Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

[Andree88]

Hi, I have a big problem: I bought a JB Jr. For Strat Neck (I'm using it on Fender Showmaster) but when I do a bending when the string is between poles (screws..?) the volume has an incredible drop.. And the E low string has low volume too, if I "move" the E low string n the poles the volume is high.
I see that the strings are not above the poles/screws.. Behind the pickup I see the label SJBJ-1N so I think that is for the neck position.
I bough it from a store online..
It's normal for this pickup that strings are not above poles/screws? And is it normal to have a so drastic volume drop when I bend? (My bridge pickup doesn't volume drop at all).
Thanks and sorry my bad English..

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

Most strats have that problem or most pickups that use pole pieces and not rails. If you want even vol when you bend then you will need a pickup with rails or a design that hears the string at all times.

 

[Andree88]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

Most strats have that problem or most pickups that use pole pieces and not rails. If you want even vol when you bend then you will need a pickup with rails or a design that hears the string at all times.

So it's normal? Thanks, in distortion there is no problem.. the problem is only on clean.. I'll use a compressor if I'll do a solo in clean thanks..

 

[Darg1911]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

I don't think your string alignment over the poles is off enough to make a difference. I've got an import HSS in which the bridge humbucker spacing is somewhere in between and I installed a Trembucker. The alignment is off more than yours. There is nothing out of the ordinary when bending and string to string balance is good. I don't know how to explain your volume drop but during a bend the string isn't centered over the pole anyway, so again, I doubt it's the string alignment.

 

[Andree88]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

So do You think that it's a pickup problem?

 

[GilmourD]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

If the pickup is close enough to the strings there should be enough overlap between the magnetic fields of the poles for there not to be a gap. What's your pickup height look like there?

 

[Detroitblues]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

I used to have the same problem with regular strat single coils. But the question to ask is, is it the pickup or the string slightly fretting out?

 

[Andree88]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

My middle and bridge pickups are perfect in line with strings.. only the JB Jr. seems more large.. I've tried to adjust the height, the poles.. nothing.. When I bend the sound drops

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

I had a trem spaced pup in the neck on my superstrat almost same set up as you except mines in HSH but still had the same issue of vol drop with string bending.

 

[Andree88]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

Is not a good thing I hate the volume drops

 

[DreX]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

Just raise the screws below the Low E

 

[GilmourD]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

Just raise the screws below the Low E

I don't think he was complaining about the low E volume-wise when not bending, but that bending causes volume dropout, which raising the screws wouldn't really fix.

 

[DreX]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

Oh ya, sadly if you don't like that volume drop then you have to get rails. I have a lot of "littles" with the 12 screws, and blades, and the littles will drop out no matter how close you get them. The "littles" actually have something like a blade inside the coil, and the screws thread into that blade, but it's recessed between the strings, and not perfectly straight across the top like a blade. Had SD made that retaining blade flat across the top, this problem would likely be much less prominent, and I bet the extra material in the coil would even serve to increase the inductance a bit. I have a broken Little Pearly Gates pickup at home, I can post a pick of what's under the hood if anyone is interested.

 

[GilmourD]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

Oh ya, sadly if you don't like that volume drop then you have to get rails. I have a lot of "littles" with the 12 screws, and blades, and the littles will drop out no matter how close you get them. The "littles" actually have something like a blade inside the coil, and the screws thread into that blade, but it's recessed between the strings, and not perfectly straight across the top like a blade. Had SD made that retaining blade flat across the top, this problem would likely be much less prominent, and I bet the extra material in the coil would even serve to increase the inductance a bit. I have a broken Little Pearly Gates pickup at home, I can post a pick of what's under the hood if anyone is interested.

You're making me wonder...

If you drop the individual screws down into the pickup a bit and raise the whole thing up, would that possibly raise those "rails" closer to the strings and even out the magnetic field across the whole shebang?

 

[DreX]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

I'll post a pic later. The answer is probably yes, but that would look a little ugly.

I don't really notice the drop out, but my signal is usually hitting the roof anyway, and so it continues to peak out even when the string is in between the poles. I only ever notice a problem if I'm playing super clean.

I really think SD should make that retaining rail flat all the way across, to do otherwise piratically constitutes a defect, because it's not as though those gaps somehow make it sound more like a 59 / JB / Scremin Demon.

 

[GilmourD]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

I'll post a pic later. The answer is probably yes, but that would look a little ugly.

I don't really notice the drop out, but my signal is usually hitting the roof anyway, and so it continues to peak out even when the string is in between the poles. I only ever notice a problem if I'm playing super clean.

I really think SD should make that retaining rail flat all the way across, to do otherwise piratically constitutes a defect, because it's not as though those gaps somehow make it sound more like a 59 / JB / Scremin Demon.

I unfortunately don't have the time tonight or else I'd stop at the GC on the way home from work since they have a guitar there with a Lil' Duncan in the neck. I don't wanna be late for my gig. LOL

My only experience with Lil' Duncans is in the bridge and bending the string doesn't make them move very far from the poles there.

I hope Frank Falbo happens to trip across this thread. He tends to have some sort of technical insight into such things.

 

[DreX]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

I found a pic on my phone:

 

[DreX]

Re: Problem bending and E low string with JB Jr. Neck

Another thing about the Little 59/JB Jr/Little Screamin Demon, it's funny to me that so many people are turned off by the darkness of the SSL-3, but yet the Little 59 and the JB Jr seem to be widely accepted while having the same resonant peak and roughly the same aperture. It just goes to show how much representation matters in the aftermarket pickup market. Make a fat, dark sounding pickup look like a vintage Strat single coil, guitarists have no interest in it because it doesn't look the part. But make it look like bite sized humbucker, and suddenly guitarists snorting it off a mirror.