Seymour Duncan Jazz Neck HB

[Trenchant63]

I recently installed the Seymour Duncan Jazz Neck HB in my Warmoth Strat (alder body, rosewood fretboard). I was coming from the Duncan Alnico II Pro HB which, while warm and vintage toned, got too wooly on my guitar (I felt it would have been great on an LP with maple top or Ash Tele to give it some snap). I’ve had a chance to rehearse and gig the Duncan Jazz Neck HB now a few times and am very impressed. It is the first time I’ve really ever played the neck HB by itself clean because it is very articulate but still has warmth. It has nice highs and scooped (but not absent) mids. Bass is full but tight. In case you’re considering it - it’s a great option if you need more definition on your neck HB. I do a lot of clean R&B type playing across all pickup combinations and a fair amount of overdrive in our cover band.

 

[Festofish]

I have the JB/Jazz set in a Schecter PT and they are awesome.

 

[SixStringSlinger]

I have a JB intended for a super-Strat project that didn't work out. I'd love to pair it with a Jazz.

 

[blowtorch]

yeah the JBbridge/Jazzneck combo is a classic for sure, I've never heard it go wrong

 

[Trenchant63]

I have a JB intended for a super-Strat project that didn't work out. I'd love to pair it with a Jazz.

I have this paired with a Carvin C22B I had forgotten I had and thought I’d give it a try replacing a Gibson 498t on account of that pickup’s lack of bass and clear highs - the Carvin instantly added bass and treble keeping the full mids. It is higher output but I think a little less than the JB but versatile like the JB (overdrive or nice punchy highs for cleans). If the Carvin hadn’t worked, the JB was my next move. (you know how it goes - curiosity will get the best of me and I’ll eventually put in the JB anyway lol). I think you’d like it in that setup!!

 

[SixStringSlinger]

I have this paired with a Carvin C22B I had forgotten I had and thought I’d give it a try replacing a Gibson 498t on account of that pickup’s lack of bass and clear highs - the Carvin instantly added bass and treble keeping the full mids. It is higher output but I think a little less than the JB but versatile like the JB (overdrive or nice punchy highs for cleans). If the Carvin hadn’t worked, the JB was my next move. (you know how it goes - curiosity will get the best of me and I’ll eventually put in the JB anyway lol). I think you’d like it in that setup!!

My idea is a classic Strat-type with two humbuckers and a Floyd (or similar). And maybe a little something special like a series/parallel switch or a kill switch.

 

[bobio]

Love the SD Jazz and the 59 in the neck position
Red one has a SD Two Five SC in the bridge and the White one has a SD Little 59 in the bridge.
Both have 5 way switching, and offer tons of tonal variety

 

[Trenchant63]

My idea is a classic Strat-type with two humbuckers and a Floyd (or similar). And maybe a little something special like a series/parallel switch or a kill switch.

I have the 2 HB set up with five way switch used to split coils - (up to down .. ) (1) bridge split, (2) both pickups split, (3) Neck HB, (4) Neck and Bridge HB, (5) Bridge HB. I got this from Duncan site wiring diagrams. I wasn’t confident soldering push pull or toggle switches for splitting being newer to soldering. It works great!

 

[Guitarteach]

Got the JB/Jazz pairing in a couple of guitars. The Jazz is def, a mud free neck pickup. Really sings.

 

[Mad Max]

I have a JB/Jazz set in my LTD EC-401VF. Sounds good from edge of breakup all the way to full on death metal.

 

[Trenchant63]

Dang! I need the JB in my guitar!!

 

[schenkadere]

I have a 1982 SH-7 Seymourizer II in the neck of my Jackson...it has a special warmth...now I believe it's called the SH-6n. I like the JB/Jazz and have used them in numerous guitars.

 

[trandy9850]

Way ahead of you.

 

[Ascension]

Have always found the JB/Jazz to be horribly mismatched with the Jazz being overwhelmed and way to strident weak and bright for the JB. There are many others who feel this way over on the Duncan forum BTW. For those that don't know the only difference in a Jazz and a Alnico II pro is the magnet. The Alnico II is a A 2 the Jazz a A5 otherwise the pickups are identical. I had a Jazz in the neck with a Perpetual Burn bridge in my Carvin DC 127 hardtail for a while and hated the Jazz, way to bright weak and harsh to match the Burn in the bridge. So I swapped the A5 for an A2 and now have a much better tonal match. That doesnt seem logical since the A2 is supposedly weaker than a A5 in output but in this guitar feels just the opposite. With the JB I find a 59 bridge or a Sentient neck is a much much better match than the Jazz in both tone and in output for the neck slot. I have a 59 with a A3 mag swap in the neck of my 95 Swamp Ash body Washburn USA Chicago Custom MG 102 with a JB bridge and that is one killer combo.

 

[NICQ]

I have the SH2B/SH2N combo in one of my guitars - great bright humbucker sound without mid hump ... love it
If you want even more transparent humbuckers I can recommend the DiMarzio Eric Johnson humbuckers - they have slightly more twang

 

[Trenchant63]

Have always found the JB/Jazz to be horribly mismatched with the Jazz being overwhelmed and way to strident weak and bright for the JB. There are many others who feel this way over on the Duncan forum BTW. For those that don't know the only difference in a Jazz and an Alnico II pro is the magnet. The Alnico II is a A 2 the Jazz a A5 otherwise the pickups are identical. I had a Jazz in the neck with a Perpetual Burn bridge in my Carvin DC 127 hardtail for a while and hated the Jazz, way to bright weak and harsh to match the Burn in the bridge. So I swapped the A5 for an A2 and now have a much better tonal match. That doesnt seem logical since the A2 is supposedly weaker than a A5 in output but in this guitar feels just the opposite. With the JB I find a 59 bridge or a Sentient neck is a much much better match than the Jazz in both tone and in output for the neck slot. I have a 59 with a A3 mag swap in the neck of my 95 Swamp Ash body Washburn USA Chicago Custom MG 102 with a JB bridge and that is one killer combo.

Did swapping A2 into the Jazz give you more mids?

 

[Maguchi]

I recently installed the Seymour Duncan Jazz Neck HB in my Warmoth Strat (alder body, rosewood fretboard). I was coming from the Duncan Alnico II Pro HB which, while warm and vintage toned, got too wooly on my guitar (I felt it would have been great on an LP with maple top or Ash Tele to give it some snap). I’ve had a chance to rehearse and gig the Duncan Jazz Neck HB now a few times and am very impressed. It is the first time I’ve really ever played the neck HB by itself clean because it is very articulate but still has warmth. It has nice highs and scooped (but not absent) mids. Bass is full but tight. In case you’re considering it - it’s a great option if you need more definition on your neck HB. I do a lot of clean R&B type playing across all pickup combinations and a fair amount of overdrive in our cover band.

Duncan Jazz in the neck? Oh heck yeah! I changed out the stock pickups in a MiM Player HH Tele to a SD Jazz neck and a SD Alnico II Pro Trembucker in the bridge. And it has some great sounds. Yeah great definition with the selector switch set to neck only, and the bridge by itself and combined with the neck pickup is creamy and warm but defined.

I have the Duncan JB in another Guitar, a Guild Bluesbird, and it would be too hot in combination with a Jazz and would probly overwhelm the Jazz pickup when switching between them or with both pickups on.

 

[Sax-son]

I have the SD Jazz/JB Hotrod set that I am currently looking for a decent guitar to install them in. It's a rock and roll combo that I believe is best for solid body Gibson style guitars. As far as Fender guitars, maybe in the bridge position only, but there are better choices for those. You need clarity for the neck position, and I would go with a PAF spec for that.

 

[Zepfan]

I have a Jazz to pair with a 1978.

 

[Golem]

It's my favorite used neck pickup because, until recently at least, I'd often find them used for cheap. It seemed like people were taking them out to replace the stock Duncans that come on guitars and the Jazz was popular to partner with a JB or Custom. It's a great PAF style neck pickup for what you want more clarity. When you want a little more warmth, the 59 works great.