Jerry Cantrell pickups. Which is better?

[Rusty Abrams]

I own a G&L Rampage Jerry Cantrell Tribute model guitar.
It came with a G&L Jerry Cantrell signature pickup which sounds really good for getting that cool Alice In Chains sound.
I installed a Seymour Duncan JB pickup in it just to see which one sounds better, but I like them both. They both sound similar, but the JB has a bit more power and clarity.

Which one do you guys prefer?

Thanks

 

[jeremy]

Re: Jerry Cantrell pickups. Which is better?

its your guitar, use what you like best!

 

[bloughlin16]

Re: Jerry Cantrell pickups. Which is better?

If the JB has more power and clarity, then go with that. You can always roll off the volume knob if there's too much output for a certain tone.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Jerry Cantrell pickups. Which is better?

He apparently uses Motor City pickups now. But a Dirt was a JB... So I want a JB.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Jerry Cantrell pickups. Which is better?

He apparently uses Motor City pickups now. But a Dirt was a JB... So I want a JB.

There's a thread about it on TGP or RT (can't remember which) talking about him switching to the Motor City Afwayu in 2009 or so. All of the classic AIC recordings are a JB.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Jerry Cantrell pickups. Which is better?

The JB is a classic and IMO is tough to beat for certain styles of music. That being said, like jeremy said, use what you like best!

 

[B2D]

Re: Jerry Cantrell pickups. Which is better?

I'd go for the JB, or better yet the Antiquity JB.

I tried an Afwayu a while back and really did not like it.

Use what sounds best to you.

 

[Rusty Abrams]

Re: Jerry Cantrell pickups. Which is better?

Here's what G&L told me via Facebook.

 

[B2D]

Re: Jerry Cantrell pickups. Which is better?

Huh. So did G&L reverse engineer a JB or is Duncan making them for G&L ?

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Jerry Cantrell pickups. Which is better?

I had a JB in mine briefly. I prefer the stock pickup, whatever it is. It seems a lot like a Custom 5 to me. It's clearer and spicier than the JB. The JB had its typical nasally, ultra-compressed tone in the guitar.

When the new '59/Custom neck model comes out, I'll be putting one in the Rampage for sure.

 

[ItsaBass]

Jerry Cantrell pickups. Which is better?

P.S. G&L obviously missed that the poster was talking about a Tribute model Rampage. They answered the question as if it was a U.S.A. model. Those have Duncan JBs, renamed with G&L's model number. Maybe they were wound like an '80's JB for G&L's bulk purchase, but basically a Duncan JB. All of G&L's regular humbucker pickups are Dunxans, and have been for some time. The only guitar humbuckers they still make in house are the oddball ones for the F-100 (but those guitars can also be ordered with standard sized humbuckers, in which case they come with G&L rebranded Duncans: '59n and JB). The Tribute Cantrells have lower output pickups, with alnico V magnets, in the 13-14KOhm range...at least my 2010 MIC one does. Perhaps the newer Indonesian ones use a pickup more like the JB.