JB equivalent

[Coma]

Just outta curiosity:

I have Floyded Jackson Dinky, tuned to C standard, with a JB in the bridge position. It sounds fantastic, chugs when needed and cuts through very well. None of the infamous "spike" that some people complain about, at least not in this guitar and this setup.

What would be a good equivalent to put in a Les Paul to achieve a similar tone? Doesn't have to be 1:1, just close enough to do the job. Also doesn't have to be a Duncan, I'm not a brand absolutist.

 

[Mincer]

I'd say Nazgul.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I think a JB also sounds nice in a Les Paul.

But FWIW, I have tried a few JB-inspired alternatives on my Les Pauls, and a few stand out.

1. Standard production JB - You know what to expect. Depending on the Les Paul, it might like different pot values. I find Gibsons to be more biting and cutting than Epis or LTD's.
2. Antiquity JB - A bit smoother and more focused. Killer as well.
3. Suhr SSH+ - More balanced, not as much mid content as a JB. Kinda halfway between a middy JB and a scooped Custom 5. Very balanced with a nice sense of top-end clarity.
4. DiMarzio AT-1 - A tamer JB with less output and a bit more openness. Kinda like a JB Lite.
5. Gibson 498T - Not as closely related spec-wise as the others, but another alternative when you want a "JB Lite" vibe with a sense of that cool rasp that Gibson pickups often have.

You could also start getting into the ceramic cousins of the JB if you want kind of a more aggresive sound like with the Distortion, Black Winter, or even the DiMarzio Dominion. I do agree that there is some overlap between the Nazgul and the JB, but I find the Black Winter the most "JB on steroids" sound out of the ceramic Duncan lineup.

JMO.

 

[ehdwuld]

Isn't the Tone Zone an overwound JB with 17k ohms rather than 16k

If you want super cheap
There are so Fleor and Oripure versions
With 15-16k ohm winds and Alnico 5 magnets that get you in the ballpark

I have a set of Saphue and MaxCheer here at the house

I'm probably not the best one to speak to about bridge pickups
I rarely play the bridge pickup

 

[Chistopher]

Isn't the Tone Zone an overwound JB with 17k ohms rather than 16k

I think thats the AT-1

 

[Chistopher]

Just outta curiosity:

I have Floyded Jackson Dinky, tuned to C standard, with a JB in the bridge position. It sounds fantastic, chugs when needed and cuts through very well. None of the infamous "spike" that some people complain about, at least not in this guitar and this setup.

What would be a good equivalent to put in a Les Paul to achieve a similar tone? Doesn't have to be 1:1, just close enough to do the job. Also doesn't have to be a Duncan, I'm not a brand absolutist.

Nothing will have a spike in C standard

 

[Coma]

Isn't the Tone Zone an overwound JB with 17k ohms rather than 16k

If you want super cheap
There are so Fleor and Oripure versions
With 15-16k ohm winds and Alnico 5 magnets that get you in the ballpark

I have a set of Saphue and MaxCheer here at the house

I'm probably not the best one to speak to about bridge pickups
I rarely play the bridge pickup

I have a Tone Zone in another guitar and I love it. It was actually my first go-to, but it's already kind of dark and warm, not sure how it would act in a LP.

 

[Coma]

Nothing will have a spike in C standard

That makes sense, although I didn't really hear the spike when it was in E standard either.