Something to replace a JB

T

Thrash it up

New member
Hello,
I've just bought a new guitar set with passive Duncans (JB-b and Jazz-n). The guitar is a Jackson with a mapple neck through alder body with rosewood fingerboard and it has a floyd rose.
The guitar already sounds amazing but I'm not 100% satisfied with the JB sound.
I already own another Jackson with Blackout AHB-1 set on it but as a big old school thrash fan, I felt in love with the way passives sounded for band like Megadeth, Anthrax or also Marty Friedman's solo albums. So I decide to have both kind of p-u on 2 differents guitars.
I know those bands used (and probably still use) the JB in bridge position but there something missing in my sound. I'm looking for something with... more bite? With more crunch. The output is already good, I don't want to change it for something that would cut the edge.
Thus I want to keep a well balanced EQ with round bass, mids and especially not too much treeble.
Is there something that match what I describe?
Last question: I'm pretty happy with the Jazz in neck position, so it would be something we could matched with this one

:thanks:
:1:
 
Re: Something to replace a JB

Welcome to the forum.

I shall start the ball rolling by suggesting an SH-5 Custom.
 
Re: Something to replace a JB

Try an A8 magnet in your JB, and it will change it's EQ, give it more body. The JB8 is popular here with metal guys.
 
Re: Something to replace a JB

If you do decide to look into replacing your bridge pickup, that should be a TB, not SH for the bridge position.

SH is the former standard spacing for Gibson guitars (even they use wider spacing on non-historic models now, though). It's also the neck spacing even on a wider bridge string spacing.

TB is short for TremBucker, what Seymour Duncan calls his line of pickups designed for the bridge position of a typical newer guitar (called F for floyd or fender spacing by DiMarzio, for example).

Jacksons typically have wide bridge spacing, if you check the specs for their guitar models they have TB bridge humbuckers even on fixed bridge models.

Magnet swaps are great for changing the character of a pickup, a JB with an A8 magnet is deeper, tighter and has a pissed off snarl that's amazing for metal. Not as flexible as the standard JB, it's considerably higher output because of the stronger magnet. But it doesn't have the harsh presence of a ceramic magnet, definitely worth a look for someone who wants ceramic-like bass but not ceramic harshness.

If you want a bit more bite and less bass on chords, you might try swapping the polepiece screws under the low (wound) strings with 0.5" hex head screws.
 
Last edited:
Re: Something to replace a JB

Welcome,

You may simply want to change out the JB for a Distortion (TB-6). What you may be missing is the more immediate attack of the Blackouts. The JB has a certain fattness and bloom to it, but can seem a little soft - the Distortion has a quicker response and feel and matches really well with a Jazz neck.
 
Re: Something to replace a JB

Maybe try recording or playing it in a band situation before changing anything? That way you hear it mixed with the 2nd guitar, drums, and the bass, which is where Megadeth and everyone else gets the heaviness in their sound.

If you change the pickup and get the crushing tone you want when playing alone, then take it into a band situation, you're going to get lost in the mix when the drums and bass kick in, and you're going to sound like a bee in a bottle.
 
Re: Something to replace a JB

Thanks for your answers

==> Despair: my mistake, that's a TB4 on it (I just checked). But I never heard about "Magnet swaps". Is it easy to do? Can we buy only a SD magnet to swap it by ourself?

2 other options here: SH 5 (TB5 I presume) and TB6. I just checked on the tone chart and indeed, both have a ceramic magnet insteed of an alclino V (Are ceramic magnet stronger, harshier?)

I'm a bit desapointed with the general EQ of those: the TB5 seems to have highs on max and a lot (too much?) of bass when the TB6 seems th have highs on max too and a lot (!) of mids. Can you told me more about those 2 please?
 
Re: Something to replace a JB

For those kinds of quesions, you should a do a quick search of the forum. Those two pups are mentioned often.
 
Re: Something to replace a JB

The TB-6 Distortion is a TB-4 JB with a thick ceramic magnet instead of the JB's A5. It's louder, brighter, and harsher than the JB. Amazing rhythm pickup, but I rarely like it for leads (old George Lynch being one exception, but he's commented in interviews about how much he fought with it).

If all you really want is the same thing with higher output, a clean boost might be a better option than a pickup change or magnet swap.

I like the Custom, but tend to like it better in mahogany guitars, where it's highs and tight bass balance well against the mids of the body/neck. It can be interesting in a maple neck-through, but it can be pretty bright, too, which isn't what you seem to be looking for.

My favorite ceramic pickup is probably the PATB-2 Parallel Axis Distortion. Has a growlier riff & rhythm tone than the standard Distortion, with less harsh highs. But it's not dark. And it's leads more resemble the JB, but more compressed. Very hot pickup, great for all out metal.

None of these pickups really resembles the tone you describe, though... Round bass isn't what any of the ceramic pickups mentioned do, they're more towards punchy and tight than smooth.
 
Re: Something to replace a JB

Full Shred or maybe a Custom 5 would be my votes based on what you've described
 
Re: Something to replace a JB

I play hard rock and generally use a JB as my bridge pickup. I wanted a little different tone and tried a Custom 5. It's a great pickup for hard rock. I will say that my guitar is quite a bit different (I play Strats 90% of the time) but gain wise the Custom 5 satisfied me when moving away from the JB.

Also, you'll hear folks here talk about the CC (A2 mag), Custom (ceramic mag), and Custom 5 (A5 mag). These are all the same pickup wind but ship with different magnets. Magnet swapping is not terribly difficult and can really help you tweak a tone that's not quite where you want it.
 
Re: Something to replace a JB

blueman335 said:
Try an A8 magnet in your JB, and it will change it's EQ, give it more body. The JB8 is popular here with metal guys.
Click to expand...

Yeah, A8 in a jb makes it alil more sizzly! A2 adds a nice twist too.

But if you want alil more oompf and a nice open EQ, try the Custom!

Welcome to the forum!
 
Re: Something to replace a JB

When I hear "more bite," I immediately think "more treble." Then you say you want less treble. I don't know if the two can coexist. I'm not sure, though.

The first thing I would do, if I were you, is to find a thread here on swapping magnets, and buy an Alnico 8 and a Ceramic magnet from Addiction FX on eBay. I think the JB8 is what you want, but the sizzle of a ceramic could be the thing for you.

If that doesn't work, then I'm with everyone else. Go with a Custom and figure out which flavor of that wind works for you.

For reference,
SH-5 Custom is a ceramic magnet.
SH-11 Custom Custom is an Alnico 2 magnet.
SH-14 Custom 5 is an Alnico 5 magnet.
Custom 8 is a forum creation with the Custom wind and an Alnico 8 magnet.

For more info than that, you're either going to have to ask or search.
 
Re: Something to replace a JB

Thrash it up said:
Thanks for your answers

==> Despair: my mistake, that's a TB4 on it (I just checked). But I never heard about "Magnet swaps". Is it easy to do? Can we buy only a SD magnet to swap it by ourself?

2 other options here: SH 5 (TB5 I presume) and TB6. I just checked on the tone chart and indeed, both have a ceramic magnet insteed of an alclino V (Are ceramic magnet stronger, harshier?)

I'm a bit desapointed with the general EQ of those: the TB5 seems to have highs on max and a lot (too much?) of bass when the TB6 seems th have highs on max too and a lot (!) of mids. Can you told me more about those 2 please?
Click to expand...
I have a distortion in my Alder Strat. Its not too bright or trebley. But i'm using a 5150. If the Customs bass is punchy like the Dimebuckers, then it shouldn't get muddy.
 
Re: Something to replace a JB

Thrash
dude

the JB likes to be at a certain height under the strings
when it finds the sweet spot
you will know and love it

try this first
before trashing the whole thing
 
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