Seymour Duncan JB

[morten.nu]

How brutal can this pickup get? I see it recommended for metal quite a lot, but maybe more for old shool-ish tone. It's for the bridge in a massive old Les Paul clone, tuned in drop-C#. Currently has a set of Duncan '59, but I don't think that's ideal. Pondering the JB but also alternatives - though it's a requirement to be available with a chrome cover.

 

[::XeS::]

I tried a JB last week and I don't like it at all. It's very grainy but lacks a little body and attack. I replaced it with an EMG 81 and the sound became stellar.

 

[TheDriller]

I had a JB in the bridge position for years, various tunings from standard to drop-c, and frankly I bever really liked it a whole lot. As said before, its 'grainy' and just lacks any significant body or attack.
Changed to an EMG 81 and 85 set and I couldn't be happier.

 

[JeffTD]

Loose low end, convoluted upper midrange, fizzy top end. I hate it as a player, but it really fits mixes sometimes.

 

[morten.nu]

Okay, it's ruled out. Passive alternatives?

 

[K Odell]

I am gonna go against what everyone else is saying. I LOVE the JB.

 

[Scottxx]

I love the JB too. Its a great great mic. Its funny that here at the forum is another thread around and most people agree with K Odell and me that Seymour Duncan JBs are really great !

It's obvious that the EMG81 will have more aggresive sound and more edgy because it is active.
You can't compare it directly to a JB.

 

[Tommy Gun]

I've used a JB in the bridge for a very long time. But some better names to drop would be Dave Mustaine, Eric Peterson, and Mike Amott just to name a few. And all 3 of those guys have tracked most of their stuff with that pickup over the years.

 

[guitarguru777]

I am going to say this ...

FOR THE BR00TZ you need to go with a HIGH OUTPUT pickup.

Active:
EMG
Duncan Blackouts

Passive:
Bareknuckle - NailBomb, Pain Killer, Miracle Man
Dimarzio - Crunchlab, X2N, DSonic

Using medium output pickups like a JB is not going to work unless you want a very loose and unfocused low end. The JB is a great pickup bt it doesnt bring the tight BR00TZ like Metallica, Periphery, (Insert flavor of the week br00tz here) type of tones.

 

[guitarguru777]

I've used a JB in the bridge for a very long time. But some better names to drop would be Dave Mustaine, Eric Peterson, and Mike Amott just to name a few. And all 3 of those guys have tracked most of their stuff with that pickup over the years.

And none of those tones have a tight focused lower end. ESPECIALLY PETERSON!!!

 

[Ermz]

Haha, the JB is probably the most common pickup I deal with in tracking.

Yes the loose low-end and somewhat non-cutting upper mids can be an issue, but for the right kind of band it can really work. I like the space it leaves for vocals. Good vocal clarity is generally preferable to ultimate guitar tone, as the vocal is what most listeners identify with. It's generally only the guitarists who care about the guitars.

Having said that, yes something higher output may be closer to ideal if you're doing extreme metal.

 

[Tommy Gun]

And none of those tones have a tight focused lower end. ESPECIALLY PETERSON!!!

Oh, I didn't want to imply that they did. Only offering an easy way to reference the typical sound of a JB. Easy enough to just go listen to Testament's "Low", Arch Enemy's "Doomsday Machine", etc.

 

[morten.nu]

Thanks again for the input.

The Bareknuckles are way too expensive for me.

How about Gibson 498T?

 

[K Odell]

If you are thinking gibson then I would consider the 500T.

 

[Djunn]

I am using Duncan Blackouts as my first active pickups and I'm totally in love with them. For passives, I like how Gibson 500T and Duncan Invader sounds and was very happy with them on my guitars.

 

[JoergieN]

I've heard good things about Duncan Invaders

 

[Melodeath]

I use a JB here. Pick hard. Succeed.

 

[Tommy Gun]

If you are thinking gibson then I would consider the 500T.

500T's die a lot. I went through 3 in under 2 years before switching to the JB.

 

[ttrentt]

I am a big fan of Anderson H3s...I have them and HN2+s in most of my guitars...

 

[SimonSez]

If you want the JB but with more output then get the Seymour Duncan Dave Mustaine Livewires. I kind of didn't want to get them because I find it tacky to have another artist's name on gear I use but I use Dimebag's DR strings too so oh well. Anyway, I got the Livewires and they sound like a JB/Jazz combo except pinch harmonics come out even easier and I think the low end is tighter. I had trouble fitting them into the routed pickup holes on my Carvin guitar but after some use of the Dremel things fit in fine. Anyway, Dave Mustaine Livewire pickups + DR Dimebag strings + Eddie Van Halen 5150 amplifier + James Hetfield picks (ok kidding about that one) = awesomeness.