JB or C5?

JB or C5?

  • JB

    Votes: 35 58.3%
  • C5

    Votes: 25 41.7%

  • Total voters
    60
  • Poll closed .
Re: JB or C5?

UCSDBoy said:
Oh, and Green Day. =)
I always think of No Use For A Name.
Nightburst said:
For all who think the JB sounds thin, listen to some late Thrice Stuff (The Illusion of savety, TAITA). They use JB's and Super Distortions on there and they get the most huge sounds out of it.
Guess what I voted ;p
They play JB too?! I didn't know this...
 
Re: JB or C5?

Nightburst said:
For all who think the JB sounds thin, listen to some late Thrice Stuff (The Illusion of savety, TAITA). They use JB's and Super Distortions on there and they get the most huge sounds out of it.
Guess what I voted ;p

i think thrices tone has a little more to do with the rest of their equipment as opposed to just their pickups alone. Dustins using a mesa boogie three channel dual rectifier and Teipeis got a bogner uberschall amp combined with a mesa 4x12 rectifier cab. They also tune their guitars really low like drop c# and use 11-52 gauge strings. Thats where they get their fat tones from. Another thing id like to mention is that it's difficult to duplicate guitar tones off cd's simply because good eq'ing on an expensive board will make any guitar sound decent. No disrespect, i love thrice
 
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Re: JB or C5?

Depends on what you want. I have used the C-5 and JB and prefer the C-5 for the big bottom push and fuller tone.
 
Re: JB or C5?

I like both, but the Custom 5, IMO, is the best sounding humbucker Duncan makes. My ears are still ringing right now from an afternoon of highgain lead playing on two guitars,......guess what? One had a Custom 5 and the other had a JB.

I was also doing a preamp tube shootout on my Bogner tonight, using both those LP's. So, I was really listening to the nuances tonight! On clean,
plexi tone, and G. Lynch/Cantrell type highgain.

The Custom 5 is more balanced tonally from deep, tight lows, neutral mids,
and sweet airy highs. When jumping from channel to channel, the Custom
5 delivered the most satisfying tone, since it sounds like a nice, high output
version of everything you love about your guitar.

The JB has more density in the mids, which makes it sound thick and ballsy on highgain, but a bit nasally on clean channels. It has about the same output as the C-5. The low end is where the JB suffers, compared to the
Custom 5. It's nice and warm, but a little squashier in the lows.
One thing I really love about the JB is that lead notes high on the neck
have no shrillness, just creamy fat singing notes. The C-5 is similar, but
has a touch more sparkle in the high notes.

Also, during this tone test tonight, I started to notice that the 59 neck has
just a bit more output than I'd like it to have. Great for singing solos on the neck, but a bit hot for rhythm playing.

So, my summary would be that the JB and C-5 are the best of the bunch, but
I'd personally give the nod to the C-5, mostly because of it's tighter, more percussive lows, and more natural tone from the mids to the highs.
I'm also starting to wonder if I wouldn't rather have Jazz necks in my guitars.

I need to buy a Jazz neck soon, because I'm inclined to believe that the
Custom 5/Jazz neck might be my favorite humbucking Duncan set.
 
Re: JB or C5?

Gearjoneser said:
I like both, but the Custom 5, IMO, is the best sounding humbucker Duncan makes. My ears are still ringing right now from an afternoon of highgain lead playing on two guitars,......guess what? One had a Custom 5 and the other had a JB.

I was also doing a preamp tube shootout on my Bogner tonight, using both those LP's. So, I was really listening to the nuances tonight! On clean,
plexi tone, and G. Lynch/Cantrell type highgain.

The Custom 5 is more balanced tonally from deep, tight lows, neutral mids,
and sweet airy highs. When jumping from channel to channel, the Custom
5 delivered the most satisfying tone, since it sounds like a nice, high output
version of everything you love about your guitar.

The JB has more density in the mids, which makes it sound thick and ballsy on highgain, but a bit nasally on clean channels. It has about the same output as the C-5. The low end is where the JB suffers, compared to the
Custom 5. It's nice and warm, but a little squashier in the lows.
One thing I really love about the JB is that lead notes high on the neck
have no shrillness, just creamy fat singing notes. The C-5 is similar, but
has a touch more sparkle in the high notes.

Also, during this tone test tonight, I started to notice that the 59 neck has
just a bit more output than I'd like it to have. Great for singing solos on the neck, but a bit hot for rhythm playing.

So, my summary would be that the JB and C-5 are the best of the bunch, but
I'd personally give the nod to the C-5, mostly because of it's tighter, more percussive lows, and more natural tone from the mids to the highs.
I'm also starting to wonder if I wouldn't rather have Jazz necks in my guitars.

I need to buy a Jazz neck soon, because I'm inclined to believe that the
Custom 5/Jazz neck might be my favorite humbucking Duncan set.

you're right, i need to get a C5 for one of my guitars.
you know...

just to check it out :D
 
Re: JB or C5?

I used to always use JB's in my Kramers, but I prefer slightly lower output pu's these days so C5 gets my vote.
 
Re: JB or C5?

Great stuff gearjoneser...thanks! :) That's what I like about the C-5 over the JB also, but I do miss the thick and dense mids for high gain rhythm. Your thoughts on creamy, thick leads on the higher frets is one thing I miss with the C-5.
 
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Re: JB or C5?

It also comes down to the guitar, because the wood has it's own midrange character. I like a pickup with neutral mids like the C-5 on midrangey wood like mahogany, but the added midrange density of the JB and CC sounds great on a more hollow sounding guitar like Basswood or Ash. Once you know the characteristics of most Duncans, whether by forum suggestions or personal use, you can start to know which one's will work in certain guitars. I've learned a lot being here, trust me. There's plenty of other Duncans I haven't got a clue about.
 
Re: JB or C5?

The only problem is that the C-5 can sound so hollow that you have to be careful not to get lost in the mix......mahogany or not.
 
Re: JB or C5?

i have a C5 in the bridge of my agile (my main guitar) and LOVE it. its just what im looking for in my tone!
 
Re: JB or C5?

i have never heard a C 5? but have heard the JB from guys like dave mustaine, marty freidman,and others so i vote JB anyway! :laugh2:
 
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