Players fond of the old adage “if it ain’t broke…” haven’t played a JB. The G&L JB is all about refinement, blending “holy grail” Alnico single-coil tone with modern improvements and superb craftsmanship.

The JB’s classic Alnico V pickups have tone reminiscent of the best examples from the early ‘60s, thanks to the work of Paul Gagon, G&L VP Engineering. Gagon found his inspiration reviewing original prints stored in Leo Fender’s private laboratory at G&L, but that was just the start.

More than three decades ago, Gagon was an R&D engineer at another company when he was tasked with finding out what was so special about the early bolt-on basses many players raved about. Gagon tirelessly analyzed many examples of what were considered “holy grail” basses, spending time out on the shop floor talking to builders still working in the pickup department since the ‘50s, all on a quest to discover where the real mojo was – and wasn’t.

What he learned from the builders matched his own engineering analysis. Back in the day, the actual spec of pickups coming down that old production line varied considerably. That meant coming up with the right specs was more challenging than simply following the prints, and Gagon’s persistence paid off as the JB serves up delicious, classic tone.

This JB projects a time-honored yet subtly progressive vibe, embracing the past yet unafraid of moving forward. The slim, hard-rock maple neck features a classic gloss finish, while its comfortable 9.5″ radius and medium-jumbo nickel frets deliver silky playability. What’s more, the JB features an innovative Leo Fender-designed Saddle-Lock bridge to transfer string energy right into the body end-grain for an incredibly resonant instrument. Case sold separately.