The Duncan JB's flubby lows...

[Cless357]

I would like to put a small ceramic magnet into a JB one day.

 

[Rex Rocker]

I watched a comparison of the distortion vs black winter and they have to be as close sounding as two different pickups can get. Ya the attack is kinda missing with the JB.

I've had both in the same guitar. Definitely a difference, but yeah, they're also definitely within the same family. I find the Black Winter's EQ is kinda the middle ground between the JB and the Distortion, just way hotter output than either. But I also find the JB falls within the same family, FWIW. All cool pickups.

 

[Alpha Stryke]

JB bottom is spongy in my expeirence. Conversly SH-5 Duncan Custom same guitar/amp/everything is tight as a frogs ass underwater.
Its the pickup. And no not into swapping magnets.
Warren DeMartini set the bass on his Marshalls in early days to 0.00 to compensate the flubby JB. He also hired Frank Levi to mod his amps.
Trivia : JB stands for Jeff Beck ask Seymour.

 

[jeff5]

I've had both in the same guitar. Definitely a difference, but yeah, they're also definitely within the same family. I find the Black Winter's EQ is kinda the middle ground between the JB and the Distortion, just way hotter output than either. But I also find the JB falls within the same family, FWIW. All cool pickups.

I used Black Winters for awhile and they are cool pick ups. They seem to have some DNA from the distortion. There was something about the distortion that just seemed too stiff for me (the Mark Morton Dominion from DiMarzio feels the same) that causes me not to like it. And it has this sizzle or graininess to the highs that you can't dial out.

The Black Winter didn't have those characteristics which is why I kept it in my guitar and liked it way more than a distortion.

 

[Deleted member 94721]

SH6 or GTFO!!!?

ALWAYS!

 

[Rex Rocker]

I used Black Winters for awhile and they are cool pick ups. They seem to have some DNA from the distortion. There was something about the distortion that just seemed too stiff for me (the Mark Morton Dominion from DiMarzio feels the same) that causes me not to like it. And it has this sizzle or graininess to the highs that you can't dial out.

The Black Winter didn't have those characteristics which is why I kept it in my guitar and liked it way more than a distortion.

I believe the Black Winter's resonant peak is lower (close to the same as the JB), but more intense than either, so it's a more focused pickup.

I love the Black Winter. I think you can really tell they started with the Distortion which they already knew worked great, and then just tweaked it be +1.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

I love a JB of any kind. Always works for me. JB2 I'd marry if there could only be one.

 

[jeff5]

I believe the Black Winter's resonant peak is lower (close to the same as the JB), but more intense than either, so it's a more focused pickup.

I love the Black Winter. I think you can really tell they started with the Distortion which they already knew worked great, and then just tweaked it be +1.

I really liked the Black Winter. And despite its output, it is actually quite versitile and useable for a variety of styles.

I've often wondered how the Dave Mustaine Thrash Factor compares to the standard JB and if it has tighter, punchier lows for palm mutes.

 

[PhoneyIommi]

I'm trying to pronounce Afwayu... af-way-you, a-fwa-yu... alfec

Like Atreyu, but Afwayu?
I'm not sure, but I have one in an SG and it kills.

 

[napalmdeath]

I don’t find JB flubby . I use one on my SG with my wizard and it’s so tight . Sometimes pick ups and amps react differently though

I can see it working great in an SG, but I find the JB to just be finicky with certain woods. Of course, most are, but the JB moreso than others I've experienced. It's not my favorite pick-up at all.

 

[mnemonic]

I would like to put a small ceramic magnet into a JB one day.

I tried this a while back, it was like a lower output and less aggressive Distortion. I also like alnico VIII. This was a couple years back so I don’t remember a whole lot about it.

I did eventually put the alnico V back in though, the JB does its ‘thing’ very well in stock form.

 

[SonVolt]

I recently discovered the Kramer Eruption pickup. It's everything I always liked about a JB with none of the things I hated.

I was considering this in a Charvel San Dimas. Are we still using the eruption pick up?

 

[Techdeth]

A JB in Gibson SG Stsbdard and it’s always the best tones I love with it . Which sucks be cause I play 8 strings mostly . I need an 8 string JB

 

[angelspade]

If you like the JB generally, but find the lows a bit too "soft"...try the Duncan Custom. Tighter and more percussive. I definitely need to try the Black Winter.

 

[SonVolt]

If you like the JB generally, but find the lows a bit too "soft"...try the Duncan Custom. Tighter and more percussive. I definitely need to try the Black Winter.

I just put in a Duncan Custom into a HSS strat. It's definitely got a very tight low end. It's very sizzly and chuggy, but I wish it was a little thicker. It seems lack the body that makes the JB great. I think the Custom would maybe sound fuller/better in a Les Paul than a Strat.

 

[jabps]

I think JBs are one of those pickups that can sound great in the right guitar, but generally speaking anything I would use a JB for I'd rather use an SH6 or SH14 depending on what tone I was going for

That's my thought on all pickups. I love JB's, was my pup of choice for years in hot rodded strats with certain body woods. However in a Les Paul or my PRS's, they just don't do it for me. For those body combinations of maple top and mahogany I really like ceramic based pups.

I'm very much in the camp of matching the pup to the guitar.

 

[SoooRad]

I like the JB quite a bit, and I really like the Custom. And then I heard the Custom 5 (SH-14) and was like GODDAMN BROTHER.

 

[DanTravis62]

I like the JB quite a bit, and I really like the Custom. And then I heard the Custom 5 (SH-14) and was like GODDAMN BROTHER.

Yep, the SH-14 is so much better than the JB for almost any situation that I would actually use a JB or custom - it honestly flies way under the radar and I have no idea why

I think if more people actually tried it, they would probably agree. I think it's because it's a higher model number, people assume it's like ridiculously hot like a dimebucker or something.... it is not.

 

[karol86]

Interesting.. when i put a JB in my CU22 core it was all high mids/treble/gain. No Body.. weird as hell..

 

[anomaly]

Interesting.. when i put a JB in my CU22 core it was all high mids/treble/gain. No Body.. weird as hell..

I had an SG with a Custom 5 I think? Not bad but a little scooped in the mids for me. I've also have a guitar with a regular Custom and it kinda has the same issue, and very bright and sizzly.