Pickup to replace JB in Alder?

Maz

Maz

New member
I'm getting a Jackson KE3 Kelly for my birthday, and I was messing around with it(the KE3 is my aunt's) and I didn't really like the sound of the JB in alder. It was too thin, but I liked the output. I'm considering getting the TB-6 for it, but the only demos I can find comparing the 2 have the pickups in Mahogany. What Duncan pickup will go well with the Sh-2n, and will give me a little more lows then the JB, but still provide similar, or even higher output. I'll primarily be using the guitar for '80s style metal and jazz. I used the Tone Wizard, and it suggested a Custom 5, but I'm not sure if I want to buy a pickup I haven't had any hands on time with.
 
Re: Pickup to replace JB in Alder?

^ Think the JB-8 would do it?
 
Re: Pickup to replace JB in Alder?

Maynardo said:
if you need fatness, you need to go the Alnico 8 way
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I just listened to some demos of the SH-15. It almost seemed a little too fat from what I heard, but that's another pickup I haven't had a chance to play around with. So I really can't judge it based on some demos from youtube. I'm picky.


And too be quite honest I'm not sure if I'm ready to start pulling pickups apart and switching magnets. Maybe I'll try throwing an A8 in the JB. It could be a cool project.
 
Re: Pickup to replace JB in Alder?

Your aunt plays a Jackson Kelly?

Rock'n'roll...
 
Re: Pickup to replace JB in Alder?

Kam said:
Your aunt plays a Jackson Kelly?

Rock'n'roll...
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I know, she also has a bunch of Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth cassettes. She gave me a CD with Death, Pantera, Dark Angel, Testament, Kreator, Death Angel, and Candlemass on it. Awesome?



I kind of like the sound of that PATB-2..
 
Re: Pickup to replace JB in Alder?

Maz said:
I just listened to some demos of the SH-15. It almost seemed a little too fat from what I heard, but that's another pickup I haven't had a chance to play around with. So I really can't judge it based on some demos from youtube. I'm picky.


And too be quite honest I'm not sure if I'm ready to start pulling pickups apart and switching magnets. Maybe I'll try throwing an A8 in the JB. It could be a cool project.
Click to expand...

Well, the Alt-8's is different than a JB, so the tone will not be the same and also, you shouldn't use the sound clips exclusively to judge a pickup since the guitar used and amp isn't the same as yours. Trust us, spending $10 at AddictionFX on eBay on a magnet and 10 minutes of your time, might be worth it, compared to $75 for a new pickup. Mag-swapping is cool. You get a brand new pup for a fraction of the cost and you don't have to rewire a new pickup to your pot and switch.
 
Re: Pickup to replace JB in Alder?

IanBallard said:
Well, the Alt-8's is different than a JB, so the tone will not be the same and also, you shouldn't use the sound clips exclusively to judge a pickup since the guitar used and amp isn't the same as yours. Trust us, spending $10 at AddictionFX on eBay on a magnet and 10 minutes of your time, might be worth it, compared to $75 for a new pickup. Mag-swapping is cool. You get a brand new pup for a fraction of the cost and you don't have to rewire a new pickup to your pot and switch.
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I might have worded my post wrong(I like just woke up) but I understand they don't sound the same. Just based on what I've heard I'm not sure how much I like the Alt-8 but again, I don't know where I could possibly play one without dropping $75 I don't really have.

As for the mag swapping I'm going to try it out. This is really my first time working with passive pickups, that require soldering, because I've been working with EMGs for the past couple years. If I were to get the A8 though, is this what I'm looking for?
 
Re: Pickup to replace JB in Alder?

Maz said:
I might have worded my post wrong(I like just woke up) but I understand they don't sound the same. Just based on what I've heard I'm not sure how much I like the Alt-8 but again, I don't know where I could possibly play one without dropping $75 I don't really have.

As for the mag swapping I'm going to try it out. This is really my first time working with passive pickups, that require soldering, because I've been working with EMGs for the past couple years. If I were to get the A8 though, is this what I'm looking for?
Click to expand...

Yup everybody on the forum buys their magnets from that guy, And yes that is the right magnet.
 
Re: Pickup to replace JB in Alder?

damn it, now the guy is only shipping inside the US, I'm gonna have to hold on to my spare alnico 8 magnet, if I want anything else I'm doomed :S
 
Re: Pickup to replace JB in Alder?

If you can step away from Seymour Duncan for a moment, the Tone Zone is phenomenal in alder. Nice and thick, but still cuts through. I love it in alder.
 
Re: Pickup to replace JB in Alder?

I would definitely try a DiMarzio Mo Joe. I got to play a newer JS model Ibanez and that thing is just about perfect: Great harmonics, nice attack and string separation, clarity and the EQ is very even, so it can work in just about any guitar, IMHO. It's also not super hot (9.76k) but hot enough to drive an amp sufficiently for most rock styles.
 
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Re: Pickup to replace JB in Alder?

Note that Seymour Duncan does have a 21 day guarantee in the US, so don't be too afraid to try something you are intrigued by, as long as you can decide fast enough.

If you want all out mayhem, the PATB-2 Parallel Axis Distortion is amazing. Leads like a thicker JB, but way more massive for riffs and much tighter for thrash rhythms.

If you need jazz from the bridge pickup, it may be a bit too much, though. It's very responsive for it's high output, but...

The TB-6 would be a bit thicker and tighter than the JB, but also harsher and more biting. It might still be too thin. I don't think it's any better for jazz than the PATB-2, though. The TB-6 has a slight edge for biting thrash rhythms over the PATB-2, but you can close most of the difference by cranking the presence up half a notch on the amp. Making the TB-6 smooth out enough to solo as sweetly as the PATB-2 is a lot more work in most setups. If it was a short scale mahogany set-neck, I'd be a lot more comfortable with the TB-6's brightness... Though even there, for my personal tastes I'd still go for the PATB-2.

I went from a JB to a PATB-1b in my Ibanez RG570, but that's basswood (w/maple neck & rosewood fretboard). JB did not sit well in the guitar, flubby bass and very nasal, though it still managed to be cool for solos. PATB-1b is awesome all around in my guitar. Most flexible high output humbucker I've used. Unusually comfortable for low-gain work for a hot pickup. Can do anything from edge of distortion blues/classic rock tones to metal comfortably. Solid for thrash rhythms, though not quite as strong as a PATB-2 or TB-6.

[This is all assuming you are using jazz as in the genre, and not meaning heavier branches of fusion. If you are using it as slang for "stuff", that's a bit confusing on a music forum. (:]
 
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Re: Pickup to replace JB in Alder?

As others have mentioned, simply swapping the magnet in the stock JB with an Alnico 8 might give you something you really like while keeping cost to a minimum!

Otherwise, if you insist on swapping the entire pickup, the DiMarzio Tone Zone really is an excellent choice for players who want a thicker sounding JB in an Alder guitar.
 
Re: Pickup to replace JB in Alder?

Not a fan of the tubb...err tone... zone- I think the Air Zone sounds much better in a bolt on alder/maple style, and a standard Norton (not the AIR version) kicks the crap out of both of them, and has more of that raunchy JB style high mid and scream, with bigger tighter bass.
 
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