JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

Nightburst

Nightburst

New member
Hey guys, I think I'm going to swap out my JB for something else in the bridge of my LP.
I love this pickup, it has the tone I want but not the bottom end... I don't mind the mids on this pickup I actually like them a lot but I'd like to have more chunk. I would say my amp is pretty middy voiced anyway.

I know I liked the voicing of the Gibson Designed pickup (Alnico 5) that came stock in my LP so maybe there is a Duncan that comes close? (Custom?)

I'd like a warm and crushing sound that is rich and tight in the bass frequencies for fast palm mutes but with enough treble to keep it cutting through a band mix and to have crunch and nice harmonics.
I'm not shure if I want a super hot pickup or not but I'd like something that will push my amp into raging, saturated, slightly compressed distortion.
Also (the hardest part) I'd like it to have decent cleans if that's possible, the JB has outstanding cleans, very funky.

So I have done my homework before asking here and this is what I've narrowed it down to:

SH-6 Duncan Distortion --> This seems the obvious choise but I'm affraid it would be to shrill? The ceramic magnet turns me off a bit. I'm worried about the cleans too

SH-5 Duncan Custom --> Basicly the same story as the Distortion.

SH-14 Custom 5 --> This would seem perfect but I'm afraid I will get lost in the mix.

Dimarzio Super Distortion --> I think I'm going to put one in my RG but I'd like to have some opinions on it. How are the cleans?

I can't decide! It's a tough choice...

Some bands whose tone I like a lot:

Thrice
Poison the well
Pulley
Rufio
Avenged Sevenfold
Lagwagon
Killswitch Engage
Rise Against
Belvedere
Beloved
Days in December

Well you probably get the picture by now, could anyone help me out?

Btw. Sorry for the long post, I wanted to give as much information as possible.
 
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Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

The DD does Thrice, Killswitch, and Avenged very well, I love mine, and Killswitch is a personal favorite among newer bands.

I'd say a DD, Super Distortion, or Custom.

*EDIT* Woops, it has ****ty cleans! haha...If you don't split it. Split it sounds very very nice, because it lowers it down to about 8k, a standard single coil output. It's not shrill at all, but it screams like a friggen banshee. Go check out my Demon of the Fall clip in the tips n clips room and you'll hear it.
 
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Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

DeadSkinSlayer3 said:
The DD does Thrice, Killswitch, and Avenged very well, I love mine, and Killswitch is a personal favorite among newer bands.

I'd say a DD, Super Distortion, or Custom.

*EDIT* Woops, it has ****ty cleans! haha...If you don't split it. Split it sounds very very nice, because it lowers it down to about 8k, a standard single coil output. It's not shrill at all, but it screams like a friggen banshee. Go check out my Demon of the Fall clip in the tips n clips room and you'll hear it.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll listen to your clip.
I'm looking for a pickup that growls more that screams, doesn't the DD has a lot of treble?

I wonder which one of the pups I listed is the brightest?
 
Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

Why does everybody still run around thinking that Ceramic Magnets = Shrill??? If nothing else, take a look at the Invader, 3 (!) ceramic magnets, and far from shrill.

That said, I´d go with the Duncan Custom. What you´re describing sounds like it´s exactly what you need, an "EQ-Shift to the Left" ;)

Of the ones you listed the DD is the brightest and crunchiest, followed quite closely by the SD, followed with few steps between by the Custom, whick is probably one of the most evenly-voiced pickups out there. Clean the DD and SD are both quite stale and also too hot for most (BTW, 8k is 25% more wire than classic single coils which are around 6.5k), although the Custom isn´t THAT much better IMO, but it is.

The Custom 5 has the best cleans of the bunch, but I personally find it boomy (too much bass) and it DOES have a tendency to get lost in the mix, at least over my rig..... IMO a great pickup for playing at home, but not a viable choice for a live axe.

BTW, Custom soundclip in my sig ;)
 
Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

Zerb beat me to it. Shift the Eq of the Jb a bit to the left, and you have the Custom. BTW: the Custom is not shrill at all.
 
Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

Custom all the way, not shrill at all (thats just people assuming) nice and tighty chunky alot of growl in the mids, and cuts through the mix very well while also sounding big. Just what you described.
 
Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

The Custom has a lot of punch and it has nice clean tone. The only thing I don't like is that it gets a little screechy when you solo up high on the neck. If you don't do that often, then I think the Custom is a great choice. It definitely shines when playing power chords.

I also like the CC if you are more in to soloing.
 
Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

Grab a Custom. The Ceramic mag will give you the punch and aggressiveness that you need. And yet, it still cuts. Great pickup, and for your needs, THE pickup.
 
Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

Looks like we have a winner! :)
Thanks guys. It's good to know you can count on the tone guru's in here. This place rocks! :headbang:

How are the harmonics on the Custom?
Is it suitable for some shredding as well?
Boy, am I demanding or what? :rolleyes:
 
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Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

Jason Becker playe a Custom, good enough for shredding for me ;).
 
Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

i have heard that the Custom is really harsh on solo's... it lacks the warmth of the CC and the "musicality" of the JB. i've tried both the CC and the JB, but not the Custom... so is this true?
 
Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

Hmm I can't seem to open any of your links Stevo, looks like soundclick is down. I'll try it again later. Can't wait to hear the clip!

So let's say something crazy:
If I were to compare the Custom to my '59n, would it have the same kind of voicing but brighter, more agressive, better harmonics, more compression and with a tighter low end?

I would think the Custom would do well with soloing because it's a PAF type pickup and therefore it has that 'hollow', howling type of tone. Am I correct?
 
Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

I posted a similar question last week.
I play a kramer USA that has a JB in it and needed more low end girth, so i was told to try the custom and it turned out to be PERFECT.
if you like the JB but want it to be more thumping the custom is it.
they are similar and like the others have already said the custom is like a JB with a shift to the left tone wise
 
Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

If you want warm, thick, crushing, rich, and tight....I'd say the Rio BBQ in the bridge will do it perfectly. I found it to be a dominating force in my LP Standard.
 
Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

I've heard enough :) I'm going to get a Custom, thanks everyone!
 
Re: JB replacement? Need Bridge Humbucker with bottom end for punkrock/hardcore

I know I'm bucking a trend here, but...Custom. :laugh2: That pup OWNS in a LP. I probably got the best tone of my life with that pup.
 
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