Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

[Letus]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

Again, this has a lot to do with the entire rig, the piece of wood itself and the skill of the guitarist. Marty Friedman's mahogany-bodied guitars sound ****ing heavenly with JBJs.

True. But with the size of the average forum member's rig you can dial in settings in almost any of the rigs that will make the JB pleasant and usable.

Were his signature Kellys made out of mahogany? Or are you referring to his Ibanezes?

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

True. But with the size of the average forum member's rig you can dial in settings in almost any of the rigs that will make the JB pleasant and usable.

Were his signature Kellys made out of mahogany? Or are you referring to his Ibanezes?

The guitar that he used to record RIP, Countdown, Youthanasia etc was a poplar bodied guitar. SOME of his later stage guitars were mahogany with maple tops but werent used on the records.

 

[Archer250]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

The guitar that he used to record RIP, Countdown, Youthanasia etc was a poplar bodied guitar. SOME of his later stage guitars were mahogany with maple tops but werent used on the records.

Really? I could have sworn I read somewhere that the RIP guitar was made of mahogany.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

Again, this has a lot to do with the entire rig, the piece of wood itself and the skill of the guitarist. Marty Friedman's mahogany-bodied guitars sound ****ing heavenly with JBJs.

+1. He may have gone thru a few mahogany guitars to get one that the JB worked well in. When they work in mahogany, it can be great. When they don't, they can fail big time.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

Really? I could have sworn I read somewhere that the RIP guitar was made of mahogany.

Yep dead sure. The serial number is J5781. There used to be a database of the old jackson custom shop guitars kicking around the net. You could pull up the original work order and some even had pics. That guitar was very much poplar

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

+1. He may have gone thru a few mahogany guitars to get one that the JB worked well in. When they work in mahogany, it can be great. When they don't, they can fail big time.

Or you could just stop your personal crusade against JB's in mahogany and concede that there are players out there that like the JB in mahogany. They dont have to sort through guitars or anything.

I really hope that the people that read this realize that its you championing this movement and not something at all that is universal. There is one name that pops up when this malarky is scattered over and over and its the same name.

 

[bulldogXTRM]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

In my opinion, no. The Pearly Gates is a better pickup all around. The JB is good in the right guitar but it has to be the right guitar. A PG is good in every guitar I've ever heard them in. They are my all time favorite from Seymour Duncan.

I usually swap the A5 in the JB to a UOA5 or an A2. The UOA5 gets rid of the "ice pick" and tightens the bottom end to my ears and the A2 gives it a more vintage sound.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

In my opinion, no. The Pearly Gates is a better pickup all around. The JB is good in the right guitar but it has to be the right guitar. A PG is good in every guitar I've ever heard them in. They are my all time favorite from Seymour Duncan.

I usually swap the A5 in the JB to a UOA5 or an A2. The UOA5 gets rid of the "ice pick" and tightens the bottom end to my ears and the A2 gives it a more vintage sound.

It all depends on what you are after. Using the term better is completely subjective. If your after a more vintage sound then yes the PG is probably better for YOU. The JB was a top selling pickup for decades before the PG was even a gleam in Billy's eye. There are literally legions of guitarists that have used it and are happy with it they just dont all come to the forum and bang their drums about it.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

Do all of you realize that not everyone who's evaluating the sound of a JB in this or that guitar is even going after the same kinds of tones?

Noob: "Hey, guys, I'm looking for a great 80's metal tone in my Charvel. Will a JB work for that?"

BrootlzMetalGuy: "A Dimebucker is much better than the JB IMHO! "

VintageBloozeDude: "Oh you should get Seth Lovers, no question about it."

Noob: "What about old Megadeth in my mahogany V?"

BrootlzMetalGuy: "A Dimebucker is much better than the JB IMHO! "

VintageBloozeDude: "JB's no good in mahogany. It might work, but why risk it?"

KlassikRawkMan: "Definitely get a pair of 59's. The JB sounds harsh to my ears."


Edit: Can I just say that this is my least-favorite smiley? I've affectionately nicknamed it the "****-eating grin".

 

[dominus]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

If your after a more vintage sound then yes the PG is probably better for YOU.

I got the best black metal tones out of a PG. Not too vintage sounding in my rig.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

^ I used to get awesome Slayer tones out of DiMarzio Breeds. Sometimes pickups do things that don't seem to make no sense.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

You can use any pickup for any style of music how well it works is up to the player. One of my fav examples to use is Carlos Santana at one time used a Duncan Distortion yet he never used it for metal.

 

[bulldogXTRM]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

It all depends on what you are after. Using the term better is completely subjective. If your after a more vintage sound then yes the PG is probably better for YOU. The JB was a top selling pickup for decades before the PG was even a gleam in Billy's eye. There are literally legions of guitarists that have used it and are happy with it they just dont all come to the forum and bang their drums about it.

I'm not bashing JB's, I just prefer Pearlies over them.

I have no doubt that there are hundreds and thousands of guitarist that love the JB. I like it the JB myself, but it has to be the right guitar for my ears to like it. Tone is subjective, what sounds good to you might sound over the top for me. I simply responded to the OP in saying that it is my OPINION that a Pearly Gates sounds better in most guitars. Whereas, the JB sound is kind of harsh to me. Now, depending on the style of music and the guitar and the amp and the blah, blah, blah... the JB could be a top contender.

I don't like harsh pickups, every JB I've ever owned ended up getting swapped out. I've tried it many, many times because it's relatively cheap and can be found used on numerous forums. Now if you put a stock JB in the bridge of a Strat, that is one screaming beast that works well but a Strat has 250k pots.

 

[Dahla]

Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

I would really love to hear a sound clip of the jb acting up in mahogany. Flabby, squirrely, atrocious etc. What does that even mean? I have heard the jb in so many different guitars (and this probably goes for all pickups), never have I thought "err, what a squirrely sound)... :/

I wish I could HEAR what people mean sometimes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Aceman]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

No

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

Do all of you realize that not everyone who's evaluating the sound of a JB in this or that guitar is even going after the same kinds of tones?

Noob: "Hey, guys, I'm looking for a great 80's metal tone in my Charvel. Will a JB work for that?"

BrootlzMetalGuy: "A Dimebucker is much better than the JB IMHO! "

VintageBloozeDude: "Oh you should get Seth Lovers, no question about it."

Noob: "What about old Megadeth in my mahogany V?"

BrootlzMetalGuy: "A Dimebucker is much better than the JB IMHO! "

VintageBloozeDude: "JB's no good in mahogany. It might work, but why risk it?"

KlassikRawkMan: "Definitely get a pair of 59's. The JB sounds harsh to my ears."


Edit: Can I just say that this is my least-favorite smiley? I've affectionately nicknamed it the "****-eating grin".

I've got to stop using the "****-eating-grin" then.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

A more informative response;

I had a JB in an all mahogany Cadillac. I HATED the "ice picky" sound. Got more compliments on tone a night playing out than any other night/pickup ever. LAter, swapped the A5 for A8. Now it is a Distortion / SuperDistortion half-breed amazeballs pickup - for me. One guy said it was crunchier than a fat drunk Ninja sneaking through a potato chip factory. He hated it.

I can see how a JB and a PG might be considered somewhat similar. I can also see how they are different. I think they are more similar in a lot of ways than we think. Ignore the magnets.

JB + 25.5 + trem = Ahhhhh. No question. Bold, tight, sings.

JB + 24 3/4 + mahogany = Spin the wheel

I think 300k or 250k pots are important whatever you put it in.

Bedroom vs bandstand seems to be a key distinction in love hate, but not always.

I also have been playing a lot of 80's metal with my PG set and LOVING them!

 

[Letus]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

The guitar that he used to record RIP, Countdown, Youthanasia etc was a poplar bodied guitar. SOME of his later stage guitars were mahogany with maple tops but werent used on the records.

I'd like to know your sources for Megadeth gear information.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

I'd like to know your sources for Megadeth gear information.

Martys own website when he sold all his megadeth guitars gave the pedigree for all of them I've even posted the serial number of the guitar so look it up yourself.

Ive posted the serial number of daves guitar do the same.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Can a JB beat a Pearly Gates?

Bump - cuz we are talking' JB's and Pearly Gates