I'm wanting to replace the slanted Trembucker in my Tyler. I like the clarity of the JB but want just a little more @ss, what would be closest to this?
I think either a Custom or Distortion. The Custom has a similar voicing to the JB, but with more low end and a little less sustain. The Distortion is brighter than the JB, but has a little more low end and much more sustain.
See, when I think JB with more, I think Distortion. Besides, isn't a JB with a ceramic mag a Distortion anyhow? I can't keep up with all the folklore on this stuff.
Anyhow, a Distortion was a popular model in the 80's when rockers wanted more oomph, and the JB didn't cut it. Lynch and DeMartini among others used it quite often. Just a thought.
I'm pretty sure DeMartini was a straight up JB guy, but Lynch was a Distortion guy. I think you're right on about the Distortion is basically a JB with a Ceramic magnet.
Everyone on here always posts the question, I love this pickup but it needs a little more of this or that. Why change the pickup when you dont have to???
Keep the pickup and ad an onboard preamp like an EMG SPC. THis will give the existing pickup a little more A$$ and if you keep it turned all the way down, it will act as if it was never in the guitar. BTW, it replaces on of your pots.
I made a JB with a Alnico 8. This is great improvement. A little less highs, but more low mids, but the harmonics are different. I think the JB 8 is the better JB.
Recently i put a ceramic (left over of a Custom) into this JB, not too much difference to the JB 8, but a little more bass and harsher ceramic highs - i gonna skip this again.
BTW theodie: Whats the right guitar for a JB? A tele - like Jeff Beck had - or what.
A tele and 250k pots were the initial guitar SD made the JB for. Not that it doesn't work for others in a strat with 500k pots or a LP with 300k pots. I tend to like the JB better with the ceramic from a custom and swapping the poles to hex poles. Haven't tried the AL8 in a JB yet, that might be ideal.
I tried a JB-8 as well :
" JB to JB-8 : before it was too treebly , now it is more balanced , less harmonics on low strings but more low mids making it more round and juicy ,
I would say better ."
Alnico 8 brings more power , punch , and more low mids , and soften the highs .