The Duncan JB

[j2379]

My mutt had some issue with the pickup that was in it. So off to the parts bin, 1 Duncan trem spaced JB oh well usually not a favorite pickup of mine but oh well. It sounds GREAT, something about strat body and a maple neck. I have a Wayne w a JB that also sounds great but most other guitars I've tried the JB I don't like it.

Why I don't know but as of now I'm chalking it up to the JB only likes black super strats w Floyd's and maple fret boards and chrome hardware.

[toejam]

I've always thought the JB was overrated. I think they're a little loose and flubby sounding in the bass with too much treble and high mids, but they do sound a little better to me in mahogany. Interestingly, the ones that came in both of my old RR1T models sounded decent. The one in my all mahogany Hamer Special also sounds pretty good, but I've also been debating whether to swap that out for a DiMarzio Norton.
I also have the active JB/Jazz Mustaine set in my Mustaine Dean V, and the JB does sound tighter and fuller with a tiny bit more gain. It could also sound better considering it's an all mahogany guitar...

[markD]

for me, the JB has always gotten the job done. when i was playing rivera amps exclusively, it was hard finding a pick-up that played nicely with the tone of the rivera. it pretty much boiled down to a JB or a di'marzio PAF Pro. they both have just the right amounts of mids to smooth out the rivera. the JB has more gain, but is not over the top or "mushy".

[shreddermon]

I like JBs, but find them to be fairly inconsistent. They work great in some guitars, not so much in others. Very sensitive to height adjustment, too. I've found you really need to sinch them up very close to the strings to get a good tone.

Then again, I prefer a Custom or Dimarzios more often, anyway.

[neilli]

I used to dislike JBs a lot, but found that they work very nicely in maple necked guitars with a pickguard. Go figure..

[leftykingv2]

I have the JB in four different guitars. Two are alder one is mahogany and the other one was maple. It sounds great in my opinion in all of them except the maple body guitar which is why I swapped it out of the maple body for a pearly gate trembucker. It was way too bright on the maple but it sounds great in every other body I've tried. Overall I think the JB is a great pick up and I like the tones it produces very much. On a scale of one to ten I would give it a strong eight but that's just my opinion. My favorite pick up is the Seymour Duncan Screamin Demon and I know a lot of guys who hate them but to each their own. If I was going to give pick up advice to anybody I would say one simple thing.....Find what works for you and go with it because tone is a very subjective thing and one mans garbage is another mans gold.

[h.e.l.shane]

One thing that makes a HUGE difference in a JB is using a 250K volume pot...

they are one of those pickups that can sound waaay to thin in certain guitars

I onlyhave one JB left that hasn;t been swapped out to an AlNico 8 Mag though.

Not quite an Alternative 8 sound, but it does tighten the bottom end up and gives it more balls

[h.e.l.shane]

I used to dislike JBs a lot, but found that they work very nicely in maple necked guitars with a pickguard. Go figure..

think about what JB stands for

[DonP]

My favorite pick up is the Seymour Duncan Screamin Demon and I know a lot of guys who hate them but to each their own.

I have a Screamin Demon in an alder body rosewood bolt on and it sounds beefy. I do tune it down a step.

[j2379]

Jeff beck. I still think its the most finicky pickup but it sounds killer in my mutt. I'm still going w the black super strat theory.

[leftykingv2]

I have a Screamin Demon in an alder body rosewood bolt on and it sounds beefy. I do tune it down a step.

Yeah I love this pick up in any wood with any fret board. I've never had an issue with it because of how many different tones you can get from it. It's maybe a middle output pick up at best but I love the bottom end it has even tuned to standard. Not to mention the way harmonics and high ends solo stuff just fly's off the guitar. I have a 1973 strat with a maple board and I have the single coil version of the Demon in the bridge and it sounds absolutely killer. Again this is all based off of opinion. One of my best buds hates the way it sounds.

[leftykingv2]

One thing that makes a HUGE difference in a JB is using a 250K volume pot...

they are one of those pickups that can sound waaay to thin in certain guitars

I onlyhave one JB left that hasn;t been swapped out to an AlNico 8 Mag though.

Not quite an Alternative 8 sound, but it does tighten the bottom end up and gives it more balls

I use the stock JB pickups and 500K CTS pots that came standard on my USA KV2's and I've never had an issue.

[warlok]

I like the JB I have in my Kelly XL and in my Model 6. Both poplar with 500K volume and no tone pot.

[tomanyjacksons]

I like JB's in Alder guitars, but I'm not impressed with them in basswood guitars. I've been switching mine to Dimarzio Tone Zones and have been happier with basswood bodied guitars. Good luck.

[leftykingv2]

I like JB's in Alder guitars, but I'm not impressed with them in basswood guitars. I've been switching mine to Dimarzio Tone Zones and have been happier with basswood bodied guitars. Good luck.

That's probably why a lot of high end basswood Ibanez guitars come with Tone Zone and or Air Norton pick ups. I personally have never been a DiMarzio fan.