Detroitblues
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Re: JB Sounds Dull
try changing the caps/pots to different values...
try changing the caps/pots to different values...
JB Sounds Dull
- Thread starter redline144
- Start date
redline144
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
HAHA kind of like Dave Matthews Band too then!? I'm taking it to my tech later today and he said he can put a 1M pot in it pretty quickly so I'll see if that fixes it. If not, like you said I'm going to sell it and get something more suited to what I'm looking for. I do have a 59/Custom Hybrid in my LP Standard and LOVE it. May get along well with this too. Or perhaps the recommendations vinta9e made as well. Good thing with pickups if you don't like one, there's a ton of others!
HAHA kind of like Dave Matthews Band too then!? I'm taking it to my tech later today and he said he can put a 1M pot in it pretty quickly so I'll see if that fixes it. If not, like you said I'm going to sell it and get something more suited to what I'm looking for. I do have a 59/Custom Hybrid in my LP Standard and LOVE it. May get along well with this too. Or perhaps the recommendations vinta9e made as well. Good thing with pickups if you don't like one, there's a ton of others!
guitarSQUIRELL
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
Where did you find the 59/custom hybrid? Everywhere i look, no body carries it....I may not be looking hard enough though....
Where did you find the 59/custom hybrid? Everywhere i look, no body carries it....I may not be looking hard enough though....
redline144
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
I got mine on Amazon. They have a huge selection of SD pickups. I love that pickup it's the perfect blend of modern and vintage vibe.
I got mine on Amazon. They have a huge selection of SD pickups. I love that pickup it's the perfect blend of modern and vintage vibe.
Nostalgic Distortion
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
Please understand these are just my opinions, feel free to disagree....
I have a G&L Fallout hat came stock with a JB, since G&L are usually really good @ voicing their guitars I just left it alone for about 6 months. It has a small Mahogany body, bolt-on Maple neck with a Rosewood fingerboard, & it's a quite "dark" sounding guitar, in a good way, dark non the less? If I had to describe the way it sounds I'd say it sounds almost exactly like a S.G., but with a bolt-on neck?
Anyway, one day I got board & had a extra Nickel covered TB-1B kicking around so I swapped them & it was like having this great guitar epiphany! So, So, much better! I never really jelled with the JB in the bridge but I guess I thought there was a reason why they would use them in the factory on a USA guitar? I guess to be fair the bridge pickup in that guitar was probably the closest I've ever came to actually liking a JB, so in the right guitar I'm sure they could be alright? I'm also sure that 99% of the time there's a better choice out there someplace? Just my opinion....
I think a lot of people buy them just because they're Duncan's #1 selling pickup, they think if everyone else likes them I will too? The problem is they make this decision without thinking about the characteristics of the pickup, the guitar that they'll be dropping it into, or the amp they are going to be pushing with said Humbucker. Pickups are only a small piece of your sound, all be it a very important piece!
In any case, after I replaced the JB with the 59B the Fallout went from being wall candy & a cool conversation topic to my 3rd favorite guitar, just like that!!! I went from taking it down once a month to tune & dust it to playing it almost every day, & that's saying a lot since I've got 14 guitars now!
Please understand these are just my opinions, feel free to disagree....
I have a G&L Fallout hat came stock with a JB, since G&L are usually really good @ voicing their guitars I just left it alone for about 6 months. It has a small Mahogany body, bolt-on Maple neck with a Rosewood fingerboard, & it's a quite "dark" sounding guitar, in a good way, dark non the less? If I had to describe the way it sounds I'd say it sounds almost exactly like a S.G., but with a bolt-on neck?
Anyway, one day I got board & had a extra Nickel covered TB-1B kicking around so I swapped them & it was like having this great guitar epiphany! So, So, much better! I never really jelled with the JB in the bridge but I guess I thought there was a reason why they would use them in the factory on a USA guitar? I guess to be fair the bridge pickup in that guitar was probably the closest I've ever came to actually liking a JB, so in the right guitar I'm sure they could be alright? I'm also sure that 99% of the time there's a better choice out there someplace? Just my opinion....
I think a lot of people buy them just because they're Duncan's #1 selling pickup, they think if everyone else likes them I will too? The problem is they make this decision without thinking about the characteristics of the pickup, the guitar that they'll be dropping it into, or the amp they are going to be pushing with said Humbucker. Pickups are only a small piece of your sound, all be it a very important piece!
In any case, after I replaced the JB with the 59B the Fallout went from being wall candy & a cool conversation topic to my 3rd favorite guitar, just like that!!! I went from taking it down once a month to tune & dust it to playing it almost every day, & that's saying a lot since I've got 14 guitars now!
guitarSQUIRELL
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
I replaced my INF series with the JB/Jazz set jsut from the specs I saw and I was right about the way it would sound.Honestly I love it in the basswood body of the ibanez. Not so sure I would put it in a mahogany body with a set neck though.The '59 set or '59/'59 custom hybrid would probably be the choice for that application i would think.
I replaced my INF series with the JB/Jazz set jsut from the specs I saw and I was right about the way it would sound.Honestly I love it in the basswood body of the ibanez. Not so sure I would put it in a mahogany body with a set neck though.The '59 set or '59/'59 custom hybrid would probably be the choice for that application i would think.
Re: JB Sounds Dull
Make sure the wiring is good, and that pots and caps are good.
I recently rewired my old Kramer Baretta II reissue and discovered that it had skunk factory wiring on the entire JB/Jazz setup. Now both pickups sound a lot better whereas before it was very muted and bland.
Make sure the wiring is good, and that pots and caps are good.
I recently rewired my old Kramer Baretta II reissue and discovered that it had skunk factory wiring on the entire JB/Jazz setup. Now both pickups sound a lot better whereas before it was very muted and bland.
Gone_Shootin
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
If you like more of a hi-fi/bright & clear top end, you may want to try a Black Winter. And the added bonus of the BW is that when it's split, it sounds alot more like a single coil than alot of other humbuckers do in the same mode. The only exception being when a Dimebucker is in a Mahogany bodied guitar such as a Les Paul, for some reason that combination does a very good Tele impersonation in split mode.
If you like more of a hi-fi/bright & clear top end, you may want to try a Black Winter. And the added bonus of the BW is that when it's split, it sounds alot more like a single coil than alot of other humbuckers do in the same mode. The only exception being when a Dimebucker is in a Mahogany bodied guitar such as a Les Paul, for some reason that combination does a very good Tele impersonation in split mode.
redline144
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
Just a quick update for everyone. I just took it over to my tech, he plugged it into a Fender tube amp and strummed it and literally within seconds said "yeah that's not right". The wife was in the car waiting so I left it with him. I'll update you guys once I get it back! Thanks for everything, you all are awesome!!
Just a quick update for everyone. I just took it over to my tech, he plugged it into a Fender tube amp and strummed it and literally within seconds said "yeah that's not right". The wife was in the car waiting so I left it with him. I'll update you guys once I get it back! Thanks for everything, you all are awesome!!
guitarSQUIRELL
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
Not a problem brother. Thats what we are here for. Can't keep the wife waiting, happy wife = happy life lol. Let us know what he finds.... Peace
Not a problem brother. Thats what we are here for. Can't keep the wife waiting, happy wife = happy life lol. Let us know what he finds.... Peace
redline144
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
Just got a text from my tech. Here's his thoughts so far.
"OK. Here's what I know. Your pickup reads fine. Exactly where it should be. There is some movement with the lead potentiometer and it smells slightly burnt. I think it's the pot. I'm off tomorrow but I'll get on it Wednesday. I have a replacement for it."
Just got a text from my tech. Here's his thoughts so far.
"OK. Here's what I know. Your pickup reads fine. Exactly where it should be. There is some movement with the lead potentiometer and it smells slightly burnt. I think it's the pot. I'm off tomorrow but I'll get on it Wednesday. I have a replacement for it."
guitarSQUIRELL
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
In the back of my mind, I was thinking a pot. Usually that's the last thing I recommend since they are so versatile. Hope that fixes your issue.
In the back of my mind, I was thinking a pot. Usually that's the last thing I recommend since they are so versatile. Hope that fixes your issue.
Diego
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
Glad it seems your problem might be solved but I've recently compared the JB and Jazz to Gibson's 61 Zebra set in my SGs so I thought I'd share my findings. On a clean sound I was surprised to find the 61 is brighter than the JB, also louder; changing to overdrive levelled the play field considerably and both pups sounded similar though the 61 has a bit more sizzle and articulation. The Jazz was considerably snappier and brighter than the 61 in the neck but the output is far lower giving the 61 a thick punchy sound while the Jazz felt more articulate.
Glad it seems your problem might be solved but I've recently compared the JB and Jazz to Gibson's 61 Zebra set in my SGs so I thought I'd share my findings. On a clean sound I was surprised to find the 61 is brighter than the JB, also louder; changing to overdrive levelled the play field considerably and both pups sounded similar though the 61 has a bit more sizzle and articulation. The Jazz was considerably snappier and brighter than the 61 in the neck but the output is far lower giving the 61 a thick punchy sound while the Jazz felt more articulate.
redline144
New member
redline144
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
Interesting. I have a Burstbucker Pro laying around, I could always toss that in there (granted the spacing is off) to test it. When I was over at the music store my tech said "it literally sounds like the tone pot is turned down when it's on full blast". When we rolled the tone off completely it was basically just "tones". You couldn't tell any definition at all. I'm really hoping it's just the volume pot or something little like that though.
Interesting. I have a Burstbucker Pro laying around, I could always toss that in there (granted the spacing is off) to test it. When I was over at the music store my tech said "it literally sounds like the tone pot is turned down when it's on full blast". When we rolled the tone off completely it was basically just "tones". You couldn't tell any definition at all. I'm really hoping it's just the volume pot or something little like that though.
guitarSQUIRELL
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
What did you find out from your tech about the JB situation.
What did you find out from your tech about the JB situation.
redline144
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
He actually just messaged me a few minutes ago. Seems the tone pot is bad. I told him just go ahead and bypass it all together, I never use it anyway. So once he gets it fixed I'll upload a new sample to compare.
He actually just messaged me a few minutes ago. Seems the tone pot is bad. I told him just go ahead and bypass it all together, I never use it anyway. So once he gets it fixed I'll upload a new sample to compare.
guitarSQUIRELL
New member
Re: JB Sounds Dull
What will bypassing a tone pot do for the sound? Thats something I have never done but have seen before.
What will bypassing a tone pot do for the sound? Thats something I have never done but have seen before.
