Don't like JB... Suggestions?

[Pr3Va1L]

Hey, I need help choosing pickups for my guitar... I bought it not long ago, it's a hamer xt standard... Explorer shape, maple neck and korina (similar in sound to mahogany) body.

It came with a JB and a 59', but while both pickups sound great, I don't really like the JB's sound... It sounds too bright and WAY too twangy when clean. I'd like a pickup that would sound modern (not any of that real high gain stuff, I don't need uber output lol) and (maybe) with a bit more mids.

I play pretty much everything, but I've been into lots of progressive rock lately (If I could sound like John Petrucci, I'd be REAL happy... )

I was thinking maybe a custom 5 but I fear it won't have enough mids...


Anyways thanks!

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

Try a Custom 4 (same pickup with Alnico 4 magnet) or Custom Custom (same with Alnico 2).

 

[esandes]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

I'd like a pickup that would sound modern (not any of that real high gain stuff, I don't need uber output lol) and (maybe) with a bit more mids.

you want an alnico 2 magnet pickup. i suggest the alnico 2 pro. it's a neutral pickup. high gain pickups use stronger magnets.

 

[PoorMan]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

Something from the Custom series.

 

[jony]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

SH- custom itself. Would not hurt...

seems like many who dislike the JB find the Custom to be the answer

 

[heymcz]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

you want an alnico 2 magnet pickup. i suggest the alnico 2 pro. it's a neutral pickup. high gain pickups use stronger magnets.

I humbly disagree. He said "modern" and the Alnico II stuff sounds vintage. My suggestion from the Duncan line: Full Shred. Definately NOT the Custom Custom...WAY too many mids, very '70s sounding. If cleans are important ceramic is out. FS is articulate and modern, good enough for progressive, and it has enough mids, but it suffers from a minor lack of bass. FS is NOT twangy when clean, more crystalline. It is not a "singing" pickup, but it does have a unique vocal quality to it.

 

[Pr3Va1L]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

BTW, I wasn't clear about this, but I really like the JB's distortion sound through my tube amp... I just can't stand the clean, really lol.

How does the custom sound clean?


Else, how about another compagny? (mainly thinking about Bill Lawrence right now...)


Anyways thanks a lot everyone!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

SH- custom itself. Would not hurt...

seems like many who dislike the JB find the Custom to be the answer

That would be my suggestion: Duncan Custom.

Or maybe the Custom Custom...depends on the guitar and amp. The CC can seem like it needs more treble sometimes.

Lew

 

[heymcz]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

According to this, Petrucci uses Di-ech-ech-ech-Marzios (sorry, it was hard getting that out.)

http://www.johnpetrucci.com/ebjpm6specs.html

...no specifics are given, but you could follow up on the DiMarzio website. I had the JB in a mahogany Schecter and cleans were icepicky. I've played most of the standard Duncan go-tos, and nothing else has cleans like a JB! Of course, I probably could have used a lower value pot(entiometer) to cut some of the highs, but now I really understand the pickup: someone else said it was for band volumes to cut through, and not for solo playing.

IMHO, the ceramic Custom cleans will be annoying, that's how I felt. Distorted, it's a good, solid, rock pickup. I also felt that the Custom just sounded like a weaker Distortion. I like the Distortion a lot, but I am going back to the Full Shred for better cleans. The Distortion does have more mids, and is great fun to play, but it's not "modern". Someone just described the FS as "crunchy and nasal" and I nearly :chairfall laughing, that nailed it....

 

[Farkus]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

I humbly disagree. He said "modern" and the Alnico II stuff sounds vintage. My suggestion from the Duncan line: Full Shred. Definately NOT the Custom Custom...WAY too many mids, very '70s sounding. If cleans are important ceramic is out. FS is articulate and modern, good enough for progressive, and it has enough mids, but it suffers from a minor lack of bass. FS is NOT twangy when clean, more crystalline. It is not a "singing" pickup, but it does have a unique vocal quality to it.

+1

Sounds quite like DT, esp when clean IMO. It shines with distortion, too. I think of the FS as being the middle ground between the more traditional types of pup's that SD usually produces vs the more progressive line that DiMarzio puts out. I like the FS more than any of the DiMarzios I've tried, though.

I think JP has some custom wound DiMarzio pickups on his EB sig guitar, but I read somewhere he's switched to other regularly available DiMarzios.

 

[Dogbowl]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

I just stuck the Custom Custom i nto the bridge position on my ibanez ar200, and it is really sweet when the guitar plays clean--and it sounds awsome and whole when distorted. I considered getting the JB, but I heard a few too many observations that matched yours, so I went with the custom custom. I also have a 59 in the neck position, and the two of them combined sound really awsome. A lovely mix, I think.

As far as another brand of pickups, I just ordered through ebay the Rio Grande Genuine Texas/BBQ humbucker combination for my epiphone demon, which I think needed more interesting pickups. These Rio pickups seem to have ome dedicated followers! I dont mean to mention another brand here at the Seymour Duncan forum, but I have purchased several sets of Seymour duncan pickups through the years, and I loved every one of them, but simply for the sake of trying something different, I thought I'd give those Rio Grande pickups a shot. I'll see how it works out when they arrive.

But if you are looking for something from Seymour to replace that JB, I would suggest the Custom Custom. For my own uses, it is perfect and beautiful, and I can tell you from my own experience that it meshes with the 59 really nicely.

 

[theodie]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

The Custom.....nuff said!

 

[Akrin]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

In his old Ibanezes, JP was using a Steve's Special in the bridge, and an Air Norton backwards in the neck (screw coil towards the bridge)

The pickups in his EBMMs are based off of those, but IMO his tone was better in the Ibanez days.

Recently he's switched to the D-Sonic in the bridge, but he hasn't used them in the studio yet, just on tour.

 

[Pr3Va1L]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

I'd still like to know how does the Custom sound clean


I read on Harmony Central that the FS didn't sound that great clean, hence why I'm not thinking I'll like it too much...

 

[seamusmcfartnock]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

I'd still like to know how does the Custom sound clean


I read on Harmony Central that the FS didn't sound that great clean, hence why I'm not thinking I'll like it too much...

I have a custom in the bridge on my Hamer Monaco Elite and it's pretty nice clean. I would like it to be a little more airy in the top end but to get a pickup that is great for that in the bridge means sacrificing lows. It's pretty sweet clean for the most part .

 

[Pr3Va1L]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

Well, after fiddling with my amp and the mid setting, I think the C5 would be what I want... The clean seemed much less honky with less mids.

What I need is, it seems, a JB with less mids... Is that a C5?



And after all, didn't Petrucci use a Steve's special for a while? Wich has a huge mid scoop (probably bigger than C5)

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Don't like JB... Suggestions?

Well, after fiddling with my amp and the mid setting, I think the C5 would be what I want... The clean seemed much less honky with less mids.

What I need is, it seems, a JB with less mids... Is that a C5?

Probably...but the C5 has less mids and more treble than the JB, IMO.

The Custom has a fuller tone than the C5, IMO.

But the JB is an alnico 5 magnet pickup and so is the C5.

Lew