Hey anybody use both of these? what am I losing by droping in my strat a little JB jr instead of a full size JB humbucker? I want to drop it into an Eric Johnson stratocaster. I think the pots are 300k. would the Jb jr do better with a 300k pot than the humbucker? I want to keep the pick guard intact on the Eric Johnson stratocaster but if I would lose too much tone then I can always replace it to get the full size humbucker tone. I noticed the Jb jr is not as hot and its ceramic instead of an a5 mag so I know there will be a tone difference
little JB jr vrs full size JB
- Thread starter philthis
- Start date
Re: little JB jr vrs full size JB
They're very different, not only with respect to their electrical properties, but the size difference means they see difference proportions of harmonic content along the length of the string. The single coil sized humbuckers sound more or less like really hot single coils. Think SSL-4.
They're very different, not only with respect to their electrical properties, but the size difference means they see difference proportions of harmonic content along the length of the string. The single coil sized humbuckers sound more or less like really hot single coils. Think SSL-4.
mantis
New member
Re: little JB jr vrs full size JB
I have a lil59 and a full size 59 in 2 different guitars but they are the same kind of guitar.
2013 Charvel San Dimas Hard Tail has the Lil59
2016 Charvel San Simas Hard Tail has the full size 59
I know this is not the JB but I think this might be what your asking about just with a different pickup
The Lil59 is flat out fantastic and destroys all single coil pickups I ever heard or used. It's fat and full like the full size pickup but not quite as good.
As said above it is different but IMO it's more of the same then different. The Full size 59 has a warmer fuller tone. The Lil59 has the same sonic signature but with slightly less output.
When I play both guitars VS style, I can hear the difference in them. It's not much as the smaller wonderful Lil59 really takes the place of a full size hum bucker without having to cut your guitar or plate to install a full size hum bucker. I think this idea of smaller single coil size pickup replacements for single coils is the way to go in guitars originally with Single coils. They sound better have more output and are quieter. It's the next best thing to the real deal my friend.
If I owned a Strat again, I would fully load it with Lil style pickups or Hot rails which are another wonderful pickup instead of single coils.
Honestly I fully HATE single coil pickups for what I do. I'm a heavy Metal guitar player and there is no place in my playing for single coils. I think they sound thin, crappy and noisy. I can't think of any good reason to own a single coil pickup when Seymour Duncan makes killer mini hum bucker style pickups that sound so much fuller , richer and have better output then any single coil on the market that I have heard or played. I don't know if they exist so this is just my personal 37 years of playing guitar speaking.
I use 250k pots for my mini hum bucker guitars. 500k pots I don't think sound quite right to me anyway. I never messed around with a 300k. I'd call Seymour duncan and explain your future setup and see what they suggest you replace your pots with or if the 300k's will get you where you want to be. I'm thinking 250k but I could be off in your tonal quest.
I strongly suggest trying out the JB JR, I have 3 guitars with the full size JB's in them and they are probably hands down my favorite pickup due to its incredible flexibility. I adjust the poles in mine to get me the flavor I'm after in said guitar. I learned this little trick that really enhances the abilities of the JB pickup. It goes from awesome to incredible with just a few turns of a screw driver. Pickup height is probably a overlooked tweak many might not see as a tonal enhancement but it can really make a pickup go from mild to wild.
Report back as I'm interested in what you do and how your digging the JB jr. I really dig the new Strat's that just came out Elite I think they are called , that new Blue color caught my eye and I want to go try one out. I can see a JB jr going right in.
I have a lil59 and a full size 59 in 2 different guitars but they are the same kind of guitar.
2013 Charvel San Dimas Hard Tail has the Lil59
2016 Charvel San Simas Hard Tail has the full size 59
I know this is not the JB but I think this might be what your asking about just with a different pickup
The Lil59 is flat out fantastic and destroys all single coil pickups I ever heard or used. It's fat and full like the full size pickup but not quite as good.
As said above it is different but IMO it's more of the same then different. The Full size 59 has a warmer fuller tone. The Lil59 has the same sonic signature but with slightly less output.
When I play both guitars VS style, I can hear the difference in them. It's not much as the smaller wonderful Lil59 really takes the place of a full size hum bucker without having to cut your guitar or plate to install a full size hum bucker. I think this idea of smaller single coil size pickup replacements for single coils is the way to go in guitars originally with Single coils. They sound better have more output and are quieter. It's the next best thing to the real deal my friend.
If I owned a Strat again, I would fully load it with Lil style pickups or Hot rails which are another wonderful pickup instead of single coils.
Honestly I fully HATE single coil pickups for what I do. I'm a heavy Metal guitar player and there is no place in my playing for single coils. I think they sound thin, crappy and noisy. I can't think of any good reason to own a single coil pickup when Seymour Duncan makes killer mini hum bucker style pickups that sound so much fuller , richer and have better output then any single coil on the market that I have heard or played. I don't know if they exist so this is just my personal 37 years of playing guitar speaking.
I use 250k pots for my mini hum bucker guitars. 500k pots I don't think sound quite right to me anyway. I never messed around with a 300k. I'd call Seymour duncan and explain your future setup and see what they suggest you replace your pots with or if the 300k's will get you where you want to be. I'm thinking 250k but I could be off in your tonal quest.
I strongly suggest trying out the JB JR, I have 3 guitars with the full size JB's in them and they are probably hands down my favorite pickup due to its incredible flexibility. I adjust the poles in mine to get me the flavor I'm after in said guitar. I learned this little trick that really enhances the abilities of the JB pickup. It goes from awesome to incredible with just a few turns of a screw driver. Pickup height is probably a overlooked tweak many might not see as a tonal enhancement but it can really make a pickup go from mild to wild.
Report back as I'm interested in what you do and how your digging the JB jr. I really dig the new Strat's that just came out Elite I think they are called , that new Blue color caught my eye and I want to go try one out. I can see a JB jr going right in.
Re: little JB jr vrs full size JB
They are close. The full size JB has a little more bark, and a little more power. It also seems compressed more. The JB Jr is more polite- it has bark, but not as much. It balances better with more vintage singles. I like the JR better, but I am not a huge fan of the JB's tone. In the Jr version, it works for me.
They are close. The full size JB has a little more bark, and a little more power. It also seems compressed more. The JB Jr is more polite- it has bark, but not as much. It balances better with more vintage singles. I like the JR better, but I am not a huge fan of the JB's tone. In the Jr version, it works for me.
PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: little JB jr vrs full size JB
I know it’s been 2 and a half years and he’s probably already made his mind up, but for others that stumble on the thread, the EJ Strat Body would need to be routed for full sized HB.
I know it’s been 2 and a half years and he’s probably already made his mind up, but for others that stumble on the thread, the EJ Strat Body would need to be routed for full sized HB.
Van Noord
New member
Re: little JB jr vrs full size JB
Full size JB's in S shape guitars I found always sounded good, but like they were trying too hard to be or sound like a Les Paul only not getting there. The wideness in its sound that was mentioned is usually filled with the pickup's prominent upper mid-range freq, which can get gnawing.
The JB Jr doesn't seem to be trying as hard, so really allows the Strat to do it's tonal thing as well. The result is fat, articulate and hot, without being too over-the-top.
Full size JB's in S shape guitars I found always sounded good, but like they were trying too hard to be or sound like a Les Paul only not getting there. The wideness in its sound that was mentioned is usually filled with the pickup's prominent upper mid-range freq, which can get gnawing.
The JB Jr doesn't seem to be trying as hard, so really allows the Strat to do it's tonal thing as well. The result is fat, articulate and hot, without being too over-the-top.
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stevie_bees
Cat In The Hatministrator
Re: little JB jr vrs full size JB
I have a full sized JB in a San Dimas type guitar, and it's exactly what you'd expect, in your face with that aggressive upper mid growl. I had a JB Jr in my G&L Legacy for a while, and it doesn't give the same aggressive push to the upper mids, which I think makes it sound 'nicer'. Ultimately I went back to a traditional single-coil in that guitar, but if it was my choice I'd fit the Jr over the full size JB.
I have a full sized JB in a San Dimas type guitar, and it's exactly what you'd expect, in your face with that aggressive upper mid growl. I had a JB Jr in my G&L Legacy for a while, and it doesn't give the same aggressive push to the upper mids, which I think makes it sound 'nicer'. Ultimately I went back to a traditional single-coil in that guitar, but if it was my choice I'd fit the Jr over the full size JB.
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