Fender Custom Shop Pickup Swap - And Why I Hate High Output Pickups!

[@Heroesworkshop]

This really opened my eyes to high output pickups. I preferred them but they still never sounded right for what I wanted. 9:18 THIS sound is what I always wanted. I ordered a SD JB because of the hype but cancelled it after watching this. I'm gonna try some lower output pickups I have. If they still don't sound right, I'll just get dish out the extra and get the Thornbucker. Thanks for this video.

[@TomShreds]

This is the exact video I was hoping to find. You articulated everything I always noticed about the JB that annoyed me. Excited to swap over to a Thornbucker!

[@aadityakiran_s]

Gear demos are best when people who know how to dial in a good tone and play something nice with it are doing it. Thanks for the upload. Because of you, I'm gonna order a custom set of HSS pickups for my Aria Pro II Fullerton.

[@sroelit]

I began the video thinking “what sort of crazy person would swap pickups in a custom shop” but I ended thinking “what a huge improvement for that custom shop.”

[@matijabo]

I put Seymour Duncan's on Fender Player Srat... JB on bridge, Jazz on neck... Amazing result! I also play with dimarzios on strat's, which are much darker, but superb for heavy metal on dist or some jazz on clean

[@hiddenself]

This video represents everything I struggled with. In1996 I bought in Poland a second-hand Strat with the humbucker replaced by the former owner with high-output DiMarzio Tone Zone. Some years after, when I first played Les Paul, I fell in love with the brigtness and openness of the sound on high gain, compared to my Strat. I couldn't understand it. But I stopped playing in a nu metal band at one point, and since then I preferred jamming using only neck pickup (also replaced for single-size humbucker DiMarzio Fast Track 1, which was "singing", compared to the bridge one - amazing bluesy sound!). After seeing your vid, now I got the point, and decided to replace the muddy Tone Zone with something lighter, and see how my Strat should sound like on the bridge, after almost 30 years:)

[@therewasascene]

JB’s totally usable for high gain depending on what you’re going for but that Thornbucker matches sooo well with single coils

[@sublyme2157]

Just got my first set of Thornbuckers, and I've got to say, I'm pretty impressed so far. Very dynamic and articulate. They split well too.

[@HenryMittnacht]

I didn´t expect this much of a difference! Thanks for letting us being a part of your experience!

[@bluwng]

It is different but is it a difference you want?

[@HenryMittnacht]

@@bluwng In this case I would have embraced it!

[@iancurrie8844]

This video is a reminder to everyone of how awesome a good Les Paul is. Wow.

[@MrReptilianhumanoid]

This is actually super helpful, because everyone raves about the JB so much, it's in soooooo many guitars, I probably would've ended up having a guitar with one in it eventually. But I totally agree, I don't like that cocked wah-never get enough clarity- sound. I'll opt for something else that's lower output.

[@KevinSmithdc]

There's a good reason why it's in soooooo many guitars.

[@stevejacques9359]

Lower output doesn't equate to clarity. I have 17k pickups in my guitars and their clarity is excellent. It also goes without saying that there are lots of other guitar pickup manufacturers besides Seymour Duncan.

[@RobvandenBoogaard]

This is such a good video in explaining how dynamics are changed with higher output pickups, thanks for that!

[@aaronglacier9213]

I agree I definitely got a lot out of this video I rock a fat Strat myself and sealing out the humbucker bridge for this thornbucker bridge sounds like the move

[@dougwood7098]

The JB still sounded just fine but if you wanted something a little less output then the Seymore Duncan Custom Custom would've done the trick nicely! I thinks it's the best pickup ever made!

[@checkitout611]

That's a good one and I like the 59 as well. I found the JB matches up with Seymour Classic Stack single coils really great. Love my JB but I also have a guitar the the Thornbucker and it's fantastic and paired that with Suhr 69+ singles. For either one just a few amp eq tweaks and they both are great.

[@AC5734]

I’m right there with you. I have a DiMarzio PAF Pro in one of my guitars, and a Duncan Slash in the other, and always seem to favor the tones of the Duncan. The added dynamic range just makes it so much better

[@VanjaSpirin]

PAF pro is 10k and this is not so hot pickup, but it is Alnico 5. Slash pickups are Alnico 2. Apples and oranges.

[@antonioj4746]

@@VanjaSpirin Not really. According to Dimarzio website PAF Pro is only 8.4K. I´ve got it in one of my guitars and it provides outstanding clarity. Crystal clear cleans and smooth distorted sounds. One of my all time favourite humbuckers.

[@carlhardwickofficial]

Great video. I chose the JB for my H-S-S for the main reason that it splits well with the middle pickup. There's enough volume so that it matches when split. Having said that, in general, medium output HBs are my go-to...usually PAF output types.

[@milesfifer171]

I've found when you use a modeling amp it doesn't matter what pickup you have it all sounds the same. When you plug straight into a true tube amp with nothing else you can truly notice the difference in them

[@chazjr2390]

Wow! Loved this video! So much more clarity out of the Thornbucker!

[@KevinSmithdc]

I love my Duncan JB. It's in the bridge position of a 1997 Anderson Cobra. Sounds awesome.

[@WhenHariMetKari]

Thanks. Maybe the thornbucker is the way to go. I did not know that higher the output would result in a loss of clarity. You the man.

[@uncleremus64]

Well done. Thank you. I always wondered why I had to turn the filter down when I grabbed a guitar with high output humbuckers. Makes sense now

[@GertvanderDoes]

Love the Thornbucker+ in my Strat. Works great with Texas Specials. Love the zebra look too!

[@PaulHillGuitarist]

I have been thinking about swapping the bridge pickup in my Strat (currently single coil) for a Duncan Custom Custom or JB. This video has certainly got me thinking. Loving the tone of that Suhr pickup!

[@frantisca]

Hi Paul. I’ve got a loaded pickguard with a Suhr SSV+ in the bridge position to replace a JB as well. 14-16k is way too high output to match the single coils on a Strat. As an alternative, I have another pickguard with a French boutique Alnico 2 humbucker. Close to PAF 7,6 K output which is very good too. The JB is far too muffled for playing clean with dynamics. A good pickup for sure but the only match for a JB on a Strat is a ‘59 on the neck which makes an HH combo for hard rock/metal. My 2 cents… Great CS Strat btw 😉

[@BAND-MAID-USA]

Just literally changed my mind about high outputs pickups in a quick video. After 35 years you changed my mind in under 5 minutes. I’m changing all my humbuckers now. Thank you. Never stop learning. Is this basically the same theory with all humbuckers? Lower more clarity higher less clarity? Another question I have is. Would the more “ clear “ treble get washed out in the mix? Especially live. Since it seems like it’s kind of sitting in the same frequency as a hi-hat and symbols? Not sure but, that ThornBucker sounds absolutely perfect with whatever you’re running it through. Which I’d also love to know exactly what your setup is for this video and EQ levels. I also think Pete is one of the best rock players around and wouldn’t mind supporting a brand he’s connected to. And as usual, you’re playing is incredible and this is literally 1 of my all time favorite videos about gear on KZbin to date. Been dying for a comparison of these to pups.

[@xocnibor]

Wow, love the Thor bucket in the bridge. JB’s are traditionally really good. With that high of output, I believe you had the JB Trembucker in there, they do make a lesser output bridge JB. You would have had a different experience with the regular JB. However, the Suhr sounds amazing, I’ll be putting one in my Strat. Thank you!

[@wooggeek]

Thank you ☺️ I am parting together a HSH strat, looking at thornbuckers , +, II ? Every review confirms that selection for my intentions. 🎸

[@TheToneWork]

Finally a pickup review that actually makes sense. Thank you so much for this! Ordering the pickup now.

[@TheStudioRats]

Glad I could help

[@picktheblueone]

Here is a tip for any Tom Anderson owners, which usually have high output P/Us - Put the thornbuckers in those guitars and watch what happens. I did just that and it turned a really great guitar into an unbelievable guitar.

[@alexnismachin]

Uauuu....what differece the Thornbucker did on your guitar.....it came to life! Congratulations for the video.

[@carsgunsandguitars]

An HSS Strat with a low-output humbucker and a set of quality alnico vintage style singles with a treble bleed kit can do it all. I agree completely and what a beautiful guitar!

[@kuitaristi3003]

JB with modern wiring is sure high output pickup for metal mostly, but when using it with 50's wiring you can use it for everything because, when you turn your guitar vol and tone pots you can get many different tones, and get back the lost clarity too because 50's doesn't lose highs when you turn volume pot down. Then you can use parallel wiring with 50's same time if you have push- pull pot and get more tele like sound too. My opinion JB is the most versatile pickup out there. That Thornbucker is pretty sweet too!

[@VanjaSpirin]

JB is raw, dark and without complex harmonic structure. I use paf-s for metal, Toneriders, Donlis and Dimarzio. Much better sound and much better chug. Also, better all rounders.

[@dennisdewinter1997]

What a great video and demonstration of those two pick ups! Your playing is excellent and a joy listen to. And your explanation of the whole process was intelligently articulate. Thanks so much!

[@wizrom3046]

I'm glad you didn't damage the guitar... "NOOOOOO! I SCRATCHED IT!" 😎

[@willmarshall4685]

Putting the Duncan Seymour JB in the bridge of a strat is a very common upgrade….i think it’s because home noodlers who have just one guitar can do the the high gain Gibson thing by flipping a switch. But if you’re looking for a cohesive sound it’s not a good fit. Great video, and much respect for your playing ability.

[@mattpeterson553]

[4:21] Gibson SH5/TB5 Customs are the unsung magical pickup. I first came across them in 2002 when I was using the Seymour Duncan sound clips to chose the pickup for my Warmoth Guitar. Out of everything I heard, they were the best all-around pickup I heard. When I first fired up my Warmoth strat, I kinda thought "huh, this kinda reminds me of an artist who came out in 1978…" My other guitar was a Kramer Pacer Deluxe with SD SSL-1 single coils in the neck and middle, and a JB in the bridge. The JB was OK, but I never gelled with it: depending on the amp, either it was dark, or more often than not, it had this weird thin sound on leads. The Custom had heavenly harmonics, yet had a thicker lead sound. Yes, it was a ceramic, so in the right context, it could kinda sound single-coilly, but nonetheless, it sounded thicker, yet hi-fi, compared to a JB. The SSL-1s were golden. coda: Yes, I tried the Custom Custom and the Custom 5: they suck. Completely unbalanced pickups, IMHO (and nothing like EVH).

[@TheStudioRats]

Cheers for the comment

[@mingury]

Wonder how Thornbucker compares to Shawbucker which is another PAF style humbucker in HSS strats. Thanks for the video btw!

[@nicholastotoro7721]

The Thornbucker/Thornbucker+ is such a fantastic pickup. It is the equal of the boutique PAF replicas, some of which are hundreds of USD's, in the sense that it gets that great snarl and and growl they're known for. Don't forget, the PAF was designed originally to be a noiseless P-90, so the good ones have that single-coil growl.

[@TheStudioRats]

Agreed

[@LucasMastropasqua]

I’ve always found that running high output humbuckers in parallel really steps up the clarity and makes them more usable in certain applications. You definitely lose a little of the output but it’s worth it imo.

[@jaricklosey4607]

Love Thornbuckers. I have a set of them in my Les Paul, low output Seymour Duncan’s in my HSS Ibanez AZ, and Dimarzio 36th PAF in my PRS. I prefer those lower output humbuckers as they mix better with single coils and P90s.

[@iancurrie8844]

That thornbucker really has a lot more top end and dynamics. I wonder how the shawbucker 1 would stack up with it.

[@christopherdennis65]

With respect, I think the “lack of gain” that you (accurately) describe in the JB versus the Gibson is more a function of how the two pickups are EQ’d than how much output either has. If you have fewer frequencies in the forefront, you have fewer opportunities to give voice to the gain. Whereas a pickup with a very balanced EQ can really showcase the grind throughout its range. Just listening to that Gibson grind across the spectrum versus the SD shows us this. I have and have had humbuckers with higher output that didn’t suffer that symptom at all. You are correct about compression, of course, but that is better in some pickups and worse in others. No doubt about the Thornbucker, though-a standout humbucker for sure.

[@SouthpawSatch]

I find some guitars suit a higher output pickup whereas others suit lower output. I love both. There is something special about a low output pickup being pushed to its limits. The Thornbucker is a great pickup. I regret selling mine too

[@CptCoitus]

Thank you for this comparison. I'm currently looking at different strat pickup options and I really don't know what I'm looking for. This helps clarify the choices. Cheers!

[@akshayseller73]

There’s an obvious difference. I completely agree with your point, my 57 classic sounds godly for metal. However, the only pickup and as cliche as it sounds that just does it for me for High gain music is EMG81. It sounds phenomenal for the heavier stuff. Now the problem I have is I don’t like any of the EMG active pickups for the neck position. My ideal metal guitar would have an EMG81 in the bridge and a 57 classic like PAF in the neck. Unfortunately, can’t get that to work.

[@GregoryPearsonMusic]

Great video. The only thing more I would be greatly interested in is hearing what they sound like split.

[@nigelsmith721]

The difference is incredible.

[@earthstrong-43.72]

Pete Thorn knows tone. Those pickups sound amazing!

[@mightymikeamps9317]

I just ordered one of these for a Parts caster I built. Hopefully it sounds good with a Northern Ash body. It has HS (no middle pick up) Vintage Trem, beautiful rootbeer stain, with about 11 coats of clear, but on a Northern Ash Frankie Body black tortoise pickguard, EVH 78 style head stock , flame maple, blue abalone dots, Neck, Tusq nut, Gotoh Locking Tuners, Wolfgang style truss adjustment. It has Motorcity Woodward 3 Strat neck pickup which is just an amazing pickup if you like Jimi and SRV (It has an A3 magnet). It’s a concept guitar I call SRVH.. Very close to the Van Halen 1st Album black and white spec, but without the stripes, and a a great neck Strat pickup. Initially it was to show that some of my Amp builds could get the Brown Sound tone back when I used build, mod, and restore amps. but I like a versatile guitar. Plus I would feel self conscious playing the Striped guitar or the SRV signature. Finding the perfect humbucker has been a PITA!! I have changed more humbuckers in this guitar than some change their underwear. I recently pulled out an old MityMite1400 and put in a SUHR Modern+… It was way too high gain. I use a very similar spec as this Pete Thorn pickup on my 1976 Destroyer and R8 custom shop. Both have the Blue Sky Set by Sheptone which are also A4/8.4k on the bridge. I found a black bridge 53mm Thornbucker for $129 shipped. So what the heck. You and Pete are probably my favorite Demo guys. Can’t wait to try it! Hopefully this will Sound good with this guitar.

[@kurtz1993]

Thank you for making this video! It is very informative. Years ago, I modded my first guitar with JB and whenever I picked that guitar up I always felt something was a bit off. Now I made the test and for my style of playing is definitely the clarity in the JB I don't like. I am actually looking for a Bare Knuckle VHII as I heard h the sound samples and really loved it.

[@timgo1]

wow, thx a ton. I have a suhr with an Aldrich and have the same issues. I think this is the way to go, sounds so good at that lower ouput!

[@lousekoya1803]

Such a great demo and awesome playing ! May I ask what are the single coils you have in there , beautiful sounding pickups !

[@angusorvid8840]

I've had the best luck with medium output pups like Duncan's Custom, Custom Custom, Custom 5, Full Shred, and Screamin' Demon. They have the right balance of output, bite and dynamics. High output pups like the Duncan JB, Distortion, or DiMarzio Super Distortion have too much going on and are less expressive.

[@brunolatella6280]

Brillant video I have a very similar Custom shop and was having same issue once I saw this video , I purchased a thornbucker , now im absolutely thrilled Thank you .😊

[@TheStudioRats]

Glad it helped

[@AngusClarkGTR]

Great demo as always. Did you ditch the Kinmans? Thornbucker sounds great. Did you ever try a Duncan ‘59 in a strat? I quite like it.

[@marksanders2784]

That Thornbucker sounds EPIC, definitely an improvement over the JB.

[@KUM0]

not really the JB sounds good enough already

[@arnyarny77]

crazy I'm siting here jamming my guitar with jb, all my guitars have the jb AND I been lookin at the thorn bucker

[@bluwng]

@@KUM0people getting easily influenced by others. Low output pickups frustrate me they don’t have the energy you need when you need it. I’d rather control output with my vol knob. Be your own man this universe has enough sheep that’s what I say. This guy like the TB cool but I prefer a JB.

[@G-NutZ]

A huge tone improvement 😮

[@rskirk22]

I bought a Fender Ultra HSS about a year ago. While the humbucker pickup is not bad, it lacks clarity and depth. I might need to swap it out for one of these Thornbuckers

[@vitorgarcia7]

I play heavy stuff and prefer low to medium output exact for that reason. Great video

[@charlesfitzgerald3201]

Ok first time here and wow mate you sound fantastic , huge difference .l love the Thornbucker now thanks to you .

[@Javier-qk7ms]

For a JB or any pickup to improve clarity just cut some low frequencies before hitting the amp. Cutting below the 100 hz makes night and day difference.

[@ianyoung8392]

You get a lot more dynamics with high output pickups when you attenuate something. Something as a JHS little black box allows you to crank your amp more. Using the power amp as a touch sensitive vocal diaphragm instead of the preamp. If you play at low volumes and don't attenuate then you rely on weaker pickups to add dynamics at the preamp. If you crank any amp the dynamics eventually come from the power amp.

[@jesterraj]

How bout the doug aldrich humbucker..what your thoughts??

[@jonthehermit8082]

Cool man. You did a good job explaining to me why I hate high output pickups as well. I’m always trying to tell my buddy with his metal guitars that I like natural string sound, and that’s why I hate his guitars.

[@VanjaSpirin]

You are right. PAF pickups are better for any kind of music incuding metal, because 16k-ish pickups are always mushy, dark and without complex harmonic structure. The only exception is Dimarzio Super Distortion. It's a gem, used with non metal players, as Lucather or Metheney.

[@53nocaster]

I'm sure there is a good reason for a high gain pickup in the bridge position of a strat, but I can't think of one. The Suhr pickup sounds great. You did a good and noble thing

[@dimitrisbizos4068]

Thanks for the great video! By no means am I to be rude but the pickup that really shins here is the Custom Bucker :)

[@JesseJuup]

When there is a mismatch in volume between pickups, you can just add a resistor. But if there is a tonal mismatch, then of course changing pickups will be the right option.

[@MyLifEcademy-sr4hy]

The JB always had an odd midrange hump. Ive exactly 6 hours in one out of 40 years. The whole reason I swapped my first pickup.

[@roderickbalt8993]

Great vid! Still it's hard to make a generalizing statement for all high output vs low output pickups. But I could definately heard that the low output was a lot brighter and agressive sounding and the high output was a lot smoother.

[@abundantlyredundantboy]

Exactly my response also...The Duncan was definitely smoother, very balanced growl to the distortion. The Suhr sounded bright and harsh. Of course you can make almost any sound you want out of a guitar with digital manipulation. Never truly know what a guitar sounds like unless you have it in your own hands.

[@MosheAlvarez]

I was about to say this dude has no clue when it comes to pickups, then he started playing… This dude can play some tasty ass licks!

[@michael_caz_nyc]

Also look into: Lambertone's "Crema" and the Lollar "Low-wind Imperial" - I do love the Thormbucker too. Low Output is the way to go. Great demo & explanation.

[@rodedawg77]

I have the opposite hss setup, a JB with Suhr ML neck and middle. They mix well using all 250k pots and a .033 cap. Its a "JBJ" from the early 90s though, not one of the new ones

[@harshgarrett]

if Alex skolnik can use a slightly hotter than a jb Seymour Duncan set for both testament and his jazz trio maybe you could learn something from him. or also, lowering the volume/gain on the amp to compensate.

[@nelevybalanon4026]

HI great video 1 thing can i put thornbucker covered pickup to my strat? or is there any difference covered vs open? are they plug and play?

[@garywaddell6309]

Great comparison Paul, another great video. I have Sire version of your Les Paul, your guitar collection is superb. Cheers!

[@garycoates4987]

My favorite humbuckers are DiMarzio Evolution and X2N pickups , they're high output but the EQ is very stratty and the dynamics are a lot more sensitive than Duncans

[@Skiroy]

Good God what amp and pedal are you using. Those Custom Buckers are insane sounding

[@Tatted-ne7tu]

I’m in this exact situation with a Charvel Danhage model. That does it, out with the JB. I just don’t like the muffled tone compared to the beautiful single coil air. Thanks for this.

[@Ryan_Q3L]

What a gorgeous guitar and the sounds are incredible too. I still liked the Seymour Duncan but the Suhr was clearer.

[@blakespurlock5322]

Great video man. I’ve been wanting to try the PAF Pro by DiMarzio. They designed this pickup back in the 80s for this exact reason.

[@TheStudioRats]

Thanks for the info!

[@arnyarny77]

the metallic green with the tortoise shell pickguard is awesome

[@christianboddum8783]

Thornbucker is Alnico 4 right? Al4 tames the midrange spike that Al5 gves, I like it a lot ;-)

[@nafis6668]

after swapping the JB , that single coil quality of thornbucker is the first obvious thing i noticed . It has so much articulation and note separation compared to the JB. less low mids mud and fizz compared to the JB. I play metal at drop C , I still prefer the thornbucker for its clarity and harmonics under distortion. It is not that much lower in output, my amp gain is the same as when i use the JB. The Thornbucker also has better signal to noise ratio. I no longer need to use noise gate pedal.

[@Bairov]

Love the new sound! BTW what speakers are you playing through for these examples?

[@TheStudioRats]

I gave a pair of Kii Three monitors

[@Ottophil]

I love the JB in my strat. I hate single coils when I wanna play loud and fast. I think of it as a boost. Instante afterburner

[@Earth_tune_pj]

Hi, Thornbucker is such a great pickup. What is the volume pot value you use? 250 or 500 k?

[@thefeloniousscot3955]

What you just said about the high output compression rang true when George Lynch designed his Screaming Demon...

[@SwampRabbit5150]

Dude you're a MONSTER player, very nice

[@micwalt]

Wow! Thornbucker sounds amazing!

[@bondavy]

Thank you for the video. Now I am even more convinced that my choice is JB 😃

[@aavilesg]

what amp do you use?

[@felinekaiju4517]

The JB definitely sounds like there's a blanket over it. I used to be all about playing the heaviest of the heavies, these days I'm more about diversity, and would rather have a thornbucker, using pedals and amp OD/boost to push the signal into compression.

[@dpoultski2499]

Would have loved to hear some clean tones as well. I believe the Thornbucker is supposed to sound nice in that split position with the middle single coil.

[@mightymikeamps9317]

He twisted the red and white wires together IIRC, so I don’t think it’s wired to split the coils

[@tomfoolery2082]

Iv tried a few different pups in an SG , thornbuckers i think are the keepers . Id buy em again .

[@joses.a.2]

Great video, thanks for sharing! I tried the Thornbucker, but it was to bright for me. Now I am thinking about the Asatobucker, or any similar. Could you recommend a pickup similar to the Asatobucker? Thanks!

[@francescosessa8719]

It’s funny that everything you don’t like about the jb is everything l love about it. To each his own. Lol Great video, great playing.

[@revolead]

Right there with you. The Thornbucker sounds clearer but also thinner, and to me, it lacks personality. It's a gainy PAF, like everything else on the market. Dynamic humbuckers sound great on LPs but I like the extra compression on a Strat/Soloist. If I want less, I turn down the volume. Not sure why people have such a hard time finding the knobs.

[@francescosessa8719]

@@revolead exactly! We Got knobs on the guitar, knobs on the amp, knobs on the pedals….none of them will give you more output or dynamic. I decided to build an HH strat with a jb on the bridge and one on the neck! Looks like uncharted territory, everyone pairs jb with a 59 or similar, l couldn’t even found 1 video on KZbin for two jb…l have to see why! 😉

[@Nghilifa]

The Thornbucker got that sizzle back. I just took my JB (before I watched this video though!) out of my Explorer EXP83 for pretty much the same reasons. I need more dynamic range.

[@XxAiRuNxX894]

I wish i watched this video before I ordered my jb for my American pro 2 strat. I’ll use it for a bit and definitely order a thornbucker later on!

[@CentaurusRelax314]

Interesting insights. I had a JB in a Strat once. Bought it, ostensibly, because it was 'close to what EVH' used. But, i never liked it. Didn't know why. I also didn't think i was getting as much distortion as i would expect, but didn't know to attribute that to compression. I've never been a fan of Suhr guitars, but have recently become enamored of some of the pickups (SSV and HSV+) in a Modern T demo i found. I planned to get a PRS S2 and swap in those pickups, but now I need to consider the Thorn.....

[@Allguitarinfo]

Funny that you said Taking the pickguard off was the easier way to change the pickups..lol..cool video comparing hot pups vs clarity pups...

[@msi1985]

I want the bridge pickup from your LP! Jeepers that breaks up real nice

[@jamesdeananderson1411]

Believe it or not, the more routing in the body and the more components in the bridge, the less warmth and dynamics that JB has. In other words, a Strat body is worse for it than a Gibson LP Jr routed for one pickup, (versus the chambered, dual hum body of a "standard"). Yes, this is annoying... but it's still reality. JB's are just kind of overused in the wrong guitars. Duncan makes a LOT of awesome solutions. Also, a wicked way to get them to match better , if you play a relatively even amount of heavier or cleaner rock), is to pull a standard single coil and utilize the Duncan Poundcake. I'm still searching for the "magic combo" for the guitars I'm building. Any advice, guitar folks?