Swapping out a Dimarzio Super Distortion for a Duncan JB

@Bman tell me if this isn't the coolest thing you've ever seen? Viv playing all the classic solos at a Last in Line sound check. I was out front taking it all in. He was not playing his fractal from the DL rig but rather a VERY Loud signature Blackmoore Engl 1/2 stack.
 
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@Bman mmm yeah vimeo videos do not load here like YT ones do so?? I'll delete the post
At some point I will load that to my YT site, I was using Vimeo more at the time.
 
You can buy a dual ganged potentiometer that has both a 250k and 500k. From there you can use the fender shaw bucker wiring diagram. Here's a link for the pot. Amazon product ASIN B01LWZ0IVU
 

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I think there is a company that makes a concentrically stacked set of pots- 500k and 250k.
If you have time-try everything! I would also recommend measuring the resistance of the pot you have. I always write the actual measures resistance on every pot in case I need to replace it. Tolerances can vary “bigly’.

You’ll also have to reverse the polarity (wiring) on the SD to keep the phase the same as the Dimarzio.
 
Have JB's in my Charvel San Dimas that cuts like a knife an another single coil size JB humbucker set in my strat and you should simply try them with your own ears...They rock and also clean up very well from guitar to guitar.
 
Oh, I've had the JB in the guitar for a few weeks now. I love it. I had to make a tweak to the Input EQ on the Fractal from where I had it using the Super Distortion. But the JB is a livelier pickup. It's inspiring to play. I just built a guitar that has the Thornbucker plus, which is a lower output PAF style. It's got a flatter EQ curve to my ears, which is what I was expecting. It's a lower output, but it also sounds great. The JB has a meatier tone, but I'm not sure if that's the guitar or the pickup. Two different guitar woods. My next step is to dial in some 'meat' on the Thornbucker. Just gotta play with the EQ some on the Fractal. I do love the JB in the Charvel though. It's got a solid Alder body and is pretty heavy. My new build is chambered mahogany and the fretboard is Pau Ferro, so the tone is brighter, snappier and less compressed.
 
I have a 2011 San Dimas Style 1 HH Made in Japan. Fantastic neck! Great guitar.

It now has an Original 1984 Ltd. Floyd Rose with 37mm big brass block. I pulled the stock JB and '59 pickups and went with cream DiMarzio Super Distortion in the bridge and a Super 2 in the neck. I added the cream pickup rings, along with the raw brass volume knob, selector switch and strap buttons. I also replaced the volume pot with a low friction Emerson 500k Pro pot.

Since your bored with your current pickups let us know how the JB’s works for you. I love my setup and tone and would not go back to JB’s.

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Mine came with the Dimarzio SD. The difference I found was that the SD provided more of an even EQ curve with more output of course. The JB had more mids that I was able to dial around in the Fractal and really made the guitar 'lively', for lack of a better word. I may have been able to get there with Dimarzio, but I love the JB in that guitar. But now I'm playing the Warmoth I built, which has a Thornbucker plus in the bridge. It sounds good too. I have two different presets for each guitar, but they sound alike. There's more 'ring' in the Thornbuckers when I play open G, D or E chords. Only a Fractal person or guitar gear geek would even be able to tell the difference in the tone.
 
For the last 10-12 years or so I've been putting ceramic magnets in the JB's in all of my guitars. Really tightens up the bass and has clearer mids for drop C which I always play in. From what I understand, the JB and Duncan Distortion are either identical or near-identical with the exception of magnet choice. JB uses an Alnico 5. Distortion uses a double-thick ceramic. Too harsh, IMO. A JB with a regular Ceramic 8 is a great middle ground. It's been a key part of my sound forever.

Anyone who has a JB and is less than thrilled with it...ceramic mags are a cheap mod.
 
Interestingly, the JB Jr is ceramic even though the regular JB is Alnico. I have a Jr in one of my Strats and so far haven't really liked it - just seems kind of lifeless. Thought about switching it to my G&L to see how it sounds there but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
 
For the last 10-12 years or so I've been putting ceramic magnets in the JB's in all of my guitars. Really tightens up the bass and has clearer mids for drop C which I always play in. From what I understand, the JB and Duncan Distortion are either identical or near-identical with the exception of magnet choice. JB uses an Alnico 5. Distortion uses a double-thick ceramic. Too harsh, IMO. A JB with a regular Ceramic 8 is a great middle ground. It's been a key part of my sound forever.

Anyone who has a JB and is less than thrilled with it...ceramic mags are a cheap mod.

Would the Duncan Distortion be close to the same thing? It's got a ceramic, I believe. I have one in another guitar and it sounds great. I bought it in 1987 because I read George Lynch used them. It replaced whatever bridge pickup came in the RG550's of that time period. I thought I read somewhere he's either going back to using them or maybe issued a 'Dokkenbucker' that's close to it.
 
Would the Duncan Distortion be close to the same thing? It's got a ceramic, I believe. I have one in another guitar and it sounds great. I bought it in 1987 because I read George Lynch used them. It replaced whatever bridge pickup came in the RG550's of that time period. I thought I read somewhere he's either going back to using them or maybe issued a 'Dokkenbucker' that's close to it.

I tried a Distortion way back when and thought it was a bit too extreme. Too gainy, IMO...and that's coming from someone who primarily plays heavy rock and metal in drop tunings.

I've been researching this kind of thing lately and even emailed Duncan this morning about it. I think the Dokkenbucker is just a ceramic JB like what I tend to use. Again, my understanding is that the JB and Distortion are exactly identical except for the magnet that's used. I'm waiting to hear back from Duncan for confirmation.
 
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