Seymour Duncan JB vs JB Jnr

Lestratcaster

After reading another discussion on this pickup I have had a thought about the difference between the junior version and the full sized pickup.

About 5 years ago I put the Seymour Duncan "Everything Axe Set" in my 1997 Squier Strat as the stock pickups as we all know are pretty naff. The bridge is the JB junior, and whilst it sounds alot better I can't help but feel I'm missing out on something with the bridge. To me it sounds a bit weak and thin, obviously other factors like strings and amp affect the tone.

Would I be better off fitting the full sized humbucker in? I know I'd have to cut a slot or get a new scratchplate to fit it in as the Junior is fitted for a single coil.

Has anyone actually done this by putting a humbucker into a strat and noticed a difference?

Elwood

Have you tried changing the height of the pickup? If not that is an excellent place to start.

guitarfishbay

I've not done an A/B comparison of models but I did notice a more narrow sound with single coil sized humbuckers.  I don't think it's entirely down to visual suggestion because physically the pickup will be picking up from a narrower part of the string.  Think of single coils vs P90s.

Personally I prefer a full size humbucker for humbucker sounds.  I would just get another scratchplate as they're quite cheap and part of the beauty of a strat is you can have a few different guards according to what you want in your guitar at that particular point.

Lestratcaster

Elwood said:

Have you tried changing the height of the pickup? If not that is an excellent place to start.

I haven't no, but its quite high up at the moment.

siraxeman

Have a full fat JB in 2 of my guitars, a strat and a peavey Wolfgang...still a fave humbucker to me. And I've had the Duncan  Everything in a strat before as well as just a JB Jnr in another. I like them also. They are definitely different to the full fat version but never ever would i call it thin!! I found it nice n creamy and reasonably powerful and fat. Did a great job of beefing up a Strat from the regular single coils more typical of Strats. 

ToneControl

Suhr did that narrow-field humbucker thing
A pro (from Acoustic alchemy) brought one to my house to test a trainwreck. 
His playing was wonderful, but it was also interesting to hear a crisper HB sound

Lestratcaster

siraxeman said:

Have a full fat JB in 2 of my guitars, a strat and a peavey Wolfgang...still a fave humbucker to me. And I've had the Duncan  Everything in a strat before as well as just a JB Jnr in another. I like them also. They are definitely different to the full fat version but never ever would i call it thin!! I found it nice n creamy and reasonably powerful and fat. Did a great job of beefing up a Strat from the regular single coils more typical of Strats. 

There's just something I don't like about the junior, it might be amp I play it through but I reckon the full sized one would make a difference.