I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

[CTN]

Re: I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

It makes perfect sense to me because IMO, there are more similarities than differences.

To be fair though, I'm very particular about having tight bass. With the kind of stuff I play, I prefer to have lots of note definition, and to me, the JB is a paradox. Present upper mids SHOULD mean lots of note definition, even on the low strings, but it doesn't quite work out like that with the JB, and you end up with that loose, squishy bass that you talked about.

With the Baker Act, you get all the squish cuz of the Alnico 5 magnet, but none of the looseness, courtesy of the wind. and somehow, that wind coaxes out lots of upper mids, without any EQ shelving.

It seriously sounds like a tweaked JB.

So it's not that dumb, and if you had heard/played the Baker Act, I'm sure you would agree that it's not a retarded comparison.

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LEbMzE9WWM

I have a JB, and recently got a FRED, after hearing the demo above, IMO tone-wise Baker Act sounds closer to FRED than JB, it's like a FRED/Mo' Joe with higher output.

I agree 1000%! in that dean vid the tone is very dimarzio'ish and thats why i will be stayin with the duncan JB. I love the trademark duncan tone.
long live the mighty JB

 

[Gplayerzzz]

Re: I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

I might give the Baker act a try. The loose bass is the main thing I didn't like about the JB. How overall bright is the Baker? I would like to give the EVO 2 a shot also.

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

The loose bass is the main thing I didn't like about the JB..

I dont understand this "loose bass" talk about the JB? if you listen to older megadeth or bands that used a JB the bass is not loose at all? I use nothing but JB's in my guitar's and the bass is definitely not loose?

 

[CTN]

Re: I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

I think it has a lot to do with the kind of guitar the JB is in, but I've heard it in bolt on alder super strats and set neck mahogany guitars too, and that fat loose bass was ample in both of them.

only guitar I ever heard/played where I dug the sound of the JB was a neck through Jackson SL2

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

but I've heard it in bolt on alder super strats and set neck mahogany guitars too, and that fat loose bass was ample in both of them.

i play charvel san dimas strats(alder) and a kramer baretta all with JB's and no loose bass probs here? i must have magic JB's?:lmao:

 

[Gplayerzzz]

Re: I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

I dont understand this "loose bass" talk about the JB? if you listen to older megadeth or bands that used a JB the bass is not loose at all? I use nothing but JB's in my guitar's and the bass is definitely not loose?

Might have been cause I was use to playing EVOs. It just didn't sound right on rhythm.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

only guitar I ever heard/played where I dug the sound of the JB was a neck through Jackson SL2

One of my JB's is in a hard-tail SL2HT, and it's pretty awesome. It's much tighter than the SL3 (floating Floyd) or my 7-string Ibanez (hardtail, but with a basswood body). Very different guitars, very different sounds from the JB. Also, the way I play seems to make a huge difference. That USA Soloist shows off my mistakes like Katy Perry showing off her cans, and if I play sloppy, it sounds sloppy.

It might not be the most popular death/gnu/rumble-metal pickup, but it does what it's supposed to.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

Alright, as promised, I briefly tested the Dean USA "Baker Act" in both an Ash body superstrat with an all-Maple neck and also a Kevin Bond Jackson Rhoads, which is an all-Mahogany neck-through V with an Ebony fretboard and fixed bridge. The difference in sound between them was surprisingly little (my particular Rhoads is a medium-bright guitar anyways).

I'm still shopping for a new tube amp, so I played them through a USA-made Peavey Special 212 with dual Eminence Texas Heat speakers. I can tell you that the demo video from Dean of their Deceiver FM guitar sounds identical to the Baker Act pickup through my current setup with low to medium gain:

Baker Act Demo


On to my review...

While some have said that the Baker Act is a "slightly tweaked JB", I feel it is more like a "heavily" tweaked JB. Similarities? Certainly. However, it's really a tighter, grittier, higher-output version of a JB style pickup that, while it can certainly cover some common ground and may appease players on both sides of the fence, ultimately has its own thing going on.

On one hand, many who find fault with the JB's "flabby" bottom will appreciate the BA's tighter bass response. Palm mutes are noticably more percussive and the bottom end stays together better when downtuning past just 1/2 step or drop-D. The BA is somewhat more compressed feeling than the JB, though not overly so, and it is likely that those who want to switch from very modern, heavy styles to classic rock on the same guitar will appreciate the BA making this slight compromise.

On the other hand, fans of the JB will like that the Baker Act still has at least some of that great upper-mid range "bloom" that helps it cut and makes for great feeling solos. We all know it's that "bloom" that makes the JB so unique and such a love-it or hate-it design and, while the BA honors that characteristic, it's careful not to overdo it. Also, the BA is harmonically alive and very responsive to pick attack, which is something that dedicated JB players have come to expect from their sound.

One thing worth noting about the BA is that there is definitely some extra "grit" in the sound. The JB comes off as a little smoother sounding in general. I'm assuming this is primarily due to the noticably hotter wind of the BA. The funny thing about this is that the BA actually sounds quite a bit nicer than the JB when played clean...go figure! The BA would probably roll into a mix better for brief rhythms and clean passages. Granted, you do have to roll the volume back quite a ways to keep the Baker Act from breaking up the clean channel, which it does easily at anything over 3/4 throttle.

Coming away from the Baker Act, I did start to wonder if a JB+ (standard JB with a traditional sized Ceramic magnet, not the double-thick one as used in the Duncan Distortion) would offer up some similar tonal characteristics on a budget... :scratchch

However, I'm doubtful that anything could really pull off the true character of the Baker Act. Like I said, it definitely has its own thing going on. If you've been looking for something similar to a JB, but want more drive and tighter bass or just want to spice your sonic arsenal up a bit, give the Dean USA "Baker Act" a try!

 

[marvelous_seven]

Re: I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

Sounds promising to me,how much does it usually go for?

 

[Gplayerzzz]

Re: I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

Forgot all about this thread. Now I want a Baker act. Seven, they go for around 80 bucks U.S. I'm not sure where parisj van java is

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

Bought mine for 69 USD off ebay... (+ $5.95 for int'nl shipping) charliesmusicshop

 

[wolf5150]

Re: I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

Is it just me or is the bridge pickup back to front in that demo ?

The screw poles are furthest from the bridge :eyecrazy:

 

[Masta' C]

Re: I've decided. DMT Baker Act > JB

I've got the Baker Act I wrote the review on up for sale in the Classified section, along with a "Time Capsule" neck pickup from the same guitar. Lots of tones and versatility in that set!

Only reason I'm not holding on to them is because I need the funds for another project I've been working on for a while and I'm desperate to get it finished.