Re: output & clarity
That depends heavily on what you mean by clarity, but generally speaking, yes, I think lower output pickups are better in this regard because they do not have the compressed sound that you get with higher output pickups. I've always felt that less compression gives you a clearer, more articulate tone. That doesn't mean that pickups like the JB and Distortion don't have clarity, they most definitely do. They'll cut through a mix without sounding muddy, but in terms of thickness and note separation under distortion, I think lower output pickups do a better job of that.
Ryan