JB in a Wolfgang? Would you?

[ledvedder]

I've been offered a JB/59 set for my Wolfgang. I've been trying to get as much info as possible about the JB, and from what I can find, some love it and some hate it. Also, according to what I've been able to find, VH had a JB in his 5150 Kramer that he plays in Live Without a Net. I love the tone on that DVD, especially the way it cleans up, like in 316 at the beginning of his guitar solo. I'm wondering how the JB would sound in the Wolfgang. I've also read some articles about people swapping the A5 for an A2 in the JB, along with removing some of the coil windings. Any thoughts?

[Christopher Caruana]

Not in a million years would i believe that Eddie had a JB in his 5150. If you want his 5150sound, the custom custom (sh-11) is the way to go. But the MOST important thing is a vintage Marshall on 10!

Some people dont like the JB because of its razor sharp highs.......it can be hard on the ears. It also has an upper mid spike that some do not like. Adding an A2 to a JB will round off the high end and also take the upper mid spike away and fill in the lower mids. The bass will also be looser with an A2.

As far as putting it in a wolfgang, I have no clue. I know the wolfgangs are basswood and JB's are usually put in guitars that are made out of alder.

[Marshall_Abuser]

Basswood is my least favorite wood and when I had a JB in my basswood fixed-trem Ibanez, I didn't like it at all. I prefer the JB in alder. For basswood, nothing beats Dimarzios IME. They fatten up this wood nicely.

[BloodRose]

That pup set is a very good one, but not if you are trying to get a VH sound.

Since folks are tossing out suggestions, Ill offer up that I run a PATB3 ( Blues Saraceno Trembucker) in my RG570 and its a Beast! nice and fat

[mustaine-who?]

That pup set is a very good one, but not if you are trying to get a VH sound.

Since folks are tossing out suggestions, Ill offer up that I run a PATB3 ( Blues Saraceno Trembucker) in my RG570 and its a Beast! nice and fat

I would second this. PATB-3 is a really fat yet cutting PuP. Like a fuller Full Shred that is also more vintagy...

[flieger67]

Ledvedder: As C. Caruana kind of alluded to, part of the classic VH tone is very much a cranked Marshall, the so-called "plexi" in particular. Those amps have decent gain but not so much that you can't get a cleaner (though not super clean) tone just by turning down the guitar's volume and picking lighter. If you have an amp with a ton of gain, no pickup is going to give you the sort of dynamic range that you are seeking. So be aware of that.

Another thing that I'd throw is to not get too strong of a pickup. Again, a super high-output pickup is going to not provide the dynamics that you seem to be wanting.

Good luck in your search.

[Christopher Caruana]

A "hot" PAF type pickup set is going to be your best bet for that "VH" type tone

[ledvedder]

I'm not particularly trying to duplicate the VH tone, I just like that sound the best. Particularly, the tone he gets on Live Without A Net. Seems like, no matter what amp I plug into, I always dial it up a certain way to get that type of tone.

[Christopher Caruana]

I'm not particularly trying to duplicate the VH tone, I just like that sound the best. Particularly, the tone he gets on Live Without A Net. Seems like, no matter what amp I plug into, I always dial it up a certain way to get that type of tone.

I read in an old "guitar world" article that was an interview with Eddie........he said he used a duncan '59 in his 5150. I find that pretty probable, because Ed has always been fond of PAF type pickups. So the closest your going to get to that "live without a net" sound is either a '59 or the custom shop '78.

But I cant stress this enough. No matter what pickup you use and no matter what guitar you use......you wont even get anywhere close without a Marshall! (mostly a JCM 800, plexi or JMP)

[drolaw]

I have a JB in my wolfgang...best decision ever. Eddie doesn't like a lot of mids which is needed for a good phat tone. He's also the only guitar player so he doesn't have to fight for the sound spectrum.

BTW - Isn't Basswood close in sounding as mahogony? Even Seymour says the JB is better suited for mahogony guitars. Oh well...sound is so subjective.

[Sanford]

I've been offered a JB/59 set for my Wolfgang.

These are good pickups, don't worry about copping the exact VH tone. Just enjoy the pickups and make good use of your tone knob (if you have one). If you feel they lack something, then tweak away! Both of these pickups are good foundations for modifications.

[oilpit]

I have a JB in my wolfgang...best decision ever. Eddie doesn't like a lot of mids which is needed for a good phat tone. He's also the only guitar player so he doesn't have to fight for the sound spectrum.

Last time I brought up EVH gear, it started a total sh*t storm, so I'm gonna tread lightly on this one...

BUT

I always thought that Ed was mid-crazy. He was using an A2 pickup (supposedly) in an Ash body running through a dimed Marshall...with an MXR EQ boosting midrange.

Seems like quite a bit of mids to me...

[JohnnyGuitarCA]

NO. Never.