Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

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DeadSkinSlayer3

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I put one in my Jackson yesterday, without a tone pot, 500k volume, and this thing is a tad darker than my mohogany Schecter with a DD!

While it measures nearly 2k hotter than my DD (which is low at 15.6), it doesn't sound as aggressive, and doesn't make my clean channel breakup. at 17.3k, I wouldn't have expected that. Maybe because it's a trembucker, it's overwound a bit?

The lead tone of this pickup is to die for! It's so smooth and rich and articulate! Even with the gain cranked up to give it more of the DD's aggressive bite for rythm, it still has more clarity for leads.

The rythm tone is superb, as well. Crunchy, defined, and the harmonics are killer. Very upper middy, which I like alot! Cuts through great in a band situation, tried it out today with the band.

Cleans...way better than a DD, even when the DD is split. It matches nicely at full power with the neck split, sounds great. I'm not a big guy on cleans though, so I can't comment too much.

I can't believe I never tried this pickup because I thought it would be too bright! It's perfect in my Jackson, which I was going to sell prior to putting this in.
 
Re: Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

It's no coincidence that the JB has been Duncan's number one seller.....for years.
The JB has been used for your style of lead playing since it came out, mainly because it stays fat, high up on the neck. I have a trem JB and 2 Surfers in one alder strat, and it works great. I think the C-5, JB, and CC are my favorite bridge pickups.
 
Re: Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

DeadSkinSlayer3 said:
While it measures nearly 2k hotter than my DD (which is low at 15.6), it doesn't sound as aggressive, and doesn't make my clean channel breakup. at 17.3k, I wouldn't have expected that. Maybe because it's a trembucker, it's overwound a bit?
Click to expand...

Remember too, that the JB is an A5 mag, while the DD is a ceramic. So the DD should be more aggressive.
 
Re: Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

yes, the JB is awesome!!

me and you have the same stuff kinda too!!

i got a JB in my charvel
and a DD in my les paul

but i got a 59 in the neck of my LP and i love it :)
 
Re: Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

I have re-discovered the JB. I had one a long time ago when my chops wernt as good and my amp/rig wasnt nearly as good and I hated it. But, I decided to try one out again and the results were very different. The JB in my opinion is one of the best lead pickup I have played. It seems to clean up when playing solos and has a singing quality to it. I dont like it as much for rythms though. I wish the lows were a liitle tighter.
 
Re: Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

ArtieToo said:
Remember too, that the JB is an A5 mag, while the DD is a ceramic. So the DD should be more aggressive.
Click to expand...

Yes, and an oversized one at that!

Maybe you'll be able to answer this...I've had this idea for User Group Day, based on the 5/2 pickup. I love the singing quality of the JB, but do wish it was a bit more aggressive. My idea is to put an A5 on the top 3 strings and an oversized ceramic on the bottom 3, to have the aggressiveness of the DD where I need it, and the singing leads still intact. Maybe a standard sized ceramic would get that?
 
Re: Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

DeadSkinSlayer3 said:
Yes, and an oversized one at that!

Maybe you'll be able to answer this...I've had this idea for User Group Day, based on the 5/2 pickup. I love the singing quality of the JB, but do wish it was a bit more aggressive. My idea is to put an A5 on the top 3 strings and an oversized ceramic on the bottom 3, to have the aggressiveness of the DD where I need it, and the singing leads still intact. Maybe a standard sized ceramic would get that?
Click to expand...

If its possible to have a 5/2 concept JB, or a A5/ceramic JB, I will be in line with you!!!!
 
Re: Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

I love the JB in my alder Strat! Hey , Jake E Lee used one and he had some serious Tone!
 
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Re: Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

JB and DD in two different axes... you're all set, bro! The quest is over for you now. Go in peace.
 
Re: Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

JB is a great pickup but I dont' like it with ebony fingerboards....ICEPICK!!!


I like it in alder guitars w/ rosewood fingerboards the best....sounds huge.
 
Re: Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

ranalli said:
JB is a great pickup but I dont' like it with ebony fingerboards....ICEPICK!!!


I like it in alder guitars w/ rosewood fingerboards the best....sounds huge.
Click to expand...

yes, this can happen with your ebony boards. I found less gain and less treble to be the cure, and I use a 250k tone pot.
 
Re: Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

JammerMatt said:
yes, this can happen with your ebony boards. I found less gain and less treble to be the cure, and I use a 250k tone pot.
Click to expand...



Less gain and less treble on the amp doesn't work IMO when the sound coming from the pickup/guitar combination is already thin, however, I did not change the pot.

If I was going to have to solder I was going to switch the pickup...went to a Dimarzio Super3 on that guitar and didn't look back..it was a good match.
 
Re: Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

After playing it abit more (alot more, 5 hours yesterday, 4 so far today) It seems that it is a little flabbier in the bass dpt. compared to the DD. Also, when I raise the gain to compensate for the lack of aggression when compared to the DD, It can get a little flabby. I'm not sure if I'll stick with it, or put in a large ceramic magnet, and make it a DD. I still think that a half ceramic/half A5 JB would kick a ton of ass.

Next week, I'll do a string change/pickup swap, and see how the JB fares in mohogany, and how the DD goes in alder.
 
Re: Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

How about just swapping in a regular sized ceramic magnet? That should tighten things up.
 
Re: Who Said The JB Was Too Bright In Alder???

Hmmm...I tried a standard ceramic in my DD last night to try to tame things a bit, but didn't like the results. I'll try it in the JB tonight!
 
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