RCA5 vs. RC UOA5 in JB?

[appar111]

Going to cobble together my own version of an old school JB (maple spacers & long-legged baseplate from an old 59N and a roughcast UOA5 that I have lying around, along with some mild relicing/aging).

I'm wondering if there's a huge difference between a roughcast A5 and a roughcast unoriented A5 in a JB? Or are all UOA5's roughcast?

This pickup will eventually end up in a swamp ash strat body w/ full block vintage trem and a maple neck w/ maple fretboard.

[metalmachine]

Calling blueman?

[appar111]

Definitely!

I think that a regular RCA5 would tighten things up a bit, lessen the total amount of bass that's being fed to the JB (which, from what I've gathered, is the main problem with why it's flabby in the bass). Since it's going into an ash/maple strat, that may tighten things up considerably too, from a wood standpoint.

I also have A2 and A8 here, but am curious to see what the RC UOA5 does first. Other pickup on the guitar is a Dimarzio FS-1.

I didn't even plan on delving into more pickup experimenting, but next thing you know, a there's a spare JB sitting there waiting to be modded.

[zenmindbeginner]

My 35th Anniversary JB has a lot less low end from what I am used to with stock JBs.

The upper mid hump is softer and the whole pickup seems a lot smoother than a stock JB.

Pinch harmonics are reduced around 15% because of the softened mid hump.

Overall a great pickup with RC5. It's essentially a toned down JB with less of the JB "character".

A nice medium between a stock JB and a JB2.

[GuitarDoc]

There's not a lot of difference, but there IS some. The RC UOA5 will be softer on the high end, more mids, less boomy on the bass than just a RC A5. The UOA5 is a smoother sounding mag (oops, before I get too much hate mail about magnets not having any sound......), or should I say, the RC UOA5 will make the pickup have a smoother, more even sound than a Rc A5.

[appar111]

thanks for the info, zen!

[blueman335]

Calling blueman?

RC A5's are an A5 with a smoother, less harsh high end. Not a big difference between them and a polished A5. But, UOA5's are a different animal, much more like an A2; very warm and looser, with lots of dynamics, more organic-sounding. For me, a blues-classic rock player, JB's need an UOA5 or A2. If you prefer JB's closer to the original and want to take off a little sharpness on the high end, and not fundamentally change the sound of the PU, a RC A5 is the way to go.

[Ed Hunter]

FWIW. the jb that was wound for VH back in the day had a rough cast A5 as did the original mass production JB's. they stopped using the RC5 for minor tech reason that i dont agree with so i put all RC5's in my JB's after i get then IF i am going to keep the pup.

[appar111]

RC A5's are an A5 with a smoother, less harsh high end. Not a big difference between them and a polished A5. But, UOA5's are a different animal, much more like an A2; very warm and looser, with lots of dynamics, more organic-sounding. For me, a blues-classic rock player, JB's need an UOA5 or A2. If you prefer JB's closer to the original and want to take off a little sharpness on the high end, and not fundamentally change the sound of the PU, a RC A5 is the way to go.

So would a roughcast UOA5 be even looser and warmer than a regular UOA5?

I'd imagine that with an UOA5 that I could safely use a 500K pot? I tend to like things brighter in the bridge than I think you do, so with the added warmth of the magnet change, I'm hoping i could get away with a 500K pot (with a 250K tone) on the JB.

Plus the UOA5 will bring the hotness of the pickup down a tad too, right? Something that I wouldn't mind, as it will still be substantially louder than a regular PAF type humbucker.

[GilmourD]

FWIW. the jb that was wound for VH back in the day had a rough cast A5 as did the original mass production JB's. they stopped using the RC5 for minor tech reason that i dont agree with so i put all RC5's in my JB's after i get then IF i am going to keep the pup.

What tech reason would that be?

[blueman335]

So would a roughcast UOA5 be even looser and warmer than a regular UOA5?

I'd imagine that with an UOA5 that I could safely use a 500K pot? I tend to like things brighter in the bridge than I think you do, so with the added warmth of the magnet change, I'm hoping i could get away with a 500K pot (with a 250K tone) on the JB.

Plus the UOA5 will bring the hotness of the pickup down a tad too, right? Something that I wouldn't mind, as it will still be substantially louder than a regular PAF type humbucker.

A RC UOA5 would be a little smoother and warmer than a polished UOA5, but I've never seen polished UOA5's for sale. I'd like to get some to try in neck HB's, in place of A2's, to get a sharper highe end and keep the vintage dynamics.

Yes, 500K pots with UOA5's would be what most guys would want. And an UOA5 would be lower output than an A5, A8, or ceramic.

[lazyfinger]

The difference between JB and JB RC5 was subtle, it's like dimming down the tone pot a bit to find that sweet spot that's pleasing... from whatever given setting parameters are on the amp plus the guitar.

The difference between JB, JB2 and JB UOA5 are huge. JB2 is super smooth, imagine taking that upper mids of the JB, and shifting it downward a bit toward the middle of spectrum, fluid tone. Not honky at all. JB UOA5 is between JB and JB2, the mids are again shifted downward, but still has some of that upper mids character of JB (which is not present in JB2), and less honky overall.

Now JB8 is completely different, it adds more bass, the mids are shifted further down toward lower mids territory, with ample middle mids. The upper mids are not as aggressive as regular JB, pulled back. Overall aggressive, wall of guitar sound.

JB ceramic is all metal, if JB8 is JB on steroids, then JB ceramic is JB on crack. Super aggressive upper mids, extended highs, and tightened bass.

Yeah, I had my OCD mag swapping stage with JB.

[darthphineas]

what do the maple spacers do to the tone?

and, what would be the best option for a regular JB tone, but with tightened low end? hex pole pieces? short pole pieces?

[lazyfinger]

what do the maple spacers do to the tone?

and, what would be the best option for a regular JB tone, but with tightened low end? hex pole pieces? short pole pieces?

No idea what maple spacer does to the tone, but they were probably used when the JB first came out. Hex mods seemed tighten the low end for me and gave it sharper attack.

[GilmourD]

The material that the spacer is made from doesn't do anything for tone. I don't even think Eric Johnson could tell just by listening.

[stormrider]

The difference between JB and JB RC5 was subtle, it's like dimming down the tone pot a bit to find that sweet spot that's pleasing... from whatever given setting parameters are on the amp plus the guitar.

The difference between JB, JB2 and JB UOA5 are huge. JB2 is super smooth, imagine taking that upper mids of the JB, and shifting it downward a bit toward the middle of spectrum, fluid tone. Not honky at all. JB UOA5 is between JB and JB2, the mids are again shifted downward, but still has some of that upper mids character of JB (which is not present in JB2), and less honky overall.

Now JB8 is completely different, it adds more bass, the mids are shifted further down toward lower mids territory, with ample middle mids. The upper mids are not as aggressive as regular JB, pulled back. Overall aggressive, wall of guitar sound.

JB ceramic is all metal, if JB8 is JB on steroids, then JB ceramic is JB on crack. Super aggressive upper mids, extended highs, and tightened bass.

Yeah, I had my OCD mag swapping stage with JB.

You still haven't tried it with a A4. Try it and let me know your findings.

[LtKojak]

what do the maple spacers do to the tone?

The same as a spacer made of any other material does: nothing.

HTH,

[lazyfinger]

You still haven't tried it with a A4. Try it and let me know your findings.

With everyone saying how balanced A4 is, I have a feeling it's a lower output A8 or ceramic without the harsh high end.

[blueman335]

With everyone saying how balanced A4 is, I have a feeling it's a lower output A8 or ceramic without the harsh high end.

To me, A4's are like a lower volume, tamer A8.

[appar111]

To me, A4's are like a lower volume, tamer A8.

That might work well in the JB then, with the 500K vol/250K tone setup.

So it looks like I'll try either the RC UOA5 or A4 in it and see how she sounds.

thanks for the advice guys!