JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

G

gvis

New member
After having periodically replied to posts that in any way related to similarities or comparisons between the Alt 8 and JB, or magnet swaps in the Alt 8, I figured I’d share my experience of finally having had both pups in my Parker Nitefly.

For some reason I’d thought I’d read somewhere that an A5 mag in an Alt 8 is very close to a JB. Now that I have the JB loaded, imo there are some similarities, but not really very close overall.

An A5 in the Alt 8 makes it a much better pup imo, by making it more focused, taking away some of its excess bigness, which imo was just too much, tightening up its bass, and improving its leads. I’d thought I could live with it, but after viewing so many you tube clips (especially that impressive one where a guy goes thru all the SD high output pups in a row), after recently deciding to start up home recording after a 10 year hiatus, and after finding I missed edgier pups (the Alt 8 feels smooth to me) when I put a Norton in my strat, I decided to take a chance on the JB.

So far I’m glad I did. While leads aren’t quite as big or sustaining as the Alt 8 with A5, they are just as sweet sounding, but there’s also more hair and bite on the notes (but not as much as the Norton). The Alt 8 was just too smooth in comparison, and that includes chugging rhythms too. Chord notes are also clearer with the JB. And the notorious upper mid spike isn’t as bad as I expected. Maybe it just fits this guitar.

The bass is also less pronounced on the JB, which means notes are clearer and less the bass thick overall, but the sponginess I’d read about is certainly there. The Alt 8 with A5 had a harder attack. But I’m getting used to the mild sponginess and feel it may help the attack in the higher registers by adding chewiness.

As with the Norton, I was concerned after hearing that these would lock me into an 80’s type of sound, but I really don’t hear it, maybe because I don’t write those types of tunes, or maybe because the Parker kinda has its own sound.

I’m happy so far, but like all the other pup changes I’ve done, it will take a few weeks before I know for sure. But so far the JB has been the best bridge pup in this guitar. A Custom was my other consideration, and I wrestled over that choice.

In case anyone ever cares..lol
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

JBs sound fantastic in strats and similar guitars.

Never played an Alt 8 but I read somewhere on here that the wind is loosely based on the JB wind. Stands to reason that it'd be similar but not the same.
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

CTN said:
JBs sound fantastic in strats and similar guitars.
Click to expand...

Yes, and now I know...finally. I think the Parker is probably closer to a Strat sound, although it is darker, rounder, and more growly in low end than any strat I've owned. But it's definitely not in the LP side of things.

I avoided the JB for so long based on so many mixed reviews here. We'll see how long it lasts. I really thought a custom may be want I needed, to get a more modern tone, but I'm happy so far with the JB and I think I'll wait on the custom and try it in some new guitar I get later. I think having 3 guitars with a Norton, JB, and custom would cover a lot of territory. Thought about a distortion, but I'm not a true metal guy. I actually miss the invader a bit, which was the first replacement pup I'd tried way back.
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

I'm not a "metal guy" either. Not at all. But I really like the Distortion. Great pup. NOT just for metal.
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

But I do have to admit that I don't have that ceramic magnet in it either...A2 for the win.
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

GuitarDoc said:
But I do have to admit that I don't have that ceramic magnet in it either...A2 for the win.
Click to expand...

I forgot about that...but now I do recall your posts on using an A2 in the Distortion. I also recall posts suggesting the Distortion is a JB with cermaic mag, with disagreement on this. If it's true, you'd think putting an A2, which I have, into the new JB would get the same results as yours, or putting a ceramic in, which I'd need to get, would get me to a Distortion.

I do need the option to get to heavier styles, but so far I seem to be getting close enough with the JB and high gain pedals.

I really think I may leave it and just get a 3rd guitar that fills in the missing pieces, whether it's a custom for a moden tone but necessarily super heavy, or a distortion to getmoden metal tones. Of course I've got no dough left after setting up the home studio, so that could be awhile.

Oh, and I put an AP2 pro bridge in the neck of the Parker, replacing the Liquifier. Not bad but not it's best until I used an A5 mag; really great now, and better for this guitar than the Liquifier, which I liked but felt it was too dark and thick for an already dark guitar; leads were cool but way too thick for chords, etc. The AP2 pro was in my strat bridge but was too anemic for me and was replaced by the Norton, which worked out great.
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

gvis said:
Oh, and I put an AP2 pro bridge in the neck of the Parker, replacing the Liquifier. Not bad but not it's best until I used an A5 mag;
Click to expand...

So how does "A5Pro" perform in the neck compared with A2P?
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

It's my understanding that it's been confirmed that the JB and the Distortion are not exactly the same winds. A Dist with an A5 mag will be close to a JB but not the same (A JB with a lg ceramic mag will be close to a Dist, but not the same).
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

elelpe said:
So how does "A5Pro" perform in the neck compared with A2P?
Click to expand...

So far very well. I really can't make a final decision until after a few weeks...lol...for some reason I tend to get pretty excited up front and need to wind down before being more objective.

I can say that I like it better than the A2P, the differences being a little more volume, tighter low end with less sponginess, and more focused, especially leads. But recall it's the bridge version being placed int he neck, so there's a little more bass than I'd prefer and relative for the JB. I'm guessing there is some difference betwene the bridge and neck versions, where the neck has reduced bass due to some method; but the outputs seem close according to the tone chart. Lowering the bass side of the pup did help reduce bass somewhat.

The only success i've had with A2 mags is when put one in an invader neck that sits in the middle. That put was pretty harsh with anything but an A2, which really turned it into a useable pup for me. But it's just personal preference really.
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

Edgecrusher said:
When and where was this confirmed?
Click to expand...

One of our forum brothers (can't remember who just now), called and talked to MJ about it. Didn't give the specifics of HOW they are different, however (besides the magnets).

I hope this doesn't lead to another debate about it. I think it would be #38,742, iirc.
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

Then that would be unconfirmed. Confirmed is when someone from the company actually makes a statement directly in public.
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

You may accept that as "unconfirmed", but most of the rest of us are satisfied with what MJ said. If you are concerned, you could call her yourself then you would have a confirmed statement. If you need to see it published for the public to see before you accept it, you could ask MJ, while you're on the phone with her, to have SD make a public announcement concerning it (lots of luck with that one). If you're not willing to make one phone call to get the correct info from the "horse's mouth", then just drop it and quit being so dogmatically antagonistic about it.

You must be from Missouri, the "show me" state. You won't believe anything until it is proven to you. The problem is, you won't even believe the proof.
 
Last edited:
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

It's interesting that your only posts to this thread are negative and contentious (like so many of your other posts)...nothing helpful or contributory.
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

GregJr said:
Sorry for the highjack but for you guys who use a full JB in Strats , do you use 250 or 500K volume pots??
Click to expand...

I'm using 250k volume and tone pot in the Parker. It's already a generally dark guitar and the JB still manages to show decent bite and top end with those pots, so my guess would be 250k in brighter strats.
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

GuitarDoc said:
You may accept that as "unconfirmed", but most of the rest of us are satisfied with what MJ said. If you are concerned, you could call her yourself then you would have a confirmed statement. If you need to see it published for the public to see before you accept it, you could ask MJ, while you're on the phone with her, to have SD make a public announcement concerning it (lots of luck with that one). If you're not willing to make one phone call to get the correct info from the "horse's mouth", then just drop it and quit being so dogmatically antagonistic about it.

You must be from Missouri, the "show me" state. You won't believe anything until it is proven to you. The problem is, you won't even believe the proof.
Click to expand...

Heres the funny thing Doc... If i made the call then posted the opposite of what you want to believe you would throw a fit much like your doing now. I do not expect MJ or anyone else to give up any secrets for nothing. Which is why I do not expect them to tell me anything if I do call. The reason I constantly ask you to provide proof of this "confirmed" is because you insist on passing off info that is unconfirmed hearsay at best as being official. If you posted "Most here think that" Thats cool with me I'm ok with that but if you post "Its been confirmed" that means its official and someone repeating a conversation from another person who had a private conversation where we dont know exactly what was asked or said is anything but "official". So if you want me to be less dogmatic about it stop doing the internet forum rumor trick of repeating something until it becomes true which happens way way too often around here.
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

GuitarDoc said:
It's interesting that your only posts to this thread are negative and contentious (like so many of your other posts)...nothing helpful or contributory.
Click to expand...


I made 2 posts 1 was asking you a question about the info you provided sorry but this is a forum this is allowed. I know the mag swap mafia hates being questioned but thats how forums work. The other post was my clarification of what you said. I'm getting the strong feeling that you think if I dont kow tow to what you say then I'm being negative.
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

You might want to read my posts again. I never stated as a fact that the winds of an Alt8, Dist, and JB were not the same...I said, "it's my understanding" that it was confirmed after so many inquiries and opinions about this. I went on to say where I got that information...from a very respected forum member who said he asked MJ himself and got a straight answer from her. Everything else that anyone suggested was just their opinions. This info also confirmed my personal observations of those pups and so it is very believable (came from a reliable source and fits with my observed data).

Yes, I can understand how you would believe that the reference I gave could only be considered "hearsay", but then again, EVERYTHING said on this forum is hearsay (except for a few comments directly from Evan or Scott). But then I guess you would say that even those are hearsay.

Now, don't even TRY to tell me that your posts are not negative. The tone was very clear. And like I said, not just these posts. It seems to be your nature to be a bit antagonistic.

Now it seems I am falling into your trap. If you want to try to rationalize your actions/behavior/posts any further, let's not use the forum for this, you can PM me if you like.
 
Re: JB vs Alt 8 with A5 Mag

Well, as far as the JB goes, it DOES work well in Les Pauls, too. Personally, I think the JB matches better to the Customs better than say, the Standards or Traditionals. Have some fun with it! :D

As for winds......the tone chart says the JB is 16.4k and the DD is 16.6k. Has to be different based on those specs, right? How many extra turns of 44awg does it take to equate to that difference?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top