Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

[Hotrodder]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Simple answer.

Keep the JB and get another guitar and put the distortion in it. TADA problem solved [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[mm2002]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

[img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Everybody always has a different opinion on this subject huh! Whatever sounds good to YOU is the best, ok? Try a few and decide for yourself.

[Wizard of Ozz]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Originally posted by Boxcar Willie 84:
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.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I'm aware of the differences in tone, wood, and construction between a LP and Soloist. I used my LPs as examples because those have the 2 pups that were in question. I also have 2 USA SL2Hs both with the '59/JB combo stock, and they sound plenty heavy thru the right amp. The key being, the right amp.

BTW AJ no longer uses the Mesa Dual Recto... his set up is now 2 Diezel VH-4s & Marshall Super Bass. If you want to split hairs that is... [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] .

[skullshredder]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

I personally don't like the JB. I have a bullseye reissue with the JB in it.I'm going to go with a custom custom TB-11 in it. I have a duncan distortion in another axe and it has a good metal sound.give the DD a try. [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[Deneb]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

If you do not like the pickup, replace it. The custom, and the distortion are both wonderful pickups.

I am a kind of guy, that plays what is in the guitar usually, unless it really sucks (IE HZ EMGs, Duncan designed, crap like that).

All my guitars have duncans, but 3. Dimarzios in my Ibanez, Ernie Ball, and 650XL.

My soloists/strats/dinky guitars have duncans, between these setups, Jazz/distortion, and JB/59.

They both work well for everything I play.

I do not know when he stopped using the Mesa, because when I seen them about a year ago (or maybe a year and a month) he still had them both, and the Marshall.

Either way, the Diezel sounds bad as hell.

[SARJ]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Okay, here's my opinion.

TB-4 JB: I don't like it for metal. I know alot of guys use it for metal and I can't complain about Warren DiMartini, Dave Mustain, Marty Friedman as Megadeth and RATT sound pretty damn good. In my own playing experience it's hard to get a heavier sound out of it and takes alot of tweaking as far as EQ and distortion go. I do like it for soloing and the harmonics are great. Another application I think it shines in is for playing punk. I play alot of punk and a hig output pickup is way too much. As a matter of fact I am buying a JB for my Strat just for the purpose of playing punk. It's also good for rock type stuff, The Cars, Greg Khin, Boston, etc. The first time I got to play a guitar with a JB it was an SL1. I latter had the opportunity to play an SL1 with a TB-6 Distortion and it smoked. If the JB isn't good to your ears and doesn't have any application for what you are trying to achieve then it must go. Trying another pickup isn't permanant. If another pickup isn't it and you decide to go back to the JB........solder away.

TB-6 Distortion: I love this pickup. It is ME all the way. I have one in my DK2 and my BC Rich Warlock. It's the sound I have always wanted. Sometimes it can be too much and like NewC said you can roll the volume back a little to smooth it out. I can get more usable sounds out of the TB-6 when playing Metallica, Slayer, Static X, Anthrax, Dokken, Etc. There are types of music where the Distortion falls short. There is no perfect pickup, but the Distortion comes close for me. I write my own stuff based on the sound I get from the Distortion so if I ever went pro this would be the humbucker in all my guitars.

Bottom line! Both have their place, but if you want more nuts out of your SL1..........the TB-6 Distortion is the way to go.

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Sarj I didn't know you were a punk rocker! As far as the pickups go, I'd put a Custom in there...the JB to me doesn't sound real good in brighter sounding guitars with lots of maple and alder or poplar in them...they're better suited to darker woods like basswood. So I'd pick a Custom first, then maybe a Distortion.

[MetalChef]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

I have to agree about the JB in bright wood guitars

In my USA Kelly, it just sounds thin-no low end, very shrill, and just not round or fat enough.

I think it would sound great in a darker guitar...it would have rocked in the 79 Les Paul Custom I had!

I think the Distortion would be good if you want what the name is-gain and crunch.

[SLY]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

In my DX1 (the '96 equivalent for the actual DK2), I replaced the duncan designed version of the TB4 by a TB6 and this pickup is really awesome. When I first tried an SL1, I was disapointed by the TB4. When playing thrash and death riffs, it lacks gain and low end. The TB4 is great for solos and if you play progressive metal stuff in my opinion. The TB6 is great for riffing and making the guitar scream with pinch harmonics. I never found a better pickup than the TB6 to play pinch harmonics.

Can your guys tells me what kind of difference there is between the TB5 and the TB6/TB4. If I manage to order my SL2H, I'll certainly change the pickup, and I would like to know.

[Greg Crowe]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Seymour Duncan screwed up the JB years ago. The older 80's JB's that came in Kramer guitars were pretty decent. The newer ones are all over the map with horendous consistency, lifeless sound, no bottom end and mediocre gain.

The Duncan Distortion is a MUCH better pickup, much better suited for metal. The Invader is OK but there is such thing as too hot. The Invader will cause feedback issues.

Pickups that are better than any Duncan:

1. DiMarzio Super Distorion
2. EMG 81
3. Bill Lawrence XL-500 & L-500

[Toby]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

My 1991 Charvel Strat (made in Ontario) came with a Jackson J50B humbucker in the brigde position. I wanted to replace this pickup by a hotter one.

I don't have personal experience with the SH-4/TB-4. But afaik, It's the most popular Seymour Duncan pickup. To find the right pickup, I compared the specs and data sheets in the Seymour Duncan catalog and the sound samples on the Seymour Duncan website. The JB is a high output humbucker with great harmonics and is the humbucker with my favourite clean sound. Since I only rarely need a clean sound, I decided to have a humbucker with more distortion than the JB. I choosed the TB-6. The Duncan Distortion has also a lot of harmonics, great distortion, transparence and definition.
My custom order came with the TB-6.

[Inazone]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

I play lead guitar in my band, and have several Jacksons with JBs in the bridge position. My brother plays rhythm guitar, and had a Hamer Diablo with a JB. He wasn't able to get the crunchy riffing tone he wanted, so when he decided to upgrade the pickups in his neck-thru Charvel, I suggested he try a Duncan Distortion. Instantly, he had exactly the sound he wanted.

For solos and single-note riffing ala At the Gates, I really like the JB, but it does get muddy during palm-muting, which is where it presents a problem for me. I've found the Full Shred to be a good middle ground between the JB and Duncan Distortion.

[skidd]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

I'm a BIG JB fan.

[gemini8026]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Lol, thanks for all the tips fellows.

I had no idea there were so many opinions on these combo's.

Guess I'll try a distortion and A/B it to see which one is for me!

[pro-fusion]

Re: Keep JB, or go with a Duncan Distortion

Personally, I prefer the Duncan Distortion over the JB, but then I prefer hitting the preamp with a fairly hot signal. The JB is more of an 'all-around' pickup for different musical styles, which is probably why Jackson installs it in most of its guitars. But to me the Jackson neckthrus really come alive with Duncan Distortions. Interestingly, I did NOT like the DiMarzio Super Distortion in my old 650xl. For some reason, it just did not work very well in that guitar, though it killed in my old Fusion Pro.

Currently, in my Model 5 I have EMG-81s, and in my all-maple Carvin DC145 I have a DiMarzio Super3 in the bridge (basically a Super Distortion with the highs rolled off).