JJB Pickup Sounds Great in my new OM!

[Charmed Life Picks]

Hi, All.

I was able to snag an Epiphone Masterbilt OM for cheap cheap cheap and just got it back yesterday. Sounds very very good, and for an inexpensive guitar with an inexpensive rig in it, this will be a great one to use for open mics etc.

Wowsers!

scott memmer

[guitaniac]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Hi, All.

I was able to snag an Epiphone Masterbilt OM for cheap cheap cheap and just got it back yesterday. Sounds very very good, and for an inexpensive guitar with an inexpensive rig in it, this will be a great one to use for open mics etc.

Wowsers!

scott memmer

That's encouraging to read. I'm planning on installing a JJB in one of my own cheap OMs, as a second pickup.

We have a luthier in our area who's installed dozens of JJB pickups (very precisely, he claims). I've heard quite a few of those rigs, and they've all sounded pretty good.

[Long Road Home]

Good choice, Scott. I replaced the original Baggs Element VTC in my (since departed) Breedlove OM with a JJB, and the change in clarity and tone was remarkable.

The only issue that I had was that, at one open mic I play at regularly, I got some serious feedback which I remedied with a soundhole cover (a Lute Hole cover because it looked better than the black rubber ones that work just fine).

[Nick84]

my Sigma 000 picked up for a steal on eBay sounds awesome with the JJB. I mostly use LR Baggs preamps but I also use a schatten mini pre which I paid a whopping £6.50 for used on eBay and I’m more than happy with the tone.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by pax238

Good choice, Scott. I replaced the original Baggs Element VTC in my (since departed) Breedlove OM with a JJB, and the change in clarity and tone was remarkable.

The only issue that I had was that, at one open mic I play at regularly, I got some serious feedback which I remedied with a soundhole cover (a Lute Hole cover because it looked better than the black rubber ones that work just fine).

Barry, thanks for your informative post.

Hey Barry, when playing out or gigging, have you found that the output signal (volume/gain) is too low and that you needed a basic preamp inline to boost signal before it arrives at the board?

I'm playing a series of short showcases at a festival this weekend and was curious about this. I DO have a Behringer unit that I will bring with me, but I was curious ahead of time whether I will want to be prepared to deal with this.

Other AGF members: Please feel free to add your experience with JJB pickups and output (gain).

thanks very much,
scott memmer

[swarfrat]

I just put one in my Alvarez ABT-60, and I'm planning to replace the built in in my Guild OM-240CE. I have a JJB laying around in a drawer if I can find it, unsure if it survived my attempt to mount to an endpin premp.

[Gordon Currie]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

I'm playing a series of short showcases at a festival this weekend and was curious about this. I DO have a Behringer unit that I will bring with me, but I was curious ahead of time whether I will want to be prepared to deal with this.

Scott, I found the JJB to be lower output than K+K, but not unusable. My issue ended up being inconsistency, and after a few professional installs that produced sensor balance issues, I cut my losses and went back to K+K (and Dazzo). I know most people have no problem with them.

On the showcases, I saw your name on the attendee list at FAR-West, and I assume you are referring to that. The PGS rooms are acoustic only - no PA or amps. The Milsaps Coffeehouse (if you're scheduled there) does have a PA and allows for DI, so you could use the Behringer there.

[Long Road Home]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Barry, thanks for your informative post.

Hey Barry, when playing out or gigging, have you found that the output signal (volume/gain) is too low and that you needed a basic preamp inline to boost signal before it arrives at the board?

I'm playing a series of short showcases at a festival this weekend and was curious about this. I DO have a Behringer unit that I will bring with me, but I was curious ahead of time whether I will want to be prepared to deal with this.

Other AGF members: Please feel free to add your experience with JJB pickups and output (gain).

thanks very much,
scott memmer

You're taxing my memory here, Scott (I sold the JJB-equipped Breedlove around 18 months ago and, heck, what happened last week taxes my memory now), but I didn't find that I needed a pre-amp because the output signal was too low. I did try using a Red-Eye as my first attempt to reduce feedback. I don't think it helped all that much with that, but that may have been more about the placement of the monitors.

I then switched to the "heavy feedback protection" rated LuteHole cover which solved the problem for me, and stopped bringing the Red-Eye at that point.

Bringing the pre-amp certainly can't hurt (and maybe see if anybody can lend you a soundhole cover, if you don't have one) just so you're ready to deal with it. You should be able to figure out if you need either during your soundcheck.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

Scott, I found the JJB to be lower output than K+K, but not unusable. My issue ended up being inconsistency, and after a few professional installs that produced sensor balance issues, I cut my losses and went back to K+K (and Dazzo). I know most people have no problem with them.

On the showcases, I saw your name on the attendee list at FAR-West, and I assume you are referring to that. The PGS rooms are acoustic only - no PA or amps. The Milsaps Coffeehouse (if you're scheduled there) does have a PA and allows for DI, so you could use the Behringer there.

Gordon, yes, FAR-WEST. Are you attending and playing as well? If so, would love to say howdy and/or jam or whatever. I'm a songwriter, so I'm not there promoting Charmed Life or anything like that. In fact most of my friends don't even know about my company.

Please fill me in on your attendance, and then we can maybe PM and exchange cell numbers.

Great info also, Gordon, on no amplification. I much prefer that, always.

Sounds Cool! Thanks so much.

Scott

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by pax238

You're taxing my memory here, Scott (I sold the JJB-equipped Breedlove around 18 months ago and, heck, what happened last week taxes my memory now), but I didn't find that I needed a pre-amp because the output signal was too low. I did try using a Red-Eye as my first attempt to reduce feedback. I don't think it helped all that much with that, but that may have been more about the placement of the monitors.

I then switched to the "heavy feedback protection" rated LuteHole cover which solved the problem for me, and stopped bringing the Red-Eye at that point.

Bringing the pre-amp certainly can't hurt (and maybe see if anybody can lend you a soundhole cover, if you don't have one) just so you're ready to deal with it. You should be able to figure out if you need either during your soundcheck.

Pax, thanks. I've never had any feedback issues with any pickups, but one never knows. I'm really picky about real woody tone. Do the soundhole covers lessen the quality of tone? I'm a fanatic.

Thanks so much,

Scott

[Br1ck]

I bought a cheapie f hole arch top last year that I did a neck slip reset to. Since the back was off, and since it was a $200 project, I put in a set of JJBs. They work just fine. I wasn't going to put Dazzos in it for sure, as the guitar was never going to be anything but a funky Americana depression era guitar.

No complaints on the JJBs.

[Long Road Home]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Pax, thanks. I've never had any feedback issues with any pickups, but one never knows. I'm really picky about real woody tone. Do the soundhole covers lessen the quality of tone? I'm a fanatic.

Thanks so much,

Scott

With apologies, I'm not sure I can answer that. The Breedlove OM/SRe-H was the only guitar that I've ever used one in, and that was out of desperation instead of inspiration. It was either use the soundhole cover or risk occasional screeching feedback at that one open mic (it never happened when I used my Carvin AG300, and the JJB tone was sooooo much better than the LR Baggs Element VTC that was standard equipment) - getting up there anticipating the possibility of feedback was not something that contributed to being "in the moment" when I was playing/singing.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by pax238

With apologies, I'm not sure I can answer that. The Breedlove OM/SRe-H was the only guitar that I've ever used one in, and that was out of desperation instead of inspiration. It was either use the soundhole cover or risk occasional screeching feedback at that one open mic (it never happened when I used my Carvin AG300, and the JJB tone was sooooo much better than the LR Baggs Element VTC that was standard equipment) - getting up there anticipating the possibility of feedback was not something that contributed to being "in the moment" when I was playing/singing.

Pax, thanks again. Sounds like it's worth the experiment if I encounter feedback. Hey, ironically, I have a Carvin acoustic amp as well, REALLY like it.

Pax or Anyone Else: I know family members have come in to revive and continue Carvin. Are the acoustic amps still going to be marketed by them? I'm a bit out of the loop.

Thanks,
Scott

[Long Road Home]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Pax, thanks again. Sounds like it's worth the experiment if I encounter feedback. Hey, ironically, I have a Carvin acoustic amp as well, REALLY like it.

Pax or Anyone Else: I know family members have come in to revive and continue Carvin. Are the acoustic amps still going to be marketed by them? I'm a bit out of the loop.

Thanks,
Scott

I got an email from Carvin back when they announced the ownership change (to new/old ownership). There was no mention of continuing or re-starting their line of amps, which is a shame, based on my experience with the AG300. I'd love to get the opportunity to add their matching extension speaker.

[Long Road Home]

How did it go at the showcases, Scott? Inquiring minds want to know!