Metal pickup in between JB and Custom

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Metal pickup in between JB and Custom

Just try to skip around the video at random with a buddy, and ask them if theyre still hearing the same pup or something else each time

Honestly, the same could be said about any pickup shootout. Once you throw different pickups in a full band scenario, the differences become very subtle at best.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Metal pickup in between JB and Custom

Honestly, the same could be said about any pickup shootout. Once you throw different pickups in a full band scenario, the differences become very subtle at best.

That seriously depends.

Some bands, especially those frugal with effects and with a guitarist as their main star attraction, have guitars that sit front and center in the mix....

If Hendrix rose from the grave tomorrow and started recording with duncanized Charvel superstrats and active ESP Eclipses, you'd notice right away.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Metal pickup in between JB and Custom

Well, yeah, but then Hendrix probably wouldn't be the guy to turn to for a modern high-gain metal pickup shootout.

 

[playas]

Re: Metal pickup in between JB and Custom

Why not a JB/Custom hybrid?

This is what I thought of too, if you're not put off by having to do it yourself.

 

[DonP]

Re: Metal pickup in between JB and Custom

Why not a JB/Custom hybrid?

+1 What I was going to say. One coil from each.

 

[bloughlin16]

Re: Metal pickup in between JB and Custom

I am searching for a new bridge pickup. I mostly play metal, a lot of atmospheric and melodic stuff but I generally like a tight and bright thrash metal rhythm guitar sound. Basically everything from Doom, Gothic to Thrash, Black and Death Metal.

Currently I have a Duncan JB in my mahogany body S-Strat. It's not that I hate its sound, but sometimes it's just a little bit too flubby, mushy and nasal. I once had a Duncan Custom in my PRS and loved its sound - apart from the fact that it had a little bit too much ice pick-like attack which started to annoy me after a couple of weeks. I changed the magnet to an A8 which definitely improved the ice pick attack. Unfortunately the A8 seemed to kind of exaggerate everything else and it began to sound somehow over-the-top, almost like the parody of a high gain pickup, if that makes any sense.

So now I am looking for something in between the JB and the Custom. I'd like to have the mid focus of the JB without getting nasal and the bright- and tightness of the Custom without the annoying ice pick attack.

I watched Keith Merrow's 6 string humbucker comparison on YouTube and really liked the Pegasus, Omega and Distortion.

Any recommendations?

While I don't know that I'd put it in between a JB and a Custom, I have the Omega in both of my main guitars (6 and 7 string), and it fits the bill for the qualities you're describing pretty well: very mid-focused without being nasal and bright but not overwhelmingly so, and also very tight without getting ice-picky. It's my favorite pickup for metal and, in my opinion, is pretty versatile, too, especially paired with the Alpha. I can't say I'm a fan of the Pegasus (I actually find it muddy), and the Distortion is good, but not my cup of tea.

 

[Troll]

Re: Metal pickup in between JB and Custom

I have guitars with the 59b, Custom and Distortion. From your despription, I doubt you will like the 59/custom hybrid. They both have a great amount of that "ice pick" sound - especially the 59, the mid bump makes ice pick more clear. The SH6 Distortion is brighter and tight, while both 59 and SH5 sounds fatter.

In my opinion the SH5 and SH1 sounds way much better than SH6. Mostly because I think the SH6 is a bad humbucker for leads. Sounds like a mosquito and has too much output.

I love Seymour Duncan, most of my guitars have at leat one SD humbucker. But for me it sounds like you should explorer Dimarzio or Bare Knuckle to cover your needs. Or maybe some of the new sets such as Pegasus or Omega, I haven't tried those.

The 59 Bridge is very underrated imo. One of the best humbucker I've tried! Even for metal. But if you can't live with the ice pick sound, it's not for you.

 

[bangbang1]

Re: Metal pickup in between JB and Custom

I never liked JBs and they're growing on me lately. I am into down tuned metal tones and some pickups do it great, without excess flab. I recommend you try a Carvin C22B. It's been compared to a JB, but less spiky and more bass. Basically not that much like a JB. VERY well rounded and versatile pickup IMO.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Metal pickup in between JB and Custom

JB with regular ceramic magnet.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

This is a good choice - JB w/ Single Ceramic = Distortion Light. Tighter bottom, mids but not as much, still highs

I was going to say Try an A8 for a JB8. Thick tight bottom, rescued but present mids, and the top end shaved off just enough.


It would cost you about 2 dollars and some screwdriver time to find out....

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Metal pickup in between JB and Custom

The JB likes a passive bass pot (or permanent de-mud mod, which is the same basic idea, but not trim-able) to control that tendency, and a 1M pot.

It can be annoying pickup IMO. The output is attractive, but the output also requires it to be amplified a certain way to sound its best. It likes high headroom and a light touch with the right hand. I, being a heavy handed primarily rhythm player, can't play it through anything but my 100W amps, and have it sound like anything other than total mush.

But it can be worked with a bit if you have the right tools (most of which I mentioned above).

 

[Ben1962]

Re: Metal pickup in between JB and Custom

Yes, I was considering the Pegasus, too.
In Keith Merrow‘s pickup comparison on YouTube it sounds really good. Kind of like an improved version of the JB with a tighter low end and a little bit more presence. However, I read a lot of comments about the Pegasus being warmer and darker sounding than the JB. Those comments contradict the impression I got from the video and made me doubt if it really is the right pickup for me.

Then maybe there really isnt a Duncan for you? It is slightly warmer in that it doesnt have the icepick of a JB everybody here seems to hate. The answer to your original question is the Pegasus or the 59/custom. You can try the Peg and get another for nothing if you dont like it. If you want a DiMarzio, get a Breed or something. Sooner than later cause they dont make them anymore

 

[LLL]

Re: Metal pickup in between JB and Custom

Just to suggest something entirely different: Have you tried using a gain pedal to tighten up the low end? This was what people were doing with JBs back in the day: set a basic OD pedal so that it didn't add gain but tightened the low end. Changing pickups is fun, but this might potentially save you the work.

Awesome suggestion... typically they have a hi-pass filter built in.