wanting to possibly replace the JB in LP

tman

tman

New member
Hey guys I was curious as which SD pickup I should go with to replace my JB?I like it, but want something less gainy lower output and less compressed sounding.More open.Im guessing something low to moderate output. I am trying to decide maybe between 59/custom hybrid or Whole Lotta Humbucker. I play blues rock/classic rock/ac/dc/some g-n-r/lynch mob/Aerosmith/a little jazz.I am playing through a Marshall DSL40C which is a nice classic gainy to really gainy amp already. I like darker warmer tones with a touch of open "airy" highs for some clarity.What do you guys think are good pickups to consider in SD line up??Just for bridge.I have a Jazz in the neck and that I do like. Oh guitar is a LP with Mahogoney body and top/rosewood fretboard. And I also like a nice mid range growl for sure.
 
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Re: wanting to possibly replace the JB in LP

What pots are you using? I had aJB in my maple neck/fretboard 76 custom. went to Dimarzio transitions, too dark but great on split mode, then I just installed a Dimarzio virtual hot PAF and its almost perfect, like a fat,bright p90. Still wondering what a PG bridge would do. This virtual hot PAF is loud but clear, yet fat. They are discontinued but you can still find them, I don't know of any pickup that sounds quite like these so far the best even over the original T tops. I guess if you could cross a duncan 59, a duncan aph-1b but as loud as a super distortion that would describe it. All I can say is its a crazy good pickup that sounds good in any guitar I have put them in. Some say its like the Duncan 78, my closest fav is the 59/custom hybrid but does not have that air/3d thing the vitual paf has. Also the Dimarzio AT-1 might work, I replaced a JB in one of my strats with it, looks like the same specs but much smoother, no spikey midrange,and the air thing. Like a JB with 250k pots but you can use 500k's, all around nicer tone than I got with a JB, in the alder strat the JB is the best, mahogany the AT-1 is better.
 
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Re: wanting to possibly replace the JB in LP

I actually also recommend Dimarzio. The Norton, 36th Anniversary PAF, Fred, MO Joe, PAF Master, Air Classic....
 
Re: wanting to possibly replace the JB in LP

Don't do it. Just turn down the gain on your Marshall.

Let the JB push the amp. Scoop your mids.
 
Re: wanting to possibly replace the JB in LP

^ He's actually looking for tone.

Even before c/59 hybrid was mentioned in the OP thats what I was thinking. Thick enough so it will still feel like the notes peel off the board easily.....open enough to sound vintage and will clean up with volume rollback.
 
Re: wanting to possibly replace the JB in LP

9unslin9er said:
Don't do it. Just turn down the gain on your Marshall.

Let the JB push the amp. Scoop your mids.
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He needs a different PU.

For what the OP wants (warm tones, midrange growl), a WLH or A2P would be great choices.
 
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Re: wanting to possibly replace the JB in LP

For milking the best tones out of a JB, installing it in a bolt-on long-scale floyd-loaded Kramer or Charvel is a prerequisite. Long hair and fancy garments are recommended for extra impact.

Arguably, the best two things you can put in a Les Paul are Whole Lotta Humbuckers.
 
Re: wanting to possibly replace the JB in LP

blueman335 said:
He needs a different PU.
Click to expand...

What are you? His/her mother?
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/economics/wantsandneeds1.htm

Maybe what he "NEEDS" is for people with experience to tell him how to properly dial in the pickup, since it's not broken.

*Oh you're playing a compressed Marshall DSL? Yeah that amp has a lot of upper mid range honk and loose low end. Oh...AND it's a 1x12? Yeah...that's gonna be flubby and boxy when you crank the bass. Have you considered instead of wasting your money on pickups, maybe investing in something like...this?
http://www.mesaboogie.com/pedals--related/electric-guitar-pedals/eq-pedals/boogie-graphic-eq.html
 
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Re: wanting to possibly replace the JB in LP

I have 500k pots.I even took the A5 mag out of the JB and replaced it with a A2 mag.I did like it a lot better.But still is high output and has that compressed kinda sound which I do not like. As far as the Marshall I love it.I play the clean/crunch channel on classic gain a lot and that channel to me is not compressed like the ultra gain gets.But I even have that under control with a tube swap.I put low gain preamp tubes in it and it really made a nice non-fizz compressed sound.So its not the amp. Im thinking either A2P "SLASH"/WLH/59/CUSTOM HY
 
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Re: wanting to possibly replace the JB in LP

I ran both Seth Lovers as well as Gibby Burstbucker 1/2 through a JCM2000 for a long time. For moderate rhythm tones, The differences were negligible, so I'd go with one of those, whichever you find cheaper.

To save even more money,
GFS Professional Kalamazoo II - $70 a set
 
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Re: wanting to possibly replace the JB in LP

9unslin9er said:
What are you? His/her mother?
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/economics/wantsandneeds1.htm

Maybe what he "NEEDS" is for people with experience to tell him how to properly dial in the pickup, since it's not broken.

*Oh you're playing a compressed Marshall DSL? Yeah that amp has a lot of upper mid range honk and loose low end. Oh...AND it's a 1x12? Yeah...that's gonna be flubby and boxy when you crank the bass. Have you considered instead of wasting your money on pickups, maybe investing in something like...this?
http://www.mesaboogie.com/pedals--related/electric-guitar-pedals/eq-pedals/boogie-graphic-eq.html
Click to expand...


Nice rant. Look at what he just posted; he's worked with that JB, and it's just not what he wants. That came thru pretty clear in the first post. A 16K PU is not for everyone or every guitar. Maybe you ought to listen better.
 
Re: wanting to possibly replace the JB in LP

For what you are looking for, I like the '59. It is darker, vintage output, and has the midrange growl you are looking for. I love the sound of them in LPs.
 
Re: wanting to possibly replace the JB in LP

You need a new PU. The JB's gonna sound high-output and compressed no matter what.
 
Re: wanting to possibly replace the JB in LP

Archer250 said:
You need a new PU. The JB's gonna sound high-output and compressed no matter what.
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From my experience, the amp has some input on that. I don't have much experience with the JB, but when I had it in a 73 LP Deluxe (yep, routed), it had that hot compressed tone through my master volume amps, but a really sweet "hit the front end hard" sound through my non-master amps like a Univox U45B, Univox U1246 and a couple of 73 Marshalls. I wouldn't say it was as open as a 59 or APH or anything like that, but the compression wasn't near as bad as with master volume amps or modelers. Anyone else notice this?
 
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