Pickup Queries

JDOD

JDOD

therecordingrebels.com
Gents,

Two queries on pickup choice (either for a home built Frankenstein or a pricey custom).

1. Bridge Pickup - Was thinking Duncan JB. Kurt Cobain used them, they have a really good reputation as a hot heavy rock/metal pickup and I like the sound of them in all the demos I hear of them. I love the way my Pearly Gates can really clean up from quite a heavy crunch using the vol. knob on the guitar - will this work as well with a JB or is it too hot? Anyone got any other alternatives to a JB?

2. What sort of neck pickup would you want to compliment it? Want something cooler. I currently have a Duncan '59 in the neck which I like but don't see the point in putting the same thing in two different guitars.
 
You could look into something like the Jazz in place of the '59; I've had guitars that have either of those in combination with a JB. Only ones I have left have JB/'59 though. From what I recall, the Jazz isn't bad but it's been years since I got rid of that one.
 
The Duncan JB is pretty much a stronger version of a 59. That's why they compliment each other so well. If you like a certain pickup what difference does it make that your other guitar has the same pickups?
 
Well, the JB/Jazz combo is billed as Seymour's favorite, and in use by multitudes, so yeah, I would say that would work. I also remember a guitar tech at GC who had just intalled that combo for a guy in an Epi Dot 335, and he (the tech) claimed it was the best sounding guitar he'd ever played. I'm not pimiping it, just reporting the hearsay.

I'm on the Duncan board too, and those people are serious about their pickups! Waaay too into it for me. First question they would ask is 'what kind of a guitar is it going into, with what kind of wood?' The first question I'd ask is 'what style of music is it for, and who's sound do you like?'

BTW, the JB/Jazz combo and/or the JB '59 combo are pretty much standards of the 'classic rock' sound. Probably the only thing you could get that would be even more in that vein would be DiMarzio Super Distortions (my favorites). But then, do you want to just sound like everyone else?
 
pikingrin said:
Subjective/relative... But anyway... :D
Click to expand...

Yep. Over at the Seymour Duncan board I've learned that it's almost pointless to ask questions that have answers that can't be quantified. As many experienced, knowledgeable people as are there, that's how many different answers you'll get.
 
notCardio said:
Yep. Over at the Seymour Duncan board I've learned that it's almost pointless to ask questions that have answers that can't be quantified. As many experienced, knowledgeable people as are there, that's how many different answers you'll get.
Click to expand...
Yessir... The JB, IMO, is great for anything other than clean tones. Throw it through a little OD and it can sing if you want it to. Full out, melt your face off distortion? I dunno, that's not my thing when playing. But, again, it never -*to my ears*- has sounded good with a completely clean amp on the receiving end.

But that's all off the topic of the OP so I digress; no need in hijacking the thread here.
 
I will say, I do like my '59s, but I've been meaning to get a JB/Jazz combo just to see what all of the fuss is about.

How's this for strange? I've got a '59 neck and a lil '59 for Telecaster bridge in an Explorer. Go figure that one out.

Sounds good though.
 
I've used the SD Jazz in my LP and it sounds very nice - I had that and a George Lynch Screamin' Demon in the bridge. I had a '59 in the neck for a while, but didn't care for it (I don't recall why). I'd have to check as I've got a box full of them that I've pulled out over the years (we'd replace something in the guitar shop and no one wanted the old pickups back so we got to fight over them).

All the SDs went in the box for a set of Rio Grandes, which I pretty much put in everything these days.

If you weren't international I'd offer to give you a crack at that box.
 
Well I'm not international, so what do you have? I'm looking for a Jazz neck, JB bridge, PG neck, maybe a '59 bridge and a whatever the SD equivalent of a DiMarzio Super Distortion is (bridge) just to see how they compare. That's my long list for SDs. Oh, and Phat Cats. Got any of those you'd be interested in letting go of relatively cheaply?
 
And I just thought of a bunch of others, but I'm sure they wouldn't be sitting around in a box. WLHs, Seths, Antiquities, the list goes on...
 
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