Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

L

Lecio93

New member
Hello duncan-guys! I would like to ask those who have tried them both: Which pickup between JB and Custom has greater output? I have a Jazz neck in my Les Paul Standard and feel a slight difference in output between Jazz and JB, I wonder if putting Custom this difference may disappear.

Forgive the bad English: /
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

Personally I found the JB to have more output Could just be the high mids cut better. There was a mv chart posted here a few months back showing actual output
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

Meh - probably about the same. I have / have had both.

Way different kind of loud though. The Custom will boom/and scream, but the JB will cut.

I'd say the Custom will seem louder. But about the same IMO. Slight edge to the Custom.
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

Hm.. And according to you which of the two will react better to the volume pot? Which of the two is more defined/articulate and more versatile?
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

They are pretty different pickups, as far as versatility I'd say the JB, only because the custom can be a little dark so it's not a perfect fit for every guitar where the JB is kind of "safe" for anything? The custom sounds amazing, by far the best pup Duncan has ever made I.M.H.O. but I only own Fender & G&L guitars? These kind of bolt guitars are inherently bright so the custom is right @ home in them, it gives them a beefy sound compared to, idk, a Fender Diamondback & also makes them extremely articulate @ the same time? If you were to put the custom in a S.G. it would just sound dull & muddy? If they are the only two pickups your considering & they're going to be installed into a L.P. I'd go with the JB, like I said it's safe? It's going to sound good in just about anything, I don't mean the custom wouldn't sound good in a L.P. but I think you'd be in a constant struggle to find a nice useable sound, you may even need to add a E.Q. to the mix in order to get what you want out of it where the JB is more plug & play, I think the Hybrid would be a nice choice for you & it kind of lives in between the two mentioned Humbuckers? Just my 2 cents though, good luck man!
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

Nostalgic Distortion said:
They are pretty different pickups, as far as versatility I'd say the JB, only because the custom can be a little dark so it's not a perfect fit for every guitar where the JB is kind of "safe" for anything? The custom sounds amazing, by far the best pup Duncan has ever made I.M.H.O. but I only own Fender & G&L guitars? These kind of bolt guitars are inherently bright so the custom is right @ home in them, it gives them a beefy sound compared to, idk, a Fender Diamondback & also makes them extremely articulate @ the same time? If you were to put the custom in a S.G. it would just sound dull & muddy? If they are the only two pickups your considering & they're going to be installed into a L.P. I'd go with the JB, like I said it's safe? It's going to sound good in just about anything, I don't mean the custom wouldn't sound good in a L.P. but I think you'd be in a constant struggle to find a nice useable sound, you may even need to add a E.Q. to the mix in order to get what you want out of it where the JB is more plug & play, I think the Hybrid would be a nice choice for you & it kind of lives in between the two mentioned Humbuckers? Just my 2 cents though, good luck man!
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Versatile as far as guitar and genre? JB? Even some of the biggest JB fans wouldn't go that far.
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

Now we are arguing versatility? Sheesh the guy was just asking what was louder and the peanut gallery lights up

To the OP

If the JB is a bit louder than the Jazz take a screw driver and raise the jazz up a turn and drop the JB down 2 turns and they should balance fine.
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

I agree. Buying a new pickup to illicit such a minimal change is impractical.
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

Edgecrusher said:
Now we are arguing versatility? Sheesh the guy was just asking what was louder and the peanut gallery lights up

To the OP

If the JB is a bit louder than the Jazz take a screw driver and raise the jazz up a turn and drop the JB down 2 turns and they should balance fine.
Click to expand...

giphy.gif
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

I agree with what some of the others have said, about how the difference between the two is not so much output level, as character and what frequencies that output is strongest in. And that might be somewhat dependent on the guitar. In bolt-on superstrats and neck-throughs, the Custom sounds bigger to me. The JB has more cut in the treble, kind of a singing quality.
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

Edgecrusher said:
Now we are arguing versatility? Sheesh the guy was just asking what was louder and the peanut gallery lights up

To the OP

If the JB is a bit louder than the Jazz take a screw driver and raise the jazz up a turn and drop the JB down 2 turns and they should balance fine.
Click to expand...

You need to practice your reading skills, particularly targeting the last sentence of post 5......The peanut gallery is you.
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

AlexR said:
You need to practice your reading skills, particularly targeting the last sentence of post 5......The peanut gallery is you.
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So? arguing over it isnt answering the guys question. I seem to have offended you and you werent even participating in the conversation. Having a bad day? Not feeling so fresh? Show me on the doll where the bad internet touched you.
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

Putting their various points across (what you have call arguing) at least gives some relevant information to the thread. You still need to acknowledge that the OP did indeed ask for such info, and maybe provide some yourself.

For my own.....
To the OP, I'd probably put the JB ahead of the Custom in its ability to cross genres. I find it can be smooth enough to do instrumental, Megadeth have proven its ability at Metal, and the parallel mode can provide some quite jangly tones for rock/pop if that where you want to go. The Custom seems more rough and aggressive.
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

AlexR said:
Putting their various points across (what you have call arguing) at least gives some relevant information to the thread. You still need to acknowledge that the OP did indeed ask for such info, and maybe provide some yourself.
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I never claimed he didnt... and as far as iam concerned I gave far more helpful advice to the OP.

Since you seem to have an issue with me would you care to take it outside?

Meaning you can PM me if you got a problem, if you dont got a problem then why continue to muck up the dudes thread with your tripe?
 
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Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

"Now we are arguing versatility? Sheesh the guy was just asking what was louder and the peanut gallery lights up"

Recall these words??

I gave some info in my post above, And others also gave some other info on their thoughts on versatility. On a topic specifically asked for after some initial replies on loudness
Maybe you care join in, thats all that is important here after all.
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

Edgecrusher said:
Now we are arguing versatility? Sheesh the guy was just asking what was louder and the peanut gallery lights up

To the OP

If the JB is a bit louder than the Jazz take a screw driver and raise the jazz up a turn and drop the JB down 2 turns and they should balance fine.
Click to expand...

Actually, if you read his post (#5), he DID ask about versatility.

Otherwise, I agree with everything else you said.
 
Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

Quiet guys, all opinions are welcome! :)

Then, I understood the Custom in a LP would sound too "boomy/muddy" and not as versatile as the JB.

You have also recommended the '59/Custom Hybrid, is it enough louder to genres like prog/thrash metal (Dream Theater/Metallica)? It would pair better at Jazz in terms of output? (Sorry for the OT, anyway)
 
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Re: Duncan JB & Duncan Custom: which is louder?

Nostalgic Distortion said:
the custom can be a little dark so it's not a perfect fit for every guitar where the JB is kind of "safe" for anything
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The Custom is definitely NOT a "dark" pup. In fact it has a very bright/shrill high-end and is somewhat brittle sounding. This is one of the biggest complaints about the Custom. And perhaps the biggest complaint about the JB is that it is NOT "safe" for anything...it depends very much on the guitar/wood that it is going into.

Nostalgic Distortion said:
If you were to put the custom in a S.G. it would just sound dull & muddy
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OMG, I am assuming by this comment that you have never tried it in an SG. If you had tried it in an SG, you would never make such a comment. It actually is one of the better sounding pups in an SG, but it still has a bright and brittle high end. Anything BUT "dull & muddy". It is usually recommended, however, that the ceramic mag be replaced by an A8 or A5 to get rid of the shrillness.

Nostalgic Distortion said:
If they are the only two pickups your considering & they're going to be installed into a L.P. I'd go with the JB, like I said it's safe? It's going to sound good in just about anything
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I just don't know where you are getting this from. The Custom is one of the most versatile mid to high output pups in the Duncan line. That's why it is offered in three stock versions (with the only differences being the magnets) and highly recommended by many users and forumites as a 4th stock version with an A8 magnet. Name any other pup by any manufacturer that is that versatile, and "safe".
 
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