Surge101 Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 Hi Everyone, I bought my Sheraton about a year and a half ago. Although I love the way it plays, like many I’m considering changing the pick-ups. The local guitar shop has recommended a Seymour Duncan SH1 '59 and a Seymour Duncan JB combination. Does anyone have experience with this combination? Or would I be better off with a pair of 59’s? I Like jazz, blues classic rock and am using a Fender Mustang III. Thanks!
damian Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 That is a very popular combo of pickups............Sure, go for it............. ( I have NO idea what kind of PUs I'd use...... :unsure: ....)....
tweed2 Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 I used that combination on my Korina SG, except I did a bridge SH1 at the neck (I wanted it a little hotter). I figured if I didn't like it, I'd move the SH1b to the bridge and buy a SH1n for the neck, and save the JB for another project. It worked for what I was looking for, though. But, I don't know how relatable it would be to a semi-hollow. You could try it, and if you don't like it, replace the JB. I got both of mine new off ebay at $120, includng shipping. But they were the uncovered version, not the nickel (which was what I wanted). Look around, they can be bought cheap.
upsidedown club Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 how about considering the jazz sh2n for the neck and 59 in the bridge. I just am putting 59 in neck and sh2b bridge because that what I could find locally ,not done with the sh2n yet but the 59 in my neck position was vast improvement over standard epi.regardsB)
Ed Zeplin Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 I can't speak for the 59 but I have a JB that has been in several guitars and it sounds great in all (an Epi lp, a MIJ Fender humbucker strat and Gibby SG). It may be a little too hot for a semihollow but worth a listen for sure. I used mine in combo with a Duncan Phatcat bucker-sized P90 and was quite pleased wih that too.
Blueman335 Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 JB's were designed for a Tele, and do well in other bright woods, but are hit or miss in warm woods/designs (like semi-hollows). They can work great in an Epi, or fail spectacularly. Warm woods can bring out an 'ice pick spike', a 'flabby low end', and a tone resembling an 'old horn' (all descriptions from JB owners on the Duncan website). JB's are not a versatile PU. They have thin wire, narrow coils, a bright magnet (A5), and are wound very hot (16K). They are very fussy about the woods they sound good in. A pair of Duncan '59's or Seth's have a great authentic vintage 335 sound. If you want a hot bridge, the Custom 5 does very well in warm woods and designs. I put an A8 magnet in my Custom 5, making it a Custom 8, which gives it more mids and less treble, for a rich, full sound.
Texasbluezman Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 I had the pair in an Epi LP Studio. Was very pleased with the sound. You be the judge. Check it out here: www.myspace.com/Kemistery
Malchik Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 Get the JB JAZZ combination, it's the classic pairing. In fact, they sell them together.
Pin Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 The seymour 59 neck and the JB bridge was what I put in my son's Epi LP standard some 13 years ago now (the guitar with its pups are still going strong). My son's epi LP was one of the models with an ash body (stained mahogany) and thin maple cap. The combination worked superbly - incomparably better than the squeaky pups the guitar originally had.
PA.AXEMAN Posted February 23, 2012 Posted February 23, 2012 I HAVE A 59 IN THE NECK OF MY PAUL STAND. AND A LOLLAR IMP. IN THE BRIGE FIND THE SPOT AND YOU WILL LOVE IT.
bigneil Posted February 23, 2012 Posted February 23, 2012 Pickup choice is just sooooooooooooooooooo subjective. I would recommend popping over to the SD website and listening to all the sound bites they have of their pickup, but use some headphones or decent sounding pc speakers or they will all sound the same.
Blueman335 Posted February 23, 2012 Posted February 23, 2012 Pickup choice is just sooooooooooooooooooo subjective. I would recommend popping over to the SD website and listening to all the sound bites they have of their pickup, but use some headphones or decent sounding pc speakers or they will all sound the same. In theory, yes. Problem with sound clips is that they almost invariably are using different guitars and amps than you do. The same PU in a Strat will sound very different when it's in a Les Paul. Us regulars on the Duncan forum never use the clips, and recommend to newbies that they don't either. Too easy to get confused and misled. You can't hear a clip, buy that PU, and think you're guaranteed to get the same sound. If only life was that easy. Depending on your guitar and rig, it could end up sounding nothing like the clip. Once in a while it may, but you can't count on that happening. What we do is select a PU based on the specs, especially ohms, magnet, and resonant peak (treble). Then when it's in the guitar, we decide if it's doing what we want in that piece of wood, or if the EQ needs to be moved in another direction (often the case). For that we swap magnets and pots, which is cheap and easy. Then we've got it dialed in just like we want. If you don't do that, then you're either: 1) very lucky and always get the right PU on the first attempt, 2) settle for PU's that don't sound quite like you want them to, or 3) are buying and selling a lot of PU's hoping for the best.
Tee-Bone Posted March 2, 2012 Posted March 2, 2012 I went through this with a Dot I recently bought. My guitar tech recommended a Jazz in the neck and a JB in the bridge. I called Seymour Duncan and spoke to a tech. He told me that was their most popular combo for Les Pauls, but he didn't think the JB was a good fit for the Dot. He recommended a '59 in the bridge, which is what I did. GREAT COMBO!! I liked the sound I got out of the Dot before, now I love it. Not muddy,but it can still get thick, a lot of tone to choose from. It completely transformed the guitar.
Blueman335 Posted March 2, 2012 Posted March 2, 2012 I went through this with a Dot I recently bought. My guitar tech recommended a Jazz in the neck and a JB in the bridge. I called Seymour Duncan and spoke to a tech. He told me that was their most popular combo for Les Pauls, but he didn't think the JB was a good fit for the Dot. He recommended a '59 in the bridge, which is what I did. GREAT COMBO!! I liked the sound I got out of the Dot before, now I love it. Not muddy,but it can still get thick, a lot of tone to choose from. It completely transformed the guitar. There's no shortage of guys with mahogany guitars who aren't happy with JB's. Sometimes they work great in warm woods, sometimes they fail spectacularly. It's a roll of the dice. JB's are a weird PU with narrow coils and thin wire. Very fussy about the wood they're in. I just don't recommend them to players with most Gibson-design guitars, unless the guy is able to tweak tones by changing out the magnet or pots. I don't want someone getting a PU and hating it.
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