Is the Suhr Aldrich higher output than the Duncan JB?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rex Rocker
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Rex Rocker

Rex Rocker

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Logic would lead me to believe it is. It is reported to be almost 1K more DCR. They allegedly use the same kind of magnet, I would assume wound with the same wire gauge (44, though I have no way of knowing for sure), and they use similar materials. The spacing is not the same, but it's not like the Aldrich is trembucker-spaced either.

But we all know pickups are more than just published specs. So would anyone with experience with both be able to confirm this, please?

I kinda want a fatter, hotter JB for one of my guitars. I've had my eyes on the Aldrich for a while. Clips seem to suggest it is indeed fatter, or at least throatier. But hard to tell if it's actually hotter. I don't need/want it to be as hot as the Duncan Distortion. Just 5-10% hotter.

So is it?

Thanks.
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The suhr soug aldrich seems to have the same dcr like the trembucker version of the jb. Duncan trembucker pickups always have around 1kohm higher resistance than the regular sized versions.
If you like the jb but want it to be a bit thicker, hotter, try changing the regular sized a5 magnet for a large a5. That's what i would try first
 
BrutalRob said:
The suhr soug aldrich seems to have the same dcr like the trembucker version of the jb. Duncan trembucker pickups always have around 1kohm higher resistance than the regular sized versions.
If you like the jb but want it to be a bit thicker, hotter, try changing the regular sized a5 magnet for a large a5. That's what i would try first
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Yeah, but if the Aldrich is not spaced as wide as a Trembucker. That probably means it certainly has a few more turns of wire in there (if they're indeed using the same wire gauge), so it's not just the spacing that's accounting for the extra copper in there like it is on a Trembucker.

The only JB that I currently own is installed in a guitar, and it's not coming out. This is for another guitar. I think it would be easier to get a new pickup along the lines of what I want than having to buy a new or used JB with the intention of modding it. And I don't think oversized A5 magnets are all that easy to source, are they?

Plus it's always fun to try pickups that I haven't.

:)
 
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I have a aldrich pickup in a Kiesel guitar that I just got. To me, it has plenty of output like the JB but sounds thin in my guitar. The Kiesel is swamp ash body, maple neck, so the aldrich might not work well with that combo. Thinking of putting a tone zone in to replace it. I also have the jb in a kramer stagemaster and it seems to be about the same output but thicker/fuller sounding. Again, totally different wood as the Kramer is mahagony with ebony board.
 
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Yes, more turns is the necessity to achieve the same dcr as the trembucker jb.
You don't have to desolder the pu to change magnets, i never do that. If the wire is long enough, you can just take it ou of the cavity to change the magnet.

Well i don't know where you live, but it should not be difficult to get the large a5.

But yeah, go for it and try that new pickup :)
 
chrisgr said:
I have a aldrich pickup in a Kiesel guitar that I just got. To me, it has plenty of output like the JB but sounds thin in my guitar. The Kiesel is swamp ash body, maple neck, so the aldrich might not work well with that combo. Thinking of putting a tone zone in to replace it.
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Try an alnico 8 in that pickup first, should solve the problem and way cheaper than buying new pickups.
 
BrutalRob said:
You don't have to desolder the pu to change magnets, i never do that. If the wire is long enough, you can just take it ou of the cavity to change the magnet.
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No, what I meant is I have one JB in one guitar, and I like how that guitar sounds. I don't want to remove or change the JB in that one guitar.

I have another guitat that sounds thinner and quieter acoustically, and I kinda want to bring it along the lines of the other guitar that currently has a JB. But I don't have anoter JB. I would have to get either another JB or a new pickup altogether.

I agree that magnets are cheaper than pickups. But this would be having to get a magnet and a pickup.

:)
 
I feel like my JB is hotter than my Aldrich. I know the stats say otherwise but it just does.
 
The Duncan Custom is what you are looking for.
 
headlessdeadguy said:
The Duncan Custom is what you are looking for.
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I actually did try it. It does have more bottom-end than the JB, but I wouldn't say it's higher output. They're close to the same. The Custom has the stronger magnet, but JB has the heavier wind. Plus the EQ is very close to the opposite of the JB overall. At least to my ears.
 
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The Aldrich is a good pickup but it shines most on LP scale guitars
 
I've had F spaced Aldrichs and Trembucker JBs

The Trembucker spaced JBs measure around 17.5k

The Aldrichs measured around the 18.something K

Honestly they sound around the same output. Splitting hairs
 
chrisgr said:
I have a aldrich pickup in a Kiesel guitar that I just got. To me, it has plenty of output like the JB but sounds thin in my guitar. The Kiesel is swamp ash body, maple neck, so the aldrich might not work well with that combo. Thinking of putting a tone zone in to replace it. I also have the jb in a kramer stagemaster and it seems to be about the same output but thicker/fuller sounding. Again, totally different wood as the Kramer is mahagony with ebony board.
Click to expand...

My Suhr Standard is an Ash body with a Maple top and Maple neck. It has an Aldrich in the bridge position and it is a very full sounding guitar. Perhaps you problem lies elsewhere?

 
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Rex Rocker said:
I actually did try it. It does have more bottom-end than the JB, but I wouldn't say it's higher output. They're close to the same. The Custom has the stronger magnet, but JB has the heavier wind. Plus the EQ is very close to the opposite of the JB overall. At least to my ears.
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The Custom is definitely lower output than the JB.
 
DanTravis62 said:
The Aldrich is a good pickup but it shines most on LP scale guitars
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Yes, I think you are right as mine is 25.5 scale. I had a Ibanez rg652 that was similar to mine, ash body, maple neck and the stock tone zone worked good with that combination.
 
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