Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

[Multiacman]

I’m installing my fave pickup, the JB Jnr, in a Steinberger ZT3 (yes, unusual!) and pairing it with an Alnico Pro II neck in the belief that the Pro II in parallel mode will balance the full JB. What I need is wiring advice to enable series/parallel independently for each pickup with master volume and master tone (500k pots with push/pull switches) and a bridge/both/neck toggle selector. I’m hoping this is possible but I can’t figure it out and there’s no wiring diagram that fits on the SD site. Any ideas?

For info, I’d installed EMG 89 / 89R pickups replacing the uninspiring Kramer / Gibson stock pickups in the ZT3 thinking this was a good hum/sc choice for a Steinberger but I was not impressed with the sound, and am now coming home to Seymour...

 

[AlexR]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

This is just a 2 humbucker 3-way with master volume and tone.

The pots can be wired up for their primary function first, then simply use a diagram for the series parallel (google has heaps) push-pull switch part to wire the pickups into the schematic......of course the output from the pushpull goes to the toggle (for the hot) and ground.

And I'd have thought the A2 pro would balance better with the JB in full series mode. Parallel you might find its a bit low volume.

 

[Multiacman]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

Many thanks for the swift reply, Alex! I may have been overthinking the wiring. Your comment about the A2 pro balancing the JB jnr in full mode is what I would hope for but I wasn’t sure this was possible - thanks for the reassurance!

 

[AlexR]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

You always need to play around with height anyhow, as individual guitars do play a part in how bridge and neck pickups sound - but the A2 pro is a pretty low output pickup especially in neck wind version, which makes it less overpowering.
I've not played the JB jr, but I'd guess its more like a medium output pickup rather than high like its full sized counterpart. But there should be no issue with that combo at all.

 

[Multiacman]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

You always need to play around with height anyhow, as individual guitars do play a part in how bridge and neck pickups sound - but the A2 pro is a pretty low output pickup especially in neck wind version, which makes it less overpowering.
I've not played the JB jr, but I'd guess its more like a medium output pickup rather than high like its full sized counterpart. But there should be no issue with that combo at all.

Pickups are so personal that I would hesitate to recommend one, but I prefer hot ‘single coil’ types and have found the JB jnr an absolute joy. In parallel mode it sounds very like a Strat bridge, and full-on it is articulate and well balanced. I have used the full JB bridge with a 59 neck and found this a great combo; my MusicMan Silhouette has the JB jnr and lil’ 59 as I prefer the focussed sound of the single coil size humbuckers. I was looking for a different option for the neck pickup to give a more full tone, and it seemed the A2 pro was the right choice. I will let you know; thanks for your encouraging words!

 

[Mincer]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

I had a ZT3 for a few years. I loved the TransTrem, but had some issues with the rest of the guitar. I used an Alnico II Pro as well as a Custom Custom on mine.

 

[Multiacman]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

I had a ZT3 for a few years. I loved the TransTrem, but had some issues with the rest of the guitar. I used an Alnico II Pro as well as a Custom Custom on mine.

I picked up an unused trans blue ZT3 for a really good price having owned two Spirits for a long time. The Transtrem and the neck are both brilliant, so playable, and string changes a breeze. My problem was the electronics, so I ripped them all out and started again! I’ve got a Roland GK-3 installed, just awaiting delivery of the conversion ring for the slanted bridge JB jnr and the push-pull pots. Can’t wait to get it back in action after the disastrous EMGs - unbelievably noisy and just unconvincing. What other issues did you have with the guitar?

 

[Multiacman]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

This is just a 2 humbucker 3-way with master volume and tone.

The pots can be wired up for their primary function first, then simply use a diagram for the series parallel (google has heaps) push-pull switch part to wire the pickups into the schematic......of course the output from the pushpull goes to the toggle (for the hot) and ground.

And I'd have thought the A2 pro would balance better with the JB in full series mode. Parallel you might find its a bit low volume.

Found it, thanks - for anyone else looking for this, here it is: https://guitarelectronics.com/2-humbuckers-3-way-toggle-switch-1-volume-1-tone-series-parallel/

Just awaiting the parts!

 

[Mincer]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

I picked up an unused trans blue ZT3 for a really good price having owned two Spirits for a long time. The Transtrem and the neck are both brilliant, so playable, and string changes a breeze. My problem was the electronics, so I ripped them all out and started again! I’ve got a Roland GK-3 installed, just awaiting delivery of the conversion ring for the slanted bridge JB jnr and the push-pull pots. Can’t wait to get it back in action after the disastrous EMGs - unbelievably noisy and just unconvincing. What other issues did you have with the guitar?

I had a red one, made up of 3 or 4 pieces of mismatched and non-symmetrical hard maple. It was a heavy guitar for its size, and the neck was too big for me. I hated the electronics, too, so I swapped them. But it didn't make much of a difference, it was a very uninspiring, bland tone. I'd love the TT3 on a new design, though. To contrast, I have a Synapse I absolutely love. 22 frets, and a beautiful warm, chunky sound with a neck that fits my hand.

 

[Multiacman]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

I had a red one, made up of 3 or 4 pieces of mismatched and non-symmetrical hard maple. It was a heavy guitar for its size, and the neck was too big for me. I hated the electronics, too, so I swapped them. But it didn't make much of a difference, it was a very uninspiring, bland tone. I'd love the TT3 on a new design, though. To contrast, I have a Synapse I absolutely love. 22 frets, and a beautiful warm, chunky sound with a neck that fits my hand.

Nice to hear you've got a good Synapse. I'm surprised about the weight of your ZT3 - mine is 6.6 lbs minus pots and backplate so should still be under 7lbs when complete. I'll report back on tone when reassembled. Thanks for the help, Dave!

 

[Multiacman]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

Finally got my ZT3 working after a couple of false starts - great to have a father-in-law who's an expert in electronics and a dab hand with a soldering iron! The results are up to expectation, and the JBJnr and APH outputs balance nicely with each other in full series mode (as Alex suspected) by physically lowering the APR a little. The Allparts HB to SC converter works well and tonally the JBJnr matches the same pickup in my Musicman Silhouette but perhaps just a touch more bass. I'm well happy!


View attachment 96266View attachment 96265

Many thanks to you both, Dave and Alex, for your help.

 

[Multiacman]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

Pictures didn't attach properly - second attempt:

 

[AlexR]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

For a superstrat I quite like that. Just enough bling to match the colour. And the slightly tweaked curves works as a design too.

 

[Multiacman]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

For a superstrat I quite like that. Just enough bling to match the colour. And the slightly tweaked curves works as a design too.

Lovely guitar, great playing feel and just under 7 pounds helped by being headless. Now it has the sound to match. Long live Seymour Duncan!!!

 

[Mincer]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

Happy it worked out! I'd love for other guitar designs to come along and use the TT3.

 

[Multiacman]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

Happy it worked out! I'd love for other guitar designs to come along and use the TT3.

Yeah, that'd be great. I love whammys but hate the fact that bending one string drops the tuning on others unless you have the bridge springs tightened to clamp the bridge to the body for down bends only. The TT3 locks them fine. I had a Wilkinson arm fitted to the Floyd Rose on my Musicman Silhouette; when the arm drops, it locks into a cam in the backplate and the bridge is locked. Best of both worlds, and I wish more manufacturers would either adopt the TT3 with all its other benefits or come up with a locking design. Trev Wilkinson, a UK guitar inventor / guru, no longer makes the arms, as good ol' Gibson claimed they owned the patent to a similar locking arm yet don't do anything with it. Trev did not have the resources to take on the might of Gibson....

Sigh.

Thanks again, Dave!

 

[Mincer]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

Yeah, I wish Gibson would realize how valuable the TT technology is these days. Sadly, they will most likely mothball the brand rather than sell it to someone who knows how to take care of it.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Wiring for JB jnr bridge and Alnico pro II neck

an Alnico Pro II neck in the belief that the Pro II in parallel mode will balance the full JB.

I presume that by now you realize that it is the "Alnico ll Pro", not Alnico Pro ll. "Alnico" refers to the general class of metal magnets ( containing aluminum, nickel, cobalt), and the "ll" refers to the specific type, or blend of those metals. The major Alnico mags are A2, A3, A4, A5, RCA5, UOA5, A8. The A2P ("Alnico ll Pro") uses an A2 magnet.