Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

[JeffB]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

Well, I have heard a '59 and I'm not sure I really like the sound of it, under gain it seems a bit harsh and not so smooth (at least in the clips I have heard)

Then you have not heard the right clips..

1)Go to www.davidbrayamps.com
2) go to his soundclip section
3) click on the Epiphone Les Paul w/ 59 clips

Now granted that is one of the best amp tones you will EVAR hear. But the pups are far from harsh. they ARE a little bright. Roll down the presence and treble a bit on the amp. A JB or Full shred is less accepting of amp control changes. They are more overbearing on tone, and less "moldable" (any high output pickup is)

I do like a warm sound, and I like an awesome crunch when the distortion is added, and I like a singing lead tone.

59 will do all that, as will the CC. JB is crunchy but overly so *to my ears*. It has a great lead voice though in the right guitar.

 

[Sune]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

Well yes, the '59 does sound smooth, in some notes, but I couldn't help noticing with some of the notes there's this harsh, grainy distortion sound (I don't know whatever it is) but I've certainly heard it before with '59 clips.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

Well yes, the '59 does sound smooth, in some notes, but I couldn't help noticing with some of the notes there's this harsh, grainy distortion sound (I don't know whatever it is) but I've certainly heard it before with '59 clips.

Thats that marshall sizzle I think you are hearing, cos that's as smooth as a Marshall sound you are gonna get (don't forget all that stuff ya hear on records..even old ones, is processed and compressed and engineered and mixed in with a band). Jb is gonna have more sizzle/fuzz on top than a 59. You want something more compressed sounding in a pup I guess....CC will be better for that.

Or you may just be barking up the wrong tree...If ya want smooooooooth saturated distortion, MESA MK series amps are a better choice.

 

[Sune]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

Well, I guess you could be right that it's the amp, I don't know.. But when I'm thinking about it makes sense, because I heard some clips with a JB through a Marshall and it sounded almost similar, HOWEVER, when used right, I like that kind of distortion quite a bit, since I think it can make it more "in your face".. For example here is some clips with a JB in a strat, through a JCM 900 4501 50 watt combo, I don't know what tubes it's using;

http://www.jlhproducts.com/axetrak/Marshall 1.mp3
http://www.jlhproducts.com/axetrak/Marshall 2.mp3
http://www.jlhproducts.com/axetrak/Marshall 3.mp3

Actually I quite like this sound.. Please don't comment on my taste, since it's my taste, and discussing it would have no point. Especially the last one is quite rocking, according to my taste of course :beerchug:

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

I know what u r going through.. I went through the same... The Duncans are not avail out here.....I had to orfer mine over the net and then paid an aTOMIC bonb at customs import. So when I made a choice this Board really helped Hey THANKS EVERY ONE U GUYS REALLY HELPED...The best Ican tell u is u cant go wrong with a 59 in the bridge and let ur amp do the talking..,,If u r going to play diff styles that is... If u want only heavy rock tones the I would say go for the JB JAZZ... I was leaning a lot towards a JB 59 combo.....but after joining the board...I learnt it is better to go with the recommended combo ...
Look we all have our own tastes.....we hate certain tones love the rest... I am sure all the Duncabs,dimarzio and EMGs Bill LAwrence are great pups... but what is it that u want....I personally Love EDDIE VAN HALEN AND LOVE HIS STYLE.... BUT BELIVE IT OR NOT I HATE HIS TONE..... I love his EARLY TONES IN ERUPTION... but not the tones i hear now...now that does not mean I go and say the pups he uses suck just because I dont like the way they sound, it may not sound good to me but to others it is simpy great....I love Jerry Cantrells tone.. I dont know if u have ever listned to PETRA.... But there is this song "JUDAS KISS"....the guitarist is using a JB and it sounds so warm...I actually thought it was a 59 until I read an interview where he said it was a JB in a LP.
What I am saying is this what sounds cool too me may not be ccol to someone else...But the best I can advice is go with the recomended combos...

 

[fab.regnaut]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

The Distortion is apparently a JB with fat ceramic magnet so you can swap magnet to go for the other one (alnico5)

 

[theodie]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

The Distortion is apparently a JB with fat ceramic magnet so you can swap magnet to go for the other one (alnico5)

This is true! The Invader is a JB or Distortion with huge poles and 3 ceramics.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

This is true! The Invader is a JB or Distortion with huge poles and 3 ceramics.

Yeesh..guess nobody reads *MY* posts


:yell: :baby:

 

[JeffB]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

Actually I quite like this sound.. Please don't comment on my taste, since it's my taste, and discussing it would have no point. Especially the last one is quite rocking, according to my taste of course :beerchug:

You crack me up Sune Believe me, I know there is no arguing taste. But if ya solicit opinions from others you should be prepared for ones that are not favorable or differ from yours. On the Marshall thread you asked for reasons why people dont like the JB, and so we gave them to you, and then you basically said "la la la, i can't hear you" and plugged your ears.

Regardless.....

3 things

1) Thats very similar to the tones I like to hear (the first two clips anyway)
2) Thats a JB in a strat which as I've said I DO like...
3) Thats not that much gain on the first two clips..thats why you aren't really hearing the sizzle...3rd clip has it. More gain you use, more "fuzz" or "sizzle" ya get. Its true, the JB is more compressed than a 59, so it may not be your thing. In that case I'd recommend a CC. It has softer highs.

As I said though..I like those tones (first two anyway) and are the kinds of things I go for in my humbucker equipped strats. Pretty much how my Deluxe Strat Plus with a JB sounded. Go check out either of the two Badlands CDs (Badlands and Voodoo Highyway). That's a JB equipped strat(charvel) through cranked Marshall Tour De Force (barring a few tunes where theres a Les Paul or Tele)

 

[Sune]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

One thing I never do is "la la la, i can't hear you", I just wanted to point that out. If you think that is what I'm doing, then it's because you're reading it the wrong way, or missing my point, I don't know, I just know for sure that I'm never like that at all.

The point is: I chose JB/Jazz after all, most people recommend the Jazz, and the guy already had begun soldering and stuff for them, and he had already ordered them, so it's alright.

 

[chill]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

This is true! The Invader is a JB or Distortion with huge poles and 3 ceramics.

Are those 3 ceramics stacked one on top of another?

And, what do you dislike about the JB theodie? I've read some recent forum posts which say you do not like the low string tones with the JB, but I don't know what about them you do not like.

 

[frehley]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

Here's what I think you should use. A Duncan Distortion in the bridge will give you a dense, agressive punchie tone that is as hot as you can get it without starting to sound too compressed and wont distort when you play it in the clean channel.
A Full Shred in the neck will give you more pick attack & articulation than anything else out there, especially if you play arpeggios in the upper register of the guitar.
And finally, when you combine both pick-ups together for clean tones it's the most crystaline tone you've ever heard. This IMO is the ULTIMATE Duncan set-up!

 

[theodie]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

Are those 3 ceramics stacked one on top of another?

And, what do you dislike about the JB theodie? I've read some recent forum posts which say you do not like the low string tones with the JB, but I don't know what about them you do not like.

No, there is one magnet in the middle like usual and the other 2 magnets are more or less in the position where the spacer's would normally be.

JB bass strings, I have always felt that the bass strings on a JB just lacked tightness. It seems like tones on the bass side dont come flying out of the amp, it seems like the just kind of rool out with not much force. I think there is a lack of clarity on the bass side also. Also, the JB has this trashy kind of sound to it over all that I just do not find pleasing to my ears what so ever. Alot of people say its the High Mid spike in it! Over all, I find it to be the most disagreeable pickup I have ever used!

 

[Sune]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

I don't think this is a case of the pickup being pure ****, I just think it's coming down to something as simple as taste. You don't like it, that doesn't make it a bad pickup, even though you tend to call it a bad pickup just because you don't like it It's like saying EVH can't play guitar, just because you don't like his band

 

[frehley]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

Please stop the madness already and just pick something. I don't know how long you've been playing but I think you're spending way too much time on this. You have been given great advice from everyone here already, so it should be up to you now to make a decision. I feel that too many people spend more time on this sh1t and not enough time actually perfecting their craft.

Great pick-ups will NEVER make up for poor technique!!!
I hope this doesn't sound too harsh.

 

[theodie]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

I don't think this is a case of the pickup being pure ****, I just think it's coming down to something as simple as taste. You don't like it, that doesn't make it a bad pickup, even though you tend to call it a bad pickup just because you don't like it It's like saying EVH can't play guitar, just because you don't like his band

I would not mis-leed you my friend!!!!! Its A$$!!!!!! LOL!!!!!

Now just pick something and play that thang!!!

Before long you arent going to start hounding us how to get wicked gain out of your 5150 are you? LOL!!!!!! :jester: :jester: :jester: :jester: :jester:

 

[Sune]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

If you actually read some of my posts, you'd know that I already decided, and that they already have been put in.

 

[Sune]

Re: Getting doubts about pickup choice..JB or Distortion?

Please stop the madness already and just pick something. I don't know how long you've been playing but I think you're spending way too much time on this. You have been given great advice from everyone here already, so it should be up to you now to make a decision. I feel that too many people spend more time on this sh1t and not enough time actually perfecting their craft.

Great pick-ups will NEVER make up for poor technique!!!
I hope this doesn't sound too harsh.

And with regards to you, I would advice you to stay out if you got nothing but that negative crap, which nobody needs. This is a forum, this is for people to ask questions and answer questions, and if you don't like, just go and play your guitar. Guess what? Now you just spend time on this, instead of "perfecting your craft". Thank you, bye.