The Pickups Thread

[Eagle]

I was at a friend's house earlier checking out his new guitar and honestly didn't like it. It was way too heavy, the colour sucked and it's going to need a refret sooner rather than later.

The pickups however we're amazing. I couldn't belive how good they sounded. I think I was even more surprised when I found out they were the Seymour duncan JB/Jazz set. The JB in particular was really doing it for me and I'm pretty sure I want one.

My confession is i'm 46, have been playing guitar for 32 years and I've never played a JB or a jazz before

Seymour’s favourite set and the ones in Jeff Becks Telegib.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Seymour’s favourite set and the ones in Jeff Becks Telegib.

I think I ignored them for so long because they're everywhere but the JB in particular sounded great last night.

 

[Eagle]

I think I ignored them for so long because they're everywhere but the JB in particular sounded great last night.

It’s a great pickup that can cover a lot of bases. Probably still one of the best at what it does.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

It’s a great pickup that can cover a lot of bases. Probably still one of the best at what it does.

I really liked it for cleans and heavy gain with a few different amps last night. Definitely think I need to get one.

 

[HomespunEffects]

I was at a friend's house earlier checking out his new guitar and honestly didn't like it. It was way too heavy, the colour sucked and it's going to need a refret sooner rather than later.

The pickups however we're amazing. I couldn't belive how good they sounded. I think I was even more surprised when I found out they were the Seymour duncan JB/Jazz set. The JB in particular was really doing it for me and I'm pretty sure I want one.

My confession is i'm 46, have been playing guitar for 32 years and I've never played a JB or a jazz before

Yeah, man. They’re pretty sweet. The Bare Knuckle Holy Diver is similar but a little extra clarity and I’m thinking a slight bit more output.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Yeah, man. They’re pretty sweet. The Bare Knuckle Holy Diver is similar but a little extra clarity and I’m thinking a slight bit more output.

I love Bare knuckle and have some mules here but they're probably a bit spendy for me at the minute.

 

[Jarick]

I was at a friend's house earlier checking out his new guitar and honestly didn't like it. It was way too heavy, the colour sucked and it's going to need a refret sooner rather than later.

The pickups however we're amazing. I couldn't belive how good they sounded. I think I was even more surprised when I found out they were the Seymour duncan JB/Jazz set. The JB in particular was really doing it for me and I'm pretty sure I want one.

My confession is i'm 46, have been playing guitar for 32 years and I've never played a JB or a jazz before

JB/Jazz was the first aftermarket pickup set I ever tried. I wanted a hotter bridge pickup and a brighter neck pickup in my Les Paul. I've got them in one of my PRS right now. It's definitely worth a try especially because you can find those pickups lightly used for $50 each all day long.

 

[la szum]

I was at a friend's house earlier checking out his new guitar and honestly didn't like it. It was way too heavy, the colour sucked and it's going to need a refret sooner rather than later.

The pickups however we're amazing. I couldn't belive how good they sounded. I think I was even more surprised when I found out they were the Seymour duncan JB/Jazz set. The JB in particular was really doing it for me and I'm pretty sure I want one.

My confession is i'm 46, have been playing guitar for 32 years and I've never played a JB or a jazz before

Wut??!!

The JB is legendary. Sure, many have wanted to supplant it with the latest
flavour of high output A5 mag based Pickups. But god damn if that PU wasn't
great for everyone from Jerry Cantrell to Jake E Lee---down to just about every great
guitarist from the time the JB hit the scene until now.

It's alkso a great match for those who have really sensitive and dynamic amps and hands when
they play. It's super responsive to intensity and volume adjustments on the guitar, too. Great
to pair it with a Marshall-variant for that reason.

I like to remind myself that more GREAT music was written and recorded with a JB in the Bridge
of a Guitar than will ever be made with Bareknuckles or Suhrs or fill in the blank boutique winder.

Not a diss on Bareknuickles or other winders. I own some of them. Just a bit of historical perspective for
the "latest is the greatest" crowd.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Wut??!!

The JB is legendary. Sure, many have wanted to supplant it with the latest
flavour of high output A5 mag based Pickups. But god damn if that PU wasn't
great for everyone from Jerry Cantrell to Jake E Lee---down to just about every great
guitarist from the time the JB hit the scene until now.

It's alkso a great match for those who have really sensitive and dynamic amps and hands when
they play. It's super responsive to intensity and volume adjustments on the guitar, too. Great
to pair it with a Marshall-variant for that reason.

I like to remind myself that more GREAT music was written and recorded with a JB in the Bridge
of a Guitar than will ever be made with Bareknuckles or Suhrs or fill in the blank boutique winder.

Not a diss on Bareknuickles or other winders. I own some of them. Just a bit of historical perspective for
the "latest is the greatest" crowd.

I know. I'm both guilty and an idiot. At least I've finally played a set. There's so many great pickup winders now that I always forget about Seymour duncan tbh. I think it's a bit like all the people buying modded Marshalls du jour from whichever builder is popular and they forget to try an actual Marshall. Then they try one and it's killer.

 

[norminal]

The JB is legendary. Sure, many have wanted to supplant it with the latest
flavour of high output A5 mag based Pickups. But god damn if that PU wasn't
great for everyone from Jerry Cantrell to Jake E Lee---down to just about every great
guitarist from the time the JB hit the scene until now.

In the right guitar, the JB slays.

 

[TSJMajesty]

JB/Jazz was the first aftermarket pickup set I ever tried. I wanted a hotter bridge pickup and a brighter neck pickup in my Les Paul.

Same story here. Exactly.

I gotta wonder if SD had some kind of deal with the music stores back then, because that combination is..., well, most of us know that set. And like Dave said, look how common they are.

 

[Eagle]

Same story here. Exactly.

I gotta wonder if SD had some kind of deal with the music stores back then, because that combination is..., well, most of us know that set. And like Dave said, look how common they are.

Back when? Those have been a thing since the 70s when they first came out.

 

[TSJMajesty]

Back when? Those have been a thing since the 70s when they first came out.

I got mine in early 80's. Maybe they'd just been very popular at the time.

 

[Eagle]

I got mine in early 80's. Maybe they'd just been very popular at the time.

Seymour said it was his favourite combination in Guitar Player in the early 80s .

 

[Jarick]

Pulled my Ibanez AZ apart and measured the pickup cavities...it looks like the Dimarzio Cruisers should fit? I'm going to try to wire them up today. The humbucker will be a Duncan 59 for now anyway.

If I don't love that, I may try some EMG's which I've never had before. The Steve Lukather HSS set in white might look pretty good on this guitar:

 

[Jarick]

Update: figured out what the issue was. The Dimarzio leads are pretty thick (basically the same cable as a 4-conductor humbucker) and when running the neck pickup lead through the routing, it sits under the middle pickup, raising it by several mm. As a result I can't lower the middle pickup where it needs to be.

These Dimarzios have quick connects on the bottom with the leads which adds about 1mm of depth, and then the rails extend another 1-2mm higher than a vintage pickup where the pole pieces are basically flush. So that all adds up to 3-5mm higher than a typical pickup.

I may be able to force the wire route to the side of the quick connect, or possibly remove the outer cover from the pickup lead. Otherwise these will be a no go.

 

[norminal]

Pulled my Ibanez AZ apart and measured the pickup cavities...it looks like the Dimarzio Cruisers should fit? I'm going to try to wire them up today. The humbucker will be a Duncan 59 for now anyway.

That sounds like a great combo. Interested to hear how it turns out.

These Dimarzios have quick connects on the bottom with the leads which adds about 1mm of depth, and then the rails extend another 1-2mm higher than a vintage pickup where the pole pieces are basically flush. So that all adds up to 3-5mm higher than a typical pickup.

You can always remove the quick connects and solder wire directly to the solder points. I’ve had to do that with other pickups.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Any experience with Mark Foley's pickups @Eagle? I've always had a love hate thing with my strat. It sounds great unplugged but if I'm honest I've never completely loved the plugged in tone.

I noticed Mark's going to release some pickups in the vein of the bare knuckle bootcamp models.

https://www.mfguitarproducts.com/product-page/corewound-50-60-strat-pickup-set

I'm tempted to pick a set up at that price.

I've had a set of Mojos special pickups in mine since 2017.

Mojo Special Stratocaster | Mojo Pickups

www.mojopickups.co.uk

The only difference with mine is mine are the earlier ones with alnico iii instead of V.

 

[Eagle]

Any experience with Mark Foley's pickups @Eagle? I've always had a love hate thing with my strat. It sounds great unplugged but if I'm honest I've never completely loved the plugged in tone.

I noticed Mark's going to release some pickups in the vein of the bare knuckle bootcamp models.

https://www.mfguitarproducts.com/product-page/corewound-50-60-strat-pickup-set

I'm tempted to pick a set up at that price.

I've had a set of Mojos special pickups in mine since 2017.

Mojo Special Stratocaster | Mojo Pickups

www.mojopickups.co.uk

The only difference with mine is mine are the earlier ones with alnico iii instead of V.

They are pretty meh imo and inconsistent in tone.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

They are pretty meh imo and inconsistent in tone.

Anything in particular you'd recommend for a '60s slab board style strat with an ash body? Preferably ones that aren't the same price as a new guitar?