JB vs Tone Zone

[Reckless Abandon]

I am looking for a replacement for my Epi Les Paul special. I have a JB in my other guitar. How does the tone zone compare in eq, output, etc? I know the tone charts for both site do not compare easily.
thanks

 

[Nite_Maresz_25]

Re: JB vs Tone Zone

Well the tz is bass and mid heavy doesnt have enough treble for some players. I have heard that its kind of muddy also. Both have alinco 5 magnets. If you go by dc resistance the tz is hotter(according to cd resistance but that doenst always give actual hotness). Thats about all I can thing of right now.


What type of music are you playing?[/edit].

 

[Majestic]

Re: JB vs Tone Zone

The TZ shouldn't have any upper-mid spike or "snarl" that the JB is going to have through 500k pots.

Or at least the version of the TZ that's in my Axis doesn't.......

 

[Aceman]

Re: JB vs Tone Zone

I have a Tone Zone in the bridge of a non-Gibson LP Custom (probbly close to the epi). I like it a lot. The guitar has 500k pots and I like to pump up the treble on my amp a bit. I think the Tone Zone is close to the right comp for a JB, but I agree that it doesn't have a monster high end. But I don't feel that it's particularly treble lacking either, particularly since it's in the bridge. It's definitely not shrill. I can pop harmonics out of it with ease.

 

[Reckless Abandon]

Re: JB vs Tone Zone

Well the tz is bass and mid heavy doesnt have enough treble for some players. I have heard that its kind of muddy also. Both have alinco 5 magnets. If you go by dc resistance the tz is hotter(according to cd resistance but that doenst always give actual hotness). Thats about all I can thing of right now.


What type of music are you playing?[/edit].

I play 80's metal and Ac/dc type stuff

 

[Nite_Maresz_25]

Re: JB vs Tone Zone

I play 80's metal and Ac/dc type stuff

On that note I would probably say a JB would suit you better. (but wait till someone like lew chimes in go out and buy a picup(and if people like lew don't chime in you could always shoot lew a pm).

 

[Aceman]

Re: JB vs Tone Zone

You should be able to run the treble way up on the Marshall and get the sound your after for what you play, and it won't be too shrill on the high end or fizzy at high gain.

 

[Heretic]

Re: JB vs Tone Zone

I would use the Breed over the Tone Zone for DiMarzio's as they are more "organic sounding."

Screamin' Demons and heck, even Jazz for bridge have really grown on me when it comes to 80's hair metal stuff on my Warmoth korina at least. I'll give my Screamin' Demon a month more or two of intense usage before I sell my JB to a friend. It was just too trebly and the high-mids were to icepicky.

 

[Reckless Abandon]

Re: JB vs Tone Zone

On that note I would probably say a JB would suit you better. (but wait till someone like lew chimes in go out and buy a picup(and if people like lew don't chime in you could always shoot lew a pm).

LIke I said I have the JB in other guitars. I am looking for something else for this one.

 

[italic zero]

Re: JB vs Tone Zone

Have you considered a Custom?

 

[rguser]

Re: JB vs Tone Zone

LIke I said I have the JB in other guitars. I am looking for something else for this one.

like I said in the other thread, try norton before tone zone. or even air norton for that matter. tone zone is good for making a lighter, trem equipped guitar sound full and rich. you don't have that problem with an LP so...

 

[ranalli]

Re: JB vs Tone Zone

I would only use the TZ in a brighter sounding guitar.....it's NOTHING like a JB which is already bright.

Two very different sounding pickups....they don't really compare other than in output maybe.

 

[Dankerella]

Re: JB vs Tone Zone

I use a Tone Zone. I have a love/hate relationship with it. It has a ton of bass and output. It's great for metal sounds, very full and thick - better than a JB, which to me is like a flat eq; maybe not as good as a Duncan Distortion, which is crisper to my ears. Try and tone it down on the distortion and play bluesy with a Tone Zone and it falls way short. That's where I'm having my problems lately.

 

[Mac-P]

Re: JB vs Tone Zone

Having used both in the same guitar, I can say that the JB is clearer, more organic and has more headroom. It can retain note definition WAY better than the Tone Zone, which is too "pushed" sounding all the time ("relax dude").

If you are attracted to the EQ curve of the Tone Zone, I would reccomend the Air Zone which is the more "vintage" version of the Tone Zone. It has slightly more highs and bass than the JB, and similar output. The Breed is also very good. It has a bit less highs than the AZ and a bit more mids. The Tone Zone sounds like an Air Zone with a slight, but permanent, overdrive bult into it. If you like clean tones at all, I would steer away from the Tone Zone.

I have used all these in the same guitar so I am not just spewing forth DiMarzio's ad info...

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: JB vs Tone Zone

I own both, but in different guitars. Both are very good pickups, IMO. TZ-gibson sounds much more edgy and aggressive, but never shrill or ear-piercing. Single notes sound really big. Enough highs for me. I find it articulate too. JB-jackson has more highs but has the lows as well, I'd call it more balanced. The midspike is there, which can annoy some people.

Add: TZ does sound more compressed, and JB more open. I think that it's a good thing on both pups accounts.