Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

[gemini8026]

On my SL! I will be using the singles for my clean sounds. I want a hard/heavy pup for my rock/metal riffs. Will I notice a large change going from a JB to a Duncan Distortion? Or is the effort of trading/buying/selling not worth it?

Let me know if you have any experience going from one to another!

[kremit]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

hmmm.... From my experience, the JB was my choice. It is a little better suited for lead work, though. The DD has a little more low end and I think most of the rhythm guys here prefer that pickup. In other words, I have no idea [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

[Thoraby]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Dude, if you like the JB, keep it. There's no reason to change it just for the sake of changing it!

Now if you FEEL that the JB is missing something, say low-end, then that would be a valid(probably wrong word) reason to change it [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

But if you decide to take the JB out of your guitar, send it to me [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[mm2002]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

The JB's are hard to beat but if you want something totally hot try a Duncan Invader. I have them on two of my guitars and they absolutely SCREAM!

[Newc]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Get a Distortion. The JB is fairly weak and thin IMO, even for AC/DC. If you're worried about the Distortion having too much gain, just back your volume knob down a bit to smooth it out.

Newc

[WAR IN D]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Personally, I've never really cared for JB's.. I bought an old Kramer Floyd Rose model one time (that originally came out stock with a JB in the bridge) and I was REALLY impressed with the JB that was in that guitar... Until I pulled it one day and realized that somebody had changed it and it was a Dimarzio DP103 PAF!! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

The JB just doesn't seem to have enough "oomph" for me.. Not saying they are a bad pickup, just not my choice. I've never heard a DD, but I think my all time favorite Duncan is the Custom. JMHO..

[toejam]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

If you need more low end, go with the Distortion or Invader. I had the JB/'59 combo in my Hamer Special FM and didn't care that much for the JB. The Hamer is mahogany body/mahogany set-neck with a 3/8" maple top. While I thought the JB sounded nice and had a sweet high mid and treble sound, it seemed to be lacking low end. Maybe it was the maple top in that guitar, but I'm not sure. The '59 is a great pup in the neck of just about any guitar, but I needed more chunk out of the JB. I'm happier now with two EMG 81s in that guitar.

[eagleman]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

I personally like the Duncan Distortion. I removed the JB from My Bulls eye reissue and installed the DD. Sounds much better, at least to me. [img]graemlins/band.gif[/img]

[Wizard of Ozz]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

I like the JB and play metal.

If the JB isn't heavy/bassy enough for you, the problem lies elsewhere... most likely it's your amp. Adam Jones from TOOL uses a JB and his tone is very heavy IMHO.

BTW All of my JB loaded axes sound plenty heavy thru my Bogner Über or VHT UL. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Adam Jones also uses it in a Les Paul...a Les Paul with a JB is gonna sound way different than a Soloist with a JB.

[Wizard of Ozz]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Originally posted by Boxcar Willie 84:
Adam Jones also uses it in a Les Paul...a Les Paul with a JB is gonna sound way different than a Soloist with a JB.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">...yes, I know. But my point was that he uses a Diezel VH-4 amp which has a very dark modern heavy tone. I have a JB in 2 Historic Les Pauls and a Distortion in my LP Custom, and the tone really isn't that far apart. The Distortion has more output and is brighter, but there really is no percievable difference (at least to me) to one sounding heavier/thicker than the other. Bass comes from your amp, not your pickups.

[SARJ]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Sarj is a closet punk. Sarj was a hardcore punk, but he couldn't get used to the mohawk. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Wizard: Like I said before, in my opinion the JB requires some EQ tweaking to get more bottom out of it. It's there, but you gotta work for it. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Gemini wants a new pickup for his Soloist though...Les Pauls and Soloists sound way different, and it's the woods and construction that make them sound different. Your Les Pauls will sound similar because they're very similar as far as wood and construction goes, and they're also darker and more dense sounding as far as guitars go, generating lots of low end. I'll agree with you that a lot of the low end comes from an amp, but guitars made of certain woods like mahogany or basswood sound bassy and deep even unplugged. And if you wanna split hairs, Jones uses his Diezel in tandem with a Mesa Rectifier and an old Marshall head.

edit...
Sarj you don't need a mohawk to be a punk! Joey Ramone had long hair and you don't get much more punk than him...I think people are putting too much in the image of it these days. To me punk is being yourself and living by your own rules regardless of what other people do, and that is what I do...Brody Armstrong from the Distillers (whom also uses a USA Fender Strat with a JB at the bridge [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] ) said that punk isn't a tshirt you buy at the mall or how big your mohawk is. She said that you can be punk by just being yourself, which I agree with!

[ October 19, 2003, 04:23 PM: Message edited by: Boxcar Willie 84 ]

[1trussell]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

The Distortion in my 650XL is f'n awesome. They are the perfect match for metal riffs, very hard and tight. I've got a JB in my Hamer Chapparal and I love it for what it does, too. However, whenever I want tight, agressive metal tone, I grab the Charvel. You will not be disappointed. [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[SARJ]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Boxcar, what origionaly sold me on punk was the mohawk. I thought the music was way too messy sounding. I got turned onto punk by The Ramones, but living in San Diego CA I got to see the punk movement on the West coast first hand. By the early 80's I discovered The Misfits and was hooked. I had a mohawk for a while, but I caught too much hell for it from my old man and ditched it for his favored high and tight hair do. I started growing it. After Metallica came out I found out that Cliff Burton was into punk, mostly The Misfits and that it was cool to be a metal head and listen to punk. In So-Cal punks were a seperate entity from us "dirt heads" as we were so lovingly called. Nowadays punks are comming to the surface even here in small town New Mexico. After sitting in on some of their jam sessions and belting out old Exploited and Misfits tunes they accept me for who I am and my lack of mohawk, pierced everything and plaid pants with loads of zippers. I fit in because I'm cool. I didn't even have to buy a t-shirt. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]