battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

  • DD

    Votes: 7 19.4%
  • JB

    Votes: 2 5.6%
  • Custom ceramic

    Votes: 15 41.7%
  • EMG 81

    Votes: 12 33.3%

  • Total voters
    36
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

C5, guitar tuned to C that kicks butt! Custom had too much highs for me.

I'm thinking of getting a Zakk Wylde set EMG's, the more I read about EMG's the more I think I will like those a lot.

85 in the bridge instead of the 81?
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

Nightburst said:
C5, guitar tuned to C that kicks butt! Custom had too much highs for me.

I'm thinking of getting a Zakk Wylde set EMG's, the more I read about EMG's the more I think I will like those a lot.

85 in the bridge instead of the 81?

Yup! My buddy Shane in Backmask (http://www.backmask.com) did these two comparison clips... check it out! Same set of strings, clips recorded within 5 minutes of eachother. Signal chain is ESP MH400NT -> Ibanez TS808RI -> PODxt via USB.

http://backmask.com/preproduction/81.mp3

http://backmask.com/preproduction/85.mp3
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

WICKED LESTER said:
yeah man the older DD's are the bomb i just wanted to hear what others are using to whoop a$$
i voted DD obviously
the custom was a tamer version of a DD to me:laugh2:

How do they make the DD now?

But, yeah I have noticed the difference in the old and new ones.
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

Nightburst said:
85 in the bridge instead of the 81?

I tried an 85 in the bridge for a few months and thought it sucked....was much happier when I put the 81 back in.

The 81 is much more agressive and percussive. The 85 was too rounded and the extra bottom end made heavy palm muted stuff sound undefined.

But that's just my opinion. Some people love the 85 in the bridge. I suppose it has alot to do with your choice in amp/gain levels though.
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

screamingdaisy said:
I tried an 85 in the bridge for a few months and thought it sucked....was much happier when I put the 81 back in.

The 81 is much more agressive and percussive. The 85 was too rounded and the extra bottom end made heavy palm muted stuff sound undefined.
While I didn't think the 85 quite sucked, I agree completely otherwise.

The comparison DSS posted makes it sound like a nobrainer as to which pickup sounds better, but I almost don't believe they're the same settings and everything, as the 81 doesn't sound NEARLY that thin in real life.
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

But the difference in tone of the two pickups is that big. You have to set your amp way different to get either pickup sounding right so if you switch to the 81 for a tone meant for the 85 it's certain to sound thin and unmusical. Likewise the 85 will sound much too rounded for a tone meant for the 81. I prefer the 85 cuz it's slightly tighter to my ears and the I like the rounded highs- PLUS it sounds better in the bridge of an sg cuz the sg is naturally thin anyway. Actually the 81 neck sounds better there because of that(more like it would in the bridge of a paul or superstrat I would imagine).
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

I played them all...EMG-81


Line6 PODpro preamp, DBX 215 graphic eq through a Mesa/Boogie recto 2:100 power amp & (1) Marshall 1960 vintage bottom cab in stereo.
Love it!!! :11:
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

Got the Custom back in - this thing ****ing SLAYS.
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

JB_From_Hell said:
While I didn't think the 85 quite sucked, I agree completely otherwise.

The comparison DSS posted makes it sound like a nobrainer as to which pickup sounds better, but I almost don't believe they're the same settings and everything, as the 81 doesn't sound NEARLY that thin in real life.
I played an ESP M1000 with the 81s in it, it sounded IN NO WAY thin...I was playing through solidstates too (cuz that's what I have) and it has a floyd and a freaking maple body. If it doesn't sound thin in that then I don't think it ever will.
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

Yeah the clips need some eq tweaking perhaps to hear them both in their element. (no pun intended)

What does Zakk Wylde have in the bridge? 81 or 85? He has a pretty good whoop a$$ tone... maybe a little brittle on the edge but very heavy nontheless!

Argh I'm gassing for the EMG's now, damn this forum :)
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

D-EJ915 said:
I played an ESP M1000 with the 81s in it, it sounded IN NO WAY thin...I was playing through solidstates too (cuz that's what I have) and it has a floyd and a freaking maple body. If it doesn't sound thin in that then I don't think it ever will.

It can sound thin at times, depending on the amp, EQing, and the amount of gain involved.
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

Nightburst said:
Yeah the clips need some eq tweaking perhaps to hear them both in their element. (no pun intended)

What does Zakk Wylde have in the bridge? 81 or 85? He has a pretty good whoop a$$ tone... maybe a little brittle on the edge but very heavy nontheless!

Argh I'm gassing for the EMG's now, damn this forum :)


81 bridge, 85 neck
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

Do the JB and DD have the same wind, just different magnet types? I seem to remember reading that, but don't know if it's rumor or true...
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

DeadSkinSlayer3 said:
I find the 81 to not be chunky enough for me (although it sounds great recorded!)
The JB isn't as bad as Odie and I make it out to be. It just needs some more balls! Again, this pickup sounds *amazing* recorded.
The DD... I used to like them. Now I just find them harsh and shrill, for some reason. Never heard it recorded for the type of music I listen to.

Gotta second alot of what jeff says here...

when you're playing them.."live"..some just don't sound very good..at least to *my* ears...The JB, DD and EMGs fall into that category for me. I hear them on an album though, and they sound great. The JB isn't that bad though I give it a hard time...I like the "crunch"..that "rawness"..and I like the "singing/screaming" lead type sound...but those high mids that give it those characteristics also grate on my ears after awhile...This is why I prefer the custom..it has mids that cut, and the "chunk" and enough high end for "screaming/singing" lead stuff without grating on my ears...

And to me, the DD like the DiMarzio SuperD is best served in an older Marshall..JTM/JMP/NMV/2203/4, etc.......something with "low" gain (compared to modern amps)..though they can handle alot more gain than that without getting mushy...that's when they start get shrill and harsh.
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

The 81 kicks the most a$$, but also has an unfair advantage since it's active. My second choice would be the DD, hands down. Filthy and mean.
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

played them all and i voted the custom. i associate a$$ whoopin with power and the custom fully delivers! big lows with mids and highs to cut through.

i find the dd and 81 pretty similar. they lacked the lows the custom has. jb is in another class of its own. good for other things but not quite a$$ whooping imo.
 
Re: battle of whooping some A$$? the DD , JB , custom or 81?

Sykes said:
How do they make the DD now?

But, yeah I have noticed the difference in the old and new ones.

it is the same wind but it is done on a different machine and they are not as consistant
the older ones were wound on the machine that does all the custom shop pups by MJ
I know a way to get around this.
if you special order a duncan pup like say a DD or custom that is not a stock production color scheme they make these on that older winder when you order them
they are called floor shop customs and only cost a few buck more than any new duncan(about $10 more)
like i ordered a black/red TB 6 and it sounds as good as my older DDJ's cause essentially it is a DDJ
it is wound by MJ on the custom shop winder just like the good ole days.:beerchug:
 
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