JPX vs JP15

[SlappyTappy]

So I owned a 2012 EBMM JP7 within the last year, and it was a wonderfully playing guitar. However, it was significantly warmer and lacked bite compared to my other 7-strings (Ibanez), regardless of which Petrucci pickup set was installed, and I could just never bond with the sound and response so I sold it.

I'm considering getting another model in the JP lineup because it was such a comfortable and fun guitar to play. I've always loved Music Man guitars, for example the EVH/Axis guitars are among my favorites ever. I just need to find a model that sounds a bit more immediate, punchy, biting, aggressive etc. From various threads/articles I've read, and my own aesthetic preferences, I have it pretty much narrowed down to the JPX or JP15.

I've never played a JPX, but I played a JP15 in-store a few weeks ago and it was significantly brighter and snappier than I remember my JP7 being.

Quick comparison between the two,
Body - Chambered alder with maple top and mahogany tone block vs mahogany with maple top
Neck - Mahogany (painted) vs maple (oil/wax)
Board - Ebony vs maple (though Sweetwater has a beautiful exclusive model with an ebony board that's mighty tempting)
Small differences in frets/radius (15" high-wide vs 17" med-jumbo)
Both will likely have stainless steel frets since shopping secondhand

Pickups can always be changed, but I definitely prefer the Illuminators vs the CL/LF.

Anybody have experience with both? I would imagine it's probably splitting hairs between the two models, but I'd be curious to hear anybody's experiences or observations. Cheers!

 

[Epiplatys]

I never played the JPX, but I have multiple JP15s, JPs and Majesties. Overall, as an observation the JP or JP15 sound tends to be warm, rounded, never sharp or biting. Which makes sense, if you consider John’s sound (lifeless and dull, to my ears). But it is all in the signal chain and you can certainly tweak and dial it to sound considerably different, totally awesome actually. At least this has been my experience. And 50% is your signal chain and how you dial it, 30% your fingers and the pickups may be 5% at best…. So I don’t find them to be that much different between the models.
A few older Ibanez RGs I got with the Tone Zones/Air Nortons do tend to give more bite, snap and generally more alive/aggressive. Ditto for the Axis - it’s got more hair and the pickups are fairly punchy. I feel they are more tailored towards mid-gain. The JP or JP15 are more rounded, polite but also more even/full sounding and work well with mid to high gain.

 

[damo_512]

My JP15 is still my go to guitar even over my JPX.
JPX:

• The wider and painted neck feels a bit more traditional.
• Mine has nickel frets so seeing some wear on those (built before 2012) though the newer stainless steel ones I imagine would feel much better.
• 5 way switch is noticeable when playing but easy to get used to.
• Sound wise for me it's night and day difference - Maybe I've become very accustomed to the JP15 brightness but the JPX sounds much darker and I still haven't figured it out.

 

[SlappyTappy]

My JP15 is still my go to guitar even over my JPX.
JPX:

• The wider and painted neck feels a bit more traditional.
• Mine has nickel frets so seeing some wear on those (built before 2012) though the newer stainless steel ones I imagine would feel much better.
• 5 way switch is noticeable when playing but easy to get used to.
• Sound wise for me it's night and day difference - Maybe I've become very accustomed to the JP15 brightness but the JPX sounds much darker and I still haven't figured it out.

In my limited experience with SS frets, they seem to brighten things up a bit, though there are so many variables to account for. The JP15 was definitely noticeably brighter, even among other guitars I played in the store that day, which got me wondering.

Maybe the preamp plays a role? Since the guitar won't make a sound without it, even when the boost isn't engaged, maybe that plays some kind of a tonal role?