Why does everyone hate the JB ?

[ErikH]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

I'm no JB hater. It has it's place and sounds great in the right guitar with the right tone cap. Without a tone control it is too bright sounding. It needs a .047 tone cap to really sound right to my ears but I like it for what it does. It sounds really nice split but I'm not one to split humbuckers normally anyway. I know TENAX likes the one he bought off me. :fing2:

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

The JB Jr is the one SC sized humbucker I know it's safe to keep in stock because it will sell....

 

[motorboy29]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

My friends, let me tell you a story. One day, there was a boy. He decided to find a guitar and do some custom engraving on the body to make it his original, cool sounding axe he looked at all of the three guitar stores in town and did not find what he wanted. Then, he wnt to the local pawn shop. He looked about, and saw something spikey and black lurking behind some cheap strat knock-offs. It was a schecter A-1, but it had only one pickup. The boy thought, oh well, replacing one pickup isn't such a big deal, I can afford seventy dollars for a new Seymour duncan. Then the boy took the guitar home and plugged it in. He began to play a song. Wow, the guitar sounded like a mangled violin being played by an eplileptic chimpanzee. It was trebley, weak, and high. It had no balls. Confused and hurt the boy plugged his other guitar into his amp. The amp worked fine. Working feverishly the boy pulled off the strings and yanked out the pickup. The marking on the bottom read JB. That little boy was me, my friends, so that is why I believe that the JB is a waste of time, money, and energy.

 

[Leather Rebel]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

I'm no JB hater. It has it's place and sounds great in the right guitar with the right tone cap. Without a tone control it is too bright sounding. It needs a .047 tone cap to really sound right to my ears but I like it for what it does. It sounds really nice split but I'm not one to split humbuckers normally anyway. I know TENAX likes the one he bought off me. :fing2:

I totally agree with this statement. When I had a JB with the tone control bypassed, it was harsh and piercing. After hooking the tone control back up, it sounded really good. It's also very responsive to rolling-back the volume control for some cleaner sounds. Very versatile. What was ultimately the JB's demise for me was the flabby low end and lack of low end "chug" in my rig. I was cool with the mids and highs, as I like a lead tone all the time. I just didn't like it much for rhythm playing. I eventually swapped for the Screamin' Demon and I like it, but miss the JB's mids. If the Demon had the JB's mids and was a little bit hotter, they couldn't keep 'em on the shelf! I haven't tried the Custom 5, but that may be a good blend of the two.

 

[motorboy29]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

Speaking of which... anyone wanna buy my nasty JB? (now is the time for all you people who LOVE the JB to step up). good cond bridge pup black four cond wire will ship internationally. Gimme an offer

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

Post it in the classifieds, that´s what they´re there for

 

[John_E_Guitar]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

Welllllll...

It's a very good pickup to be sure. George Lynch is a friend, and he gave me one last year. It does a lot of things very well, and I *can* see why it's used so much...but that's kinda the problem for me as well: it rages *and* cleans up nice to be sure...but it seems like it's missing a certain "something". Kinda generic.

BUT, I think the JB is the kind of pickup that is one that has to be tried in several guitars before ya go "Holy Sh*t...that's it! I bet it would be fantastic for waking up one of those Gibsons made in the 70's.

 

[TENAX]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

I'm no JB hater. It has it's place and sounds great in the right guitar with the right tone cap. Without a tone control it is too bright sounding. It needs a .047 tone cap to really sound right to my ears but I like it for what it does. It sounds really nice split but I'm not one to split humbuckers normally anyway. I know TENAX likes the one he bought off me. :fing2:

and in spite of amassing a collection of nine other SD's since putting the jb/jazz neck combo in, i'm still sticking with it at this point..i do have the jb tone controlled and simply find that the variation of sounds i get with the jazz neck, jb bridge and the combo of both works really well for stuff i'm playing right now, ranging from lighter clapton stuff, to boston to metallica to the funk of wild cherry..i may..may pull out the combo when i do my next string change..maybe not..i'm liking the combo a whole bunch right now for the stuff i'm playing. i'll say this..even if i do swap them out, i'm not selling them for nothing

 

[Mac-P]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

Wow, another thread about this... geez

The JB is probably the biggest selling replacment pickup in guitar history (with the DiMarzio Super Distortion). Everyone doesn't hate it.

And it's the futhest thing from shrill in the right guitar (in a BAND context). It's MUCH warmer than many pickups that are "considered" warm.

It is voiced in the mids, not the treble. If you are looking for bassy scooped sounds (not warm to these ears), the JB ain't it. If you are looking for mids to fatten up single notes and be audible in a band setting, that is the JB.

There is rounded off treble compared to many pickups that are mentioned here as "warm". Best bet is to try it. you can always sell it.

My favorite Duncan pickup along with the Pearly Gates neck model.

 

[Nightburst]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

The JB rocks big time when you put it in the right guitar, I prefer 250K pots with it too because they smooth it out a bit without making it sound dull.

My old Vantage came to life whith this pickup installed!

 

[martinsixstringcustoms]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

So after going through the Duncan forum I've noticed that people have a hatred for the JB. What's the story ? I know that in certain guitars the PU works and in some it sounds like ****.

What's the overall take on the JB ? Why do guys hate it so much ? Also, what guitars have you put it in ? And let me ask this - what is the alternative ?

Personally, I'm looking for something with some decent output, that is evenly balanced EQ wise and that is toneful - not just brash and loud or scooped sounding.

I like the JB, but only with a 250K pot. It's too harsh for me with 500K

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

I'm no JB hater. It has it's place and sounds great in the right guitar with the right tone cap. Without a tone control it is too bright sounding. It needs a .047 tone cap to really sound right to my ears but I like it for what it does. It sounds really nice split but I'm not one to split humbuckers normally anyway. I know TENAX likes the one he bought off me. :fing2:

But the cap doesn't do anything until you roll the tone off of 10.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

But the cap doesn't do anything until you roll the tone off of 10.

Unless your pots are "no load" modded, this isn´t entirely true.... while the effect won´t be AS noticable, it´s still there, as even @ 500k theres still a connection

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

Unless your pots are "no load" modded, this isn´t entirely true.... while the effect won´t be AS noticable, it´s still there, as even @ 500k theres still a connection

When its on "10" 99% of what difference there is has to do with the value of the pot, not the cap. Its pointless argument really when the typically more than 20ft of cable and a number of pedals stands between the gtr and the amp. The capacitance of the cable obliterates any differences.

 

[XSSIVE]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

i have a jb in the bridge of 5 of my guitars....so, i don't hate it.

-Mike

 

[Robert S.]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

The JB is the only pickup that I have in 2 different guitars.

 

[sunnysideup]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

My friends, let me tell you a story. One day, there was a boy. He decided to find a guitar and do some custom engraving on the body to make it his original, cool sounding axe he looked at all of the three guitar stores in town and did not find what he wanted. Then, he wnt to the local pawn shop. He looked about, and saw something spikey and black lurking behind some cheap strat knock-offs. It was a schecter A-1, but it had only one pickup. The boy thought, oh well, replacing one pickup isn't such a big deal, I can afford seventy dollars for a new Seymour duncan. Then the boy took the guitar home and plugged it in. He began to play a song. Wow, the guitar sounded like a mangled violin being played by an eplileptic chimpanzee. It was trebley, weak, and high. It had no balls. Confused and hurt the boy plugged his other guitar into his amp. The amp worked fine. Working feverishly the boy pulled off the strings and yanked out the pickup. The marking on the bottom read JB. That little boy was me, my friends, so that is why I believe that the JB is a waste of time, money, and energy.

Kid, you clearly never use JB. JB will have a piece of sticker saying "SH-4" instead of "JB" at the bottom. So now, wash your feet and go to bed and stop making joke about guitar!

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

My friends, let me tell you a story. One day, there was a boy. He decided to find a guitar and do some custom engraving on the body to make it his original, cool sounding axe he looked at all of the three guitar stores in town and did not find what he wanted. Then, he wnt to the local pawn shop. He looked about, and saw something spikey and black lurking behind some cheap strat knock-offs. It was a schecter A-1, but it had only one pickup. The boy thought, oh well, replacing one pickup isn't such a big deal, I can afford seventy dollars for a new Seymour duncan. Then the boy took the guitar home and plugged it in. He began to play a song. Wow, the guitar sounded like a mangled violin being played by an eplileptic chimpanzee. It was trebley, weak, and high. It had no balls. Confused and hurt the boy plugged his other guitar into his amp. The amp worked fine. Working feverishly the boy pulled off the strings and yanked out the pickup. The marking on the bottom read JB. That little boy was me, my friends, so that is why I believe that the JB is a waste of time, money, and energy.

I have a similar story to tell.....a teenager got a guitar when he 18, after pesttering his dad, for 3 years. nothing all that great it was based on "flying V".....He was however very exited as it was his first electric....He had to wait a month until he acutualy got to lay his hands on it, as his dad an ace drummer was working in another state from where he picked it up. The guitar felt good and light. ( a delight for most guitarist). But sounded terriblle. Three weeks later when he jammed up with his buddie he was let down even more when to his horror he realised the guitar not only sounded "bright", but had very low out put. The best he could do was turn off the tone to "0" and sw\itch over to the neck to play chord work that atlest sounded somewhat better. The kid did not have the cash for a another axe. He graduated worked hard, after a lot of considerations, listning to clips and asking advice. He with lots of doubts ordered a pup on the net, as the pup was not avail,at any of the music stores in his country. It arrived 2 months late, in Feb this year, he took out both the factory installed pups. and installed the pup he ordered... Plugged in his guitar. he played the guitar and wanted leap with Joy. As his guitar sounded exactly the way he wanted it to sound. It had volume and tone. It did not "Sound BRIGHT" , but "warm with a cutting sound for leads". If he roled the tone controls down to 0 and turned the volume down a bit he could get a sweet sweet blues tone'..... The Pick is a JB. Now you know why I love it..

THE JB BATTLE RAGES ON CHOOSE YOUR SIDE:burnout: :burnout: :burnout: :burnout: :burnout:

 

[motorboy29]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

Sunnyside... if you ever read my threads you'll Know I dont appreciate s*** about being young.

 

[fretburner]

Re: Why does everyone hate the JB ?

Coming from an SSS am. std. strat with stock pups... i have NO COMPLAINS whatsoever with my JB Jr... I'm actually happy with it