Hey guys I'm new here and new to Duncan pickups.I just picked up a ESP mii black with a maple fretboard.It came stock with the jb/59 combo.ive noticed that Scott Ian and Alex Skolnick use them.Most guitars I've previously owed had Emgs but I have since acquired a better feel for tone lol.That being said I need something that covers Metallica,(other 3 of the big 4) and more Killswitch engage type metal also.Any info is appreciated just trying to see if I need to have another set of pickups here ready for install when it arrives.Btw the amp setup I have is a 6505 and Maxon od808 through a 1960b Marshall cab.
Jb/59 for metal?
- Thread starter ESPzach
- Start date
Rand-O-Monium
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Re: Jb/59 for metal?
Should be alright,I suppose.
& Welcome!
:wave:
Should be alright,I suppose.
& Welcome!
:wave:
9unslin9er
New member
Re: Jb/59 for metal?
I just watched Skolnick play with Metal Allegiance.
His sound was very tight though his ESP Silverburst. I wouldn't change a thing. '59/JB is a home run.
*edit. I forgot the M-II is a 24 fretter. I usually run a Jazz/JB set in 24-fret guitars. I personally think the '59 gets a little too bright when it's closer to the bridge.
I just watched Skolnick play with Metal Allegiance.
His sound was very tight though his ESP Silverburst. I wouldn't change a thing. '59/JB is a home run.
*edit. I forgot the M-II is a 24 fretter. I usually run a Jazz/JB set in 24-fret guitars. I personally think the '59 gets a little too bright when it's closer to the bridge.
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Re: Jb/59 for metal?
I would say you'd be fine. Switching out the neck for the Jazz would get you cleaner and more open, which is closer to an EMG-ish sound I guess. JB's have done metal for years. Yes, you can get a Pegasus if you like more modern, detuned stuff. But I'd be inclined to keep the JB and rock out.
I would say you'd be fine. Switching out the neck for the Jazz would get you cleaner and more open, which is closer to an EMG-ish sound I guess. JB's have done metal for years. Yes, you can get a Pegasus if you like more modern, detuned stuff. But I'd be inclined to keep the JB and rock out.
Kamanda~SD
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Re: Jb/59 for metal?
JB all the way unless your going down real low. cuts like a mother****er too
JB all the way unless your going down real low. cuts like a mother****er too
9unslin9er
New member
Re: Jb/59 for metal?
What you're hearing is simply lack of midrange.
And this is only because the JB has a ton of mids. It's not a bad thing per se, but it's certainly not as balanced as a Jazz/Jb.
Like I said earlier, you're 2 frets closer to the bridge with the neck pickup.
What you're hearing is simply lack of midrange.
And this is only because the JB has a ton of mids. It's not a bad thing per se, but it's certainly not as balanced as a Jazz/Jb.
Like I said earlier, you're 2 frets closer to the bridge with the neck pickup.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
LazNovak
New member
Re: Jb/59 for metal?
It's actually a JB+. I used a regular ceramic. The DD has a double thick ceramic.
It's actually a JB+. I used a regular ceramic. The DD has a double thick ceramic.
Re: Jb/59 for metal?
The 59 will give you back the missing midrange. If you want that midrange with a little more power, check out the 59/Custom Hybrid.
The 59 will give you back the missing midrange. If you want that midrange with a little more power, check out the 59/Custom Hybrid.
Despised
Member
Re: Jb/59 for metal?
While I have tried the JB in a few guitars in both the 6 & 7-string models, the 6 is a little more suited and capable of doing metal very easily. The 7 is majorly lacking in tonality and just not enough output to really make it a decent metal pickup. The 6 has a little more headway for it and seems to be a much tighter comparison.
And I am honestly surprised that the new Jackson soloist SLX as the Duncan Designed 102 set which is based off the JB & Jazz set, and I am surprised at how decent they sound. They are normally something I would replace, but they might stay for a short while, depending on how they sound in drop C# and drop C tuning.
While I have tried the JB in a few guitars in both the 6 & 7-string models, the 6 is a little more suited and capable of doing metal very easily. The 7 is majorly lacking in tonality and just not enough output to really make it a decent metal pickup. The 6 has a little more headway for it and seems to be a much tighter comparison.
And I am honestly surprised that the new Jackson soloist SLX as the Duncan Designed 102 set which is based off the JB & Jazz set, and I am surprised at how decent they sound. They are normally something I would replace, but they might stay for a short while, depending on how they sound in drop C# and drop C tuning.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
Re: Jb/59 for metal?
I got the JB/'59 in my Ibanez RGA in Drop C. I absolutely love the JB! I replaced the EMG Hetfields I had in that guitar previously with the Duncans. I hate to describe my metal tone as "organic" or stuff like that, but I basically wanted something more 90's, less modern, and more Swedish-ish. I wanted something with more grind and less polished-sounding than EMG's. The JB is killer. It NAILS that Arch Enemy-ish tone with those grindy high-mids and the chunky low mids which make it looser-sounding than EMG's, but that also gives it some attitude. What I also like about it is that, even though it is generous in the mids, it's very slightly scooped right where I feel it should be so that you don't get those DiMarzio-ish wah wah nasal mids than I sometimes find annoying. Perhaps "scooped" is not the right word here because the JB is mids galore, but I find it's more generous in chunky low mids and cutting high mids than in actual core mids, IMO.
About the '59... mehhh. It makes sound. Don't really like it. Hasn't got the sweet mid focus of the JB at all. Does cool (but slightly boomy) cleans, I guess. Haven't tried the Jazz, but I don't think I'd like it either. Would like to try a JB/JB combo, but I don't really use the neck pickup enough to justify swapping it out. Michael Amott gets great results from the '59, though.
I don't think the JB is the pickup for a Killswitch Engage type of tone, though. I mean, it can be made to work, but EMG's do that far better, IMO.
I got the JB/'59 in my Ibanez RGA in Drop C. I absolutely love the JB! I replaced the EMG Hetfields I had in that guitar previously with the Duncans. I hate to describe my metal tone as "organic" or stuff like that, but I basically wanted something more 90's, less modern, and more Swedish-ish. I wanted something with more grind and less polished-sounding than EMG's. The JB is killer. It NAILS that Arch Enemy-ish tone with those grindy high-mids and the chunky low mids which make it looser-sounding than EMG's, but that also gives it some attitude. What I also like about it is that, even though it is generous in the mids, it's very slightly scooped right where I feel it should be so that you don't get those DiMarzio-ish wah wah nasal mids than I sometimes find annoying. Perhaps "scooped" is not the right word here because the JB is mids galore, but I find it's more generous in chunky low mids and cutting high mids than in actual core mids, IMO.
About the '59... mehhh. It makes sound. Don't really like it. Hasn't got the sweet mid focus of the JB at all. Does cool (but slightly boomy) cleans, I guess. Haven't tried the Jazz, but I don't think I'd like it either. Would like to try a JB/JB combo, but I don't really use the neck pickup enough to justify swapping it out. Michael Amott gets great results from the '59, though.
I don't think the JB is the pickup for a Killswitch Engage type of tone, though. I mean, it can be made to work, but EMG's do that far better, IMO.
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loversmoon
New member
Re: Jb/59 for metal?
Will Adler from lamb of God uses the jb/59 in his esp. That's pretty heavy metal. Before mark Morton went to dimarzio he used a set of 59's.
Will Adler from lamb of God uses the jb/59 in his esp. That's pretty heavy metal. Before mark Morton went to dimarzio he used a set of 59's.
chris effect
New member
Re: Jb/59 for metal?
I thought Will used a Distortion set with custom covers... I could be wrong though.
I thought Will used a Distortion set with custom covers... I could be wrong though.
LazNovak
New member
Re: Jb/59 for metal?
Will Adler has signature pickups in his ESP now. He used the JB then switched to the Distortion.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/backstage-pass/drinkin-beer-with-willie-adler-of-lamb-of-god
Will Adler has signature pickups in his ESP now. He used the JB then switched to the Distortion.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/backstage-pass/drinkin-beer-with-willie-adler-of-lamb-of-god
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
Re: Jb/59 for metal?
Lamb of God's tone sounds nothing like Killswitch Engage's, though, and the OP mentioned he was going for that. They're almost polar opposites as far as contemporary high-gain tones go, IMO.
I think the JB's high-gain tone is more all-around grindy, pissed-off tone that's not quite as over-the-top as a Distortion and with a hint of old-school.
Lamb of God's tone sounds nothing like Killswitch Engage's, though, and the OP mentioned he was going for that. They're almost polar opposites as far as contemporary high-gain tones go, IMO.
I think the JB's high-gain tone is more all-around grindy, pissed-off tone that's not quite as over-the-top as a Distortion and with a hint of old-school.
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