Neck pickup to go with Duncan JB8

B

Birdman642

New member
I have a Seymour Duncan JB8 lying around that I got a few years ago. I’ve been thinking about swapping that into the bridge of a Jackson DK2M which currently has a Crunch Lab/ Liquifire set. Can anyone recommend a good neck pickup to compliment the JB8? I’ve heard that it’s incredibly hot and can drown out some of the lower output neck pickups like a Jazz.
 
I use it with Wilde Alnico Microcoils in an HSS Strat. I have a similar setup with 2 L45 and L500XL. With a clean sound the bridge buckers are MUCH louder and darker but it doesn't matter. The bridge setting is used with distortion only, the singles for clean and distortion.

I've never found the Jazz to get drowned out by anything.
 
I think the Jazz' EQ is what keeps it sitting on top of a mix and blending well with much higher-output pickups.
 
Birdman642 I don't find JB8 incredibly hot, when comparing it to Black Winter, Distortion, Custom, Custom8 and Custom Custom. For a neck pair, Jazz or Full Shred (or my new favourite, 59/Jazz hybrid) should do the job, they're not at all overpowered by the JB. For an even meaner and tighter bass sound try swapping the E, A and D filister screws in the JB with hex screws you pull from the Liquifire, that's how I'm using my JB8 now and I really like it.
 
AdrianSD said:
Birdman642 I don't find JB8 incredibly hot, when comparing it to Black Winter, Distortion, Custom, Custom8 and Custom Custom.
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So if it’s not as hot as any of those how exactly does it stack up?
I have a Black Winter matched set in my other Jackson that I absolutely adore. Is the JB8 radically different from the BW in terms of tone and output? Would I still be able to get a decent Gothenburg Melodeath type tone from the JB8?
I also have a stock JB in an Explorer. How does the JB8 compare to the stock JB in terms of tone and output?
 
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I have a Jazz neck with a JB in my Charvel, they match output well as long as you set the height correctly. I think it is a versatile combo, the Jazz is great for high gain lead but also sounds good for cleans and mild overdrive. You can always split coils for even cleaner sound.


Edit: Wait, now I see you mean JB8, not the regular JB. I have never tried that.
 
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Sentient. Have one in my KOA Carvin DC 127 with a Alt 8 in the bridge and that combo kills.
The Sentient really seems to work well with A 8 and can not imagine a better match for the Alt. Have had both the Alt and the JB 8 in guitars and think a Sientient would be a really good match for the JB 8.
 
Birdman642 said:
So if it’s not as hot as any of those how exactly does it stack up?
I have a Black Winter matched set in my other Jackson that I absolutely adore. Is the JB8 radically different from the BW in terms of tone and output? Would I still be able to get a decent Gothenburg Melodeath type tone from the JB8?
I also have a stock JB in an Explorer. How does the JB8 compare to the stock JB in terms of tone and output?
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Compared to the stock JB, the JB8 has higher output but its EQ feels flatter. Smoother highs, high mids and low mids sound very balanced and the bass is definitely tighter, if you're into high gain I'd say give the JB8 a go asap. Even with the A8, it still preserves that staple high mid honky voice, but it doesn't sound out of place at all, I love it. And it responds well to height adjustment. If you like Black Winter bridge you'll probably like The JB8. The BW cleans up nicer, I can do more with it compared to the JB, but since I spend 95% of the time plugged into a tubescreamer pushing the Marshall OD2 channel I love both equally :)
 
AdrianSD said:
since I spend 95% of the time plugged into a tubescreamer pushing the Marshall OD2 channel I love both equally :)
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That sounds exactly like what I do! I’m excited to try the JB8 out. I ordered a used Jazz neck yesterday. I can’t wait to try that combo
 
Don't worry about it. Your ears will quickly tire of the JB8, and your problem won't exist anymore.

Of course, that's just, like, my opinion, man.
 
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