Swapping my JB for something else

[Coryd]

I’ve been tossing around the idea of swapping my JB out for something else. For drop B I think the lows are just way too loose for my liking. I kinda have a love/hate relationship with it. I have a Distortion in another guitar and I dig that I think more than the JB. I also have a spare 59/custom hybrid I could try as well.

Do you all think the 59/custom will work in drop B? From what I remember is that it was pretty neutral as far as tone goes. Nothing really exaggerated so I should get most of the shaping from the amp I believe. Also contemplating a Distortion as well. Never tried a black winter so I don’t know if I want to go that route or not. Leaning towards the 59/C at the moment.

mainly playing rock, metal, but sneaking into reggae, and need to be able to pull some decent cleans as well.

[RanchManSandy]

Pegasus, bro. Super tight and not super hot, and more mids than a 59

[Mincer]

Yeah, I agree...Pegasus. Or go for one of the more specific metal pickups like the Omega.

[Securb]

If you want neutral, the Black Winter is not your pickup. It has very aggressive mids.

[ToneFiddler]

Nazgul!

Tighter and brighter than the JB.
Not as fizzy/scratchy than the distortion and better for low tunings than both!

[Coryd]

I may have to look up some tones with the Pegasus, but I've heard ppl mention that it was kinda dark. Some of the videos I've seen are showing this a bit. Maybe not dark, but neutral which is good in my case. I'll admit I'm kinda a classic Duncan line of pickups guy. Posting a sample here. This is my tone with the Distortion and then with the JB. Best tone I could get recently, but I'm always trying to improve it. After hearing a side by side they are pretty similar. I think the Distortion just has a bit more upper cut and is tighter where the JB has a thicker low end and not as much cut.

Also a clip of the JB in Drop B. Just has this scratchy-ness to it though

[Mincer]

The Pegasus isn't dark in any way. It does have less high end than the Distortion, however, but it isn't dark.

[ToneFiddler]

No, the Pegasus is not dark. It has more true highs and not so many (aggressive) upper mids like the PUs you own.
I find the Nazgul is closer to the SH-4 and SH-6 than the Pegasus is to any of them, but without their drawbacks for heavy stuff. But it sucks for clean and crunch.

I only have brief experience with the Custom/59 Hybrid, but it has a huge low end, which I wouldn't choose for dropped B, but since you have it already, try it. lowering has dramatic impact on the amount of bass

[Chistopher]

What's the specs on the instrument? Loose lows in Drop B could also just be a fault of the scale length and/or the string gauge

[Coryd]

What's the specs on the instrument? Loose lows in Drop B could also just be a fault of the scale length and/or the string gauge

I’m using a Jim Root Tele. Currently it has the JB in the bridge. The Distortion I have is in my John 5 Tele.

string gauge for B is 11-54, sometime I use a 56 for the low B string.

[Chistopher]

I could definitely see a JB as having a problem with the bass in that case. If you think the strings could stand to be heavier, that would help your sound too, but I think a Distortion could also nudge you in the right direction. If you want to save money, a ceramic magnet in the JB will bring you really close to a Distortion.

[Rex_Rocker]

I'm dubious the Nazgul would work on a guitar where you feel the JB's low-end is loose.

The Nazgul is got the JB's cutting upper-mid spike, just more modern, and fiercer/more aggressive. But it's also got chunky low mids that don't play well with some guitars (I've found it was too round and fat for my Les Paul, for example).

[marcello252]

why not a common Duncan Custom ?

[Coryd]

I'm dubious the Nazgul would work on a guitar where you feel the JB's low-end is loose.

The Nazgul is got the JB's cutting upper-mid spike, just more modern, and fiercer/more aggressive. But it's also got chunky low mids that don't play well with some guitars (I've found it was too round and fat for my Les Paul, for example).

I did look up the Nazgul and I think I am going to pass on this one. I do need some cleans too and if this one doesn't do cleans well at all, I gotta pass on it.

[Coryd]

why not a common Duncan Custom ?

I tried this one before, and I think I prefer the Distortion over this one. Something about the mids with the Custom were either missing or just not enough for me.

I think at the moment I am thinking either the:
Distortion
59/Custom
Pegasus
Maybe something else?