Adam Jones pickups.

Freddy

New member
Hey, I've searched around on the internet for days, and haven't found out what pickups Adam Jones uses. I know its Seymour Duncan, but which of 'em is the question. Any knowledge?

Regards Freddy.
 
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Re: Adam Jones pickups.

Hot Rodded set, JB in the bridge, Jazz in the neck. Silverburst Les Paul. Oddly enough, despite the popularity of this set, you'll get a lot of bad feedback about the JB/Jazz in a Les Paul on this forum...well, mainly the JB. If you're looking to buy some humbuckers you should let us know what guitar/amp you're using and we can steer you in the right direction.
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

Les paul custom too....never underestimate the tonal sizzle you get from the ebony board.....may make the JB better
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

I've tried the jb, and on the Internet read that he uses a jb too. Both of which I doubt. Im pretty sure it's just a rumor that he uses the jb, and the jb stock just never cut it. That being said, my eyes were opened to his tone when I got a painkiller by bareknuckle. It blew me away with jones tones and I only have it in a penco (can't wait to get it in a Gibson). I don't know what he uses but I'd bet $100 it's a ceramic based pickup. Don't get me wrong, I have many seymour duncans, and there my go to.

I already predict someone is going to call me ignorant about Adam jones' pickup choice, but until anyone can produce a valid source as to what pickup he uses, I'll accept the flaming in good nature
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

Oh and in a video that shows his rig, it shows he had two diezel (sp?) amps hooked up to Mesa cabs. also a Marshall somewhere in the mix. I can safely say those accounts for more than half his tone.
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

Adam is known for being extremely secretive about his tone. I've heard many different rumors, and I've heard him neither confirm nor deny many of them. I've heard he uses duncans, but had them rewound to his specs by a third party.

IMHO, what accounts for even more of his tone than his 1969 Plexi (the one with Towelie on it) is his left hand fingers and his pick attack. He has a very unique playing style and probably concentrates even more on that than his pickups.
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

He uses the JB as far as I know, but the amps are by far the biggest part of his sound. Pickups make relatively small difference in the grand scheme of things.
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

Yeah, he uses JB in the bridge, not so sure about the neck, as he hardly ever uses that pickup.

I might add that a big part of his tone comes from the silver coating in those LP, because he keeps searching for more!
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

He has a pretty tight sound, which is obviously partly superb picking hand attack and muting technique, but he does only usually tune down to drop D.
A super tight pickup isn't really that necessary at that tuning, so it's quite possible it's a JB. The JB isn't as loose as some would have you believe.
Not as loose as the loosest, but not EMG 81 tight. A JB seems to fall in the middle of those I would say from personal experience as well as what I've heard on the Arch Enemy albums.
However, if he regularly tuning down to say, B or A, he would definitely be using a much tighter pickup.
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

Yeah, Jones' pickups are ultimately a mystery, I always believed that he used the JB all of these years. When I had a chance to play a LP with a JB I was convinced that he uses a JB or something similar, but now that I've been looking into it I'm pretty sure no one has ever produced any evidence.

I consider this to be the ultimate Tool song, it's like a greatest hits compilation of Adam Jones guitar parts:
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

the JB sounds sweet in drop D tunning. The lack of bottom end in that pickup is perfect in that tunning. If you 'need' more, just increase the bass in your Mesa or Engl :naughty:.
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

Damn. Thank you guys! Didn't think I was going to have so many good answers.
Yeah, he really is secret about his tone. And I understand it, everybody wants they're own tone!

So is this the set I should buy?
http://www.amazon.com/Seymour-Duncan-Rodded-Humbucker-Pickups/dp/B0007TYPYQ

If you want Adam Jones tone, why are you buying a neck pickup? He doesn't use his 99% of the time. If you want a neck pickup, go for a '59 - more versatility. Otherwise, just buy the JB on its own. You'll save a good bit of money. I think there's one in the trading post now for a pretty good price.
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

do any of you guys ever wonder if he uses 300k or 500k pots? I have a 78 LPC silverburst and i upgraded the pots from 300 to 500 rs pots, i put in a jb and hated it. it was bright as hell for me and at that time I used a mesa single rectifier..
Now I still have the 500k RS pots but i've changed my pickups to a motorcity afwayu, much better sounding than the JB now, its not as bright and the lows are tighter and fill in more...
so anyway, back to the first question...what do you guys think? does it play a role? or maybe its because of his amps and what they're running through...like a mesa cab and mesa Bass cab...hmmm..
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

do any of you guys ever wonder if he uses 300k or 500k pots? I have a 78 LPC silverburst and i upgraded the pots from 300 to 500 rs pots, i put in a jb and hated it. it was bright as hell for me and at that time I used a mesa single rectifier..
Now I still have the 500k RS pots but i've changed my pickups to a motorcity afwayu, much better sounding than the JB now, its not as bright and the lows are tighter and fill in more...
so anyway, back to the first question...what do you guys think? does it play a role?

No.

maybe its because of his amps and what they're running through

Yes.
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

Damn. Thank you guys! Didn't think I was going to have so many good answers.
Yeah, he really is secret about his tone. And I understand it, everybody wants they're own tone!

So is this the set I should buy?
http://www.amazon.com/Seymour-Duncan-Rodded-Humbucker-Pickups/dp/B0007TYPYQ

Nah, I wouldn't buy that set for a Les Paul, especially because we are only speculating that Adam Jones uses a JB. I think you'd be much happier with a Custom or a Duncan Distortion in your LP. As for the neck pickup, well, that really depends on what you use it for. Default choice should be the 59 if you're not sure what you want.
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

What Franknfilms said, I think the Duncan Distortion neck is a great pickup, and sounds sweet coil-split. If you're going to buy 2 pickups, forget the Jazz and get a JB and something else for the neck. Like, a Duncan Distortion. Or a PAF style pickup. The DD would sound more matched with the JB and has really nice harmonics with distortion mode on.
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

Doesnt he run 3 to 5 amps in unison when playing live and sometimes more when recording ?

To be honest I dont think pick up choice really makes a huge difference with that kinda sound
 
Re: Adam Jones pickups.

To be honest I dont think pick up choice really makes a huge difference with that kinda sound
Change that A8 and Dimebucker you have to Antiquites, play through your Dual Rec, and see if you notice a difference. ;)

Adam's a JB user and has been for a long time. That's all you really need to know about his pickups.
 
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