Seymour Duncan JB Jr. vs. Dimarzio Virtual Vintage

[mik777]

Heard good things about both! I wanna a little more in the bridge of my EJ strat without comprimising the tone or the look. The VV is stacked which wont change the look and the JB Jr is a side by side.

Im not going for a metal sound, just a better rock/fatter lead tone.

Is there a really big difference in output and tone?

 

[Shredtrash]

The JB Jr. is going to sound like a humbucker. Don't buy that thinking you are going to maintain single coil tone. I've used those before and they're pretty hot. Correct me if I'm wrong but the VV's try to preserve the single coil tone, right?

 

[mik777]

The JB Jr. is going to sound like a humbucker. Don't buy that thinking you are going to maintain single coil tone. I've used those before and they're pretty hot. Correct me if I'm wrong but the VV's try to preserve the single coil tone, right?

Yes, I believe so! the EJ's bridge is a little hotter than stock. I just dont wanna trade apples for apples by taking it out and replacing it with the VV if they are kinda equal. Will I lose the strat chime completely if i go with the JB Jr. Im looking more fusion than metal.

 

[Shredtrash]

You'll lose the single coil vibe completely if you go with a JB. I don't have a ton of experience with hum cancelling single coils other than the Bardens I use in my USA Legacy but those are pretty much the industry standard. If you want to preserve the single coil tone while adding some heat and hum cancelling ability, I'd try one of those. They're expensive but they're awesome! If you don't care about losing the single coil thing, the JB's are really good.

 

[mik777]

Thanks for the input!! I look into the Bardens.

 

[9fingers]

Yes, the JB JR. is a big honkin' humbucker sound, quite hot & thick, LOTS of mids but no "chime". It tends to out-power single coils & most other single coil size pups. (I do have one, still not sure I like it- it came with the guitar).

 

[walterw]

i've installed scores of both over the years. the jb jr will take away "fender" and pretty much replace it with "crunchy humbucker". the virtuals, especially the latest refinements like the area 61 or virtual heavy blues II, will give you "fender with no hum", at about equal volume in the case of the 61, and louder in the case of the heavy blues II or virtual solo. if increased output with authentic tone, not hum-canceling, is the only goal, look at the hotter fralins, like his 8-10k hot versions. the baseplate option will add a little volume and mid "cut", and if you really want juice, look at his steel-pole versions, which will push into p-90 territory.

 

[mrface2112]

maybe i'm in the minority here, but i love the JB Jr i put in the bridge position of my '83 strat. it IS a humbucker and gives me all manner of crunch. great with distortion and overdrive pedals--great string to string definition even at full crunch.

the middle-bridge switch position (2) it isn't as spanky as the Fat 50 it replaced. but it's surprisingly good.

but i never liked the sound of single coil strat bridge pickups anyway, they always sounded wimpy and anemic to me......so i was perfectly happy taking away "fender" and replacing it with "crunchy humbucker". i've got "fender" in spades between the neck and middle pickups.

the JB Jr has really made my strat into an extremely versatile guitar.


cheers,
wade

 

[mike@switchback]

You might go for the Dimarzio HS-2 - a fave of EJ himself. Or the HS-3.

 

[aarontunes]

I've tried all of the new VV pickups, and hated them all...really hated them. I wanted to like them so bad. They were dead quiet, or should I say: quiet, but dead. No single-coil magic at all. Just my opinion.

A

 

[mik777]

i've installed scores of both over the years. the jb jr will take away "fender" and pretty much replace it with "crunchy humbucker". the virtuals, especially the latest refinements like the area 61 or virtual heavy blues II, will give you "fender with no hum", at about equal volume in the case of the 61, and louder in the case of the heavy blues II or virtual solo. if increased output with authentic tone, not hum-canceling, is the only goal, look at the hotter fralins, like his 8-10k hot versions. the baseplate option will add a little volume and mid "cut", and if you really want juice, look at his steel-pole versions, which will push into p-90 territory.

So with Fralins are we talking a whole lot more noise?

 

[GVDub]

I've got a setup on what's become my main performance Strat that I worked out with Steve Blucher at DiMarzio - VV2s overwound to roughly a P90 spec in the bridge and neck and a reverse-wound VV2 in the middle. I use a double-pole 5-way, so that in the 2 and 4 positions, the second coil on the VVs is dropped. This way, I don't lose the classic Strat quack in 2 and 4, and have a slightly more powerful, warmer sound in the bridge and neck (I almost never use the middle pickup by itself). Works a treat and gives me just what I'm looking for.

 

[progholio]

Heard good things about both! I wanna a little more in the bridge of my EJ strat without comprimising the tone or the look. The VV is stacked which wont change the look and the JB Jr is a side by side.

Im not going for a metal sound, just a better rock/fatter lead tone.

Is there a really big difference in output and tone?

I currently use a strat with a JBjr in the bridge and love it. It will give you plenty of chunk and a little top end sizzle and it still retains some of the strat character. Don't be misled, these single size humbuckers do NOT sound just like a full size humbucker, to me they sound like a combination of humbucker/single coil or like a p-90 without hum. The only problem in your case is the JBjr will over power your other single coils.

I had a set of virtual vintage in a strat for a very short time, yanked them almost immediately. Too sterile sounding for my taste, i would rather deal with the hum of good quality single coils.

 

[brattmoore]

Di Marzio "Solo Pro".

+ for the Solo Pro. Mine is wired for single coil operation though.

 

[shallbe]

I think the Duncan is a horrible pickup.

I love the VV Hot T in my Tele.

 

[alvagoldbook]

I put a JB Jr. in one of my guitars in the bridge position and that is one nice sounding pup. Silent too. No hum at all. Very nice tone. To me, it sounds something like a combination between a hot PAF and a p-90, just with a less woody tone. Great for high gain or 70's type gain lead work.