should i get a jb jr for my strat?

Cronicguitar

New member
i love playing metal with my strat so i want a humbucker sound without routing out the body or changing pickguards.

i like the sound of the the jb in a Lp but i have never heard it in a strat before.

does the jb jr sound the same as the jb?
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

I've never had experience with a JBjr but I have the full size JB in several strats and like it. I have two strats with HotRails mounted in them and to me the sound is similar as the JB. I'd imagaine the JBjr would be similar as well.........hope that helps!
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

In my opinion, the JB jr. is quite different than the regular JB. I use the JB in most of my humbucker equipped guitars, but the JB jr. was very thin sounding in my alder strat. I ended up replacing it with Hot Rails. I've always felt like a bridge humbucker or mini-humbucker needs alot of mids out of the pickup to get a nicely balanced tone. If you're using a high gain amp and don't need to slam the input with a real hot signal, the lil '59 bridge would also be a nice option. I use a lil '59 neck in my strat, and while it can be temperamental to minor adjustment, is a wonderful pickup when dialed in correctly.
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

It doesn't sound a lot like like the full-sized JB, but it is an awesome hottt pickup. It's great if you want high-output signal pushing your amp's toobs. When played clean, it still sounds hot, but it can be tamed with volume and tone controls. I like it a lot in my Squier.
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

the jbjr. is a good all around pickup, but the dimarzios are better in that category. check out the chopper.
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

Well i am not a fan of my bandmates JB Jr...It's somehow piercing ,and it doesn't sound like a humbucker!
Maybe HotRails or some DMZ can help you.Or Parallel axis stack 1.(PA-STK 1)
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

The JB Jr was a bit dark in my alder strat and it compressed in a weird way for me under overdrive....Pulled it and went fullsized humbucker!
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

I have a JB Jr. in my strat right now and my buddy uses a strat w/ 3 Hot rails, and he has a shred guitar w/ JB. Here's my take on the three.

1. The Jb Jr does not sound like a full sized JB. Not as full, rich and the harmonics aren't as willing or lively under high gain. Not as much chunk and thunk. This principally is due to the size of the magnets in a full hum and the wider spacing in a full hum vs. the Lil/rails.
2. The HR to me, sound darker than the JBJr., and IMO, they don't really feel too alive or responsive. I just can't dig the cleans and the dirties are uninspiring.
3. The JB JR. reminds me very much of a hotter tele pickup, with a bit less treble/highs. I do think it's ok for a noiseless hot pickup when you don't want to alter your guitar's cavity or pickguard (my situation).

It's a fun little pickup for what it's worth, but I think the name is a bit leading-it's a SC-sized, humcancelling, hot pickup.

I think single coils and full HBs are the way to fly. You get better response and feel from them and each is not trying to be the other.
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

I have to agree with what has been written above. Personally, I don't think there are any "passive" single coil sized pickups that will give you the wide tone and drive of a full sized humbucker. The JB JR and the Hot Rails are both about as close as you can get...but if I were a metal guitarist (and I'm not...) I'd want a full size humbucker. You know what you need to try if you want high output and don't want to rout a hole for a bigger pickup in your Strat?

IMO, you need to go active: try the Duncan Livewires Hot for Strat...those kick butt and will drive the daylights out of your amp for those overdriven tones your craving. And when you back off on the guitar's volume control they'll clean up beautifully.

I have a set in one of my Strats...love 'em for the overdriven kinds of tones.

I don't there's anything else that will do the trick. You're going to have to go active, IMO...or rout your guitar for a full size humbucker.

Lew
 
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Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

thanks again guys. about going active no i want to keep my strat as classic strat tone as i can. and i dont want to mess with routing out the body i want to keep teh same pickguard and such. as long as teh jb jr donest sound like a single coil i want it.
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

you might try the scremon demon or if going a single coil slot like the one in my strat ,its a mini humbucker and i use the mini demon in the neck and a full size jb in the bridge and this is the fattest sounding strat ive ever heard ,but thats just my biased opinion.
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

I don;t think that you should limit yourself to a humcancelling pup like the rails, or Lil series. A hot strat bridge pickup would be hotter than what you have-drive your amp/pedals more, yet remain a lot more faithful to the classic strat tone like you mention in your last post here.
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

sorry what i meant was i want to keep the neck and middle pickups classic strat not the bridge. i want something powerful for the bridge but i dont want a full humbucker. i have a 68 reissue strat so i want to keep it like it is so thats why if i get a mini humbucker it iwll still look the same,but will be more powerful!
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

I just remind myself that the JB Jr. is just called the "JB Jr.", but it is a totally unique pickup. I love the way it sounds, with its ceramic magnet n stuff.
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

I love my JB but if you are looking for a tonal Range Between a lil 59 and the HotRails I would look at Dimarzio before going with the JB jr. JB jrs just do not sound as full as the JB, I think the hot rails sound closer but with too much output.
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

cool guys. well i think i will still go with the JB JR...my friend loves it in his strat but i have never got a chance to play it.
 
Re: should i get a jb jr for my strat?

Scorching hot... I love it. It's actually one of my all-time favorites.
 
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