SD JB-(nasalness+spikiness)+(good cleans+a little more bass)=?

[tjs]

I've got a love-hate relationship with my JB bridge pickup. On the one hand, I love its ballsiness and the way it sings. On the other hand, it's too nasal in the midrange and too spiky up top, and the cleans are nothing short of awful.

Here's what I'm looking for in a bridge humbucker:

- Sweet singing top end, but without excessive spikiness

- Open yet full sounding midrange (balanced would be a good adjective as well)

- Enough bass to add fullness to the sound, but not so much that it becomes muddy

- Cleans up well

Think Santana doing Soul Sacrifice at Woodstock.

Any suggestions?

 

[tjs]

Oh, and I realize that Santana primarily used his neck pickup. I'm just using that as an example of the kind of tone I'm looking for. The top end sings, the midrange is full but not congested, and there's just the right amount of bottom end.

 

[hipfan]

What kind of guitar is it, and what value pots are you using with the JB bridge humbucker? I ask because a lot of people report that the JB sounds much better with 250K volume pots, rather than the more humbucker-conventional 500K value.

If you have a bright natured guitar, with a 500K volume pot, that could be your problem right there. A 250K pot might make it less peaky and have a smoother, more singing tone. As a side benefit, the taper on your volume control will improve too.

 

[tjs]

Originally posted by hipfan
What kind of guitar is it, and what value pots are you using with the JB bridge humbucker? I ask because a lot of people report that the JB sounds much better with 250K volume pots, rather than the more humbucker-conventional 500K value.

If you have a bright natured guitar, with a 500K volume pot, that could be your problem right there. A 250K pot might make it less peaky and have a smoother, more singing tone. As a side benefit, the taper on your volume control will improve too.

It's a PRS-style guitar with one volume and one tone control, using 500k pots. I might give 250k a try, but as both pickups use the same controls I fear that it would probably make my neck pickup too dull.

 

[Clorenzo]

Originally posted by tjs
It's a PRS-style guitar with one volume and one tone control, using 500k pots. I might give 250k a try, but as both pickups use the same controls I fear that it would probably make my neck pickup too dull.

If you want 250k loading just on the bridge pu, put a 240k resistor from the pu hot wire to ground. It will also affect the both-pu's-on position though.

Or, try the DiMarzio Air Norton, one of my favourite bridge pu's that has that "singing" quality you mention in spades. Clips here: http://www.harryj.net/Godin_Clips.htm

 

[Marcello]

Originally posted by tjs
It's a PRS-style guitar with one volume and one tone control, using 500k pots. I might give 250k a try, but as both pickups use the same controls I fear that it would probably make my neck pickup too dull.

is it a brian moore i guitar ?

I own the i8 model and i have the same feelings as you about the JB, i love/hate it haha. Can be real harsh with a bright amp, in the same time it screams like no other...

 

[mccreadyisgod]

I'd be inclined to try out a Gibson Classic '57 in a nickel cover... smooth, balanced, ballsy but not too muddy, and a decent clean tone. But I'm a whore for the Classic '57, so don't take my word for it.

 

[Go Cat Go!!]

Originally posted by Clorenzo
If you want 250k loading just on the bridge pu, put a 240k resistor from the pu hot wire to ground. It will also affect the both-pu's-on position though.

Or, try the DiMarzio Air Norton, one of my favourite bridge pu's that has that "singing" quality you mention in spades. Clips here: http://www.harryj.net/Godin_Clips.htm

I just put an Air Norton at the bridge and a PAF Joe at the neck on a Brian moore i21 guitar. The Air Norton is much more versitile than the SD JB. It sounds great clean or dirty. The PAF Joe is a great neck pickup as well. I couldn't be happier w/ this combo. It's too bad Dimarzio is so associated w/ the metal crowd. They make some fine pickups at reasonable prices.

I have found the JB to be a one trick pony as well. It sounds rich and full distorted but clean it hurts my ears. I play mostly clean or w/ just a bit of dirt this days so it had to go.

 

[paulbonfiglio]

Try a Duncan SH-1 ’59

and surprisingly the SH-12 george lynch screamin’ demon sounds hot but it's a 59 with a bit of top and bottom

www.seymourduncan.com/products/humbuckersdescr.shtml#59153Model

My friend has DiMarzio PAF Pro and I have to say it is very open and dynamic. It kind of reminds me of the old Santana sound.
www.dimarzio.com

 

[erikm5150]

Dimarzio Air Zone, Norton, or Virtual Hot PAF all seem to fit your requirements

 

[tjs]

Thanks for the responses, everybody. I'm currently hooked on WCR pickups and don't think I could ever go back to a JB. I haven't tried the Shredder yet, but it's supposedly exactly what I was looking for in my initial post if anybody else is looking for a solution to the same problem.

 

[johnny q]

Thanks for the responses, everybody. I'm currently hooked on WCR pickups and don't think I could ever go back to a JB. I haven't tried the Shredder yet, but it's supposedly exactly what I was looking for in my initial post if anybody else is looking for a solution to the same problem.

Folks on the SD forum are big on "hybrids" and I have been told that a C5/JB hybrid is the ticket, giving you the best of both worlds.

Do some thinking about the WCR Shredder, for 200 bucks it basically sounds like a slightly better version of the Duncan c5, not a better JB like the RS Site describes. I also find it VERY bright, and the mismatched coils coupled with the high output makes it hum a bit more than I would like. Oh and getting it to clean up?? Nah....

JQ

 

[tjs]

Do some thinking about the WCR Shredder, for 200 bucks it basically sounds like a slightly better version of the Duncan c5, not a better JB like the RS Site describes. I also find it VERY bright, and the mismatched coils coupled with the high output makes it hum a bit more than I would like. Oh and getting it to clean up?? Nah....

In that case, I'll stick to my Darkbursts (and my Goodwoods, and my Crossroads, etc.)

 

[Gradinger]

Sink that JB a little further from the strings and try 250k. I have good luck getting nice clean tones out of them that way.

 

[Festus]

Holy moly, man, what are you waiting for? Drop a WCR Darkburst in the bridge. With a 500k volume pot, that should do it. That or a Goodwood.

In that case, I'll stick to my Darkbursts (and my Goodwoods, and my Crossroads, etc.)

 

[Matt Gordon]

Suhr SSH+ or DSH+. Perfect hot PU IMHO.

 

[jcoggins7]

+1 Dimarzio Air Norton

and try Dimarzio Breed Bridge