Seymour Duncan JB vs Dimarzio Super Distortion

[Lampshade1973]

As mentioned you should be looking at a Duncan distortion as well...hotter than a jb ...I have one in an alder superstrat with a rosewood board and it sounds huge...but I had a jb in a similar guitar and it sounded great also...so...

 

['63-Strat]

Really depends on the guitar and rest of your signal chain IMO. A JB can be perfect for one guitar and not so much so in a completely different one.

 

[nitro]

My main amp is the last amp that Rockstah(Mark Abrahamian)modded before he passed away its a Rockitt Retro 68 plexi clone with Marks mod 5.Mark did use Dimarzio Super Distortion for the majority of his clips.

 

[mapat]

Oh ok cool.

I've actually played both a JB and a DSD through a Mark modded Mod5 into
a 4x12 with English-made greenbacks.

The JB was in an Alder body superstrat and the DSD is in a Swamp Ash strat.

They both actually sounded really good through the amp. The JB sounded a little softer, not as hard-edged as
the DSD. I don't know if I could choose between the two. Like you said Mark sounded fantastic and
he did prefer the DSD, but the JB sounds great through that circuit as well.

 

[nitro]

The JB sounded softer because of the alnico V magnet that the JB has vs the ceramic magnet that the Dimarzio Super Distortion has.Ceramic magnet pickups have a harder edge tone vs alnico.

 

[mapat]

Yep.

And to answer your original question:

"Which of the two pickups would have a brighter/open/cutting sound."

The JB sounded more open and the DSD more cutting.

JB a tad warmer.

 

[nitro]

Thanks....

 

[the4thlast1]

As mentioned it really depends on the guitar....both pickups may not sound great in it or vice versa...If I had to choose blindly the JB is for me...IMO even without knowing what your guitar sounds like I would like the JB more in it. I didn't like the Dimarzio SD , tried it in two dif guitars , I found the low end to be a bit undefined. Not great for modern riffing but I understand why some would like it for 80s stuff......The JB does it all pretty well

 

[the4thlast1]

Double post sorry

 

[guitarobert]

How about an SD Custom SH5? That is brighter/more cutting/more open than the JB. I haven't quite gotten along with the JB. Swapped to an SH5 and it cuts more.