Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

[Charvel1975]

I've been noticing for a while now since I had the stock Epiphone pickups changed to the SD Hot Rodded pickup set JB/Jazz that my korean Epiphone Les Paul Custom in Drop B with .010-.060 GHS zakk wylde strings seems like it has too much output thru either my Mesa Tremoverb head or Peavey 6505+ head thru my Marshall 1960A w/2 WGS Retro 30's and stock celestion g12t75's?

The JB seems ice picky in the highs, when I solo it just doesn't sound too good and when I switch to clean channels on either amp no matter if I just use the JB, both pickups or just the Jazz it distorts no matter how I adjust the EQ on the amps? I know when I use the tone wizard on the SD site it shows Bridge 1 SH-4 JB Model, Bridge 2 SH-5 Duncan Custom, Neck 1 SH-1N '59 Model, Neck 2 SH-2N Jazz Model. Now the Epiphone weighs a TON!! It's heavier than my 98 Gibson LP Special w/P-100's and I'm wondering if because it's a BEEFY sounding guitar that's why the pickups may be too hot of output or what? What do you guys think?

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

Well. It IS called the hot rodded pickup set.


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[scorch]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

Try lowering your pickups.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

The JB is certainly known for not liking LP style guitars, and it won't be as nice clean as lower output pickups.
The Jazz in the neck shouldn't be like this though.

 

[Charvel1975]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

The JB is certainly known for not liking LP style guitars, and it won't be as nice clean as lower output pickups.
The Jazz in the neck shouldn't be like this though.

Yea I know what you mean about the Jazz in the neck given SD's specs on it 7.72K DC Resistance? The Epi is one of the older ones from 2004 (I think?) arched top, might be mahogany body with maple top? It definitely weighs a TON! That's why I was wondering about the second suggestion, Bridge 2 SH-5 Duncan Custom, Neck 1 SH-1N '59 Model?

 

[TimmyPage]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

If it sounds fuzzy on the neck setting, if it isnt a matter of pickup height then I'm almost wondering if you have that wired incorrectly, you might want to check the soldering job. The bridge pickup though.. yeah the JB definitely isn't to everyone's taste. What kind of music are you into?

 

[Charvel1975]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

If it sounds fuzzy on the neck setting, if it isnt a matter of pickup height then I'm almost wondering if you have that wired incorrectly, you might want to check the soldering job. The bridge pickup though.. yeah the JB definitely isn't to everyone's taste. What kind of music are you into?

Yea I'll have to check the wiring but my tech put in the SD Hot Rodded pickup set a little over 3 years ago and I think he put an Orange drop cap in there too, don't know what the value is? As far as what our band sounds like go here www.reverbnation.com/invengence besides the heavy stuff (Killswitch Engage, etc.) I play and listen to pretty much anything that catches my ear. 80's hair metal/hard rock classic rock etc.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

You might be better off with a custom and 59 set.
The hot rodded set is usually something best suited to strats.
Also the JB is not a pickup one normally associates with dropped tunings - especially all the way down to B. It is best suited for standard tunings and screaming leads and old skool marshall amps reather than modern hi gain cascading preamp crunch monsters like mesas and 5150s.
Plus im guessing that because yours is a heavy axe then it means dense wood and dense wood tends toward sounding more trebly.
All of these point to the fact that it might not be the best tool for your particular job.

 

[mamm]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

Try lowering your pickups.

This. Easy, quick and free solution.

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

Try lowering your pickups.

+ another

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

After lowering the JB, if it still sounds too hot and too ice-picky, you might want to try an A2 mag in it. That will reduce the highs, add some mids, and reduce the output some.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

Plus, an A2 in the Jazz will do the same things, essentially giving you an Alnico ll Pro (APH-1).

 

[blueman335]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

The JB is certainly known for not liking LP style guitars, and it won't be as nice clean as lower output pickups.

+1. When I started here 8 years ago, the 'ice pick spike' of the JB in mahogany and warm woods was commonly talked about. In some LP's it can sound nice, and in others it's described as annoying.

 

[Charvel1975]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

+1. When I started here 8 years ago, the 'ice pick spike' of the JB in mahogany and warm woods was commonly talked about. In some LP's it can sound nice, and in others it's described as annoying.

So I've been thinking when I had the SD Hot Rodded JB/Jazz pickup set installed in my MIK Epi LP Custom and a SD JB Trembucker in a parts-caster: Jackson style maple neck & fingerboard & Squier strat body(don't know if it's Basswood or what?) if that was a bad idea? Seeing as I use a Mesa Tremoverb, for some reason I keep thinking I need super high output pickups but wondering if I should really try some lower output pickups to get some clarity in the mix and my band mix with 2 guitarists? Don't want it to become a farting contest with the bass.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

So I've been thinking when I had the SD Hot Rodded JB/Jazz pickup set installed in my MIK Epi LP Custom and a SD JB Trembucker in a parts-caster: Jackson style maple neck & fingerboard & Squier strat body(don't know if it's Basswood or what?) if that was a bad idea? Seeing as I use a Mesa Tremoverb, for some reason I keep thinking I need super high output pickups but wondering if I should really try some lower output pickups to get some clarity in the mix and my band mix with 2 guitarists? Don't want it to become a farting contest with the bass.

A JB would be fine in your parts-caster. For an LP, I'd put in a pair of good PAF's.

 

[nsatke]

Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

Did you check your tubes? Your tubes might have gone microphonic. Check to see if they are frosted. If so they are. If not, get a chopstick and tap each tube and see if they squeal. Do not touch with anything metal or your bare hands.


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[Charvel1975]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

Did you check your tubes? Your tubes might have gone microphonic. Check to see if they are frosted. If so they are. If not, get a chopstick and tap each tube and see if they squeal. Do not touch with anything metal or your bare hands.


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The Mesa Tremoverb was just serviced not too long ago so and the tech said all the tubes checked out fine there, the Peavey 6505+ head as well as my Marshall Artist 3203 heads were dropped off to the tech this past Saturday so I'm waiting to hear from him on those. I tried dropping the height of both the SD Jazz neck and JB bridge, the Jazz seems really bassy still and the JB still the piercing highs.. I'm thinking because the guitar is soo beefy and in Drop B with .010-.060 GHS zakk wylde strings I'm wondering if I should maybe get the guitar setup with Dunlop Heavy Core Gauges: 12-16-20-32-42-54 (still in drop B) and have my tech replace just the bridge JB with a SD SH-5 Custom?

 

[chadd]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

The Mesa Tremoverb was just serviced not too long ago so and the tech said all the tubes checked out fine there, the Peavey 6505+ head as well as my Marshall Artist 3203 heads were dropped off to the tech this past Saturday so I'm waiting to hear from him on those. I tried dropping the height of both the SD Jazz neck and JB bridge, the Jazz seems really bassy still and the JB still the piercing highs.. I'm thinking because the guitar is soo beefy and in Drop B with .010-.060 GHS zakk wylde strings I'm wondering if I should maybe get the guitar setup with Dunlop Heavy Core Gauges: 12-16-20-32-42-54 (still in drop B) and have my tech replace just the bridge JB with a SD SH-5 Custom?

If you're tuning to drop B, everything is going to be "bassy", raising the poles on the jazz under the plain strings should help brighten that up.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

Move the JB to the neck, wire it permanently for parallel, and use 250K vol & tone pots for that pickup.

Put a Custom in the bridge with a 1M volume and tone.

 

[El Supremo]

Re: Too Much Output: JB bridge/Jazz neck Epiphone Les Paul Custom Korean

If you want to tighten up the bass on both positions and reduce output a little, I'd suggest a Full Shred set if you like A5. Leaves plenty of room for your bassist in the mix.