JB or Custom

[digadam]

I bought a guitar off a guy and the bridge seymour duncan JB humbucker pickup it came with needs repairing (only one coil working). He has offered to either repair it or replace it with a seymour duncan custom.

Can anyone help me with the difference between the two and what I should accept?

Its got a SD Alnico 2 in the neck if that helps. The guitar is a Tokai Les paul copy.
Thanks

 

[Rowan]

Re: JB or Custom

Do you play mostly leads or rhythm, clean or distorted?

JB for leads and Custom for rhythm. Custom is ceramic but the clean tone is surprisingly good. The JB's clean is kinda honky and weird.

 

[digadam]

Re: JB or Custom

I play rythym and leads. Distorted. Classic rock

 

[Rowan]

Re: JB or Custom

Hmm maybe custom is the way to go. But I found the custom's lead tone harsh and shrill. The JB has amazing leads but is kinda loose and undefined on the low end.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: JB or Custom

I used to have a JB/A2P combo in my Epi Paul, it did the classic rock thing pretty well. Leads really do sing with it, but I agree that the cleans leave quite a bit to be desired. Very boxy sounding due to the upper mid spike. I switched to a Custom to get the low end chunk for heavier rock styles. Although I still want a guitar to put that JB in, I'd rather use the Custom for rhythm (great classic rock rhythm tones as well with the beefed up PAF vibe) and step on a pedal for solos, than try to EQ the JB for rhythm just for the lead tone. One more way for me to describe the JB's rhythm tone is to compare it to the 80's hair metal crunch tone. Granted, half the players from that era were probably using a JB to get that tone... lol

 

[Heavy]

Re: JB or Custom

That's what I find. The JB is the best for the fat singin' lead. But for crunchin' rhythm or clean it sucks bad. It's that huge mid hump, that makes the lead stick out and sound so clean and singing. It's a one trick pony if there ever was one. But man what a great trick. I don't know if there's a better lead tone.

 

[blueman335]

Re: JB or Custom

Get the Custom. It's inherently a more versatile PU, as you can put in an A5 and make it a Custom 5, or an A2 to make a Custom Custom. There's a few other magnets you can use too. Between all the various magnets, Customs have a lot of happy players.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: JB or Custom

I've used both extensively. Personally I don't think that the JB is a bad rythym pick up at all, I actually like a bit of the looseness and crunch on the low end. It's definitely aggressive enough for the type of music that I play. (ranging from classic rock to modern metal)

I say this although I have gone back to the Duncan Custom. It just seems to be more versitile from the stand point that, since its voiced like a PAF, it can nail more tones dead on than the JB. The JB is just such a distinct pup that you can't expect it to sound dead on to a lot of the standard rock bands, unless they're from the 80s and use hairspray =))) =P!

Seriously I like both pups, I may go back to the JB some day! I don't think you'll be unhappy with the custom by any means though.

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: JB or Custom

Get the Custom and use the neck pup for solos.

 

[shredi]

Re: JB or Custom

whenever i play my JB through a POD XT, on some amp models (mostly marshall) it's actually fairly tight sounding, the low sure are big but you can still hear the notes and stuff..
for me the loose-ness isn't a problem.. it's actually make for beefy fat sag ala tube amps on a modeller..

 

[SAVAGE DISTORTION]

Re: JB or Custom

whenever i play my JB through a POD XT, on some amp models (mostly marshall) it's actually fairly tight sounding, the low sure are big but you can still hear the notes and stuff..
for me the loose-ness isn't a problem.. it's actually make for beefy fat sag ala tube amps on a modeller..

I use a diezel VH4 and the JB is killer for both rhythm and leads
it is NOT all that loose at all, just listen to "HEART OF DARKNESS" by arch enemy
the JB has harmonics all over the place too.

 

[uOpt]

Re: JB or Custom

Apart from the fact that you probably like the Custom better in the first place, I'd also be concerned about what kind of repair is planned here. He can't just go and wind some random coil and stuff it in.

 

[hanumanlangur]

Re: JB or Custom

That's what I find. The JB is the best for the fat singin' lead. But for crunchin' rhythm or clean it sucks bad. It's that huge mid hump, that makes the lead stick out and sound so clean and singing. It's a one trick pony if there ever was one. But man what a great trick. I don't know if there's a better lead tone.

The de-mud mod on the JB (R=100k/C=0.01uf) can fix the loose low-end and improve the cleans as well. It will never sound as tight as a ceramic like a Custom, because it still has a bit of sag, but it's a dramatic improvement.

They're both really great pickups, and it's hard to go wrong with either, IMO. The Custom is tighter and chunkier, and the JB sings and has a bit more natural elasticity.

 

[shredi]

Re: JB or Custom

That's what I find. The JB is the best for the fat singin' lead. But for crunchin' rhythm or clean it sucks bad.

clean yes, but crunchy rithem???? i found the JB very good at mid gain crunch, it has just the right amount of output and LOTS of juicy crunch i swear it even sound good crunchin' on a POD.. it;s just not as good when it comes to fast chugga-chug

 

[Heavy]

Re: JB or Custom

The de-mud mod on the JB (R=100k/C=0.01uf) can fix the loose low-end and improve the cleans as well. It will never sound as tight as a ceramic like a Custom, because it still has a bit of sag, but it's a dramatic improvement.

They're both really great pickups, and it's hard to go wrong with either, IMO. The Custom is tighter and chunkier, and the JB sings and has a bit more natural elasticity.

Yeah I agree on the elasticity. I didn't try that mod because I think the JB needs lows. For me, trimming the low end would make it even more unbalanced. I would rather try to add highs to it or something. It's the honky, upper mid which is it's signature of course, but I see quite a few people mistake that as treble, but it sounds more upper mid to me.

 

[SAVAGE DISTORTION]

Re: JB or Custom

Yeah I agree on the elasticity. I didn't try that mod because I think the JB needs lows. For me, trimming the low end would make it even more unbalanced. I would rather try to add highs to it or something. It's the honky, upper mid which is it's signature of course, but I see quite a few people mistake that as treble, but it sounds more upper mid to me.

try a ceramic mag from a custom:smokin:

 

[Heavy]

Re: JB or Custom

clean yes, but crunchy rithem???? i found the JB very good at mid gain crunch, it has just the right amount of output and LOTS of juicy crunch i swear it even sound good crunchin' on a POD.. it;s just not as good when it comes to fast chugga-chug

JB is just too smooth and middy (fat) to crunch. Sure you can do some cool mid gain tones with it, but to most crunch means a brighter, leaner, tighter tone like an ACDC or VH thing.

I don't know if you can really have both in one pickup, Maybe it's like peanut butter. Crunchy or smooth...

mmmmmmmm peanut butter....

 

[Diocletian]

Re: JB or Custom

If you're willing to do the magnet swapping thing, then Blueman is surely right in saying go for the Custom then swap the magnets to find one you like best.

However, from my personal experience of both pickups, I much prefer the JB but that has a lot to do with the guitars they've been in.
Either way I don't think you can really go wrong.

And Megadeth used JBs, I'd say they have some serious "crunch".

 

[Heavy]

Re: JB or Custom

well I wouldn't call any megadeth good mid gain crunch tone. I always hated their guitar sound and production. But sure, with enough eq and amp tweaking you can get any pickup to do almost anything. You can use a screwdriver to pound in a nail, but...

I'd say a great defining crunch tone for me would something off VH I. Eddie's scooped, chunky tone is so crisp and the growl is so even. Reminds me of a sports car revving it's engine, real tight and mean, but even and no raggedness.

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: JB or Custom

Crunch equals AC/DC. If we're talking about the quintessential Marshall crunch, that is. Crunch does not have definitive meaning in guitar sonics.