Les Paul: JB neck/Pearly Gates bridge, opinions ??

[dukewellington]

Have an unrelieved LP and ordered a JB for the neck and Pearly Gates for the bridge.

Opinions? Anyone have this set in an LP? Ever put a JB in the neck?

I use the neck for studio and specific live things, sometimes used for neck rhythm and bridge lead when we play as a trio.

Also considering 1 Meg pot for neck pickup. Alternatively, a grease bucket on a push/pull. Thoughts?

Looking for fat clarity in the neck and sass in the bridge. Stock pickups were truly bad and very muddy sounding!

 

[Zepfan]

There are a few sets that use the JB for the neck - mostly metal sets I think.

The Jazz pickup is very clear sounding as is the Seth Lover.

 

[twangking]

The neck is going to be much louder than the bridge. A bad match most likely.

 

[radiocaster]

The neck is going to be much louder than the bridge. A bad match most likely.

Not an issue on a guitar with two volume pots.

 

[Swirling Snow]

Swap the magnets, put the JB in the bridge. (IIRC, that will be like a Custom Custom in the bridge and a '59 at the neck)

But really, what you want is a neck Phat Cat.

 

[4pickupguy]

The JB is meant to have that slight mid hump for the bridge position. Either of those pickups in the bridge and a low wind PAF in the neck would be a good match to each other.

 

[Trenchant63]

Not an issue on a guitar with two volume pots.

Perhaps - but then you have the partial volume roll back affecting tone of the pickup. I wouldn’t rely on volume pots to govern the pickup output matching between bridge and neck. On the other hand - whatever works for OP to get what he needs for his sound. Most folks prefer the bridge to be at least as powerful as the neck.

 

[FortuneTele]

I tried a Duncan PG1 bridge pickup at the neck in a Squier Deluxe and didn't like it because it had an annoying sizzle.

So I moved the PG1 bridge pickup to the bridge in the same guitar. That was an improvement, and I've tried to like it, but it's got to go.

I love a Seth Lover at the neck, never tried one at the bridge.

You could think about another neck pickup, and let the JB and PG fight it out for the bridge spot. Ime they are both too powerful for the neck, unless that's something you're looking for.

 

[dukewellington]

I tried a Duncan PG1 bridge pickup at the neck in a Squier Deluxe and didn't like it because it had an annoying sizzle.

So I moved the PG1 bridge pickup to the bridge in the same guitar. That was an improvement, and I've tried to like it, but it's got to go.

I love a Seth Lover at the neck, never tried one at the bridge.

You could think about another neck pickup, and let the JB and PG fight it out for the bridge spot. Ime they are both too powerful for the neck, unless that's something you're looking for.

That was sorta my thinking… it doesn’t hurt to have a spare Pearly Gates pickup in the parts box, worst case scenario. And if this combo doesn’t work for me, I can put the JB in the bridge where Duncan wanted it. I have a Duncan 59 that sounded okay in the neck of another guitar and is now gathering dust in the same parts box, so it will have a home if my imagination got the better of me and the neck slot opens up.

Output matching hasn’t ever been a real big issue, I usually bring two guitars, I don’t use high gain and I’m constantly up and down on the volume knobs anyway.

 

[uriah1]

Love JB for necks.
Bridge your choice..
Pearly might be nice..never tried one.

 

[FortuneTele]

Ever put a JB in the neck?

Just tried it in a Tele with 250k pots, and the JB turned 180 so the screw coil was closest to the neck.

In series .022 and .047 caps were tried. Didn't like it, not much of a good sound, and very little range on the tone knob. Muddy and thuddy, imo.

Tried the screw coil by itself with the same caps, liked it better than HB mode. Then tried a .033 with the single coil, and that was my favorite of all five ways. Each coil is 8+k.

I expect it would sound better with 500k pots.

 

[chris m.]

If you already have a '59, a typical combo is '59 in the neck and JB in the bridge.

 

[dukewellington]

If you already have a '59, a typical combo is '59 in the neck and JB in the bridge.

I’ve done that. I was looking for something new and heard about some players of heavy metal using JB pickups in the neck position.

 

[Jakedog]

Most notable player I am personally aware of to use JB models in both the bridge AND the neck of his Les Paul is Johnny Hickman. That dude just sounds flipping fantastic with that setup. I loved it so much I tried it myself and absolutely hated them in both positions.

But man, he sure makes them sound out of this world.

 

[fsone]

Most notable player I am personally aware of to use JB models in both the bridge AND the neck of his Les Paul is Johnny Hickman. That dude just sounds flipping fantastic with that setup. I loved it so much I tried it myself and absolutely hated them in both positions.

But man, he sure makes them sound out of this world.

I find the JBjr works very well, for my Bridge pickup in my Strat..

 

[Jakedog]

I find the JBjr works very well, for my Bridge pickup in my Strat..

I’ve seen and heard a lot of people get great sounds out of them. They’re too hot and too dark for me.

 

[jrblue]

Obviously, that combo can work, but the JB will be delivering a hot, assertive signal at the neck since the strings in that area have max travel and produce loads more energy to the pickup. Personally, that intense sound is not for me, and I find the JB is more responsive and versatile in the bridge position. I don't like to have to work against the basic design of a pickup.

 

[FortuneTele]

I wonder how many of these guys who getting good sounds from the JB are using parallel coils or just one coil.

 

[chris m.]

I wonder how many of these guys who getting good sounds from the JB are using parallel coils or just one coil.

Yeah, a JB wired in parallel would probably sound really good in the neck position.

 

[Zepfan]

They may just be lowering the pickup to take some volume off so the tone shines through.