The Duncan JB and it's clones

[Spaced Out Ace]

They don't make it anymore, but the Concept Set was a single-conductor JB A2/Jazz set. The JB originally had an A2 magnet but I guess they decided to change it early on.

Besides that, the Custom Shop Duncan RTM (Warren DeMartini sig) seems to be an A2 JB.

Is the RTM just a JB with a swapped A2? Because if someone pays custom shop prices for a swapped magnet, they deserve to get fleeced for around twice the price.

 

[Hoss632]

Well, I kinda don't know what to think anymore. I've got a 1999 Framus with a stock JB in the bridge; is there any point to trying some of these different versions out? I mean - is there a conceivable difference that can't be simply achieved by turning some knobs down the chain?

For what it's worth, I really like my JB. That midrange can get tricky sometimes, but overall it's just solid.

If the JB really isn't doing it for you then yes most of these other pick ups would be worth it. Bare knuckle stuff has a very different tonal character regardless of what pick up model it is compared to Seymour Duncan. Same as Dimarzio and EMG have their own kinda thing going on that other pick ups don't have sound wise.

 

[slavboi_delight]

I'm curious if EMG does anything JB esque...

Maybe the 57? Or something of the Retroactive line?
I just saw that the Retroactives are made in Indonesia

 

[Hoss632]

I'm curious if EMG does anything JB esque...

Retro-active hot 70's set is as close as you'd get. Fantastic sounding set, IMO EMG's best sounding 6 string set. Still has more compression to it and less bottom end than a JB. In this video the clean tones really show the differences more so than the high gain stuff, but you can hear it. For anyone wondering this guy has a lot of vidds of the JB vs other bridge pick ups as well.

 

[littlebadboy]

The affordable pickups seller on eBay, Guitar Madness, has the GM Hot Alnico pickup that was modeled after the JB. You can get it for a fraction of the cost.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Retro-active hot 70's set is as close as you'd get. Fantastic sounding set, IMO EMG's best sounding 6 string set. Still has more compression to it and less bottom end than a JB. In this video the clean tones really show the differences more so than the high gain stuff, but you can hear it. For anyone wondering this guy has a lot of vidds of the JB vs other bridge pick ups as well.

Even on my laptop speakers I can tell I like the Hot 70 more. Tighter low end and more attack with the palm mutes.

 

[eaeolian]

Fuck it I'm gonna ask you both since @eaeolian is the resident JB nerd and Drew is the dude that uses Suhrs.

Any experience with the standard Suhr pickups like the DSH(+) or SSH(+)? From what I've read the Aldrich is supposed to also be based on the SSH+ with a hotter wind. I'm curious if that means the DSH/SSH would have some tonal characteristics, just with a bit clearer sound due to the lower wind.

I didn't like the SSH+ as much as the Aldrich - in fact, that's what is in the Dinky that has the Aldrich in it now. It sounded like a DiMarzio take on a JB, to me - the midrange wasn't raunchy like the Aldrich is.

 

[eaeolian]

The Thrash Factor is supposed to be modeled after Dave Mustaine's JB he had during the Rust In Peace era, but I have no idea whether it's really better.

Eh, I noticed no difference. Sounded like a JB.

 

[eaeolian]

Is the RTM just a JB with a swapped A2? Because if someone pays custom shop prices for a swapped magnet, they deserve to get fleeced for around twice the price.

Supposedly that's the only difference, and I agree, but some people don't like to take stuff apart.

 

[grimm26]

Something I've been thinking about. I'm curious if anyone's ever tried the Duncan JB and compared it to the various supposed clones out there?

Like, you have the standard JB. Polarizing pickup.

And then you have the supposed clones like the Suhr SSH+ and Aldrich, the Wolfetone Timbre Wolf, the Motor City Afwayu (inb4 knightbolaire ), the BKP Holy Diver, Rebel Yell, and I THINk the Alnico Nailbomb? Oh and forgot the Fishman Fluence Classic 2nd oicing. Anything else I'm missing that anyone's tried?

I am not a fan of the JB at all and I like the Fluence classic voice 2 a lot.

 

[Drew]

Fuck it I'm gonna ask you both since @eaeolian is the resident JB nerd and Drew is the dude that uses Suhrs.

Any experience with the standard Suhr pickups like the DSH(+) or SSH(+)? From what I've read the Aldrich is supposed to also be based on the SSH+ with a hotter wind. I'm curious if that means the DSH/SSH would have some tonal characteristics, just with a bit clearer sound due to the lower wind.

You know, I think I have a SSH+ sitting around here somewhere that I've never actually installed in anything. Maybe I'll toss it into my 3120 just for curiosity. In general, my impression has been the Suhr humbuckers are good, but it's their singlecoils that are the real standouts, though I have really liked the Thornbuckers.

 

[Hoss632]

Even on my laptop speakers I can tell I like the Hot 70 more. Tighter low end and more attack with the palm mutes.

I definitely love the hot 70's set from EMG. But I also do love the JB as well. Especially for punk, pop punk and some types of metal where the band is not in a real low tuning (like drop c# up to standard). Green Day's best guitar tones involve the JB and Avenged Sevenfold's rhythm guitarist has a JB in his signature guitar as well. So it definitely has it's place in that type of music where a real tight low end isn't necessarily needed.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I definitely love the hot 70's set from EMG. But I also do love the JB as well. Especially for punk, pop punk and some types of metal where the band is not in a real low tuning (like drop c# up to standard). Green Day's best guitar tones involve the JB and Avenged Sevenfold's rhythm guitarist has a JB in his signature guitar as well. So it definitely has it's place in that type of music where a real tight low end isn't necessarily needed.

For my own personal taste I do prefer a tighter, brighter sounding guitar. I usually tend to EQ and adjust the amp when I want something thicker. Its why I like amps that have fancy shit like fat/bright switches, or pre-gain EQs like the Mark series

 

[Hoss632]

For my own personal taste I do prefer a tighter, brighter sounding guitar. I usually tend to EQ and adjust the amp when I want something thicker. Its why I like amps that have fancy shit like fat/bright switches, or pre-gain EQs like the Mark series

I've never played a tube amp of any kind sadly. Tonally from demos the ones I want to try most are the PRS MT15, the new Revv Generator Mk100R, victory kraken, orange dark terror and a marshall jcm. I have a katana 2x12 100 watt which is more than I really will ever need and my guitar currently is emg 85 loaded in the bridge. It'll likely get a hot 70's set swapped in though as to me they just sound better.

 

[juka]

As I still haven't tried a Fluence Abasi set I can't comment on that, but somebody over at SD Pickup Lounge claims that Frank Albo told him that V2 on the Abasi bridge pup was voiced after Frank's vintage JB. Don't know how they did this on a ceramic bladed pup, but as @frank falbo shows up here from time to time maybe he likes to chime in

 

[frank falbo]

The Abasi V2 is not JB-based. It began in a mid-output passive space, before refinement.

As others mentioned, it’s the Classic V2 that goes head to head with my 1970s holy grail double cream butyrate JB. And of course has the Fluence attributes like better phase alignment and clarity.

People have made the point here about how not all JBs sound the same. My grail is a different beast.

Some fact checking; the RTM is not a simple JB with A2. It’s a different coil recipe. The 35th Anniversary is closer to old ones, and was only available for 1 year, but the Antiquity JB is permanently available and is the aged/degaussed version. The Mustaine Thrash Factor is JB based but the Mustaine Live Wires have basically nothing to do with a JB. The coils are a totally different size, and it has blades. They just targeted the resonant peak response of a JB. So that’s why in marketing they say it’s “like” an active JB. Dave used JB’s and it’s the easiest way to explain the sound.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

For years Dave Mustaine, the legendary charismatic leader of Megadeth, relied on our passive JB and Jazz humbuckers to record some of the most influential riffs in the history of Metal. But like most extreme players, eventually you just want more. We worked with Dave to voice a set of high output active humbucker pickups that deliver the distinct tonal character of the JB/Jazz combo, but with extra ferocity and gain.

It basically says it is a hotter, active JB and Jazz.

 

[frank falbo]

I can’t tell whether you’re disagreeing or not so let me clarify. When we’re talking about JB’s and other brands that are making their version of something JB-ish, to me that means pole piece construction with a standard sized A5 magnet (unless they’re deliberately pitching it as a magnet variation) and it would be wound with 44AWG, poly coating, and the pickup maker can decide whether they think single build or heavy build is better, and the DCR will be around 16k.

So in other words, it’s not really right to find a 43 or 42 gauge wire pickup with a DCR between 8-14k and include it in a list of JBs and JB-alikes.

Personally I wouldn’t include anything with stamped steel blades or differently sized coils in the list. They just targeted the EQ curve of a JB/Jazz when designing the Mustaine LW’s, but the feel off the strings and the overall response is quite different.

No harm in them marketing them like an active JB/Jazz, it’s just telling customers what kind of EQ curve to expect. I’m just saying I don’t consider them any more a part of the JB family than I would include a Line 6 on somebody’s list of tube amps.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

I can’t tell whether you’re disagreeing or not so let me clarify. When we’re talking about JB’s and other brands that are making their version of something JB-ish, to me that means pole piece construction with a standard sized A5 magnet (unless they’re deliberately pitching it as a magnet variation) and it would be wound with 44AWG, poly coating, and the pickup maker can decide whether they think single build or heavy build is better, and the DCR will be around 16k.

So in other words, it’s not really right to find a 43 or 42 gauge wire pickup with a DCR between 8-14k and include it in a list of JBs and JB-alikes.

Personally I wouldn’t include anything with stamped steel blades or differently sized coils in the list. They just targeted the EQ curve of a JB/Jazz when designing the Mustaine LW’s, but the feel off the strings and the overall response is quite different.

No harm in them marketing them like an active JB/Jazz, it’s just telling customers what kind of EQ curve to expect. I’m just saying I don’t consider them any more a part of the JB family than I would include a Line 6 on somebody’s list of tube amps.

I was saying that is the impression one gets from the marketing ad copy. I think it is slightly misleading, if what you are saying is the case. Just my two cents (and thanks to inflation, that isn't worth shit).