Expected NGD

[dave_mc]

I usually like the JB, but in some guitars it can sound a bit harsh.
But I agree it's a bit annoying that it's the standard passive stock pickup for most manufacturers. It's like you get a choice between a JB and an EMG 81...

yeah, very annoying.

I mean, I can understand, maybe that's what most people want.

However, I'd be dubious about their logic- people like us on forums are generally buying way more guitars than the average guitarist who maybe has one guitar... i'm not sure they should be catering for the guitarist with one guitar, when people like us are buying way more. the odds might even skew in our favour (not in terms of numbers of guitarists, but in terms of numbers of guitars bought).

I've always found the Duncan Custom, Custom Custom and Custom 5 quite fascinating - basically exactly the same pickup with three different magnets, and they really do sound totally different! 

I don't think any other manufacturer has done the same thing.  Of course it's a cheap way of making three pickups - not much R&D required!  :lol:

yeah :lol:

I keep hearing rumours that the JB and distortion are the same but for the magnet, but they're from people online who I wouldn't necessarily consider to be a 100 reliable source, and I haven't been able to corroborate it myself.

[Philly Q]

I keep hearing rumours that the JB and distortion are the same but for the magnet, but they're from people online who I wouldn't necessarily consider to be a 100 reliable source, and I haven't been able to corroborate it myself.

Never heard that before!  But looking at the specs, DC resistances are quoted as 16.4 and 16.6 respectively, so if it's the same kind of wire in the coils I guess that rumour is true!  :D

[dave_mc]

whoops, left out the percentage sign :oops: hopefully you knew what i meant, though.

Would the same wire and same resistance necessarily mean the same pickup? (not saying you're wrong, merely pointing out that I don't know :lol: )

[Philly Q]

Would the same wire and same resistance necessarily mean the same pickup? (not saying you're wrong, merely pointing out that I don't know :lol: )

Not necessarily, but it's likely - the DC resistance depends on the length and thickness of the wire, so if both of those are the same the only other variable is the magnet(s).

There are a couple of other possibilities of course - one might be scatterwound, the other not (although I don't think Duncan use scatterwinding).  Or one pickup might have a big "offset" between the coils, like a VHII or DiMarzio Fred, so they'd have the same total DCR but sound quite different (even with the same magnets).

[dave_mc]

yeah, i guess so.

can't the winding patterns affect things, though?

also (and this is way off the thread, apologies for sorta hijacking it) how do you affect the tone of a pickup?

[Dmoney]

Just wanted to say, im loving this guitar. the lack of a volute is taking me a bit of getting used to, and i can see the details that make the gibson more expensive, but this thing rocks. Still a good weight, so my 'les bump' on my left shoulder is still getting a workout.

[Philly Q]

also (and this is way off the thread, apologies for sorta hijacking it) how do you affect the tone of a pickup?

Type of wire
Type of magnet
Coil winding patterns (scatterwinding, uniform winding)
Tightness/looseness of winding
Offsets between the coils
Polepiece material
Polepiece shape
Space between magnets and polepieces (eg DiMarzio Airbuckers)
Covers in general
Cover thickness/plating
Potting
Baseplate material

That's probably about it!  :lol:

[Philly Q]

Just wanted to say, im loving this guitar. the lack of a volute is taking me a bit of getting used to, and i can see the details that make the gibson more expensive, but this thing rocks. Still a good weight, so my 'les bump' on my left shoulder is still getting a workout.

Excellent!  Sorry we've been hijacking the thread!  :lol:

[Dmoney]

hah nah its cool.
Pickups wise this had an SH-1n in the neck and an SH-4 in the bridge.
It felt weak and brittle when I played it out the box compared to my Nailbomb equipped LPC.
The Charvel I have had a JB. It's wasn't that bad but i wasn't 100% comfortable with it.

[dave_mc]

thanks philly :lol: