Mustain VS JB/Jazz

syrnix

New member
I have read that the Duncan Dave Mustain Livewire Pickups are EQ'ed the same as the Duncan JB/Jazz combo. Basicly my question is how much differance would there be between the two sets. Would the livewires sound the same only a little louder or would the give you more distortion or more gain. also how much difference would they be compaired to the EMG 81/85 combo.

I love my JB and plan on keeping it but i want something also that is more powerfull and would give me more distortion to put in another guitar..
 
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

syrnix, welcome to the forum. I apologize this thread has not received an appropriate response. Excuse me for just a moment.


Will some of you that are eduacted about these types of pickups please chime in and help a new brother out, or are you all still trying to build the worlds biggest pickup out of leftover bong parts and tin foil. Get off the crack for just a minute and help a brother out here.

Besides, I'd like to know the answer also.

Now, back to syrnix's original question.
 
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

basically the mustaine live wires are just hot rodded versions of the passive counterparts. ive played both sets before. i really like the mustaines just because i like to play metal music so actives work better for me. all in all its just something you are going to have to play to figure out but the actives are way more hotter.
 
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

I have read that the Duncan Dave Mustain Livewire Pickups are EQ'ed the same as the Duncan JB/Jazz combo. Basicly my question is how much differance would there be between the two sets. Would the livewires sound the same only a little louder or would the give you more distortion or more gain. also how much difference would they be compaired to the EMG 81/85 combo. I love my JB and plan on keeping it but i want something also that is more powerfull and would give me more distortion to put in another guitar..

Without hearing them, I'd have to say that if they're voiced the same, they'll sound the same. Me, I wouldn't think it's worth swapping to DM sig set unless you have (basically) "throw away" income.
 
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

There is DEFINETELY noticable differences between the 2 sets of pickups. As Perry D said the mustaines do have a higher output. Personally I like the sound of the Mustaines better both on distortion and clean. If any of you get a chance definetely give the mustaines a try.

Rock on ~ kac
 
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

Without hearing them, I'd have to say that if they're voiced the same, they'll sound the same. Me, I wouldn't think it's worth swapping to DM sig set unless you have (basically) "throw away" income.

Even though they are "voiced" the same, its a different beast. The pre-amp gives you 10dB of gain. I don't think its fair to say they will sound the same.
 
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

By the way, Syrnix, welcome to the forum :)
 
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

Welcome to the Forum bro!!
Hotter PU's/more gain from your amp!!!So if any Pu is hotter (higher output-mv ,not DC resistance!!!)your amp will be driven earlier on its peek and it is easier to "overdrive".It gives more compression ,more Screaming harmonics.
But OTOH ,they are not the "clean" beasts.
Dave Mustain's needs are not extreme.If you hear your "work" ,he likes not ultra screaming crushing deep sound.He has more articulate ,tamed but welll saturated distortion.So you will get it with Passives.But Jb is "not " the ultra hi-gain beast.Maybe therefore made SD a new active set for him!
The actives has their own advantages.Try it by yourself.Noone can "judge" with your ears!!!
Cheers!!
 
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

Dude, why do you keep doing this???

Doing what? The way they were described made it sound like they were going to sound like the JB/Jazz, just active. If they don't, maybe you should tell SD that their marketing for the Mustain set is misleading, because that's what it lead me to believe. I qualified my statement by saying I hadn't heard the Mustain set. That, and since Mustain's been using the same set (JB/Jazz) for years and only recently went active pickups (but with the same "voicing" as the set he's used for years), I'd think they sounded the same because Mustain liked that sound.

Still, I qualified my statement. If the SD marketing for the Mustain set makes it sound like they will sound like the Hotrodded set, email them for me. Unlike you, some else chimed in and explained that they don't sound the same, which helped a whole lot more than what you said. If human beings aren't perfect (which we're not) and mistakes happen, maybe teaching someone the "perfect" way would help a lot more than putting them down, eh? :D
 
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

Doing what?
Addressing subjects with which you have no experience.

TwinReverb said:
Unlike you, some else chimed in and explained that they don't sound the same, which helped a whole lot more than what you said.
So giving the guy a wrong answer is better than not saying anything? Anybody who has ANY experience with active pickups knows they don't sound anything like passives, and not because of the EQ'ing of the pickup. Go reread the first post. He's aware that they're voiced the same, and also aware that active pickups are gonna be hotter than passives. Now, go read the rest of the posts. They're either by people who have USED the Mustaine set and the JB/Jazz set, or people explaining the differences between using passive and active pickups.
 
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

So giving the guy a wrong answer is better than not saying anything? Anybody who has ANY experience with active pickups knows they don't sound anything like passives, and not because of the EQ'ing of the pickup. Go reread the first post. He's aware that they're voiced the same, and also aware that active pickups are gonna be hotter than passives. Now, go read the rest of the posts. They're either by people who have USED the Mustaine set and the JB/Jazz set, or people explaining the differences between using passive and active pickups.

So being an @$$hole is ok just because you're right? So you get to take a dump on me just because you're right?

Re-read what I said. Oh well, I was wrong, I admitted that I didn't have any playing experience on them. My comment towards you was how you didn't help me one bit, but the person who chimed in after you did. Maybe you could take lessons from Bada Bing! on how to treat people. Is it any wonder I'm going to have to put you back on ignore? (not because you're right, but because you're a jerk, and not worth my time).

As for the Hot rodded set versus the Mustain set, my personal opinion is that it's just not worth buying more stuff and having a guitar modified when the sets are voiced the same. That's like buying the Epi Zakk Wilde sig with passive EMG's and then slapping in the actives when those two sets are voiced the same as well. However, I had a friend who insisted on doing it. Oh well, it was his money, not mine.
 
Last edited:
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

So being an @$$hole is ok just because you're right? So you get to take a dump on me just because you're right?

Re-read what I said. Oh well, I was wrong, I admitted that I didn't have any playing experience on them. My comment towards you was how you didn't help me one bit, but the person who chimed in after you did. Maybe you could take lessons from Bada Bing! on how to treat people. Is it any wonder I'm going to have to put you back on ignore? (not because you're right, but because you're a jerk, and not worth my time).
Do you have me on ignore yet?

Just in case you don't, grow up. We've had this conversation (the error in critiquing stuff you've never used) MANY times before, and each time you say the same, "Yeah, I know, it's silly that I said that, I'm wrong...."

The problem actually lies in me, as everytime one of the arguments ends, I actually expect that you realized people don't appreciate ignorant reviews.
 
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

JB from hell might have went about it the wrong way but, he's right. They are two totally different sets. I own the jazz/jb and I've played the mustaines many times in the store. They have lots more gain and are tons higher output. Also, if I bought the epi zakk wylde I would put in real emg's because the passive emgs are just not the same.
 
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

As for the Hot rodded set versus the Mustain set, my personal opinion is that it's just not worth buying more stuff and having a guitar modified when the sets are voiced the same. That's like buying the Epi Zakk Wilde sig with passive EMG's and then slapping in the actives when those two sets are voiced the same as well. However, I had a friend who insisted on doing it. Oh well, it was his money, not mine.
Was this to show everyone who didn't already think you know absolutely nothing about pickups that you in fact, do not?
 
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

JB from hell might have went about it the wrong way but, he's right. They are two totally different sets. I own the jazz/jb and I've played the mustaines many times in the store. They have lots more gain and are tons higher output. Also, if I bought the epi zakk wylde I would put in real emg's because the passive emgs are just not the same.

However, do they not sound the same? Of course the actives are going to be higher output, higher gain, but the overall sound ("voice") will be the same, just as if it was the same person singing one song softly and singing another song much louder.

If this is not the case, like I said, then SD needs to fix their marketing ad for the set.
 
Re: Mustain VS JB/Jazz

I definitely notice a much richer sound with the active emg's. Its like the passive ones are a person with a cold trying to sing and the active emgs are a person in tip top shape singing. I wouldn't make that metaphor with the jazz/jb set though because I actually like the passive jazz/jb set just fine. The passive emgs on the other hand are terrible. JMHO.
 
Back
Top