Duncan JB - Love it or hate it? Why?

[johnny q]

Love it. It's been on more classic recordings than one can count. I love the crunchy-ness, the lead tone and how you can go from classic rock to hair metal and beyond. I know some folks say it lacks low end and the mid spike is annoying but that has not been my experience. I have a JB/59 in my PRS Custom 22 and a Jb/Jazz in my 1989 Les Paul Custom. Expensive boo-teek pickups have come and gone multiple times in both guitars, but the Duncan's remain.

 

[Bloodrock]

Jb is harsh with 500k pots to me. Was better with 250k. Then I found the Kramer Eruption. Like a JB without the harsh frequencies.

 

[stratjacket]

I’ve received a few guitars that had them installed. They sounded good, like a good rock pickup. It’s been a while but seem to remember it being a little thin sounding. I like a pickup with good low mids, so not that it was bad just wasn’t for me.

 

[Techdeth]

This guitar will be buried with me. 93 SG with a JB . Tried everything . This guitar is the best sounding on earth. An SG with JB sounds good with any amp . I feel like it’s cheating lol it makes my 8 strings come in second to this for tone . I honestly don’t see how people buy a Gibson and keep the pickups standard .

 

[Techdeth]

I’ve received a few guitars that had them installed. They sounded good, like a good rock pickup. It’s been a while but seem to remember it being a little thin sounding. I like a pickup with good low mids, so not that it was bad just wasn’t for me.

Dude in my SG it’s so thick and full with any amp . They go best with gibsons

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

Love it. It's been on more classic recordings than one can count. I love the crunchy-ness, the lead tone and how you can go from classic rock to hair metal and beyond. I know some folks say it lacks low end and the mid spike is annoying but that has not been my experience. I have a JB/59 in my PRS Custom 22 and a Jb/Jazz in my 1989 Les Paul Custom. Expensive boo-teek pickups have come and gone multiple times in both guitars, but the Duncan's remain.

The Jazz is a worthy choice for the LP at the neck, bright and has ultra-clarity and articulation. A LP doesn't need extra beef at the neck, but many guitars do.

 

[JackBootedThug]

View attachment 427394This guitar will be buried with me. 93 SG with a JB . Tried everything . This guitar is the best sounding on earth. An SG with JB sounds good with any amp . I feel like it’s cheating lol it makes my 8 strings come in second to this for tone . I honestly don’t see how people buy a Gibson and keep the pickups standard .

I want another sg. Been on an ACdC kick lately so that doesn’t help. Pulled out the yammy sg700 though. It’s more Les Paul style than sg. Damn that guitar sounds and plays good.

 

[Techdeth]

I want another sg. Been on an ACdC kick lately so that doesn’t help. Pulled out the yammy sg700 though. It’s more Les Paul style than sg. Damn that guitar sounds and plays good.

That’s an awesome guitar

 

[JackBootedThug]

It also has a set of custom shop dimarzio schb’s wound by big Larry himself supposedly…. Sounds crazy…plus their coil tapped.

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

I want another sg. Been on an ACdC kick lately so that doesn’t help. Pulled out the yammy sg700 though. It’s more Les Paul style than sg. Damn that guitar sounds and plays good.

I actually like my ESP Vipers better than most (not all) SGs. The E-II level or higher are awesome instruments.....and LTD 1000 no slouch at all.

 

[napalmdeath]

@JackBootedThug was kind enough to send me a care package full of pickups and pots, etc...and some amazing candy that he made. Thanks again, brother!

Anyhoo, one of the pickups is a MINT double black Duncan JB. For over 40 years, I've never really given that pickup a fair chance. But, a lot of the YouTube videos I've checked out tonight featuring the JB are killer.

Now, just like the video below I have a Peavey Triple XXX and a Duncan JB. Pretty cool combination. I'm looking forward to trying it out.



Love the JB? Please describe why.

Hate the JB? Please describe why.

Thanks!

It boils down to the guitar, really. My experience is they sound great in some, shit in others. They do well with mahogany IMO, I don't like them with alder. I've had a couple PRS S2 Singlecuts that they sounded great in, as well as a couple ESP Skolnick models. I don't like them in Charvels or Jacksons. I normally yank them in favor of a Duncan Custom in most guitars.

 

[JackBootedThug]

I actually like my ESP Vipers better than most (not all) SGs. The E-II level or higher are awesome instruments.....and LTD 1000 no slouch at all.

I had a Gibson gothic that murdered. I guess I got a good one. Would love to get my dick beaters on a guild polara. The white kt sig specifically…

 

[JDs Couch]

I had a Gibson gothic that murdered. I guess I got a good one. Would love to get my dick beaters on a guild polara. The white kt sig specifically…

Those Gothic SGs are awesome!

 

[jeff5]

Love the lead tones and love the non-palm muted tones. Cleans aren't bad either. It suffers with chugga chugga due to a softer low end. This is why I love the Motor City Afwayu. Very JB like, but tighter on the low end for palm mutes. Most pick ups I like have this same characteristic, nice singing leads but tight lows for mutes. I've wanted to try the Mustaine Thrash Factor for a while as it is supposed to be a tighter JB.

 

[JDs Couch]

Love the lead tones and love the non-palm muted tones. Cleans aren't bad either. It suffers with chugga chugga due to a softer low end. This is why I love the Motor City Afwayu. Very JB like, but tighter on the low end for palm mutes. Most pick ups I like have this same characteristic, nice singing leads but tight lows for mutes. I've wanted to try the Mustaine Thrash Factor for a while as it is supposed to be a tighter JB.

Yeah dude. I have the Afwayu in one of my SGs and it kills.

 

[KentC]

The V30 of pickups. To me they sound like one frequency is trying to overpower another. Either ya like them or ya don’t.

 

[anomaly]

I like them. The mids are near perfect with a JB. I do wish the lows were a bit tighter though and more percussive. The Duncan distortion is near perfect for me and that is my go to pickup. The Custom sh-5 doesn't have a good mid character to it IMO. Like the notes don't have enough body to them.

 

[anomaly]

The V30 of pickups. To me they sound like one frequency is trying to overpower another. Either ya like them or ya don’t.

The V30 varies a lot more than a jb IMO.

 

[PBGas]

The JB is one of those pickups that is loved by many and disliked by a good number more. It has it's place, no question. I liken it to the Dimarzio Tone Zone's popularity as it is used in a lot of production builds for various companies because it can cover a lot of ground. The JB is a solid pickup but just one that I don't like as much. Like many others, I don't like the looser low end on it as others have said.

 

[frontline205]

So the JB itself is a weird pickup for me. I like most JB derivatives. The Duncan RTM is one of my favorite pickups of all time. The Distortion SH6 my absolute favorite, which is similar to a JB but with ceramic magnet. However the JB itself is kinda plain jane to me. In fact in high school it was the first piece of guitar gear I played and was disappointed by. It's a bit too loose for what I like and to me the output doesn't sound like it's there despite on paper having the same output rating as all my favorite pickups. It's higher output then the L-500XL another favorite of mine.
So I'm not a fan of the standard JB but appreciate its contribution to the gear community, and feel like it would be one of my favorite pickups with a few simple tweaks.