Duncan SH-4 JB vs. EVH pickups (all of them)

[hbucker]

I'm familiar with the Music Man DiMarzios and the PV Wolfgang pickups. I'm a little familiar with the new EVH branded pickups that go in the new Wolfgangs.

My questions is, for those who know, how do Duncan JB's compare to these other 3 pickups? Which are the JB's most like? I've never played the JB's but hear they are pretty authentic to what Ed once played (if not the exact pickup).

Your input is appreciated.

 

[Les Paulverizer]

I'm very familiar with the JB pickups, they are very mid-range heavy with smooth highs and, according to some, what Eddie sporadically used on some of his guitars in the 80's when SD sent some to him, but that's just a rumor.

When DiMarzio was working on the pickups for the Music Man Van Halen they sent Eddy the Tone Zone but he found it too hot and muffled (and I wholeheartedly agree with him on that one) but he went with the Air Zone, and that's basically what you find stock fitted in those guitars in spite of the "exclusively built for.." blah blah blah marketing claim.

Honestly, I don't know much about the other 2 pickups, but they sound to me very overwound whereas the JB sits right in the middle between vintage and modern.

Personally I think that a JB is always a sure bet (an older one preferably) however I think that low out put pickups sound much better and proof of this is also in Eddie Van Halen's recordings; his early recordings were cut with low output PAF's and that's the TONE he's famous for, while as soon as he started using higher output pickups he tended to sound more like everybody else.

I have a JB (a very early one) in one of my guitars, but that's as high as I go and on all my other guitars I only have low output stuff, and frankly it sounds so much better.

 

[MATTM]

The JB is unique and very distinctive. It has this high mid thing going on and these singing lead tones that I have not heard in another pickup.

Now, you have heard the JB is close to what EVH "once" played. What era are we talking about?

 

[djrussell]

I love the SH-4 JB... it snarls. Think old-school Green Day and you'll achieve a very similar sound at high gain. It sounds sooo good...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Oo152lT0X8]GREEN DAY - When I Come Around (Live) - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Ed hunter]

ed's back up kramers and probably his main 5150 kramer had a JB in them look at end of link
Kramer Ex eddie Backup - Van Halen Links.com

 

[hbucker]

Thanks guys. I'm asking to compare it to the 3 known models of EVH pickups simply because they are known... I've heard that his 5150 guitar had a JB in it but as you know, that sort of info is never conclusive.

I love the bridge pickup in my Music Man EVH. It may be my favorite pickup ever. That bodes well for the Air Zone. I agree with the earlier comment about the Tone Zone. Too hot and too many mids is exactly how I describe it. Ultimately, I really disliked the two that I owned.

I'm looking for a modern PAF sound like that provided by the bridge in my EVH. The PV pickups are too hot. Not bad pickups. But still too hot for my tastes. The new Fender EVH's aren't as hot as the PV's, but I don't have enough experience with them.

I've never played the JB's but hear nothing but great things about them. The Air Zone seems like a good bet for me though.

thx

 

[Ed hunter]

Thanks guys. I'm asking to compare it to the 3 known models of EVH pickups simply because they are known... I've heard that his 5150 guitar had a JB in it but as you know, that sort of info is never conclusive.

I love the bridge pickup in my Music Man EVH. It may be my favorite pickup ever. That bodes well for the Air Zone. I agree with the earlier comment about the Tone Zone. Too hot and too many mids is exactly how I describe it. Ultimately, I really disliked the two that I owned.

I'm looking for a modern PAF sound like that provided by the bridge in my EVH. The PV pickups are too hot. Not bad pickups. But still too hot for my tastes. The new Fender EVH's aren't as hot as the PV's, but I don't have enough experience with them.

I've never played the JB's but hear nothing but great things about them. The Air Zone seems like a good bet for me though.

thx

Hbucker if you want to get the axis bridge pu track down a hamer slammer at 16.6K these are the very first axis pu's. I have a 2008 axis stock and i just got the hamer slammer in a ebay auction and it is the same tone/feel/output/dynamic as my axis bridge dimarzio
Vintage Hamer USA Electric Guitar Humbucker Pickup Brg | eBay

 

[hbucker]

Thanks for the tip Ed.

 

[709gibson]

I don't find that my PV EVH in my wolfgang pups sound like my JB. JB is a bit more mid crunchy EVH are more balanced.

 

[kittyhawk]

imho the better jb´s are bareknuckle rebel yells & suhr doug aldrich pickups.