Replacing a JB

Vhalen50 said:
Ive heard the pegasus is the "JB without all the crap"
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I would personally advise against the Pegasus here. It is very "small" sounding, and is basically all lows, low mids and presence, with a very modern prog metal voicing as opposed to the JB's high-mid-forward rock and old school metal voicing. I would compare the voicing to a Fluence Modern that was suffering from anhedonia and low blood sugar. I found it very difficult to get an exciting tone out of, and I thought my Axe Fx was broken the whole time I was using it because it sounded so boring.
 
If your SD dealer can get the “MJ’s MagicBucker” it’s right in the area you’re describing. I put a set in my PRS Hollowbody Spruce to take out the darkness of the Archtop pickups, and they are great sounding slightly-souped-up PAF type. A little more juice, though not so much it eats the clarity.
 
MisterE said:
As of lately, a certain frequency has been annoying me.
I tried different amp settings, IR's.... to no avail.
So I'm thinking about swapping my JB for something else.
I like the bite; bottom and attack but it's a certain quack that disturbs me. Especially when playing the higher strings (B and E)
So....I'm looking at these:
SD TB-11 Custom Custom
SD TB-16 59/Custom Hybrid
SD Jason Becker Perpetual Burn

I'm currently not looking at anything else like Bare Knuckles since I find these way too expensive here in Europe since the idiot Brits chose to leave the European union.
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I'd try running a 7 or 10 band GEQ after input before amp or a PEq first before swapping pickups.
 
Anthony76 said:
I'd try running a 7 or 10 band GEQ after input before amp or a PEq first before swapping pickups.
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A PEQ before the amp with a 7.5dB cut at around 1350Hz with a Q of 3.25 seems to help, thanks.
But I'm also eager to try out the TB-16. Especially for the coil split.
 
TB16 is cool, I had one in a Charvel that I replaced the stock JB in. Spicy but balanced frequency wise. I think due to the differing coils. Works nicely with the volume knob. I have a straight SH5 Custom in my Jackson RR-1 that I love.
 
MisterE said:
I'm currently not looking at anything else like Bare Knuckles since I find these way too expensive here in Europe since the idiot Brits chose to leave the European union.
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Just wanted to write that Brexit has nothing to do with this.
British VAT is deducted when you order and your country's VAT is added back during import.
The are expensive because BKP has simply raised the prices... 🤷‍♂️ The exchange rates have not changed significantly in the last 10 years.
(However, the BKP Holydiver is still the best JB replacement)
 
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If you like the JB sound / feel but want something that's just a hair more refined, try the Suhr Aldrich bridge pickup. It's similar to the JB but just makes away with some of the harshness associated with the JB.
 
painkiller said:
Just wanted to write that Brexit has nothing to do with this.
British VAT is deducted when you order and your country's VAT is added back during import.
The are expensive because BKP has simply raised the prices... 🤷‍♂️ The exchange rates have not changed significantly in the last 10 years.
(However, the BKP Holydiver is still the best JB replacement)
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Brexit is the dumbest decision our country has ever made and it’s massively increased my costs . My costs of dealing with the rest of Europe are 4 x what they were.
 
Mike Hagger said:
Swapping the magnet is easier than changing pickups.

Bare Knuckles are way too expensive for many idiot brits too.
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Bare Knuckles are worth every penny. You can phone up Tim and talk about what want and he will custom make it for you. The value of this experience is huge.
 
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I had the exact same thoughts about the bridge JB in a guitar I bought many years ago. I replaced it with a Bare Knuckles Holydiver and was so happy with it I put one in a few other guitars as well. The Holydiver is similar to the JB, but without the pronounced upper mid spike that you can never dial out, leaving more room for the lower mids to provide girth that results in a more balanced sound overall.
 
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