Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

[WDeranged]

I've been struggling with my SG's neck sound for years, the 490r was muddy, 50's wiring and 550k pots helped a little but no revelation. I did some reading and it seems like Classic 57s are by far the most popular pups for the SG, videos confirmed that they do sound lovely but when I finally got them into my SG I wasn't blown away.

The neck pup was still very mushy and indistinct, it only sounded a little bit better than the 490r it replaced, the bridge was really nice though. Rolling back most of the bass and boosting treble on my amp did give a usable neck sound but such extreme settings are restrictive and leave me nowhere else to go.

I came to the conclusion that this SG must have a naturally dark and boomy neck sound...the bridge is fine, the Classic 57 and the 490t both sounded great.

I decided to look for bright humbuckers to compensate and ended up buying the JB/Jazz set. I'd wanted to try SD pups since forever so I'm happy to say that they seem to fit the bill. Plugging into my Champ 600 (modded for better cleans) I could finally hear the pluck and shimmer I'd been missing in this guitar, the OR15 also responded nicely with far more punch and definition in both positions.

I could ask for a little bit more bass cut/treble boost from the neck pup but at least I'm not having to EQ the hell out of it any more :arms:

Anyone else had to struggle for a clear neck sound?

 

[chris effect]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

I disliked the 490r in my SG standard (the 498t is a solid pup though) anyway, I just had a black winter set put in it. For as hot as it is, the Black Winter neck is clear as a bell. I'm really enjoying it.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

I could ask for a little bit more bass cut/treble boost from the neck pup but at least I'm not having to EQ the hell out of it any more

Are you kidding me!!??

You can't get much more bass cut and treble boost in a pup than you get in a Jazz! You must really have a dark amp or you have the EQ set very bottom heavy and top light.

What pots and caps do you have in your SG? Have you considered putting in a 500k or 1 meg vol pot and a 0.010uf cap for the neck?

 

[dd12939]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

I have the Jazz in the neck of my SG and don't find it to be lacking in highs at all. You might try raising the screws and lowering the body of the pickup though for something a little different.

 

[DaveThePius]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

For SGs, something a little brighter definitely makes sense with the mahogany body. '57 Classics are nice, but soooooo pricey. The Jazz is my favorite neck humbucker, personally. Don't see how it can be considered too bassy by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[WDeranged]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

Are you kidding me!!??

You can't get much more bass cut and treble boost in a pup than you get in a Jazz! You must really have a dark amp or you have the EQ set very bottom heavy and top light.

What pots and caps do you have in your SG? Have you considered putting in a 500k or 1 meg vol pot and a 0.010uf cap for the neck?

When I say I could ask for a little bit more treble I do mean a little, the Jazz is far closer to the sound I'm looking for, I haven't even put new strings on the guitar yet. The electrics are all good quality but I've been tempted to filter off some bass with a cap like you suggested, again not so much with the Jazz, more the 57 Classic.

 

[vinta9e]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

I've heard both the Jazz and the JB lack edge in certain applications. It's a rare occurence but never say never.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

When I say I could ask for a little bit more treble I do mean a little, the Jazz is far closer to the sound I'm looking for, I haven't even put new strings on the guitar yet. The electrics are all good quality

A couple points:
If it's just "a little bit more treble" that you're after, a slight adjustment to your amp's EQ would do the trick.
Putting on new strings will give you more brightness. Why don't you do that first before assuming you need a different/brighter pup?
Your electrics "are all good quality", that's fine, but are they the right value?!

I've been tempted to filter off some bass with a cap like you suggested, again not so much with the Jazz, more the 57 Classic.

The cap filters off treble not bass.

 

[WDeranged]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

A couple points:
If it's just "a little bit more treble" that you're after, a slight adjustment to your amp's EQ would do the trick.
Putting on new strings will give you more brightness. Why don't you do that first before assuming you need a different/brighter pup?
Your electrics "are all good quality", that's fine, but are they the right value?!

Thanks for the reply.

My Champ doesn't have any EQ knobs but I've found it to be great for judging a guitar's twang, the SG is competing with my Tele so that kinda explains why I always find it lacking. I left the old strings (last months) on so I wouldn't be influenced by the snap and shimmer of new strings, I just wanted to hear the guitar as I'd been hearing it for the last month. The guts were bought pre-soldered and ready to drop in, it supposedly has 9% tolerance 550k pots but perhaps I should have tested to be sure, you can see it here.

I'm not saying I want a different pup, it's far too early to judge that. I was simply stating my only immediate criticism :9:

The cap filters off treble not bass.

Ahh apologies, I was reading a bit quicker than my brain could handle earlier. I thought you were recommending something similar to this mod but I see you mean for it to tame a 1 meg pot.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

Raising the pup on the treble side and lowering it on the bass side should do what you want.

 

[WDeranged]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

I have the Jazz in the neck of my SG and don't find it to be lacking in highs at all. You might try raising the screws and lowering the body of the pickup though for something a little different.

Raising the pup on the treble side and lowering it on the bass side should do what you want.

Splendid points, I haven't even begun tweaking heights, my post was all first impressions

 

[Texas Slim]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

Trying to get a SG as clear sounding as a Tele is asking a lot, single coils will always be brighter than humbuckers.
One of my SGs has the JB in the bridge, it sounds killer, a definite "punch in the face" clear but hard edged, like a good 60s Tele sound. No razor blade, just balls. The same pickup in a different SG didn't work so well.
Adjusting polepiece height and overall pickup height will also make huge differences in how your guitar sounds.

 

[HALENisking]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

Are you sure that what you want is a humbucker? Tried p90s?

 

[jmcorey]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

What pots and caps do you have in your SG? Have you considered putting in a 500k or 1 meg vol pot and a 0.010uf cap for the neck?

This.

 

[jmcorey]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

Lower the pickup, raise the screws?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

i believe that he has 550k pots in the neck as per his first post

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

Assuming you've adjusted your pickup and still don't like it, I think you might want to go for either a DiMarzio EJ Custom or a Gibson Burstbucker 1 in the neck position. They are the brightest standard production neck humbuckers made (TMK). Both of these pickups have a thinner, scrappier sound than most humbuckers – more "crunch" and less "mule kick" than the typical humbucker tone.

 

[jmcorey]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

Before you change them again, I would take that guitar to a store and listen through other amps. That is a very mid-rangey amp, right?

 

[Archer250]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

Splendid points, I haven't even begun tweaking heights, my post was all first impressions

 

[HALENisking]

Re: Replaced Classic 57s with JB/Jazz in Faded SG - Impressions

+1 on the EJ custom, sounds like it might be your bag.