Neck pickup for Strat with JB bridge.

[kcrknp]

So I've got a new JB trembucker I'm about to put it my new Fender Player Strat because the bridge single is weak and noisy for the rock I like to play. I'm curious what you guys would recommend in the neck position for this guitar, something single size because my new pickguard is HSS. I'm open to singles, stacked singles, or single size humbuckers as long as the output will pair well with the JB in the bridge position. Mostly classic and hard rock tones a la Zeppelin, Floyd, Scorpions, Rush. I already have an EMG 81/85 superstrat and a tele with hot rails bridge, so I think I have the metal covered with those guitars. Thanks!

 

[ErikH]

In the 80's, it was very common to see the SuperStrats with HSS configs set up with JB/SSL-1/SSL-1. Yes, the JB is much hotter but this setup gave some diversity with the lower output singles for clean tones. The JB and two Classic Stacks would work too for that same setup. Or go JB Bridge / Classic Stack Middle / Little '59 Neck.

 

[Clint 55]

The red devil is insane. It's my favorite pickup for rock in a single coil form factor. Nice and gritty but also warm and organic which is similar to the JB so it would balance tone wise. If you add a true single or stack in the middle, you'll be able to have stratty tones in addition to hum tones in ur strat.

 

[Mincer]

I'd go for a Cool Rails (it is sort of like the Jazz, but smaller size) or, for a thicker sound, the Little 59. Go for a Classic Stack if you want to keep a Strat sound in the neck.

 

[jeremy]

i think a lil 59 or cool rails is a good choice for the neck pup. id probably leave the stock single coil in the middle unless you use that position a lot.

 

[kcrknp]

Thanks guys, very helpful info. I do really like the 2 and 4 position in between sounds, which is part of the reason I'm using a JB because I have read it has a great single coil-like split sound. I'll have to check out some samples of the classic stack, lil 59 and cool rails. I do like the idea of having the option to go humbucker in the neck for a beefier lead sound, or split it for some jangle. There are so many options I was researching that I needed your expertise to help narrow it down.

 

[Mincer]

If you decide on either the Cool Rails or Little 59, they tend to sound better in parallel rather than split, btw.

 

[kcrknp]

Thanks for the heads up on that, I've never done any coil split wiring before. Is it possible to have position 4 split the neck humbucker, and also have a separate toggle or push/pull for series/parallel?

 

[Clint 55]

Yes

 

[Lewguitar]

If you decide on either the Cool Rails or Little 59, they tend to sound better in parallel rather than split, btw.

As does the JB. Just my opinion. The JB is also one of the few humbuckers that sounds good with 250K pots, which is what your Strat probably has.

 

[Lewguitar]

With just a standard 5 way switch I don't know how you'd go about putting any of the noiseless pickups, including the JB, in parallel. You'd have to add a switch or three.

I had a Strat with a JB in the bridge and two Strat singles for the neck and middle.

For me it was unusable because the JB had such a radically different output and tone that I had difficulty adjusting my amp for an inspiring tone that worked with both types of pickups.

You have the JB.

Maybe a JB Jr. neck model might be the ticket.

I didn't try that with my guitar. I just gave up and returned it to being a normal Strat.

 

[Robbiedbee]

JB is quite a powerful pickup. I currently have a Lil 59 in the neck position in the Strat which I have a JB in. It works pretty well, matches it for output (mostly) and is a good pickup in its own right.

I really am a fan of the Cool Rails though. Slightly punchier, more articulate than the Lil 59.

 

[Mincer]

The Little 59 neck will absolutely have more mids than the Cool Rails. It depends on what your guitar needs, or the neck tone you would like.

 

[zizyphus]

The SSL-6 is an absolutely wonderful hot strat pickup that can keep up with a humbucker__PRESENT

 

[Lewguitar]

The Little 59 neck will absolutely have more mids than the Cool Rails. It depends on what your guitar needs, or the neck tone you would like.

And what's going to sound good with the JB in the bridge. The way you adjust the tone on your amp for one pickup has to sound good with the other pickup too.

That's a big reason I don't like using a hot bridge humbucker with regular Strat single coils.