Pickup Trends (JB)

[benji657]

i remember a few years ago, starting from the YABB board, there used to be this trend regarding JB's.

That they don't sound good in alder bodied guitars (strats) because they will sound harsh.

So people said to put in in thick mahogany guitars like les pauls..

Now it's almost the other way around. It's like JB's only good in superstrats and nasally in les pauls...

you know what, who gives

if we only look at the specs and try to formulate tone from theory, that's sometimes what you get: specific forum trends.

JB is a kickass pickup period. loves my strat, loves my paul tiny bit more with the seth to compliment it in the neck.

 

[ponch]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

I would have to disagree with you on the jb being an awsome pup. I would say the invader/detonator is an awsome pup. The Jb sounds too common in any guitar you put it in. In my opinion when I used it i felt as if though I needed to grab a set of spandex pants to play the darn guitars. I tried it in a Yamaha AES 500 (les paul copy), and in my friends paul and they sound kinda blah.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

^ Maybe it's the lack of real world experience and misinformation flying about.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

I like JBs in all kinds of good sounding guitars!
No rules!

 

[Richard]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

I have a JB in my alder body strat and I love it... it will never leave that guitar while I own it.

 

[metlking]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

I have a JB in my alder body strat and I love it... it will never leave that guitar while I own it.

+1

 

[bigheadood]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

JB is the best pickup i've ever put in my Les Paul.
I wouldn't trade it. It was a bit too smooth in my Dean Hardtail though.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

I like the JB in a Fender style guitar. It's a good all 'rounder with 250k pots and single coils in the neck and mid. In a Gibson, I feel that it covers up too much of the guitar's natural tone.

I currently have a MJ wound JB in a Hamer and I love how smooth and fluid the leads are, but the rythm tones are a bit too dark and garbled for my tastes.

 

[ponch]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

I currently have a MJ wound JB in a Hamer and I love how smooth and fluid the leads are, but the rythm tones are a bit too dark and garbled for my tastes.

+1, It does get lost in the mix. :approve:

 

[benji657]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

^ Maybe it's the lack of real world experience and misinformation flying about.

yes, it's amazing how many people try to come up with a unversal recipe for tone..

i've tried the c5, jb, and seth in my les paul bridge,

and the JB wins it for me. with the c5, it seems a bit hollow in the highs, the jb seems to fill that out nicely.

to my ears, the seth doesn't sound thin at all. It sounds fat and honky, dare i say fatter than the JB. But i like the way the JB handles gain, so the seth went in the neck. i like its smoother sound compared to the 59n

 

[blueman335]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

Don't mean to spoil the "I love my JB" pajama party, but there are those of us who have a problem with the JB's icepick tone, and don't think it sounds good in anything. But this is all about opinions, mine & yours, so there is no right or wrong.

As far as trends, it depends on which fad is big with teenagers at the moment. They buy teh albums & that dominates the commercial airwaves. For the blues & classic rock that old guys like me play, JB's & ceramic magnet don't work. Too bright & harsh; lots of better choices. Blues tones have been pretty consistent over the decades (guys were using very distorted tones in the early 1950's because they had to turn their little 10 watt tube amps all the way up to be heard).

When the music fads change so does the sound of guitars. If you stick with one kind of music, I don't think you see much of these shifts.

 

[walt]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

Don't mean to spoil the "I love my JB" pajama party, but there are those of us who have a problem with the JB's icepick tone, and don't think it sounds good in anything. But this is all about opinions, mine & yours, so there is no right or wrong.

As far as trends, it depends on which fad is big with teenagers at the moment. They buy teh albums & that dominates the commercial airwaves. For the blues & classic rock that old guys like me play, JB's & ceramic magnet don't work. Too bright & harsh; lots of better choices. Blues tones have been pretty consistent over the decades (guys were using very distorted tones in the early 1950's because they had to turn their little 10 watt tube amps all the way up to be heard).

When the music fads change so does the sound of guitars. If you stick with one kind of music, I don't think you see much of these shifts.

I have had PAFs that are too bright in my strat along with JBs being too bright in the same guitar. I changed the pot to a 250 and still had the same results. I then changed the magnet to an A2 and it worked. Many folks here on this board will tell you that if you get an older JB it will sound better than the newer ones. I had a conversation with MJ about an A2 JB and she said to me that is what used to be in the JB, an A2. A voice in the background asked what are you talking about, MJ stated we were discussing the idea of an A2 JB. The voice in the background said, "That's what in my guitars, an A2 JB". When I asked MJ who was talking in the background, she stated, "It's one Seymour Duncan". I asked for a confirmation by repeating what I had just heard and she agreed that the original JB had an A2 magnet in it.

I don't know why it went to an A5 (probably trying to tighten up the loose bottom). All I know is that after trying tons of other pickups, the JB revisiting my strat with an A2 mag and 250k volume is killer. THank you Seymour

(BTW I'm 53).

 

[blueman335]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

"That's what in my guitars, an A2 JB". When I asked MJ who was talking in the background, she stated, "It's one Seymour Duncan". I asked for a confirmation by repeating what I had just heard and she agreed that the original JB had an A2 magnet in it. I don't know why it went to an A5 (probably trying to tighten up the loose bottom). All I know is that after trying tons of other pickups, the JB revisiting my strat with an A2 mag and 250k volume is killer. THank you Seymour. (BTW I'm 53).

Changing magnets can improve the sound of a lot of PU's, definitely a JB. Some guys get too hung up on PU's, and forget that you have the power of magnets to shape your tone. I warm all my bridge PU's with 250K pots or magnets, or both. I look for the ohms I want in a PU, and change magnets to suite my tastes. Nothing's cast in stone. Hey, I'm 53 too.

 

[mi_canuck]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

I just recently put SH-2n/SH-4 (JB) set in my Epi SG (mahogany body, rosewood fingerboard) and think it's a HUGE improvement! Sounds pretty sweet to me - which is what matters. I put these in along with RS caps (the modern ones, not vintage) (.015 neck / .022 bridge). (And using 500K pots). Really woke up the guitar. I'm happy with my choice. (obviously most anything is an improvement over the stock Epi P/U's, but i'm really glad I put in the Jazz/JB combo - lots more tone and way cleaner. I'm sure the cap swap helped too...)


peace

 

[theodie]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

The ONLY guitar I have liked a JB in was a rock maple body, maple neck, rosewood board, and a Floyd. The Maple IMO gave it tightness it usually lacksbut, it still had the high mids and the cut I like about it. The JB is just too flabby for me most of teh time in most guitars.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

Speaking of changing a magnet in a pickup to bring out a better sound out of it, the epiphany happened when I tried the experiment when everyone was making Custom 5's out of everyday Customs (which come standard with ceramics). Well I took the Alnico 5 from the JB into the Custom and I was underwhelmed.

The ceramic into the JB (which was touted at the time as a harsh and unuseable pickup) in my mind is the ideal JB pickup! It is basically a Duncan Distortion lite or a hot rodded JB. The DD has a thicker magnet so obviously this is a little lower in output based on the magnet but since the windings are the same in a JB and a DD the sound is very similar. Try it if you are put off by the JB mid spike as it is gone with the smaller ceramic, and also try it if you are afraid of the DD's raw power!

 

[mi_canuck]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

Curious on impressions of a JB in the bridge of an SG... I just recently installed a Jazz/JB set in my Epi SG. Also did this in combination with new caps - .015 neck/.022 bridge (from RS guitar works - their "modern" caps). I have 500K pots (all 4). Compared with the stock p/ups (and caps), it's quite an improvement. But reading other posts seems like some like the JB in an SG, but MANY don't. Read one post where someone said to avoid in an SG at all cost. To me it sounds great! - but I don't have much to compare to (it's my only guitar - and I've only been at it for a few months).

Is the SG considered a brighter or warmer instrument? With a mahogany body and neck and rosewood fingerboard - I would think warmer (compared to a strat) rather than brighter. I don't like the strat sound much at all (although one of my favourite guitarists plays one).

In any case, very content with Jazz neck/JB bridge with the .015/.022 caps. Although if/when I pick up another SG (I really like them) - would certainly be curious to try 59n/Custom combo.

I tend to favour more modern alternative stuff (nirvana, alice in chains, pumpkins, soundgarden, tool , queens of the stone age, NIN, pixies, toadies, etc...), but also dig some classic (such as zeppelin and sabbath, and also stuff like SRV or Gov't Mule on occasion). I really don't like intense shredding like vai or the like, or any type of speed metal. Do like 'old school metallica though - master of puppets/kill 'em all). Obviously one's taste will affect what a specific p/up combination sounds good or not to that person. With that said - wondering which p/up combos I should look to for the future, considering my tastes, and my affinity to SG's.


cheers

 

[devastone]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

Alot of it depends on what you are playing through also, amps, cabs, speakers, and pedals make worlds of difference.

 

[mi_canuck]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

Just curious but to those that truly dislike the JB - are your preferences more Blues and Classic Rock, rather than Alternative, Heavy Rock and Metal?


cheers

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Pickup Trends (JB)

The reason the JB has been on so many great albums from country to metal is because it naturally bumps the same frequency a mixing engineer would bump on the mixdown to get the guitar riding strong in the mix. Some people don't like to sit in front of an amp with that prounounced mid right in their face, but mix it with a band, and you'll see why so many players that could choose something else still use a JB in their gigging guitars.