, even the DiMarzio FRED or Breed pop up as suggestions occasionally.
Hey all,
I have been playing guitar for 25+ years and my main guitar until a few years ago was a homemade strat with a SD '59 in the bridge into an old stock Marshall Super-Bass head with a tube preamp in front of it into a Marshall 4x12" cab. For the past 3+ years though, I have been playing in a cover band that that plays primarily classic hard rock and classic metal (Judas Priest & Iron Maiden), and after trying the stock Duncan Designed pickups in my new Jackson (Dinky strat with Floyd) I swapped them out for an EMG 81/85 set to get a bit more distortion happening.
Initially I liked the EMGs because of the smooth rhythm sound, but after a while I started to feel/hear the sterile sound that the EMG 81/85 pickups are often accused of when playing leads. It was suggested to me that I try a Seymour JB in the bridge, and I immediately noticed a change to a more "organic" feel while doing solos and lead work that people describe to passive pickups. However, as my ear got used to the JB over the next few months, I noticed that my rhythm tone sounded a bit raw and rough, like the speaker was breaking up in a bad way just a bit, but the speakers are all solid. So I found myself wanting the smoothness of the EMG rhythm sound combined with the organic feel of the JB when playing leads. Does such a pickup exist in the Duncan catalog?
I am currently using a Line 6 Pod Pro preamp into a Marshall Valvestate stereo power amp into a Marshall 4x12" 1960B with the stock G12T-75s. I know the Line 6 is not the best, I am looking for a Marshall JCM 800, but until then the Line 6 has been reliable and I've been able to dial in a pretty decent sound based on the Brit Hi-Gain sound. So, any suggestions for a bridge pickup with a smooth rhythm distortion and more organic lead sound, or is that what we're all chasing?
Thanks!
Dr Raven
Hey there Doc.
That POD Pro + Valvestate power amp rig is actually capable of some pretty decent sounds - I know because one of my friends used to have an identical setup for small clubs and he got decent sounds at any volume level. As far as the pickup goes, I would recommend one of two approaches:
1. Try a magnet swamp with that JB. I myself like the JB's core tone but there's a few things about that pickup that always seem to bug me, and at one point I was using a JB with an Alnico 8 magnet installed instead of the stock Alnico 5. With the A8 magnet, the highs were smoothed out and the bass was extended and tightened, which I really liked. The downside was that the pickup was just a little too hot for me... somewhere north of 17K. But it sounded KILLER for mean rock tones. Other people prefer the JB with an Unoriented Alnico 5 magnet (UOA5) or even an Alnico 2. Try the magnet swap first. Magnet are cheap and the mod is reversible.
2. Try a popular alternative to the JB as a pickup. JB replacement is a common question, and I keep hearing the same suggestions pop up over time; Rio Grande BBQ, Suhr Aldrich, BKP Nailbomb, even the DiMarzio FRED or Breed pop up as suggestions occasionally.
