JB TB4 instead of JB SH4 will it be ok ?

M

Michelleuk

New member
I recently bought a Gibson Les Paul Studio and it is in the mail towards me now.
I was told that the guitar has the JB TB4s fitted.
I have read that on a Les Paul it should be the JB SH4 instead due to the string spacing.

How much is this going to alter the sound from what it should be ?

Thanx for any advice.
 
Re: JB TB4 instead of JB SH4 will it be ok ?

If all the strings are close to the poles you should be okay.. Many say it doesn't matter..
 
Re: JB TB4 instead of JB SH4 will it be ok ?

Welcome to the forum.

The practical upshot of the TB-4 polepiece spacing being wider than the Gibson string spacing is that the magnetic field senses the string vibrations BUT the adjustments you make to the screw poles might not be as focused as you would wish.

If the appearance of the TB-4 offends your eye, you can easily trade it with somebody for an SH-4 of the same colour scheme. You might even luck out and get an old example wound by the legendary MJ.

JB pickup in both positions is a matter of taste. My inclination would be to change it.
 
Re: JB TB4 instead of JB SH4 will it be ok ?

From what I've seen, a TB actually lines up better on modern Gibsons.
 
Re: JB TB4 instead of JB SH4 will it be ok ?

Gibson changed the angle of their bridge some years ago to the point that TB pickups actually line up better than SH pickups, at least at the bridge.
 
Re: JB TB4 instead of JB SH4 will it be ok ?

Funkfingers said:
Welcome to the forum.

The practical upshot of the TB-4 polepiece spacing being wider than the Gibson string spacing is that the magnetic field senses the string vibrations BUT the adjustments you make to the screw poles might not be as focused as you would wish.

If the appearance of the TB-4 offends your eye, you can easily trade it with somebody for an SH-4 of the same colour scheme. You might even luck out and get an old example wound by the legendary MJ.

JB pickup in both positions is a matter of taste. My inclination would be to change it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the welcome and for your input, I appreciate your views and experience.
I do infact have a 25 year old JB ( slightly rusty ) made by the famous MJ ������
 
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Re: JB TB4 instead of JB SH4 will it be ok ?

With a pickup as powerful as the JB, you will be fine. Unless your OCD kicks in and you don't like the alignment...it should sound the same.
 
Re: JB TB4 instead of JB SH4 will it be ok ?

Never been able to hear any differences between standard and wider poles position
 
Re: JB TB4 instead of JB SH4 will it be ok ?

I bought a Strat-like guitar that has an SH-spaced pickup installed. It needs a TB-spaced pickup. The E strings are noticeably lower in volume. Not so much when playing with gain (due to the natural compression of a distorted signal). But on cleans, yep, noticeable.
 
Re: JB TB4 instead of JB SH4 will it be ok ?

E string has a natural slightly lower volume, as you can hear on an acoustic
 
Re: JB TB4 instead of JB SH4 will it be ok ?

^It was absolutely due to pickup spacing on that guitar.
 
Re: JB TB4 instead of JB SH4 will it be ok ?

Michelleuk said:
Thanks for the welcome and for your input, I appreciate your views and experience.
I do infact have a 25 year old JB ( slightly rusty ) made by the famous MJ ������
Click to expand...

Here's the actual pup...
 

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