JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

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CarlosG

Member
Hi! I read that JB and Super Distortion are most used guitar pickups in 80s.
what are the differences? Which is more gain? Which is more dynamic on lower gain (which is more comressed)? Which is brighter and wchich have tight bass?
Which is better in Fender Strat for 80's glam metal tone?
I like Van Halen, Extreme, Motley Crue, Whitesnake, Europe, Def Leppard, White Lion, GNR, Dokken, Ratt etc
 
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Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

Honestly, I think almost every player should try both at least once. For me, the bump in the upper midrange of the JB is what makes it such a killer for leads. Tons of harmonics, but.. Some find that bump to sound "harsh" and you cant really EQ it away. Going by the info I read, the Super D has a thicker sound, and the midrange bump is lower in the midrange. I bet you would be happy with both, theres a reason why they have been around so long. Tough to beat for the money
 
Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

CarlosG said:
Hi! I read that JB and Super Distortion are most used guitar pickups in 80s.
what are the differences? Which is more gain? Which is more dynamic on lower gain (which is more comressed)? Which is brighter and wchich have tight bass?
Which is better in Fender Strat for 80's glam metal tone?
I like Van Halen, Extreme, Motley Crue, Whitesnake, Europe, Def Leppard, White Lion, GNR, Dokken, Ratt etc
Click to expand...

What amp and speakers are you using ? For the bands you listed the JB would be my pick but the Super Distortion will also do a great job
 
Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

Super Distortion has tighter bass and is slightly less bright. It sounds better than a JB to me.
 
Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

I'd go JB if the guitar was bright and/or scooped. (like some maple neck-thru alder with ebony)
With full mahogany neck/body or a basswood body bolt-on w/rosewood board it would be SD for me.

And just to over-generalize even further;
I prefer hot ceramics in guitars with some natural sponginess in the lows and warmer rounder highs.
I only use hot alnico for guitars with tight lows and loud crisp highs.
 
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Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

Thanks for your answers! You're great!
Why Duncans have one regulated polepieces row? I always set polepieces separately for each string.
Dimarzios seems more practical, because have all regulated polepieces.
 
Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

Some Duncans do have twelve adjustable poles. Six and a slug row is a "standard" configuration among most pickup makers, base on what Gibson did.

I don't think the JB and SD are comparable pickups, at all. Very different animals. The Custom or Distortion are more open to comparison.
 
Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

Well, the obvious answer is to have TWO guitars. One with each....

Get a Jackson and put the JB in there.
Get an Ibanez shred stick and put the SuperD in.

Win/Win!


Here is an interesting suggestion: Get a JB and put an A8 in there. Kinda like a SuperD, kinda like a JB.
 
Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

To me, both of these pickups are sorta loose, kind of hot pickups. With that said, I hear the SD as being overall thicker and warmer, while the JB has more bite to the top end/high mids. I've found that the JB is a hit or miss pickup in some guitars, but the Super D imparts its own flavor to a guitar and works (for that Super D sound) across a wider variety of axes.
 
Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

Van Halen - SDCS 78/SH-11/BK VHII/IM1/ etc
Extreme - BL L500XL
Motley Crue -Super Distortion
Whitesnake - Gibson Dirty Fingers
Europe - No idea
Def Leppard - Super 2
White Lion - I seem to remember EMGs?
GNR - A2P
Dokken - Distortion/Screamin Demon/Dokkenbucker
Ratt -JB
 
Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

Ceramics prevail. Should ceramic magnet are more transparent and more dynamic on the distortion?
Dokkenbucker is JB with ceramic?
 
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Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

superpete said:
Van Halen - SDCS 78/SH-11/BK VHII/IM1/ etc
Extreme - BL L500XL
Motley Crue -Super Distortion
Whitesnake - Gibson Dirty Fingers
Europe - No idea
Def Leppard - Super 2
White Lion - I seem to remember EMGs?
GNR - A2P
Dokken - Distortion/Screamin Demon/Dokkenbucker
Ratt -JB
Click to expand...

Porno Grafiti and Pride were recorded with the same Michel Wagner's rig of which Rack BBE sonic maximizer was key. Vito Bratta used JB in a strat.
 
Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

superpete said:
Van Halen - SDCS 78/SH-11/BK VHII/IM1/ etc

Def Leppard - Super 2
White Lion - I seem to remember EMGs?
Click to expand...

Def Lepard = Steve Clark (Duncan 59, Gibson Dirty Fingers, and what became Gibson classic 57’s)
Pete Willis (Duncan 59)
Phil Collen (DiMarzio super, DiMarzio super2, DiMarzio super 3, Jackson j90c which were fitted stock on his Jackson soloists in the 80’s, DiMarzio fast track, and Fernandez sustainer units)

Vito Bratta did indeed use EMG’s and steinbergers but also used Duncan 59’s and even a JB in his guitar. The white strat I believe had the 59.
 
Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

I'm with the crowd that says everyone should try both. Maybe you'll like one, maybe the other, or maybe you truly need two guitars. But given your tastes, there's no excuse to not have tried these two!

As a side note, and to emphasize what Benjy said, I've personally found that the SD seems to be "friendlier" to wide a range of guitar types and woods. Rarely does it not sound huge and crunchy. The JB only really sounds good in a couple of my guitars, but when you find that magic combo, look out!
 
Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

Dr.Mavashi said:
Porno Grafiti and Pride were recorded with the same Michel Wagner's rig of which Rack BBE sonic maximizer was key. Vito Bratta used JB in a strat.
Click to expand...

I would disagree here. I think the ADA MP-1 was a bigger piece of the puzzle and was used on both of those (Wagener has stated when using similar setups the 802 wasn't used on all tracks). In looking up what Wagener used on all those records (including pornographitti and skid rows first) they even used the same patch for alot of those sounds. Don't mean to get off topic but if you're interested in the settings I just posted them in the Furman PQ-3 thread.
 
Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

The last question.
Super Distortion has more narrow/close/ tight bass than JB, yes? Jb has more spongy/sloppy bass?
 
Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

The SuperD has more bass, thicker bass, and perhaps tighter bass.

The JB has less bass, thinner bass, looser bass.

I would NOT say that the bass on a JB is light, thin, or loose though. It is pretty mid-line / moderate as bass goes. Not weak, but not a major strength either.

The SuperD - Bass, Mids, thick, and more highs than you think. Not mega hot by todays standards.
- Maiden, Motley, Def Lep, LP's, Floyded Ibanez
The JB - Mids, highs, cut, and more bass than you think. Pretty hot, but not mega hot by today's standards.
- Ratt, Megadeth, Ozzy (Jake E Lee), Floyded Charvel
 
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Re: JB vs Super Distortion 80s metal icons

Aceman said:
The SuperD - Bass, Mids, thick, and more highs than you think. Not mega hot by todays standards.
- Maiden, Motley, Def Lep, LP's, Floyded Ibanez
The JB - Mids, highs, cut, and more bass than you think. Pretty hot, but not mega hot by today's standards.
- Ratt, Megadeth, Ozzy (Jake E Lee), Floyded Charvel
Click to expand...

What this means to me is I need some Super Distortion in my life.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
 
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