The JB "I call BS on everyone" thread

[LuredMaul]

Because the magnet get old right. That's how that works, isn't it? Because you learned that on your magna-doodle...

Ace..back when I was a Regular here wasn't it noted that the difference is between the winders.....

MJ and Seymour use different winders......they count ticks differently......tension is different.....

I have had several MJ JB's they tend to have a different midrange than Stock wind.

 

[Aceman]

Ace..back when I was a Regular here wasn't it noted that the difference is between the winders.....

MJ and Seymour use different winders......they count ticks differently......tension is different.....

I have had several MJ JB's they tend to have a different midrange than Stock wind.

Hey man - we'll science the $#!t out of one and find out.

Musical mythology is strong...

 

[Aceman]

No, I swapped in new mags to all of them. Must have been ur magna doodle. I presume the differences in the JBJ are from the wind and the age. While the Ant's differences must be from the wind and simulated aging.

So explain how that "age" thing works.

 

[Clint 55]

From Duncan:

The Antiquity JB delivers rich harmonics, and a balance of sustain, distortion, and clarity, sweetened by the mellowing effect of a custom aged alnico 5 bar magnet and years of simulated sweat, dust, and oxidation. Wound to the original spec of 16.4k, that familiar JB upper midrange is all there, but the overall tonal character feels smoother because of the way the treble attack is softened by the aging process.

Each Antiquity JB humbucker is hand built with the same original materials that we used to make them in the 70s, including long legged nickel silver bottom plate, maple spacer, original JB model stamp, rough sand cast alnico 5 bar magnet, heavily aged butyrate bobbins, and vintage style push-back braided single conductor lead wire. The electronic and cosmetic treatments of our proprietary Antiquity aging process give this pickup the look, sound, and feel of a real-deal 70s JB.

https://www.seymourduncan.com/single-product/antiquity-jb?pa_featured=antiquity

 

[Aceman]

I didn't ask for you to copy an SD post we have all read. I wanted YOU to explain what say 35 years of age does to a magnet, and how.

 

[Artie]

I remember as a kid, being told to always keep the "keeper" on my horseshoe magnet so that it would retain its charge. Wouldn't the poles and screws on a humbucker act as the keeper, and thus, there be the potential for the magnetic strength to actually increase with age? I don't know. Inquiring minds want to know. :dunno:

 

[Clint 55]

I didn't ask for you to copy an SD post we have all read. I wanted YOU to explain what say 35 years of age does to a magnet, and how.

I don't know the specifics of how age affects a pickup. I just hold the opinion that something is going on between a JBJ and a new JB because they sound way differently to me. My opinion is that it's both the JBJ was made differently in the first place back in 86 or whatever and that the age changes it somehow.

 

[Aceman]

I don't know

You could have stopped right there.

 

[Clint 55]

Why is that? You don't even own JBJs and Ants (unless I'm mistaken and you just don't post about them) and you're debating the whole forum.

 

[Aceman]

Clint - here is a life lesson: Lawyers never ask questions they don't already know the answers to. You, of all people need to learn that more than anyone here.

Which brings us to all the Blues Lawyers discussing their "arguments" regarding the plethora of JB's.

I'm going out on a limb (and it's a sturdy thick limb, like my Johnson) that when the company that invented them - an artist and a bunch of really smart engineers, decided to change anything - if they though it was in anyway, shape, or form superior, or even different, they would have called it the Super JB or whatever "New and improved" there was. Why? To sell a crap-ton as JB players replaced their old ones and new players swarmed on it because it had or didn't have the one thing that kept them all away.

And yet - that didn't happen did it? Except with Antiquities. And as always - while some may be critical and objective, brand and price may weigh heavily on our views. The blind tests will tell.

Where is Magneto - I mean Blueman, when you need a lesson in Magnetism!

 

[Clint 55]

Ace - if you're so smart you should know that 'I am a lawyer' isn't an explanation. However me saying I own a regular JB, JBJ and Ant and I can hear the differences easily is a valid explanation.

Why doesn't Ford call it the super duper Mustang? People covet vintage cars like crazy even though the current models aren't named the 'super duper'.

 

[beaubrummels]

The JB kind of reminds me of the Coca-Cola formula. Both recipes have changed over time (butyrate bobbins >> ABS plastic, roughcast >> polished mags) while under the same name, and some people can tell a difference.

(As a side, non-sequitir, the Coke recipe has changed more times and ways than people realize)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_formula
https://www.theloop.ca/coke-just-changed-its-recipe-and-itll-never-taste-the-same-again/

 

[Aceman]

The JB kind of reminds me of the Coca-Cola formula. Both recipes have changed over time (butyrate bobbins >> ABS plastic, roughcast >> polished mags) while under the same name, and some people can tell a difference.

(As a side, non-sequitir, the Coke recipe has changed more times and ways than people realize)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_formula
https://www.theloop.ca/coke-just-changed-its-recipe-and-itll-never-taste-the-same-again/

And that's what makes this exciting, doesn't it?!?!?!?!?

 

[Mincer]

As a side note, it was really interesting to read about the Coke recipe. As far as the JB goes, without doing a direct comparison (all in one day), I don't think I am the right person to tell a difference.

 

[Aceman]

As a side note, it was really interesting to read about the Coke recipe. As far as the JB goes, without doing a direct comparison (all in one day), I don't think I am the right person to tell a difference.

My point exactly - I think almost no one will be able to

A) State what they think the best-favorite JB is and then,
B) Name them from a sound sample
C) Pick their favorite as the one they like best of 4-6 different ones.

No one is the right person....because they are not different enough to tell! Just a hypothesis, rather an empirical question that can be answered by gathering and examination of data.

 

[Aceman]

Stay tuned! Got some of the recording gear re-arranged, have my eye on a pickup platform, got a new vid lighting system....

Sponsored by Acey Deucey Productions.

 

[Clint 55]

Ace, you kinda remind me of Bowser.

 

[frankfalbo]

I'm going out on a limb...that when the company that invented them - an artist and a bunch of really smart engineers, decided to change anything - if they though it was in anyway, shape, or form superior, or even different, they would have called it the Super JB or whatever "New and improved" there was. Why? To sell a crap-ton as JB players replaced their old ones and new players swarmed on it because it had or didn't have the one thing that kept them all away.

And yet - that didn't happen did it? Except with Antiquities.

No, nor would it have. Lots of companies make running changes that they think are performance neutral, and then later they decide (whether through customer input or internal efficacy) that they’re not performance neutral. Dimarzio makes running changes all the time. Some old Super Distortions have smaller magnets with a steel bar shim to make up the difference. They didn’t tell anyone, and they didn’t tell anyone when they went back to the correct sized magnet with no shims. And that’s one of their most iconic pickup models.

Btw in my Fishman R&D we can swap and listen to different pickups in real-time. And yes I’ve made it known that my double cream butyrate JB, a prime JBJ, and a newer production JB were all involved, and everyone in the room heard the differences as clear as day. Most were trained eared professionals but not all. Some were there in admin or project management capacity and still heard it.

This is not to suggest or promote Fishman purchases, rather just to say that if you cut your teeth on 90’s-2000’s JB’s and you like them, then keep buying them and enjoy. If you have and prefer JBJs or even older JBs and The JB Model, then check out the Antiquity JB or tell MJ what you like.

But if you do the test right, even just the differences between the new and Antiquity are audible to anyone loosely skilled in the art, and also you can feel the differences under your fingers.

 

[AdrianSD]

Why is it that a JB can sound shrill, nasal and loose when plugged straight into a Marshall amp, yet the very same pickup in the same guitar can sound tight, fluid and very expressive when using an overdrive as a boost? I'm absolutely in love with the Custom Custom, but for high gain I found myself playing the JB more and more lately through a Maxon OD9 and a Marshall DSL. Beats hands down SD Distortion, few DiMarzio buckers and a custom rewind using Alnico 2.
What's so special about the combination, other than my distorted perception?

 

[GrilledChickenSalad]

But if you do the test right, even just the differences between the new and Antiquity are audible to anyone loosely skilled in the art

yes