Seymour Duncan JB

Pickup features: HUMBUCKING
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Mexican Fat Strat Deluxe.
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: tex mex humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: single coil
Artists using this pickup: wish i knew
You musical style(s): blues, hard, classic rock.
Reason for pickup change: a change.

Perceived output level: not as hot as a PAF
Tone: middy-balanced, harmonic sensitive
Sonic evaluation: Playing this over a peavey is sweet, but again it does not have
the bite and sustain that I was looking for.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments: Im going to try a 59 duncan PAF. Dont get me wrong this is a sweet
pick up but I dont think its heavy or nasty enough.

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Fat Strat
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Company's humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: origanal Fender pickups
Artists using this pickup: Jeff Beck of course
You musical style(s): everything
Reason for pickup change: Company's humbucker wasn't very verstaille

Perceived output level: Really quiet when distorted or clean
Tone: Really crunchy when distorted and mellow and punchy when clean
Sonic evaluation: I am using a Fender Prinston Chorus, and other weird little pedals

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is good for just about anything

Comments: I am satisified with this humbucker, I know can get that AC/DC style and that bluesy jazzy style that I was looking for

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Schecter C1 Classic
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: N/A
Other pickups on guitar: Duncans - 59
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Funk / Nu-Metal / Rock / R&B / Jazz
Reason for pickup change: Guitar came stocked with Seymour Duncans! Not going to change this bad-boy for nothing! Both pickups (JB & 59) have a gold plated cover.

Perceived output level: High output with trebly sound that is still has a dark warm fat sound
Tone: Trebly and thick
Sonic evaluation: As Stated...C1 Classic through a Marshall AVT 2000 100watt. Match made in heaven! Very pleased with this combination. And most important is the coils are tapped! Which helps give me a single coil sound.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Styles are mentioned aboved - but with the right amp and guitar, I feel this pickup and it's configuration suits my style. When play play through half (tapped) the coil though good, but not quite a "strat" sound which I need for funk.

Comments: If damaged or stolen I would replace it...I know what I'm working with now as compare to an unkown.
Been playing over 20 years.
I own a Marshall AVT 100 amp, Boss BR8 8 Track digital recorder, Bheringer Multi signal (dual)processor, Zoom pedal, a re-fitted 93 Squire Strat (grover tuners, Texas special pickups, new pick gaurd), and an Ibanez Artist.
I'm very satisfied with my pickups...sound great!

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: epiphone les paul classic
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock epiphone humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: seymour duncan 59 model
Artists using this pickup: joe fuckin perry (aerosmith) ,jeff beck
You musical style(s): classic rock/ blues
Reason for pickup change: stock pups were too muddy and lacked clarity.

Perceived output level: very hot, but not a metal pickup, same output as the epiphone pups but sound 100% better
Tone: trebly like a bridge humbucker should be but still plenty of tone,well balanced
Sonic evaluation: a marshall mg30rcd 2x15 watt solid state. this pickup has alot of tone with a combination of a heavier gauge set of strings(10's or 11's)couldnt ask for more tone and clarity. I was able to turn the gain on my amp up more and get more sustain and tone.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: it is a great match until i buy a tube amp

Comments: i would definitely buy it again

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: www.seymourduncan.com

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson RR1T
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: dimarzio tone zone's
Other pickups on guitar: my combination is SH-4/TB-4
Artists using this pickup: i have no idea.
You musical style(s): from Hard Rock to Death Metal
Reason for pickup change: dimarzio's suck.

Perceived output level: medium
Tone: very well balanced, quite trebly with tight bass.
Sonic evaluation: Jackson RR1T, Marshall vs 120/120, Marshall 1960, Line 6 POD.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i play mostly metal. some blues.

Comments: i've been playing for 6 years or so mostly in metal bands and all i the only pickup that i think can compete with the JB model is the Distortion. i use a Distortion in my Larriv?e RS-4. the distortion distort before the JB and sound a bit fatter. both the JB and the Distortion are 10 pointers. no doubt about it!

Pickup features: humbicking passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Sheraton II
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Epiphone 57 CH bridge (std pickup)
Other pickups on guitar: Epiphone 57 CH neck
Artists using this pickup: Dunno
You musical style(s): Rock, blues
Reason for pickup change: Insufficient output of Epiphone, not enough bite and definition

Perceived output level: A little more than normal, but not too much so, does not overpower neck pu
Tone: clear well defined balanced, bite
Sonic evaluation: Peavey Bandit 112 latest edition, no other effects. This pickup/guitair combination has a very clear (so not muddy) distortion tone through the Bandit, excellent for soloing. It sounds a bit like Gary More on Stormy Monday. Compared to stock it has much more definition, I don't have to work the guitar so hard to get a good sound. I have a Fender with DiMarzio Evolution which also sounds very good, but quite different character, the Jeff Beck sounds a bit more refined and less loud (much less output). Due to pu position closer to bridge on the Sheraton (is a 335 copy) there is quite a bit of treble and bite.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock, blues. Probably suitable for many styles, but not thrash, metal etc.

Comments: This is a bloody expensive pick-up (I have the gold cap version) but after hearing it a playing with it I guess it is a good investment. It'll last forever. I have been playing for 10 years and play in a band again for 1 year. This pu provides me the sound I expect from a 335 model, and I wonder if a real Gibson would sound better or different. If I want a heavier sound I take my Fender/Evolution. The JD was recommended by a guitar shop, and Duncan has a good reputation so I took it. Perhaps a Bill Lawrence XL500 would give a similar sound but at 1/2 price. I gave it an 8 because it is a good pickup, but it is overpriced.

Pickup features: PASSIVE HUMBUCKER
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: AM STRAT, IBANEZ
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: STOCK
Other pickups on guitar: STOCK
Artists using this pickup: LOTS
You musical style(s): ANYTHING THATS WORTH PLAYING! CLASSIC ROCK (RUSH, ETC...)
Reason for pickup change: NEEDED BETTER TONE & RESPONCE

Perceived output level: PICK SOFTLY=CLEAN------- PICK AGGRESIVE=DISTORT
Tone: PERFECT......BEUTIFUL. I HAVE ADDED THIS TO MOST OF MY GUITARS
Sonic evaluation: AM STRAT,IBANEZ THRU BOSS EFFECTS =MESA BOOGIE SINGLE RECTIFIER. THIS IS ONE HELL OF A MATCH. VERY MUSICAL....

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: ROCK, SOUTHERN ROCK, COUNTRY. DOES IT ALL VERY VERY WELL

Comments: BEEN PLAYING 20 YRS. TRIED AND SPENT TO MUCH ON OTHER ATTEMPS FOR "THAT" SOUND. I AM A HAPPY MAN. MISSION COMPLETE.I STRONGLY RECOMEND THIS PICK UP FOR SOLID BODIES. JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF DISTORTION AND CLEANS UP VERY WELL. BALANCE SEEMS TO BEE PERFECT. MAKE SURE THE PICK UP IS THE RIGHT HIEGHT 5/64TH!!

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: ?

Model of guitar or bass: Custom Strat
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: single coil
Other pickups on guitar: SK guitar specialties HB-90 neck
Artists using this pickup: I know a lot of people use this, but dont really know
You musical style(s): Southern rock, Hard Rock, Blues
Reason for pickup change: I have two pickguards set up, one is sss, and one is HH, this pickup was for my HH setup.

Perceived output level: High output
Tone: I would say that this pickup is mid-trebley sort of
Sonic evaluation: I am using a custom strat, alder body, with a Visual sound dist/OD pedal, into a sovtek mig50h combo.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup kicks ass... It is a classic rock type of pickup great for solo's

Comments: If it were lost or stolen, I would buy another that same day. I have been playing for 1 1/2 years and am very pleased with this pickup, and the setup with my neck pickup. I split the coils on this and it has a convincing strat sound. I wanted something with grit and bite, and this is what it was made for. It may be harsh sometimes, but that is the beauty of the pickup, and the reason I bought it.

Pickup features: humbucker, passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson Dinky Reverse
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock pile of crap
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan Screamin Demon
Artists using this pickup: Adam Jones, Jerry Cantrell, Tim Mahoney, Billy Howerdel, Jeff Beck, ME
You musical style(s): (see artists above)
Reason for pickup change: the one i had sucked really bad.

Perceived output level: to look at this pickup will burn out your retnas.
Tone: treble...nice mids
Sonic evaluation: i use a rogue 212 amp...these little things are way underrated...i love my rogue amp...i also have a digitech rp-100 pedal

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: this is a great match for anyone who loves treble

Comments: I would buy it again twice..i love this thing...its perfect.

Pickup features: humbucking,adjustible poles
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: ibanez GSA60
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar: stock
Artists using this pickup: stephen carpenter
You musical style(s): heavy metal
Reason for pickup change: because other pickup didn't have enough distortion

Perceived output level: tons of high output tones and tons of distrotion
Tone: Bassy, but tons of distortion
Sonic evaluation: this thing sounds so good i use to with my ibanez and my peavey bandit 112 TT, tons of distortion

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: this pickup is the best if u want some heavy tone

Comments: its going in all of the bridge pisions in all of my guitars from now on

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: yea....

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez RG320DX
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Seymour Duncan Preformer Buckshot
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: yea...
You musical style(s): punk rock ska hardcore
Reason for pickup change: got it and didn't want it to go to waste

Perceived output level: mid high
Tone: balanced but more on teh treble
Sonic evaluation: I use an Epiphone Les Paul with an Invader in the bridge and Ibanez RG320DX with the JB through a Peavey Bandit. That's it. At first I put the JB in the Les Paul. BAD IDEA(I use shitty plywood LP)it sucked. Had that NASTY single coil bite that I hate. Put it in the bridge of the RG. MUCH BETTER. Bright tone but very smooth. Great for rock tones all over the spectrum but not metal. Clean is meh. I like it though.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play punk and in the basswood body it does well. I dig it :-)

Comments: It's a good choice but if you want chunk chunk chunk get a distortion.

Pickup features: humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Washburn Chicago Series
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Washburn pickup
Other pickups on guitar: Stock Washburn pickups
Artists using this pickup: Jeff Beck I am sure.
You musical style(s): Rock, blues
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickup just didn't do the job. Not enough output. Trying to sustain, but it cuts out too quickly.

Perceived output level: Lot hotter than the stock
Tone: Very balanced
Sonic evaluation: Digitech RP-6 Effects unit and Fender Princeton Chorus Amp

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock, Metal, Blues

Comments: If it was destroyed, I would jump on the next opportunity to buy another one. I am in the process of changing the rest of my pickups on the Washburn to JBs. (JB juniors) I am even thinking of changing my stock Les Paul pickups with JBs.

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez AX320HBP and Ibanez S370DVF
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Ibanez
Other pickups on guitar: SD '59 (AX320) and Duncap Performer Buckshot (S370)
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock, hardrock, blues, blues-rock, punk, and metal (sometimes)
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups lacked clarity and definition under moderate and high distortion. They also lacked the punch I was looking for.

Perceived output level: Mid-high. Hotter than the stock pickups but not so hot that I would consider them a high output pickup.
Tone: More trebble and less mids than the standard gibson-type humbucker.
Sonic evaluation: I am using it in the guitars mentioned with either a Marshall JCM600 1X12 combo or a Peavey Classic 30 1X12 combo. Any of the guitar/amp combinations sounds good. I would characterize it as a very good combination of a single coil and a humbucker. It has more high end that the typical HB and doesn't get nearly as muddy with a distorted amp. The low end doesn't have as much chunk as something like a Distortion or an Invader, but it's just right for my use. With the enhanced highs it?s too bright for an ash or poplar bodied guitar but works marvelously in a mahogany body. When using it with the clean channel of an amp is okay, but I prefer a single coil or a more vintage sounding HB for playing clean. With the higher output it tends to distort the clean channel unless you roll off the guitars volume.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Mostly blues and hard rock, but occasionally I play old school punk and metal.

Comments: I would definitely replace these pickups if I needed to. I've compared them with the Duncan Distortion, '59, Duncan Live Wire Metal, and Gibson?s. They are still my favorites and are a major factor in my sound. One thing to watch out for with these pickups is to make sure you have proper pickup height. If they are even a little bit too low they will sound very trebly and thin.

Pickup features: Humbucker, oassive
Impedence or other specs: ?!

Model of guitar or bass: aria proII and selfbuild guitar
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock//none
Other pickups on guitar: stock
Artists using this pickup: Jeff beck i guess
You musical style(s): classical rock, hard rock, old fassioned heavy metal (metallica,megadeth etc)
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a little bid more muscle in the bridge position of my aria pro guitar. Liked the sound so i put it in my selfmade guitar to.

Perceived output level: higher than stock pickups
Tone: On my guitars it sound nice, it appeares to be balanced bus the bass and the treble are a little bit accentuated
Sonic evaluation: I use a Marshall G80RCD solid state amp witch aria proII mac series guitar or my own guitar. For me the tonal quality of this pickup is above avarage. My aria for example is a cheap guitar, but i set it up myself so it play's verry nice. Due to the JB it sounds good to. I play with a lot of people and i hear a lot of people's guitars. My guitar sounds pretty good compared to others. The JB is to thank for that. Before putting it in my guitar it sounded just like other guitars.As for music styles, rock and hardrock sound pretty much like the sound of artist(when playing along with CD), With metal it sounds different, especially with metallica (they use EMG) but i like my sound better than the sound of metallica, it sound fatter overall
Some people say the JB has no personality and isn't a specialized pickup. Maybe the specialisation part is true compared to some dimarzio's etc. But i think it has a distinct sound. I alway's recognize the JB, maybe what some people mean is that it is a sound that you here often. I can give my music a very unique sound by playing around with the contour,bass,treble and mid knobs on my amplifier.
I never worry about the fact that it isn't specialized, people tend to forget that persons tike steve vai and satriany buy guitars just because they like the sound of that guitar for one song there writing.
I don't have that kind of money, so i like to have a good allround pickup that sounds OK. .The J.B. does that perfectly. In my new guitar i am going to wire it parralel, maybe i post a reply of that as well yust for the curious people among you.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: see posted above. For rock and hardrock its a very good match, It does metal great to. lately i play some blues to wich it does ok

Comments: If it would be destoyed (youll never now who bush is gonna atack, i live in holland but nobody's safe anymore), or stolen (ok more likely i admit), i would try the rio grande BBQ bucker cause people say it does almost the same only with more tone.
I'm playing guitar now for three years, the gear you already know.
What i really love about this pickup is its brough versatility, i don't hate anything about it.
I compared it to the dimarzio super 1,2, and 3 and the tone zone.
I choose the JB because it has more tone, and it souds like a guitarpickup and not like a synthesizer.
I am completely satisfied, as for searching for that sound, mayebe i'll try a rio grande BBQ.
Don't pin me on this review, try it out for yourself and see if you like it. But trust me if you have a new guitar with crap sounding stock pickups this pickup WILL make a lot of difference

Pickup features: Passive
Impedence or other specs: Medium-high output

Model of guitar or bass: ESP LTD M-350.
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: EMG-HZ.
Other pickups on guitar: EMG-HZ single coil,EMG-HZ in neck position.
Artists using this pickup: A shit load of artists.
You musical style(s): Nu-metal,grindcore,punk,alternative,bluesy stuff.
Reason for pickup change: Stock bridge pickup sounded to weak for heavier stuff.

Perceived output level: Medium-high output,very balanced EQ
Tone: A good all around pickup,balanced,very versatile<not a single minded pickup at all.Great distorted sound (but don't expect the distortion sound of an active pickup like a EMG-81.
Sonic evaluation: I'm currenrtly using my ESP M-350 trhough a line 6 pod plugged to the FX loop of a shitty peavey dual-212 classic serie (discountinued).I must say that the JB brought life through this set-up.Before I had this installed,no mather what setting i was dialing in my pod,it sounded dull & VERY Boring!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Sounds great for about any style. Like I've said before, this is a very versatile pickup.I'm currently more involved in heavier stuff & the JB does the job like a pro.Being focused on only heavy stuff i would probably think of replacing it with his big brother the SH-6(distortion)or maybe an EMG-81.But overall this sucker is a real jack of all trade.

Comments: Up to now i never stay focused to a single style of music for a very long time, so wathever stuff I'm into the JB always responds to my needs.For those who are more in the over the top distorted stuff iwould recomend the SH-6(higher output,built for distorted sounds,more agressive harmonics and a strong low bottom end...CHUNKCHUNKCHUNK).For anyone who are really diversified in there musical style and occasionaly need the required palm mute chunk,this pickup fits the bill.
P.S: Sorry if my english is a little off.I'm french canadian:>

Pickup features: humbucker
Impedence or other specs: don't know (but good)

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson DKGC36 (similar to a DK2)
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock Duncan Design
Other pickups on guitar: Duncan Design hot rails at middle and neck
Artists using this pickup: 311, Anthrax, Megadeth....to name a few
You musical style(s): anything that rocks!
Reason for pickup change: I wante a step up from the stock pickups. I wasn't expecting a night and day change but it was definetly a positive improvement

Perceived output level: It has more dynamics than the stock PU. Lows are lower, highs are higher, etc.
Tone: well balanced
Sonic evaluation: Jackson-DOD VGS50-Tube Works 100W Tube Driver.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Modern rock, classic rock, metal, a little blues

Comments: For the setup I use, and the style of music I play, this PU deffinetly helps. The biggest difference I noticed was the harmonics ring much louder and clearer the the stock PU. The overall tone of this PU is fantastic. It is a great, well rounded PU. If you want to up grade your PU, and don't know which one to chose, this is the one for you!

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: dunno

Model of guitar or bass: ESP Stephen Carpenter
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Came with it!
Other pickups on guitar: ESP stockers in middle and neck
Artists using this pickup: Jeff Beck i think, SRC, Adrian from Iron Maiden
You musical style(s): Metal
Reason for pickup change: Came with guitar

Perceived output level: Compared to rest of pickups on guitar, hot.
Tone: Like hot shit - not clearly defined at all under distortion. had to scoop major to get something i liked. no matter how hard i try i sound like someone else. boring, bland, puts me to sleep.
Sonic evaluation: I took this guitar home and played for six days before i took this thing out. i used my new Bogner, and the tone that issued forth caused me to utter, "that's it?!" the stock ESP pickups had more character(albeit a throaty character). i'm sorry, if like hundreds of "rock/pop" guitarists hadn't used this thing, maybe it would sound interesting. more objectively, it sounds like classic Seymour Duncan: trebly, with distinctive mids that make this pickup recognizeable no matter what guitar or amp you use. Bass was like a PAF, pretty old-fashioned, not really cut out for modern stuff.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play modern metal, like In Flames and Opeth, and this pickup frankly sucks balls. I replaced it with a DiMarzio Breed, which fits my bill.

Comments: Overall, this pickup probably is some rockers wet dream. it crunches out beautiful Def leppard, ted nugent type of stuff without hassle. as far as metal players go, you are pretty much limited to Judas Priest, Iron Madien, and maybe groove metal like the deftones.

Pickup features: Zebra Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: F.I.I.K

Model of guitar or bass: Fender American Strat
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Seymour Duncan Alnico 2 Pro
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup: Too Fuckin Many, but thats good
You musical style(s): Guitar Music (e.g. Metal, Funk, Rock, Jazz, Punk)
Reason for pickup change: APH2 was good, but lacked what the doctors call testicles.

Perceived output level: Like the baby bears porridge; Just Right
Tone: A top like Halle Berry and a Bottom like Jennifer Lopez
Sonic evaluation: Strat/7 String to 5150 Halfstack. I can get any tone with this combo.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Perfect

Comments:

Pickup features: humbucker passive
Impedence or other specs: yeah

Model of guitar or bass: Strat
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Dimarzio Fast Track 2
Other pickups on guitar: Dimarzio fast track 2, Craig Armstrong Vintage i forgot which model
Artists using this pickup: Jerry Cantrell
You musical style(s): Rock-Grunge-Metal-Noise-Alternative-Whatevere
Reason for pickup change: I needed something that eats little children

Perceived output level: Damn Hot
Tone: Mids cut a little although very balanced, nice treble
Sonic evaluation: This pickup eats little children, it's freakin' great! It just rocks and rocks and rocks. A great thing when playing chords distorted is that it has great tone! No muddy shit, not much noisy, great balance between treble and mid...I don't know what to say...This shit is changing my life!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: well...for Alice In Chains...YEAH IT'S A GREAT MATCH!...try to play along your favorite aic song and notice how it sounds the same...like you're playing on the record... :) ...unsuitable? Geez i think if i could marry it i would do that, this pickup i great!

Comments: If it was stolen? I would crusify the guy who stole it...man i came across the half of Europe to buy this pickup, i would kill the motherf*cker...I have been playin'guitar 'bout 3 and a half years...I love everything bout this pickup, i dont' hate a thing...I think i'll take this pickup to my grave with me...This is the sound of God cryin' man and this is exactly what i need :)

Pickup features: High-output Passive Humbucker w/ Alnico V Magnet
Impedence or other specs: Hot - over 16K DC

Model of guitar or bass: '92 SG Std.
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibson Bridge Humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan SH-2n Jazz Neck
Artists using this pickup: Anyone who's not using it is a wet pussy like Kerry King of Slayer
You musical style(s): METAL-UP-YO'-ASS!!!
Reason for pickup change: The Gibson lacked character and output. Flat eq with no hamronics or clarity; very gray sounding. In other words, it sounded like my FUCKIN' BUTT CHEESE!

Perceived output level: MORE OUPUT THAN YOUR MOM'S BALLS!!!
Tone: HEAVIER THAN YOUR MOM'S RACK!!!
Sonic evaluation: I'm running this through a ZOOM 505 which is too processed sounding. It will be replaced soon. The amp is a Peavy Backstage Bandit that can kick the shit out of any fag-ass tube amps out there. You can shove your tubes up your ass!!! SOLID STATE RULES!!! This pickup makes my amp burn! One time in rehearsal it made it smoke! Smelled kinda like burning cocaine.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Heavy shit like SAINT VITUS (first album) and KITTIE - KITTIE makes SLAYER sound like stool softeners!

Comments: The JB rules in any Mahogany bodied gtr for players who want a balanced lead pickup that gets their point across with power and clarity. It isn't for poser EMG losers who let their pickups play their guitars for them! It's for real rockers who care more about tone than shooting meth or hitting the pipe.

Pickup features: Humbucking, passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Maton Mastersound
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Duncan invader
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s):
Reason for pickup change: didnt like output of stock humbucker.. first i put the stocky in the neck, that was OK, then i went sort of mental and shoved the invader in there. Good combination, really...

Perceived output level: Marginally more than the stock humbucker.. about 3/5 of the super distortion in my other guitar
Tone: Well balanced and clear.
Sonic evaluation: Maton mastersound.. (nice aussie guitar.)
Marshall bass state 65 watt.. mids scooped out on EQ (its broken, only setting that sounds decent)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: anything goes with me, but it sounds less muddy than the PAF in the neck position of my other guitar. it sounds very nice.

Comments: Id rate it fairly highly, its a little quieter than id expected but thats OK, now i use both pickups or it for quieter sections then switch to the invader for louder parts.. works surprisingly well, dont let anyone tell you NOT to put a hotter pickup in the neck.

Pickup features: passive humbucking
Impedence or other specs: www.seymourduncan.com

Model of guitar or bass: Fender MIM Strat
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock single coil
Other pickups on guitar: nope
Artists using this pickup: Jeff beck, duH, I dunno.....
You musical style(s): Punk-rock, emo-core
Reason for pickup change: Wanted smooth distortion, ?nd sparkling clean tones.

Perceived output level: Output was pretty heavy, I compared it to my Gibson SG and it held up pretty well.
Tone: Balanced tones, little weak on the bass side, hey, but you still have a bass button on your amp!!!
Sonic evaluation: I'm using it with a Mesa Boogie Single rectifier 50 Solo head and a Marshall 1960A 300 Watt cabinet, no FX. My amp gives the finishing touch, and makes the sound even more tight and very active, adds the balls, but the PU alone lacks personality.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: For straight punk rock, it's an excellent choice, you might need to adjust the bass level on your amp, but the distortion is actually pretty smooth and tight. For warm clean sounds in bridge position you'll need to find another pick-up, but it's still very usefull clean.

Comments: I've been playing for ten years and gained some experience concerning amps, guitars, etc...If you are only looking for good distortion with usefull clean, you should consider buying this PU, but if you are looking for something more personal, because it's lacks personality, you should look further...
Finally, I'm not very happy with the sound I have, but that's because I don't play Blink tunes and fast punk rock, but more like Hot Water Music, emo kind of things in which I use less distortion. Though I think it will please lots of people who are looking for a fast, smooth and tight distortion combined with sparkling clean sounds.

Pickup features: passive humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez Rocket N' Roll
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Ibanez stock
Other pickups on guitar: iabnez stock dunno
Artists using this pickup: JB and ????
You musical style(s): Punk,Metal
Reason for pickup change: My pickup goes crazy, a lot of feedback.But sounded nice.

Perceived output level: medium
Tone: well balanced
Sonic evaluation: I'm using this shit Rocket N' roll---Marshall JMP-1 pre-amp---50/50 Mesa Boogie power amp---Yorkville 4x12.No effect,no reverb just the basic stuff.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Bridge position.Good match for punk but not enough for metal but i think Marshall in my gear doesn't help me anymore.

Comments: Great sound but sound fat when you can find the final touch.Good palm muting sound good but not too agressive to my mind.The definition of each note played is great, no disturb sound.
The clear it's amazing no distortion.
I'm a looking for an another pickup for my Iceman but I'll not use JB pickup anyway.I need more power for the palm muting 2-string-together specially.So if someone can help me...

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Hell if I know, I'm not a tech

Model of guitar or bass: Cortley Les Paul Copy
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan '59
Artists using this pickup: Lots of folks...
You musical style(s): Progressive Metal, Blues, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, some Jazz too
Reason for pickup change: I liked the stock pickups alot but I wanted something new without having to buy a new guitar.

Perceived output level: The JB increased my output level very noticebly, so a lot hotter than stock.
Tone: Tone is very balanced. Its straight across the board level.
Sonic evaluation: I am using a Cortley LP copy plugged into a Tone Works AX100G multi-effects processor, outputting to a '71 Fender Princeton Reverb (awesome vintage amp).

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup is great for any type of rock imaginable.

Comments: I've been playing off and on for about seven years now, however I only started playing seriously about a year and a half ago. Since then I've played tons of guitars, searching for the right one. I really liked my Cortley LP copy, but wanted to improve upon its tone. Well, the JB really does that. As soon as I played my guitar with the new pickups, I could notice a minor change. The output was alot hotter, more clarity is achieved under heavy distortion, but I could help but think I had made a mistake. Then fate intervened, or possibly just me playing too hard--I broke the D string on my guitar (a frequent problem of mine) and had to go buy some new strings. I had heard alot about DR strings before and hey, Dimebag plays 'em, so I decided to give DR a try. Well, I was blown away. Suddenly, the JB came to life like never before. I can now get ANY sound I want with the AX100G and my guitar. Its amazing. I finally hit upon THE sound that I've always wanted. And I didn't have to buy some boutique amp or a thousand dollar plus guitar to find it. Needless to say, I recommend the JB, but only if you buy some new DR strings. I recommend the heavier gauges, like an 11-50. Any person who plays rock, but especially metal, needs this setup. Its everything I could hope for *tear*. I'm deducting a point because it took the right set of strings to bring this pickup to life.

Pickup features: Humbucker 4 lead for coil tapping
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Brian Moore i8.13
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Original rock, you can find samples at http://www.geocities.com/jack_wrightdude
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: Medium Hot
Tone: Muddy
Sonic evaluation:
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments: This pick-up came stock on my Brian Moore i8.13. To me, the sound was muddy and the harmonicis were unfocused. When split the bottom fell out. I replaced it with a PRS Dragon II, much better!

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Pro Axe PG-140dx
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: single coil at centre and neck
Artists using this pickup: Heaps.
You musical style(s): Grunge, Punk, among others.
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickup had no drive, and little sustain. After talking to a shop assistant at Better Music, I decided that this was the pickup I needed.

Perceived output level:
Tone:
Sonic evaluation:
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is a bridge pickup, and is very versatile. Suitable for alot of styles.

Comments: I have a very cheap, shithouse guitar, but this pichup has already made a huge difference. If it were stolen or damaged, I'd definitely buy a new one, it's awesome. It's taken me one step closer to THAT sound. My next guitar will be an Epiphone Les Paul, and I'll definitely put a JB in that aswell!

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: four conductot

Model of guitar or bass: RG470 Ibanez
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Ibanez V8
Other pickups on guitar: Neck Ibanez V7
Artists using this pickup: Many
You musical style(s): Everything
Reason for pickup change: The stock pup sound very trebly, and don't sound big enough, the sustain of V8 is not so good.

Perceived output level: Morerate-high
Tone: balanced
Sonic evaluation: Marshall 8040 w/ an ibanez and sansamp GT2 plugged in. I finally got the sound I'm looking for.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play any music style, this pup works best in bridge.

Comments: If it were destroyed, or stolen I would definitely buy it again, the sound of the JB is very versatile. I've been playing for 7 years yet this is the only pup that satisfied my ears. I also tried the Tone Zone by Dimarzio, but I did'nt love it because it is only good for distorted set-up, and the sustain of it is very muddy. I really recommend this pickup, for people who play different music styles. And just like Seymour Duncan said, this pick-up SINGS!!!

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson RR/LL
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: None.
Other pickups on guitar: Nope.
Artists using this pickup: Marty Friedman, Scott Ian
You musical style(s): Trash/black/speed metal, rock & jazz influences
Reason for pickup change: Came stock.

Perceived output level: hot in a sense of rock.
Tone: too much middle and treble. Kind a thin.
Sonic evaluation: Jackson Randy Rhoads, special limited stock model with 24 frets and and only bridge humbucker. Boss ge-7 equalizer and Korg ToneWorks. Marshall valvestate and Marshall 100-w cabinet. I thought I had to buy some active electronics or a new pickup to get hotter sound. Despite of that, I started to experiment with eq and I found the sound I was looking for. This pickup itself has too clear sound for playing serious metal like I do.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup rocks! However, it is not very suitable for the music style I play.

Comments: I wonder why Jackson puts these rock pickups to metal guitars. I think that many customers (performing metal) would like to replace these for example EMGs or Dimarzios. I definitely wouldn't ever buy this pickup. But it is not so bad after all, if you know how to use equalizers. With this pickup you are able to get more personalized sound than with EMGs or Dimarzios.

I will probably take this pickup out and store it in the case since it is "original"(don't want to hurt this babies value) and install a DiMarzio Super Distortion which in my opinion is the all-time best pickup ever made.

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson 85 SG Special
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s):
Reason for pickup change: Addendum to existing review.

Perceived output level: Maybe a little more than stock humbucker - pretty loud
Tone: This is an addendum to an existing review in which I said had trouble getting the sound I wanted from the JB.
Sonic evaluation: I wanted to detail some adjustments and experiments I have done that have improved tone quality and sustain in the JB pickup, which has some great qualities, and some not so great. When I started, I did not want to keep the JB. Distortion was great, but clean sound, sustain, and balance were poor. Upon making the adjustments I've listed below, I am now satisfied with the way it sounds, and plan on keeping it.
My purpose was to get to get the JB to sound clearer and more full with both clean and distorted amp settings, and to have increased sustain in both settings, so that, if possible, the SG would sustain like a Les Paul, but sound a little funkier and "shinier" when clean. I didn't want it to emulate a Strat, just to have the SG be a bit more flexible. I also didn't want to use coil taps for a number of reasons, the most important being that a coil tapped pickup, to my ears, still has the same essential character as the untapped version, but cleaned up slightly and humming. I didn't expect a coil tap to improve what I didn't like about the JB.
I tried many other things, however. The wackiest was carving spruce braces and screwing them into the pickup cavities with heavy brass screws so that the pickup actually rested on solid wood. This was problematic with the JB, because the underside has screws and screw heads sticking out. It also made pickup height unadjustable, so I abandoned it eventually; but it had a great effect on clarity and a big increase in sustain in clean settings. I mean really great, wow. WARNING: You will certainly devalue your guitar if you try this and possibly wreck it. I tried with other woods and smaller screws with no result. The braces also made no difference at distorted settings.
I tried different heights. The JB sounded best when the pole pieces were very close to the strings. Lowering the pickup did not give me the clarity I wanted.
I adjusted the pole piece height with a screwdriver, to improve string to string balance. This had a large positive effect on tone clarity.
I switched to a 1 meg volume pot. This made a positive difference in tone clarity at clean and distorted settings. The difference is a small one. Torres Engineering sells bad ones and Stew Mac or WD sell good ones. Different capacitors were tried and tended to have no effect on clarity.
Tailpiece adjustment made some positive minor changes in increasing the treble response of the attack. Adjusting for high string tension in between the tail piece and the tune o matic bridge does this. It might also mean breaking strings more often.
Higher tension strings had an overall positive effect on clarity in all settings, but I got tired of muscling them around, started decreasing bridge tension to compensate and wound up back where I started.
GRAPHTECH STRINGSAVER SADDLES: believe it or not, these saddles make a big difference in tone clarity and sustain. Buy direct from the website to avoid possible counterfeits. They don't transform the pickup's sound, but they do make it sound clearer and slightly more full. They emphasize the attack in a positive way and increase sustain, slightly in clean settings and hugely in distorted settings. Plus, they really stabilize the tuning and resist string breakage extremely well. I have them installed on three of my four guitars, and would put in the fourth too, but I keep putting it off.
Again, the JB will sound like a JB no matter what you do to it. However, if you want to keep the JB but would like to get a little more versatility out of it, I recommend the Graphtech saddles and the 1 meg pot as the most useful mods. Good luck to you all.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock, country, blues, old style stuff.

Comments: N/A

Pickup features: Humbucker Distortion type passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 85 Gibson SG special
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Dimarzio Evolution
Other pickups on guitar: SD Jazz
Artists using this pickup: Dave Mustaine, others
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: Medium
Tone: Balanced, less midrange
Sonic evaluation: Playing through Fender Twin and 80 watt Valvestate Marshall. Overall the JB is pretty good. It's happiest doing distortion and it has a nice hard rock voice, really to my ears harmonically rich, much better than the DiMarzios I have tried. Sustain seems like about average. String to string balance out of the box wasn't great for me, I had to get out a screwdriver and adjust the pole pieces for about an hour before I was satisfied.
Articulation is acceptable, with amp turned up clean sound is okay but not super. A lot of folks play this guitar, and I find when played clean we tend to rely on the Jazz pickup in the neck. The JB played clean is kind of, well, the words pickup truck come to mind. This kind of muddy articulation people usually blame on humbuckers or Gibson style guitars, but I can't help thinking its the pickup's distortion voicing and the principle of it either sounds good clean, or it sounds good distorted. I want both. Why can't I have both?

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: For the little performing I do, I usually have to play clean and use distortion sparingly, so I'll be looking for something else.

Comments: In other guitars I've had good results with the high end boutique pickups, so I will probably go that route again. The JB will soon be looking for another owner on EBay, with a big thanks for the memories.

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul used by Jimi Hendrix and so on
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: DiMarzio evolution ( it was crap) never buy it
Other pickups on guitar: definently not DiMarzio , Loads of Seymour Duncans
Artists using this pickup: Slash and Metallica
You musical style(s): Grunge / Rock
Reason for pickup change: The Seymour Duncan is just so much better than the DiMarzio Evolution. Who would buy such a monstrosity. The Seymour Duncan is just so much better.

Perceived output level: Absolutely brilliant , a must buy! I order you to buy it now!!!!!!
Tone: Brilliant on everything!!
Sonic evaluation: Fantastic!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Iam the best guitarist ever! Unlike that kid called Theo who trys so hard yet fails miserbly!

Comments: You can't go wrong with it!

Pickup features: Passive
Impedence or other specs: ???

Model of guitar or bass: (2) Squier Protone Strats
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Lil 59, Hot Rails (both bridge)
Other pickups on guitar: Stock
Artists using this pickup: Everyone in their right mind
You musical style(s): Punk, Indie-rock, Emo, all that jazz...................
Reason for pickup change: Heard good things about this pickup

Perceived output level: Good output, overall balance is good, not too much presence
Tone: Good balance, nice bass response, good high end, but not too much
Sonic evaluation: Im using it with my Protone Squiers into a Marshall AVT 50 head and a Seymour Duncan 4 x 12 cab with Celestion G12-S 50s. It sounds great. I can get Everything that I want from it. Any sound is acheivable with this setup. I love it.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup is great for what I do, and I would highly recomend it if youre into any kind of harder music, but maybe not new metal.

Comments: Id buy it again in a heartbeat, its going to become my main pickup in all guitars I buy in the future. Great pickup from great people.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker, four conducter wiring, trembucker spacing
Impedence or other specs: According to Duncan: 15k or so

Model of guitar or bass: Frankenstien Kramer/Jackson hybrid
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock Kramer "California Pickup Co" humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Dimarzio PAF (neck), SD Distortion (Middle)
Artists using this pickup: Lots of people
You musical style(s): Blues, rock, hard rock, metal
Reason for pickup change: I changed the pickup about seven years ago. I just wanted something different, but didn't know what. The JB seemed as good a pickup as any.

Perceived output level: High, with enough juice to give you some crunch on when your amps clean.
Tone: Sharp and clear, plenty of mids and lows, a bit anemic in the highs.
Sonic evaluation: The Kramer/Jackson this pickup is in is a mutt guitar I have pieced together. It is a Kramer Focus 2000 body (alder) with a San Dimas Charvel (marked Jackson on the heel, no peghead veneer) neck, maple with rosewood fretboard. I routed it for 3 Humbuckers and it has an original Floyd. I run this through my Marshall JTM 601 1x12 combo.
The JB is pretty weak on the clean channel, it doesn't really have a lot of character, and is fairly boring. Turn up the gain however, and you've got a hard rock monster on your hands. This thing rips into your face! Its got a load of chunk and really raspy mids, meaty and thick. Hard rock and metal rhythms are this things forte. The high end is kind of lacking and sounds a bit shrill and hollow, with none of the great chuck and round sound that was there in the low end. Big bends and vibrato fail to impress through this pickup. Fast lines are clear, and crisp but there's no soul.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play blues and rock and metal.

Comments: I think this pickup is great for a chunky rhythm style. Its got loads of crunch and a fat sound, it stays clear and crisp for hard chording, but the lead sound is lacking. The notes don't get wide, they just kind of settle and die. Its okay for fast lines and great for arpegios, but like I said, its got no soul.
I have tried this pickup in a fixed bridge guitar (SG) and have noted that the sound was a whole lot more full and soulfull, so its possible this is not a great pickup for Floyd guitars. I would consider dropping one of these into my Paul. I would like to try a Screamin Demon in this guitar to see how it fares.

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Parker Nitefly
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock pickup on Nitefly (DiMarzio?)
Other pickups on guitar: Stock
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickup on Nitefly was weak, would not sustain or distort well enough to play a lead.

Perceived output level: A little more than stock pickup
Tone: Balanced but non-descript.
Sonic evaluation: Played through a Marshall.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments: I replaced the stock pickup on my Nitefly in hopes of getting more sustain and feedback. The results were satisfactory, but nothing really earth-shattering. The funny thing is, you get used to it and don't really know what you're missing until you have the opportunity to do a direct comparison. My revelation came when I purchasing an inexpensive Dean Icon on ebay, which came with a DiMarzio made zebra pickup. I compared them back-to-back, and was blown away! The pickups on the Dean had much more clarity, and a solid "snap" on the lower strings that the JB lacked. The Parker and JB are now both history! I've since found a wonderful humbucker that duplicates the live, funky vibe I like-the Rio Grande Barbeque. These pickups have personality, something the JB can only dream about...

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: see other reviews for spec info.

Model of guitar or bass: GUILD S-100
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Standard GUILD chrome humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Standard GUILD chrome humbucker in neck position - very warm & full, great for that Jerry Cantrell (AIC) bassy sustain sound.
Artists using this pickup: Jeff beck & many others -- also Gerry @ Guitar Center uses it in his Kramer.
You musical style(s): Math Rock, Jazzesque stuff, Hardcore, & wierd melodies using the low strings.
Reason for pickup change: I needed something w/ more balls & versatility. And this fits the bill perfectly.

Perceived output level: Big & Chunky, Warm & Juicy -- very similar to the stock 'dragons' in PRS guitars.
Tone: I have the JB setup for phase shifting, giving me enormous range in sound. I can get a hot & crisp lead sound, wah-wah almost twangy punch, smooth & full mid range, and/or a warm full sound w/ a dash of dirtiness when clean.
Sonic evaluation: I'm using 2 setups:
1) Fender Stage 160 solid-state amplifier. Has 2 channels & a dirty boost. It gets a wonderful clean sound & just enough gain to satisfy my needs for Math Rock projects. Has warm tube qualities.
2) Ampeg V-50 tube amplifier (developed by Lee Jackson), running through a 4x12 Ampeg slant cab. I use this amp strictly for it's enormous gain & crunch.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: For the range of sounds I want, this pickup is perfect. I was very amprehensive at first, but have been pleasantly surprised by the enormous range of the JB.

Comments: I would certainly buy another JB if mine went missing. Or I would purchase an Anderson pickup. For my purposes this is the best electric guitar sound I have ever gotten. It was extremely satisfying to hear the punch, sustain & mid-range I was searching for. The JB does it all & I'm amazed by its versatility. I love the fact that changing the volume can bring about different sounds & warmths. each string comes through w/ clarity & balance. With loads of gain, each note is clear & cuts through the crunch. I think this is a very good choice for guitar players who like a warm & mid-rangy clean sound and/or a biting rhythm/lead. Very few pickups are as versatile as this one. The JB gets the best of both worlds - clean & dirty. You can have it all w/ this pickup. What surprised me the most... the gorgeous sound created between the neck position Guild humbucker & my JB when used together, especially when the phase shifting swicthes the polarity -- pretty Nifty!

Pickup features: Fukk size humbucker
Impedence or other specs: N/A

Model of guitar or bass: Parker Nitefly
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: DiMarzio Air Zone
Other pickups on guitar: Stock DiMarzio single coils
Artists using this pickup: Everyone
You musical style(s): Varied: From pop to hard rock
Reason for pickup change: Air Zone was very boxy; original DiMarzio was not hot enough.

Perceived output level: Hotter than the original DiMarzio and the AirZone.
Tone: Great mids and treble. Nice percussive bass thunk with distortion.
Sonic evaluation: Parker with Budda, Mesa, Duncan, or Rivera amps. A fat, snarly, lively midrangey tone, along the lines of Allan Holdsworth. Breaks easily into harmonic distortion but cleans up well. Much better match than a previous JB/Telecaster installation. Good for rhythm, really screams for leads, and you can hear the guitar's voice through it all.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: A good match. The Parker is a utility guitar for situations that require some acoustic tones and some hot rock lead junk. I've used the JB Jr for neck in a Tele before and it rocked as well. It would probably work well in any rock application.

Comments: The JB, in one format or another, has become my can't miss replacement pickup, although I'd never hack up a perfectly good Tele again to install one. I've been playing for nearly 30 years now; current instruements are PRS, G&L, Fender, and Reverend, along with the aforementioned amplification. There's not a lot to dislike about this pickup. It's very clear and distinct, cuts through for leads, and has a great tone for general uses from power ballads to hard rock.

Pickup features: Humbucking, Passive
Impedence or other specs: N/A

Model of guitar or bass: B.C Rich Mockingbird
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: PAF
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan Live Wire Heavy Metal
Artists using this pickup: Don't Know
You musical style(s): 80's Hard Rock Some Blues
Reason for pickup change: Wanted something with more fullness with out being muddy.

Perceived output level: About the same as the PAF but richer without being muddy.
Tone: Seems well suited to the neck. Alot of other resposes say this is a neck only pick up, but it seems to work fine in this application.
Sonic evaluation: As before I have a B.C. Rich Mockingbird played through a Hughes and Kettner 200 watt Hybred amp. I have read all the JB submissoins and I don't get it. Some peope seemed to think this was a hot pickup. There are alot of hotter Pickups (passive and active) out there than this one. Maybe if you are used to some really low out put pickups like alot of Jap guitars come with it would seem hotter. If you want to play hard rock without a stomp box you are going to need something else. As a neck pickup it works fine without breaking up. Now I'm not looking for an SRV sound or trying to dial in someone else's sound. I want somthing that will play clean rock balled songs and will sound clean, full and rich. I also usaully play with chourus. The JB works fine for this. I have a Live Wire Heavy Metal Pickup for the bridge and it is the hottest pickup you can buy. If your amp does'nt have the overdrive you want it will easly get you over the top. You won't need a stomp box. BUT! It only works if you want distortion. It does not sound good clean. It is a very limited pickup. It is not for everbody and I would try one out first before I bought one. It kills and X2N or any other of Seymour Duncan's hot passive pickups. Well thats for another Place. Sufice to say do not be scared off by the people who think this (the JB) is a bridge pickup and give a listen you might be suprised. Definitlly won't like it If you want a single coil strat sound.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Coverd above

Comments: For my application I would definitlly buy again. This is a combination I will Probablly stick with until I decide to change the style of music I play. Just keep in mind how picky guitar players are(and thats okay). They tend to precieve that the smallest difference is a huge one so make your own decission, but remember that is what helps for everyone to create their own style. Oh and sorry for the misspelling.

Pickup features: humbucking, passive
Impedence or other specs: www.seymourduncan.com

Model of guitar or bass: PRS CE 22
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Dragon 2
Other pickups on guitar: Dragon Bass
Artists using this pickup: Dave Mustain, Marty Freidman, Jeff Beck, Sevendust maybe
You musical style(s): rock, metal, punk...
Reason for pickup change: something new for that quest for better tone!

Perceived output level: pretty hot, but not too hot.
Tone: Middy, Trebly, lots of high mids...i like. Like Randy and Dimebag! not too many lows, but thats ok cuz my 5150 has plenty to make up for it.
Sonic evaluation: PRS to 5150, Laney 4x12. i love this pickup with this combo, cuz i dont thinkt aht a guitar tone should be really really heavy, thats the bass's job to do the low, heavy notes. i do have some bass, so i dont have a thin tone, but not overwhelming. although it can be. with this setup though, alder body on the guitar by the way, it has great highs and high mids, and enough lows to keep the sound from being thin. good and crunchy, can do Godsmack and get that Mesa tone too...and i only have to get my gain up to about 5, and Tony has it on 10? and Rectifiers are supposed to have all this gain? ummm i dont think so. anyway, pickup is great.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: pickup is good for all styles...i play punk, rock, metal...some bands, Linkin Park, Lit, Good Charlotte, Social Distortion, old Metallica, Pantera, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden...its suitable for anything almost, except country...i hate it anyway.

Comments: I would buy it again in a heartbeat...oh yea, for the guy that wants to know what gauge strings i have, its 10, 13, 17, 32, 42, 52, tuned down to C# and sometimes dropped D tuning...1 and a half steps down you say...and i bet you think im just a Korn or something wanna be cuz i tune down and use dropped D? no, i get annoyed by people doing Dropped D all the time, it pisses me off...cmon, show some musicianship and use something other than the low strings, or play a 4 string guitar like Max Cavalera or Scott Ian! as Dimebag said "they tell it how it is!" anyway, it retains clarity with lots of gain, even at low tunings. my bands style is heavy, but we dont scream all the time, we do have melody. heavy guitar, melodies, some lighter stuff, rocking. we tune low to help our vocals and to get more range out of our guitars. you can still play anything in standard E tuning, yet if you have something in mind with a lower chord, it can be achieved...i dont see the point in seven strings sometimes, other times i do, but not for me. anyway, yes i would buy this pickup again, i love it. or id try another Duncan...but this pickup is good now, im happy, my tone is good and thats what makes me happy! and oh yea, Dunlop Tortex .88mm picks (the best picks, nothing has as good an attack as them, everything else seems muddy to me, even worn out tortex's!) so if a pickup is muddy or something, check your pick...ive though my stuff is muddy and my pick is worn and i just get a new one and all is right with the world again!

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Charvel soloist
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: N/A
Other pickups on guitar: stock jacksons
Artists using this pickup: Pros?s play DiMarzio or EMG
You musical style(s): Metal, Nu-metal, Death/blackmetal, grindcore
Reason for pickup change: The guitar came with this pickup, I didnt even know what it
was until tonight when I checked.

Perceived output level: Average
Tone: on the trebly side
Sonic evaluation: I use the normal Marshall 100w with the gain on 10 and scooped out metal tone. This pickup is very Trashmetal with the trebly sound with just a tad of background-bass to fill it up. I have with my simple line achieved very close matches to the sound of early metallica. I tune my guitar to C and I can get nu-metal tones out of it too. I?d say this pickup can do almost anything, not perfect but close.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Metal, Nu-metal, Death/blackmetal, grindcore.

Comments: This pickup is a good does-nearly-everything but if you play metal- buy EMG?s. If you play rock(or find EMGs too hot)buy DiMarzios. The JB is a very popular pickup but very few big artists actually use it, they go for pickups which cant do everything but are perfect for what they play....you should too.

Pickup features: humbucking (passive)
Impedence or other specs: ???

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson PS-4
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Jackson
Other pickups on guitar: Stock Jackson
Artists using this pickup: just about everyone at some point
You musical style(s): Metallica, Ozzy, Pink Floyd
Reason for pickup change: The stock Jackson was "not so much." I origionally put in a Seymour Duncan Invader, but it was tooooo hot. It would have been good for new metal, but that is about all.

Perceived output level: Much "hotter" than the stock Jackson, but not ridiculously hot.
Tone: very balanced
Sonic evaluation:
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: For my style of music, this is the ticket. I have it in the bridge position and it works great. Have no idea what it would sound like in the neck.

Comments: I have been playing for 7 years now and have always owned stock (and not real expensive gear). I bought the Jackson when I fell into some cash and it is the best guitar I have ever owned. I run it through a Crate GX-65 combo (which I want to replace, but have no cash to do it) going through a Rogue 412 (which I picked up for 70 bucks). Basically I have "budget" gear but it works 'till I get out of college. This pickup improved my sound tremendously. It tightened up my mushy amp distortion and made harmonics jump out of my amp better than I though possible from a solid state rig. Don't get me wrong, it didn't turn me into Zakk Wylde or anything, but its as close as I'll get with my setup. I love the damn thing and would by it again if something happened to it.
If you are on a budget and have cheep gear, this WILL improve your sound per dollar more than any single other thing that you can do.
WARNING: I went in to the store planning on getting this pickup and was talked into the Invader. The invader is great at the ONE thing it was designed for. Crazy nu-metal shit. This pickup will carry you from Floyd to MetallicA with no problems. I traded for the JB the first day I could.

Pickup features: Humbucking Passive
Impedence or other specs: 16 k

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson SG and Gibson Les Paul
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar: Duncan `59
Artists using this pickup: Plenty
You musical style(s): Rock,classic rock,original hard rock.
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: Good output,twice as much stock PAF type.
Tone: Good amount of bass,a bit trebly,sometimes annoying,depends on the wood your guitar.
Sonic evaluation: Wizard Metal 100,Marshall Mark II,Old TS9,Rotovibe,Vox wah.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup tries to do it all,fits most styles.

Comments: Is it just me or what, but the JB always sounds like it can`t make it`s mind up to what it wants sound like.It tries to everymans pickup and thats were it falls short most of the time.
I had a JB in a Les Paul Custom for a while too,I thought it was OK, but after hearing the JB recorded in it,it was very disturbing.
I tried a Duncan Distortion,just to get away from that bright alnico magnet icepick in the forehead LP Custom tone...but no that didn`t work either.
However I did like the Distortion because of the ceramic magnet,which got rid of that annoying bite.
And alas I thought...maybe the Duncan Custom...I plan to review that right now.

Pickup features: humbucking, passive
Impedence or other specs: www.seymourduncan.com

Model of guitar or bass: Paul Reed Smith CE 22
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Dragon 2
Other pickups on guitar: Dragon bass
Artists using this pickup: lots of guys...
You musical style(s): metal, punk, heavy rock, some lighter stuff
Reason for pickup change: Wanted something new :)

Perceived output level: pretty hot, about the same as my Dragon 2, maybe a little hotter...but not so hot that it'll burn you. works good on clean, great on distortion.
Tone: great bass (i can shake the house with this puppy!) nice high-mid sound (hey, i like mids ok? as long as theyre the right frequency, which this is!) and good treble (i like lots of treble...im a punk, i cant help it!) yes, it is middy and trebly, but nothing you cant dial out with EQ!
Sonic evaluation: PRS CE22 (94 model with an alder body) and a 5150 amp with a laney 4x12. this pickup rocks...i know Sevendust uses the Custom Custom (so ive heard...) but i can get their sound with this combo. the JB is an awesome, heavy pickup!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i play lots of stuff...heavy metal, punk, plain rock...this pickup suits it all. it retains clarity with high gain, and works well with low gain and clean sounds. i havent tried it in the neck position...just the bridge (which is all i use usually).

Comments: id buy it again in a heartbeat...i love this pickup! ive been playing for about 9 years, and i own the afore mentioned amp and guitar, and a strat with a JB Jr. which i also love. im happy :)

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Kramer ZX30H
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: A crappy EMG Designed
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: Jeff Beck
You musical style(s): For this pickup: Thrashy, loud and crunchy
Reason for pickup change: The other one one a piece of crap. I couldn't get any decent tone out of it, and it was about as muddy as a Louisianna Bayou in the middle of the wet season.

Perceived output level: Much higher than before. Very loud.
Tone: Sounds crunchy and loud. Lots of bass, but some decent highs too.
Sonic evaluation: I'm using an ART Xtreme FX Pedal and a Tube Works MosValve tube amp head thru a Crate 2x12 cabinet. God this gets loud....

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: HEAVY HEAVY HEAVY! This is awesome for metal.

Comments: If you are looking for a really good pickup that is passive, check this guy out. The Duncan JB has turned this imported hunk of crap into a really thrashy guitar. All I have left to do is replace the body, and life will be good. This is the pickup I was looking for.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Strat
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Strat pickup, Single to Hum conversion
Other pickups on guitar: Lace Sensors in Mid and Neck
Artists using this pickup: Scott Ian , Dave Mustaine , Randy Rhoads , alot of metal guys.
You musical style(s): Metal
Reason for pickup change: Needed higher output

Perceived output level: Smokin'
Tone: Raw and nasty, gets an ideal Heavy Metal sound
Sonic evaluation: Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Play metal, pickup is the best without going into an active pickup

Comments: If you want that Heavy Metal sound without having to go out and get an EMG '81, this is your pickup. I've owned 3 guitars with the JB, and personally I would not use any other pickup, period. I used to run this thing through a Marshall JCM800 Half-Stack, and this thing is outright nasty. Good for leads as well, the rythem is just downright fuckin' heavy.

Pickup features: Humbucker passive
Impedence or other specs: Black in colour!

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Ritchie Sambora
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Di Marzio Paf pro
Other pickups on guitar: Stock fender single coils
Artists using this pickup: Errrr........dunno.
You musical style(s): Rock/Blues/all sorts.
Reason for pickup change: Paf was too thin. Wanted more body and harmonics.

Perceived output level: Hotter than paf but not excessively so. Responds well to rolling off guitar volume.
Tone: Middy but balanced. A "jack of all trades tone".
Sonic evaluation: used with Zoom 9030 and Marshall power amp. Great tone. Rich in harmonics. Sounds great plugged into a high gain valve amp-cleans up very well with volume control. A very good pickup for classic rock and blues. Can also cope with metal styles because it retains its definition despite high gain.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Ideal for most types of rock - might not not be the best choice for nu-metal though.

Comments: It's my favourite pickup. I have 3 guitars and all have a JB in the bridge. I have tried trembuckers, paf pros and many other types. I'm not saying that the JB is the best pickup you can get, just that it works for me and I love its tone.

Pickup features: Humpucking(passive)pick-up
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Squier Jag-master
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Squier Humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Stock neck pick-up
Artists using this pickup: Jeff Beck(duh) Dave Mustaine, And Kurt Cobain
You musical style(s): just plain old rock
Reason for pickup change: stock pickup's were very shrill and had too much highs and lows.............too metal sounding. they didn't have enough tone or output.

Perceived output level: twice as hot as the stock pickup
Tone: bretty balanced, has more mids and highs.
Sonic evaluation: am using a scetcher avenger, fender tele, and the jag-master thru a customized crate tube amp that sounds like a good fender amp.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i play rock(if there is such a thing anymore?) and this pickup has the sound that the guitar needed.

Comments: it has a good lead and rythem tone. it actually sounds good for blues music too. it's got a high output but isn't metal sounding. a good humbucker clean sound. and just try not to get great Van Halen harmonics out of this pickup........now if only they sold these things cheaper.

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: ?

Model of guitar or bass: ESP M-250
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: "Duncan Designed" pickup
Other pickups on guitar: Alnico II Pro (Neck) I took the middle pickup out.... who needed it?
Artists using this pickup: Jerry Cantrell, Jeff Beck, Stephen Carpenter, Me, etc...
You musical style(s): Modern Rock (mainly), jazz, fusion, funk, anything that's not country!
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickup was nice, but I wanted more "kick"

Perceived output level: This pickup is fairly hot. Not quite as hot as a ToneZone but it's got the goods.
Tone: This pickup has a very balanced tonal responce. Fatt bottom end smooth high end.
Sonic evaluation: OK here we go: ESP to a Rivera KnuckleHead 55 or a Marshall JCM2000 DSL 100 to a Marshall 4x12 loaded with green backs. Just the guitar to the amp... the way it should be!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play all kinds of stuff. I have not had a problem with it. May not be suitable for country. Too hot.

Comments: I've owned tons of pickups, over the past 10 years, on the quest for the perfect tone. This one is one of my favorites. I also love the Alnico II Pro. Another very sweet humbucker from SD.

Pickup features: Full size humbucker with 12 poles
Impedence or other specs: huh?

Model of guitar or bass: 1979 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Seymors favorite for Les Pauls
You musical style(s): Hard Rock
Reason for pickup change: Allways in search of the ultimate tone.

Perceived output level: A little hotter than stock,
Tone: never muddy, a little more middy than stock
Sonic evaluation: In a 1979 Les Paul Custom and into a 1979 Marshall 50 watt MKII [G.E.6550 tubes], with a simple gain mod done by Mike Morin[added a 12ax7], and two Marshall 4x12s with 75watt speakers. In my 22 years of playing lead this WAS [I sold the guitar like an idiot] one of the most amazing Heavy Metal tones I've ever heard in my life! Period! Amazing feed back! Amazing chunk! Warm, alive, angry, harmonics. Everything Michael Schenker of UFO had but more! I guess thats the closest popular guitarist to use as an example. But it was even more than Michaels sound [I didn't use a wah or any effects but reverb from the PA]. HEAVY,HEAVY,HEAVY but WARM! You could still hear the wood of the guitar but all this beautiful and controlable feedback and rich harmonic overtones jumping out on every note during the leads! I could find nothing wrong with this set up. Just amazing but the tubes went and the G.E.s were replaced by Groove tubes and the Custom was sold for A Kramer Barretta with a whammy bar.I actually considered installing a Floyd on the Custom! The 75 watt 4x12s were sold in favor of the more popular greenbacker 25 watters. You gotta remember, back in 1990, Les Pauls and 75watt Marshall cabs were not popular. You could buy them cheap and I fell for the hype and listened to my friends instead of my ears. I didn't know tubes from G.E. were such an important part of the sound. I bought them from the electronics store for half the price of Groove tubes. Mike Morin did some more mods to the amp and it just went furthur south every time he touched it. It's still a great amp however but now I think it's got Chineese tubes in it and need I say more? I also drank a lot and was a pothead. This should do well as a warning to the dangers of weed and drinking. That Custom was a tank however, had to be the heaviest Les Paul on the planet. I needed help to take it off sometimes. I sold it to the singer for Leather Wolf. I wonder if he still has it. But that guitar and pick up only had one sound and it was incredible. Turn the volume down a little and you could hear some riffs from Faces but it never sounded clean or anything like Jimmy Page. I have old tapes of the rig and I'm still floored everytime I hear it. That old J.B. pick up was a big part of that tone. I guess that goes to show if you ever do find "The Tone" you better work on keeping it as well. I took it for granted and lost it. Listen with your ears and forget all the hype from magazines and so called experts. Just added to this section. After Listining to Facelift from Alice And Chains I can safely say that that album comes extremely close to the tone I used to have. Especially, "I Cant Remember", man that warm, heavy crunch, but definition in the chords. If he played a Custom instead of his Strat style guitar I don't think I would be able to tell the difference. I bet that's a JB and a Marshall at least.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Listen to the Count Down To Extinction album from Megadeth. Definitly a JB pick up there in the rhythums.

Comments: I've been playing over twenty years and if I sold my JB I would write about and then kick myself. I love the Facelift album and now I know why. Thats really very, very close to the tone I used to love. I think the Custom may have been a tad beefier on the bottom if you can believe that. The JB has a ton of definition. You hear every note in the chords, no mud, clear, clarity. As for the 25 watt greenbacks...they're killer speakers for recording and blues and for getting that early Aerosmith sound but when pounded by a Les Paul Custom the 75s hold the bottom better [more and tighter].

Pickup features: Passive humbucker....the (passive humbucker part kinda gives it away, don't you think?)...
Impedence or other specs: Don't remember off the top of my head...comes with 4-conducter wiring for the coil/phase splitting

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez JEM (7VWH)
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: DiMarzio Evolution
Other pickups on guitar: DiMarzio Evolution in the neck, and a DiMarzio HS-3 in the middle
Artists using this pickup: Too fuckin many to list...Dave Mustaine, Marty Friedman, Jeff Beck (duh), and Jason Becker(god) are a few good examples
You musical style(s): Neoclassical/thrash metal/classical/anything that sounds good, except country and jazz
Reason for pickup change: I upgraded my rig, and as it often happens, something in the chain that sounded good with my old rig (the pickup, in this case) didn't sound all that fuckin great with the new one.
The Evolution had to much bass and lower midrange...dark and muddy like the water in a port-o-potty...and it was only 20 bucks used...so I figured what the fuck.

Perceived output level: Fairly hot, less than the Evo, but more than say...a '59
Tone: Just like the description in the catalog says....balanced. Not too much bass, mids (which I tend to use sparingly anyways) or treble. Can be warm and smooth, or raunchier than Andrew Dice Clay, depending on how your rig is eq'd
Sonic evaluation: I'm running my Jem strung with Dean Markley Blue Steels 9-42, which is tuned down a whole step to D (DGCFAD)through a Mesa 50/50 power amp into a Mesa V-Twin pedal through an old cheap ass Ibanez Chorus Pedal (it don't sound too bad..and I got it for free, anyways) into a Crate GFX1200h 120 watt head, and 4x12 cab (I only use the Crate for the effects and to boost the treble on the Mesas.)
The Crate is a piece of crap, and I'm embarassed I actually bought the thing 3 years ago...distortion sounds like Rice Fuckin Krispies...I expected those little Rice Krispies elves to pop out every time I used it.
Anyways, like I said...the pickup can be smooth or raunchy, it all depends on the volume/tone settings...personally, I like a nice smooth, warm, crunchy distortion ala Jason Becker (that's not too compressed or with the annoying spike in the mids that most "high output" pickups have) with a nice, singing high end and clarity for doing those Malmsteen/Becker sweep picking and speed picking techniques.
I've read some reviews here that said it's too bright in an alder bodied guitar...it can be...it all depends on the rig/eg.
The V-Twin is so bass and mid heavy itself that I have to crank the treble on the pedal AND the Crate, and turn the bass and mids on the pedal almost to zero so that it's not muddy (which, by the way, is NOT the pickup...anyone who knows anything about amps will tell you that Mesas, as a rule have a lot bass and lower midrange to begin with).
But, for such a cheap as shit patched together rig (the guitar and power amp are the only things with any quality at all) it sounds pretty fuckin good, for both lead and rythym (saw something about someone saying that it was too muddy for high speed gainy type runs...maybe if you have sausages for fingers, or are using just too much gain to begin with, I can hear every note even when I'm going apeshit Malmsteen style...that's fuckin clarity right there).
Coil split sounds decent...depending on what you're expecting it to do...if you're expecting it to do a twangy, sparkly single coil tone...you'd be dissappointed...as it is, it's useable..not too horrible...and it sounds better clean split than it does in humbucking mode (to me...humbuckers sound like crap clean to me anyways, but that's just my opinion, so I'm not dissing the pickup).
When split clean...it has a really loud (too loud for me to use as my clean sound most of the time, I like either a soft, acoustic type sound, or a slightly twangy clear sound)and it doesn't really sound like a single coil at all (But then, I knew I never expected it to as I didn't buy it for that purpose in mind anyways. Have to be retarded to think this pickup is gonna sound like a real single coil to begin with).
In humbucking mode, it's way too compressed/muddy sounding (could be because I've been spoiled by single coils for clean stuff, but several others have said it sounds the same way, so I figure that's a fairly common thing with the JB...tone is subjective anyways).

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I mostly play stuff by guys a lot of people now don't even know about...(which, I find ironic, because these guys can play circles around most of the so-called "musicians" blindfolded with one hand tied behind their back. Which, just goes to show that trends, the people who start them, and the people who follow them, are, in fact competly braindead. I mean, fuckin N'Sync goes Triple Platinum, while Yngwie can't even book a tour in the U.S? Buncha b.s...and the guitar based stuff is all poorly ripped off KoRn stuff...like Wes Borland...the guy hangs onto the B stri

Comments: Stolen? Heh...don't see that happening...but yeah, I'd buy it again if it crapped out on me...even for the full price.
I've been playing for 7 years (since I was 12) and have only owned worse crap than I do now...my other guitars (which I don't touch) are a beat to hell cheap ass alder bodied (yes, I said alder...cause the shit underneath the finsh sure as fuck ain't mahogony) EPI Les Paul copy...and my first guitar, a cheap Mako strat copy from which I learned a lot about wiring/bridge set-up/necks and such...of course I completly destroyed it in the process.
There's not really anything I hate about this pickup...except that the clean sound could be better...even for a bridge humbucker it's bad (the EVO that it replaced sounded better clean, and it has a lot higher output than this).
But, the distorted sounds are so good, I'd sell my mother into slavery to have gotten them (figurativly speaking). If you're looking for a versatile, great sounding pickup for anything requiring gain of any kind..and don't want a wanky-spanky Fender clean sound...the JB would be a good bet.
I plan to put a JB in the bridge of a custom guitar I'm going to start building soon, which'll run through the Mesa Triaxis and 4x12 Recto cab I'm getting sometime this month.
If you've read this far, I'd be fuckin surprised as hell, but I figured I'd throw in my 2 cents about something relating to this.
First off, the dude with the ESP with no tone control...you said it yourself, it probably sounds trebly and one dimensional because you've got no tone pot...it's not even a probably, I bet you that's why it sounds that way...think before speaking, dude.
It'd be nice if people would mention the gauge of strings they use...cause that makes a big difference in sound, thinner strings sound thinner, and thicker strings sound thicker...it's not rocket science. Also, if you have a crap guitar and/or a crap rig (solid-state especially) you shouldn't be saying that this pickup sucks...because no matter how good a pickup is...if the rest of the signal chain is crap, it's most likely going to still sound like crap, albeit slightly better sounding crap (My rig sucks except for my axe, but it's nicer sounding crap than it was before).

Solid-state amps...no one who runs a solid-state amp should ever bitch about having a bad sound (including me) because I can pretty much gaurantee it's the amp that sucks...you could plug a '59 Les Paul into a solid-state amp, and it would still sound bad (Yeah, I'm aware that tube amps are expensive, that's why I don't have one yet. I'm not saying that people who use solid-state amps suck, I'm just saying if it sounds like crap, don't blame it on a pick-up, etc.)

One last thing...most of the reviews that gave this pickup a bad review, were run through a crap rig (like mine)..so, it's not really fair to condemn the pickup for bad tone unless you've tried it on other stuff as well. Though, there was a dude that said the pickup had too much gain for the style he plays...that's a complaint..putting the pickup down because it didn't make a crap rig sound much better, isn't IMHO.
And no, I didn't post all this to start shit...I'm just saying what I think...anyways, I've talked long enough.

Pickup features: passive humbucking
Impedence or other specs: splittable

Model of guitar or bass: heavily modified Fender Warmouth Stratocaster
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: JBs
Artists using this pickup: smart ones
You musical style(s): blues to grindcore
Reason for pickup change: came on the guitar

Perceived output level: good output
Tone: good tone, balanced, leans toward treble
Sonic evaluation: The guitar is a heavily modified Fender Warmouth Stratocaster. The neck has been replaced by a very thin Jackson neck with a locking nut. The standard tremelo has been replaced by a Floyd Rose locking system. There is one volume pot and one tone pot. There are four small three way switches. The first is for the neck pickup. Up=split coil Middle=off Down=humbucker. The second switch is for the bridge pickup, and is configured the same way as the first switch.
The third switch is a teble enhancer and the fourth is a bass enhancer. Overall, a bitchin' guitar. I use this guitar into a Vox wah, Boss Metal Zone, and Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus. These go into a Fender Princeton 112 Plus solid state 65 watt amp. The guitar sounds good. I find the JB a very harsh, trebly pickup in humbucker mode, although it RIPS with heavy distortion. Leads and harmonics come easily in the bridge. What really makes this pickup shine however is the split coil mode. It makes playing the guitar clean enjoyable, which you could not do when in humbucker mode. Also the split coil mode is as muscular as the humbucker! With heavy distortion, I literally could NOT tell the difference. I often compare the split coil mode to a P-90.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup matches just about everything.

Comments: I would probably not buy this again even though this is a great pickup. This pickup's Dimarzio counterpart is the Tone Zone, which blows this away. The Dimarzio is a much smoother pickup than the JB is when clean, and is absolutely INSANE with heavy distortion.

Pickup features: Passive humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Stratocaster USA American Standart '93
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Fender American Standard pickup
Other pickups on guitar: Fender American Standard pickup
Artists using this pickup: Stef Burns (Alice Cooper, Vasco Rossi, Y&T, ...http://www.stefburns.com)
You musical style(s): Rock-Hard Rock
Reason for pickup change: I needed more "power" and a more aggressive and "hard-rocking" sound in bridge position.

Perceived output level: Hot, very powerfull without sounding too metal
Tone: balanced
Sonic evaluation: I'm using this guitar with this pick up into a Fender RocPro 1000 Combo amp through a Dunlop Crybaby---Boss Metalzone MT2---Boss Compression&Sustainer CS3---Zoom 507 (in the effect loop).

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock Hard Rock...I think that for a Strato it's the best humbucker to grant you a more hardrocking" sound...i also dont needed to do modify thw body of my guitar because the American Stratos have an empty band where the pickups are placed....so.....it'had been a very good match!!! I think that the best and only one position suitable for this pickup it's the bridge position.

Comments: If it were destroyed or stolen I would you buy it again. I'm playing guitar for 5 years and the choice of an humbucker for my Strato had been very long. I think have done the best choice it was possible! I'm fully satisfied of its sound, very hard rocking without losing the charatteristic Fender sound of the bridge-middle combination of the Stratocaster.

Pickup features: Passive humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Stratocaster USA American Standart '93
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Fender American Standard pickup
Other pickups on guitar: Fender American Standard pickup
Artists using this pickup: Stef Burns (Alice Cooper, Vasco Rossi, Y&T, ...)
You musical style(s): Rock-Hard Rock
Reason for pickup change: I needed more "power" and a more aggressive and "hard-rocking" sound in bridge position.

Perceived output level: Hot, very powerfull without sounding too metal
Tone: balanced
Sonic evaluation: I'm using this guitar with this pick up into a Fender RocPro 1000 Combo amp through a Dunlop Crybaby---Boss Metalzone MT2---Boss Compression&Sustainer CS3---Zoom 507 (in the effect loop).

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock Hard Rock...I think that for a Strato it's the best humbucker to grant you a more "hardrocking" sound...i also dont needed to do modify thw body of my guitar because the American Stratos have an empty band where the pickups are placed....so.....it'had been a very good match!!!

Comments:

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Dimarzio Tone Zone
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan Alinco II Pro
Artists using this pickup: Beats me
You musical style(s): Rock!
Reason for pickup change: The Tone Zone sounded good distorted, but it sucked for anything else. Always distorted my clean stuff.

Perceived output level: Pretty hot, although not as hot as the Tone Zone I had in before.
Tone: Its balanced leaning towards trebly. Not much bass.
Sonic evaluation: I play with a Gibson Les Paul Standard through a Marshall JCM 2000 DSL-401 and the pickup sounds AMAZING. Playing with distortion the pickup is AWESOME. Its a very clean type of distortion (at least with my amp) and you can hear every note played. It also sounds really good clean, especially when wired in parallel.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play lots of different styles and this would work for most all of them. You can't do the insane monster distortion with it, but thats ok. I'm more in to the sweet and beautiful type of distortion.

Comments: Overall this pickup kicks ass. You can get many different sounds out of it, especially if you use your volume knob. So if you need a really versatile pickup that can kick out some serious tone, go for this pickup. Its a killer.

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Hell, I don't know.. I'ts a JB that came with my American Kramer ..

Model of guitar or bass: American made Kramer Sustainer / Floyd Sustainer with new Warmouth Alder Solist Body
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: None
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: Don't know..
You musical style(s): 80's Rock, Ted Nugent, Lyrnard Skynard, etc, etc..
Reason for pickup change: This pickup came with the original Kramer body.. I had it put in the new warmouth body which I bought for it's lightweight..

Perceived output level: This pickup just rocks.. I would not hesitate to recommend it..
Tone: A little rebly, but nice an balanced overall.. I think it's the wood that matters too in the guitar
Sonic evaluation: I am using a Marshall with 2each 12" celestions.. A valvestate with 3 channels.. I use it in a high gain situation.. This guitar is so light and the pickup is so versitle for me.. I play for fun now and don't jam in a band, but woudln't hesistate to recommend this pickup if you want that Eddie Van Halen raw rock and roll sound.. It seems to me in my Warmouth ALder body with my Kramer American Neck with Rosewood Fretboard that it sounds like a Strat on steroids.. Doesn't have that Gibson sound that is muddy, yet sounds like a humbucker.. I also have a Duncan Pearly Gates and I like this sound overall better personally, but I think the Pearly Gates sustains better, but it could be the other guitar..

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Bridge pickup, but I would bet that it would work in a pinch in the neck.. I think on an LP this pickup would rock..

Comments: I would buy another in a minute

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez GAX 70
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: Duncan SH-1 ('59)
Artists using this pickup: Most Jackson Endorsees, Jeff Beck (Pre-Lace Sensor),Wayne Static
You musical style(s): Classic rock,Blues, Metal
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups squealed too much with moderate amounts of gain

Perceived output level: Hot
Tone: Balanced
Sonic evaluation: Ibanez to tube screamer,delay, chorus and flange (ALL IBANEZ)into a Peavey Bandit 112 (100w solid State)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I think this is THE pickup, for all styles of music.

Comments: I saw that a bunch of different artists from completely different types of music were using this pickup. It is as diverse as all the artists who use it. If you like old Metallica, take the midrange knob on your amp and turn it to zero. then max the gain, bass and treble and voila! Metallica tone, pre EMGs. I also went from thrash to Claptonesque woman tone with no trouble. Any person looking for a great overall pickup get this one. They go well with any type of an LP guitar too, b/c that is what they are

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Sure, whatever.

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson RR-1 Rhoads USA
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock!
Other pickups on guitar: Duncan Jazz (neck)
Artists using this pickup: Dave Mustaine, Marty Friedman, Scott Ian, Jeff Beck, Static-X, Flavia Canel (Drain STH), lots more.
You musical style(s): Metal (heavy, progressive, thrash, grind, death, black, melodic)
Reason for pickup change: Came stock.

Perceived output level: Somewhat hot. More than a DiMarzio PAF Pro.
Tone: pretty trebly tone, normally (I've had it in many guitars), but read below:
Sonic evaluation: Normally the JB is a trebly pickup, especially in alder or basswood bodied guitars. I've previously only had it in bolt-on strat-type guitars, and when I bought the Rhoads, I was planning on putting in EMG-81/85 like my previous rhoads which was stolen. But I do have the JB in another Jackson, a bolt-on Fusion USA, and it sounds great, but with the Rhoads, this tone is AMAZING- very TIGHT, controlled, crunchy, and not too much treble on this axe. Must be the neck-thru neck, but I really love the tone.. but I must note, when I got the axe, it was tuned standard with .09-.42 strings, I use DR .10-.56 tuned to Drop-D (rest of axe is standard), and it beefed up the tone considerably. My amp is a Line6 AX2 212, plugged into 2 Peavey 5150 cabinets (4x12s), I have tone to DIE for.. I usually use the Rectifier, JCM800, or Soldano amp simulations.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Dave Mustaine uses it in the neck, maybe it rocks there. I think this is an all around great pickup, very versatile.

Comments: Definately buy it again. No problem! Could use a little less bass.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: ?

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson USA Custom Shop Kelly
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar: another JB
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): Hard Rock, Metal, Thrash
Reason for pickup change: Came stock

Perceived output level: mildly hot
Tone: Kind of thin, not enough bass, too much mid/high
Sonic evaluation: It's decent but not great. I don't see what all the hub-bub is about this pickup. Lacks power, lacks low end crunch. In my Jackson Kelly through a Digitech 2112 into a Marshall 6100 100W full stack, it just doesn't cut it. This is not a "metal" pickup.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: For metal, it doesn't cut it. I don't see why Jacksony puts these in metal guitars. Probably great for jazz or soft rock.

Comments: I really don't care for it. I've got this kick-ass ultimate heavy metal $3000 Jackson US Custom Shop Kelly(full size custom, not the small one they've been selling for the past 13 years) and they put these wimpy Duncan JB's in both the neck and bridge positions. I will probably take this pickup out and store it in the case since it is "original"(don't want to hurt this babies value) and install a DiMarzio Super Distortion which in my opinion is the all-time best pickup ever made.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Around 16.5

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul Custom
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: SD '59 Humbucker
Artists using this pickup: Jerry Cantrell, Scott Ian, etc.
You musical style(s): Punk,Ska,Metal,Hardcore
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups didn't have the clarity or output of aftermarket pickups

Perceived output level: Much hotter than the stock pickups. This will sound weird, but it doesn't SOUND hot because it is so clear it isn't muddy like other "high output" pickups.
Tone: Tone is very balanced, with a slightly scooped mid, and more treble than bass. The pickup has an amazing tone, that is very versitile and would work for most styles other than Jazz.
Sonic evaluation: Les Paul into a Crybaby wah into a JCM 2000 201 combo.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play in a ska/punk band we like to call "swing-core" This pickup is absolutely awesome! It is the best "high output" passive pickup I have ever heard. If you play punk/metal/hardcore band and you don't want the sterile tone of EMG's, BUY THIS PICKUP! If you only play ska, without any punk influences, buy a '59. The combination of the two is unbeatable.

Comments: This pickup is great, I doubt I will ever buy a different passive bridge pickup (I only say that because I really want a guitar with an EMG 60 and 81). This is great for anyone that doesn't want to be Wes Montgomery. I also want to say that SD is a great company and they have one of the best customer relations departments out there. I e-mailed them a question about some Rickenbacker replacement pickups and they had a poster a catologue and a price list at my door in two days. Anyway, blah blah blah...BUY THIS PICKUP!

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: high impedance

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson RR-1, LP Classic, Hamer Special
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: N/A
Other pickups on guitar: SD Jazz (RR-1), Dimarzio PAF (LP), Custom Dimarzio
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): Hard Rock
Reason for pickup change: N/A

Perceived output level: Higher Output than PAF , But not as hot as ceramic distortion HB's like 500T or Dimarzio Super Distortion
Tone: Strong Upper Mids verging on "Bright" sounding
Sonic evaluation: I have been blessed to have the same pickup in three different axes. Sounds different in each one. Overall sounds best distorted through my Marshall. The SD literature description is accurate -- Harmonics leap out of this pickup. Open distorted chords are simply devastating. This pickup has little bottom end. More upper mids. The pickup is more designed for distortion than clean tones. Clean tones sound compressed and not very clear. But they distort great which if that is your bag, give the JB a shot

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Bridge only. Great for metal and classic rock. Sounds better in LP & Hamer which have maple top/mahogony body

Comments: Been playing over 20 years and have tried many different pickups. I like the JB's very much, great rock pickups. I wish they had more bottom end, but just back off on the tone knob for more thump. Wish they cleaned up better, but that is not what the pickup is designed for.

Pickup features: humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: horrible microphonic stock pickups
Other pickups on guitar: stock in neck which is rarely ever used
Artists using this pickup: jeff beck, maybe.
You musical style(s): punk rock
Reason for pickup change: stock pickups sounded horrible. at high volumes, would get terrible loud high pitched feedback.
this fixed it all. sounds great.

Perceived output level: hot but not too hot.
Tone: a wee bit trebely, but not so bad you cant work with it.
Sonic evaluation: Epiphone Les Paul Custom/Marshall JCM-900/BBE-462 Sonic Maximizer/JCM-900 4x12 Cabinet. Everything works together great. I've never been happier with the sound i get. Warm, defined, full of tone.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Punk Rock, metal, heavy. Great pickup. can really rip sh*t up.

Comments: I would get it again. I've been playing for about 5 years now. I've finally decided to start getting really serious with my sound however. this seems to have been a good addition/investment.

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 1978 Ibanez Studio 300
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: It's not stock, but it was in the guitar I bought used
Other pickups on guitar: seymour duncan jazz neck pickup
Artists using this pickup: Jeff Beck
You musical style(s): Fusion/Jazz, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Shred
Reason for pickup change: This pickup has great tone for almost all music styles, but while using distortion it's a little muddy.

Perceived output level: Medium output
Tone: heavy on the trebel side, great sustain and harmonics, muddy while using distortion
Sonic evaluation: Boss ME-30, Art rackmount preamp, powered speaker cabs

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: this pickup would be great for blues and classic rock, but nothing too heavy

Comments: I'm replacing it soon, trying the Tone Zone. I had used only seymour duncans in the past and wasn't completely satisfied. Time to try some DiMarzios.

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 1978 Ibanez Studio 300
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: It's not stock, but it was in the guitar I bought used
Other pickups on guitar: Stock neck pickup
Artists using this pickup: Jeff Beck
You musical style(s): Heavy metal, Progressive rock, Jazz, Shred
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: Hotter than average stock pickups. Harmonics aren't bad and sustain is never-ending.
Tone: Well balanced, a little heavy on the treble side
Sonic evaluation: Boss ME-30 and a rackmount preamp going into powered cabs.
Gave me well balanced clean tones, and good distortion tones
with a lot of grind, plenty of mids, and just enough highs. One big problem is that it isn't well defined under distortion while playing faster stuff. I think this pickup would sound great for blues and classic rock, but not for metal (what do you expect from something named after Jeff Beck?). Good for shreding solos, too.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Like I said, not good for metal. But if you're a blues or classic rock player, this might be the pickup for you.

Comments: I intend to replace it soon. I'm thinking of trying the Duncan Custom,
The Allan Holdsworth model, the Dimarzio tone zone and X2N models, the Evolution, or maybe some EMG's (I work at a music store so I often get a chance to try different products). I'm in no huge hurry to change it, but it's not something I want to stick with. I've been playing for about eight years and am on the quest for THAT tone. I didn't find it here.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Early 70s Les Paul Custom
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibson
Other pickups on guitar: Stock Gibson
Artists using this pickup: Dave Mustaine, Scott Ian....and many, many more
You musical style(s): Blues, Hard Rock
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a hotter bridge pickup that didn't squeal

Perceived output level: To die for
Tone: Nicely balanced, great treble response with decent mids and nice bass
Sonic evaluation: Peavey Classic 30 and Vox AC-30 top boost. effects are a Vox wah, tube screamer and a Marshall Guv'nor

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: good bridge pickup, to hot for neck positions IMO

Comments: Beautiful pickup for a Les Paul, I am thinking of putting an Alnico Pro in the neck or maybe a Jazz but haven't decided. I also have a JB in a strat of mine and it sounds good, but not as good as the JB does in the les Paul. I tried a Tone Zone in the same position and it was a muddy dark joke....that is an Ibanez type guitar pickup. JB I really love this pickup....think Gary Moore

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: huh?

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson PS2 Performer
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Jackson stock humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Jackson single coils
Artists using this pickup: Jeff Beck I suppose, and Megadeth
You musical style(s): Hard Rock, Metal, Blues, Jazz, Classical
Reason for pickup change: Stock humbucker did not crunch enough. Had very little character, and sounded very muddy.

Perceived output level: Substantially hotter than stock, but not overly hot
Tone: Extremely balanced, the tone is most excellent. No complaints here.
Sonic evaluation: I have this pickup installed in my Jackson PS2 performer, and I play through a Laney HC50R 50w solid state combo. This pickup actually brings out the sound of the amp! When distorted it sound very crunchy and full. Very good for hard rock, and suitable for heavy metal (though die-hard metalheads may want something hotter). This pickup also does a good job for wailin blues with a little overdrive.
The clean tones are OK if you cut back on the guitar volume a little, but I'm not a big fan of clean humbucker tones.
This pickup is extremely balanced. Has the perfect mix of bass, treble, and mids. Like I said this thing really sounds great on distortion. It growls like a bad motha when you slam on those heavy chords and use that chuggy palm muting. It also screams and howls on leads, the harmonics seem to just jump out! Sustain is most excellent, even with my pain-in-the-neck floyd rose and solid state amp. I can hold a note for hours it seems.
Great pickup.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play hard rock, heavy metal, blues, jazz, and classical. For hard rock, metal, and blues, it's excellent! However this pickup does not work well for jazz and classical, not in the bridge position anyway. But I think this pickup is totally meant for the bridge. Even though it would probably sound very fat and smooth in the neck.

Comments: Well this pickup would be very hard to steal without taking the entire guitar. But yea I would definitely buy this again, and will probably equip all my axes with this in the future. I've currently been playing 3, almost 4 years and I own an Ibanez Stagestar for a backup axe. I also have a Fender DG7 acoustic.
I love everything about this pickup, especially the sweet growling tone. I hate nothing about it as of yet, I've had this pickup for about 3 or 4 months now and never get tired of it's sound.
I really didn't have a chance to compare it to other pickups, cuz well I was getting a sweet deal on it..my friends dad was offering it to me for $25, and I thought 'hey what the heck, it's only $25, I might as well try it out.' But compared to my stock pickups in both my Jackson and Ibanez, the JB blows them both away. This pickup is definitely MY sound, and I would not accept any other.
I highly recommend this pickup to anyone who loves a good hard rock or blues tone. You won't be sorry you bought it.
This pickup deserves a 10, which is very very high coming from me, I never give anything a perfect 10.

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Stated below

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez S540QS
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock (Ibanez-QM2)
Other pickups on guitar: Stock
Artists using this pickup: Too many to list
You musical style(s): Hard Rock to Blues
Reason for pickup change: Old pickups were characterless.

Perceived output level: Nearly twice as much the old p/u
Tone: There IS a reason why so many people use this pickup! It's the ultimate balance; not too trebly, not too bassy, just the right blend. Full and present. Also a distinctive thing is the sustain, it just screams as you hold the note. Not when you are just playing but only as it sustains
Sonic evaluation: I have a crappy Valvestate at home but I play at various places mainly with tube amps and believe me it's a "to the moon and back" tone ! I also have this pickup on my Jackson "M.F.", it's a maple guitar with alder sides and it has a hell lot more crunch. Still I prefer the Ibanez as it has a more mellow, sweet tone. (Hint: That thing sounds brilliant coil-split !!)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mostly hard rock and occasional blues. It's a very flexible pickup, though I'd prefer something else for country!! That's a bridge p/u in general but my friend has one in the neck position (Jackson KV1) and it sounds OK(not like a '59 though)

Comments: I would definitely buy it again.
I've played for 4 years now and I own a Jackson KE1 along with an Ibanez S540QS.
This p/u is just great for .hat it does and it does the right thing.
I would recommend this to anyone although it would not satisfy the MetalJackHammerHeads nor the Country ChickenPickin' guys. Great for anything in between. (Although it's good for metal it's not enough for that Heavy-As-Hell stuff, frankly.)

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: can be found on their website

Model of guitar or bass: Guild Bluesbird, Epiphone Sheraton
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Seymour Duncan '59 on Bluesbird, Stock Epiphone bridge
Other pickups on guitar: SD Jazz, SD Alnico II Pro
Artists using this pickup: who cares, Slash I guess
You musical style(s): Blues, 70-80, everything but country basically
Reason for pickup change: Found SD '59 too shrill in Bluesbird, knew there was nowhere to go but up on Epiphone.

Perceived output level: a bit hotter than average.
Tone: very balanced...but sounds very different in these two guitars. I did not like it at all in the Bluesbird, was very nasal in tone, very midrangy. However, in the bridge in the Sheraton, it is magic! Beautiful full woody tone, and works marvelously with the Jazz I have in the neck.
Sonic evaluation: Pickup found a home in my Epi Sheraton, used with a Peavey Classic 50, and sometimes a Line6 POD.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Works very well for the turn of the century to modern blues I play, as well as more contemporary rock. Sounds good with distortion as well. As I said, I did not like this pickup in the Guild, so the guitar makes a big difference.

Comments: I would definitely put another JB in the Sheraton. Along the way, I tired SD Custom-Custom and Alnico II Pro bridge pickups as well, and Jazz and Alnico II Pro neck pickups. The Alnico is beautiful in the Guild, the Custom-Custom was unacceptable in the Guild but OK in the Sheraton. But the Jazz was good in the neck of both. Point is, all you can do it try the pickup, maybe these reviews should only be taken as a very general baseline.

Pickup features: humbucker?
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: epi les paul
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar: 59 in neck
Artists using this pickup: tree of tabor guitarist
You musical style(s): edgy rock
Reason for pickup change: wanderlust

Perceived output level: hot
Tone: great clarity without brittleness
Sonic evaluation: playing this through a marshall 2550 with an alesis quardrever in the loop -- it sounds great.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: rock, pop

Comments: i'd get it again. Going to put one in my hamer special

Pickup features: Humbucking, passive, open coils
Impedence or other specs: 16.4K ohms (per http://www.seymourduncan.com/tonechart.html#hum)

Model of guitar or bass: Aria TA-62, ES335 copy, slightly smaller body
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Aria stock humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan '59 PAF in the neck
Artists using this pickup: n/a
You musical style(s): jazz, rock, blues
Reason for pickup change: The stock pickups were slighly fuzzy sounding which is probably good for R&R, but not so good for jazz.

Perceived output level: Same as the Seymour Duncan '59 PAF even though the impedance is twice the PAF. I thought it would overpower the neck pickup, but it did not. It was balanced and even sounding with the neck pickup.
Tone: This pickup is pretty evenly balanced across all strings and does a good job at highlighting the *brilliant* tone of the guitar.
Sonic evaluation: The SD JB is in the bridge of my Aria TA62 which is all maple and semi-hollow. I play it through a Fender Acoustasonic JR amp (solid state), but am waiting for a tech to finish repairs on my 1969 Hohner CA-200 all-tube amp. Right now the TA-62 sounds fairly, but not overly bright. With the SD pickups in both positions and the newly added Grover Rotomatics, my TA-62 is as good as any pro level ES335 out there. I can't wait to hear it with some real tube distortion through my CA-200 amp. I'll bet that will make the SD JB pickup shine.
Combining both or using either pickup, I can get ES335 tones from my Aria or even strat-like tones using the JB. The pickup combo gives me a wide range of tones. The only thing I can't get is the darker tone you'd get from a big archtop. That's OK since I have an Epi Joe Pass (with another SD '59 PAF in the neck) for that purpose.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Mostly jazz, trying some blues and R&R. I'd say the JB pickup is a good match for the SD '59 PAF.

Comments: Yes, I'd buy the JB again. I am pleased that it is NOT a distortion pickup, but has enough kick to sound good for blues. It sounds fairly thick for a bridge pickup which is a nice surprise, too.
There is not anything I hate about the pickup. All I can say is that I am very pleased with it.

Pickup features: humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: epiphone special 2-les paul copy
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: cheap shit epiphone humbucker
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: me
You musical style(s): 90's rock
Reason for pickup change: the stock epiphone sounded alright at practice amp volumes, but when i cranked it up it sounded like a toy. very harsh. i cant afford a new guitar, so i did the next best thing.

Perceived output level: i have nothing to compare it to, but i can run my preamp gain at only 3 or 4 and still get a good crunch
Tone: ok, ill spare all of you the art critic metaphors and just say that it is very smooth with no spikes in the signal and it has good sustain.
Sonic evaluation: epiphone special 2 (alder and maple body/mahogany neck) plugged straight into a crate gx1200 120 watt head into a carvin 2x12 with BR-12 speakers (copies of celestion g12-75's). basically a bunch of cheap shit, then again, id love to have a prs standard 24 and a bogner whole stack, but.....for now ill dream. my guitar is obviously not as nice looking as a PRS or some other expensive shit, yet it sounds better than you would think on its own and the audience doesnt seem to care. however the crap stock pickup had such a spike in the mids and highs that if you cranked the amp it sounded like you were banging spoons on pots and pans. this pickup sounds GREAT cranked and is very smooth. i can run my preamp gain at four and still have a good crunchy tone. some would complain that it sounds trebly in alder bodies, but i just roll the tone knob back a little and it sounds fine.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i play "90's rock/metal or whatever you want to call it. just dont call me alternative....please. this pickup works fine for my style as well as many other styles and is very versitle.

Comments: id buy this pickup again. what drew me to it at first was that in the catalog, there was no eighties hair metal has-been posing in spandex tights next to it with a brand new perm. please.....anyway, i was looking for a well balanced and smooth pickup with a high output and it fit the description dead on.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: ESP Mirage Custom
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Dimarzio dual blade humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Dimarzio Fred
Artists using this pickup: A whole assload of people
You musical style(s): Rock
Reason for pickup change: I wanted a pickup that had the same aggressive crunch as the dual blade, but with less mids, and more clarity and string compression.

Perceived output level: The output level varies on what type of pots you have as well as various other things. It's got the output of your average bridge humbucker (ala Gib 500T, Dimarzio Evolution).
Tone: Absolutely clear. There's no mud, ringing, or rasp. The pickup is completely balanced, which makes it great for splitting. If you have Joe Satriani's picking and tapping accuracy, you can nail his tone in a second. The clarity is amazing, and it retai
Sonic evaluation: I use the Mirage through a Dual Rectifier head on top of a Fender M-80 cab. I had a friend tell me that he thought the JB was the greatest pickup in the world, so I decided to give it a try. The JB is the greatest hands down. When you back down the volume it cleans up very well, and when you pour it on, it gets downright metal.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: As I said before, I play rock. In general this pickup is good for anything. Good old country overdrive, death metal, prog rock, classic rock, stoner rock, etc. Whatever you play you can get what you want out of it with absolute clarity and no mud.

Comments: If anything happened, I would go buy it again. I've been playing for 9 years ( I'm 20 ), and I own plenty of gear. Now back to the pickup: I love everything about the pickup, now. The Mirage originally had 250k pots and I upgraded to 1meg to avoid signal loss. There's quite a bit of volume boost there so watch it if you try the same. If you have a guitar with the perfect setup, and a great neck pickup, then the JB will finish off your guitar and create the most astounding instrument known to man.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: http://www.seymourduncan.com/humbuckersdescr.html#JB153Model

Model of guitar or bass: Yamaha Pacifica 112M
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell
Other pickups on guitar: two Fender Texas Specials
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): from light rock to grindcore and everything inbetween
Reason for pickup change: I enjoyed the H from H in the bridge, but I found out that when the JB is run in parallel, it sounds very much the same, so now I do series/parallel and get "the best of both worlds" with this pickup. (I also reviewed the H from H on this site.)

Perceived output level: A little more than a PAF Pro
Tone: Balanced with warm bass and good crunchy presence, but not "trebly" as some others may complain...
Sonic evaluation: I use this pickup in an alder bodied Yamaha Pacifica 112M through a Line 6 AX2. I have also tried it through a couple Boogie Rectifier heads.
I just had to do this review since I noticed a lot of people trying to compare this to an EMG 81. How can you do that? The two pickups are so different. Years ago I switched back from EMG's to passives, and I think that's the way it will stay with me (except for my bass guitar. I think active is the only way to go with bass.) Don't get me wrong, EMG's are really cool for a certain sound, and if I could have that sound AND good powerful hard rock sounds (Green Day, Van Halen, Queensryche, Foo Fighters, etc.) then I would have kept using them. I just think that with EMG's I kept getting a "clock, clock, clock" sound as I picked the notes--you know, not enough dynamic variance from pick attack to sustain of the note. I like pickups that really respond to touch, which the JB does well. Even the EMG 85 (and 89) didn't do it for me. I find their resonant frequencies a little too low for the midrange kick that I like in hard-driving guitar sounds.
Overall, the JB sounds a lot like the Duncan Custom. It has the same output level, but more bass and crisper presence. The Custom actually has a more powerful "howl" in the midrange which works very well for me too, but the JB is a nice contrast with more bass and better harmonics. Squeeze away; those pinch-harmonics just fly out at you. Lots of character to speak of for a "high-gain" pickup too; it doesn't coat the sound of the guitar like a stock Ibanez pickup if you know what I mean. I like this pickup a lot in high gain situations since the clarity of the pickup remains with a very strong attack, warm bass, and good "crunch". It also, by the way, works very well with "death/grindcore". If you find it isn't bassy enough for you, then either you don't know how to work a mix, don't have a bassy enough amp, or otherwise expect the sound of a bass guitar to somehow magically appear piggybacked to the sound of your guitar.
Also, as with the Custom, if you have the room for another switch, or can change one of your pots, then do a series/parallel switch. You will be pleasantly surprised at how well it sounds "single-coily" yet very strong in parallel, and that especially works well for some Van Halen sounds, and also for some really nice cleans. I would also argue with anyone who said this pickup is always dirty sounding without overdrive. It is thick and warm with a fair amount of midrange--just what you would expect from a good strong pickup in the bridge. If that isn't good enough, then why don't they install a switch to get the parallel option? It's not rocket science, folks. Get a $2 switch from Radio Shack and follow the instructions that come in the box with the pickup.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Suits pretty much anything I play and is quite versatile if you take the trouble to do a series/parallel switch. I haven't tried it in the neck, but because of the good parallel sound, it may work well there too.

Comments: I would replace it and/or may buy another for another guitar I plan to buy. This pickup is as close to "the" sound as it gets, for me. Out of some 30 different pickups I have tried, I think so far this suits me best "all around". I also do like the Custom, but for more "Satriani" type sounds.
Don't forget, no pickup alone is responsible for your sound. Use a good amp that doesn't need an external distortion pedal to get a good sound (Boogie Rectifier series and Line 6 AX2 and Flextone 2X12), and don't use too many effects.

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Matthias Jabs Ltd Ed Stratocaster
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: n/a
Other pickups on guitar: Fender Custon Shop 59's Strat Single Coils
Artists using this pickup: lots
You musical style(s): rock blues
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: High output, louder than a standard Gibson PAF
Tone: this pickup has a strong treble response without being tinny. Mids and Bass are balanced nicely.
Sonic evaluation: Amps are a Peavey Classic 30 and a Boogie .50 Caliber. Effects chain is--Dunlop Volume pedal>Vox wah>Ibanez TS-9>Marshall Drivemaster>Dunlop a/b switch>amps.
The pickup is great for all out metal type lead tones as well as a nice brown sound (which is what I want anyway) I am not a big fan of clean humbucker tones and prefer the single coils for cleans. The Jabs Strat has a coil splitter installed and I do use it occasionally. I find split humbuckers sound ok when they are breaking up but they don't cut it for glassy Fender type tones. I like this pickup for it's power and clarity. The JB really does a great job of pushing both amps into overdrive when I pick hard...the drive pedals are set mainly to add color not overdrive.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play blues and hard rock and GOBS of Zappa. I did start playing in the 80's so the JB also satisfies my need to blast out Satriani, Vai and Rhoads stuff. I think this pickup would be to hot for the neck position in any guitar that I own.

Comments: I used to use Dimarzio Tone zones in my old Ibanez guitars, they sound muddy to my ears. I like the JB a lot and am going to replace the Stock Gibson PAF in my 70 Les Paul to a JB. I love the articulation that the JB gives me. Great pickup.

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Jag-Stang
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock bridge pickup
Other pickups on guitar: Stock Fender neck pickup
Artists using this pickup: not sure
You musical style(s): Rock,punk,alternative.
Reason for pickup change: The stock pickup sucked balls

Perceived output level: Way hotter than stock
Tone: Balanced.
Sonic evaluation: i use a digitech RP-7 effects processor and a carvin SX-100
100 watt,2 12" combo amp.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: It is a bridge pickup.It works good for any style of music that requires distortion.

Comments: I will definetly buy this pickup for my other guitars.I have been playing for about 11 years and this is the best sounding pickup i've ever used.sounds great with distortion.doesn't sound very good clean though.

Pickup features: Humbucking/Passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Almost every guitar I own (ESP, Hamer, Peavey, Valley Arts)
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Anything stock in the bridge
Other pickups on guitar: Stock
Artists using this pickup: Everyone
You musical style(s): Rock, Alternative, Metal
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: Hot enough. Ask Megadeth
Tone: Very balanced and chunky
Sonic evaluation: I play through an extensive rack system consisting of Rocktron, VHT, H&K, BBE, Marshall...

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup is perfect for any music that requires any distortion. But it also cleans up well.

Comments: For the last two years, I have put JB's in all my guitars that I play out with regularly. I have heard my fair share of pickups and really haven't heard two that sound alike. However, remember that this pickup was the one that got Duncan up and rolling. Look at alot of today's major guitar manufacturers: Hamer, Jackson, Dean, Fender, ESP etc. JB's are standard on all of their upper end models. And, whenever you see "Duncan Designed" pickups on imports from the above, or Schecter, the bridge pickup is designed after the JB. I'm not trying to preach; everyone should seek their own sound and the same pickup will sound different depending on the guitar its in. After all the pickups I've played, if you're playing Rock, the JB has all the tone and punch you'll need. For me, playing a big, fat open G chord and hearing that great growl and singing makes me feel right at home. I wouldn't play out with anything else.

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Heritage Firebird style
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: stock Schaller
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates
Artists using this pickup: too many to mention
You musical style(s): a full string quartet?
Reason for pickup change: Stock p.ups were simply bad.

Perceived output level: remarkable
Tone: mid-high tone, but with a low end kick. Not too balanced.
Sonic evaluation: I play my guitars thru' a Peavey Blues Classic (15" speaker)with a SPX90 II, a jamman and a Microverb II.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: well: styles are really personal. To me the p.up sounds better on the neck.

Comments: You never know how pickups will match guitars.
The JB seemes too loud for bridge: I think it covers the sound of the guitar.
You know: if you want to use bridge pickup with clean sounds the JB is too loud and full of harmonics, it's too "invasive".
But it's only a personal feeling; other people will find this quite appreciable.
On neck it sounds much better. Its natural lack on the mid-lows is well compensated by the construction of my Firebird, so that it reaches more definition even with shredding.

Pickup features: this is an update of my previous submission...
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: ESP M-II
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: ESP stock
Other pickups on guitar: ESP stock
Artists using this pickup: .......
You musical style(s): Shred
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: perfect for me. I don't need more. More than a Demon and stock Ibanez V8...
Tone: This pickup is HORRIBLY trebly in an alder-bodied guitar....it's nearly painful for some of my friends!!....lots of higher midrange too...let's say it's BRIGHT.
Sonic evaluation: This pickup has a GREAT high-frequency response that increases depending on your gain. It IS a bit muddy under lots of gain, because it sings too much, the notes seems to bond together as they're being played. Don't get shot...try it in a guitar similar as yours before. I can get great Megadeth sounds with it...I just can't get the John Petrucci sound...I guess I need a Tone-Zone or a Steve's special for that. I can have a GREAT sound for me, but I can't copy Petrucci's sound and it pisses me a little bit....

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: It renders George Lynch's pre-demon tone very well, has bite. Doesn't do the petrucci thing. Will do the Megadeth, but no Metallica here (EMGs!!)

Comments: I'm restating it's a great pickup for a good lead sound. However, you simply can't sound like anyone else...because the JB isn't anyone else's pickup...it has it's own character and you must like it (as most Duncan pickups...). It is good, but I have to try a Tone-zone and an EMG-81 in my guitar again. I simply wrote another review to warn you that if you don't want too much treble and want a more balanced sound for your alder body guitar...don't buy this one, buy a Tone-Zone. I love a trebly tone, but it gets annoying after a while.I still like it...for it's harmonics and it's singing character, but I wouldn't rely on it for the rest of my life, I'm an eternal perfectionnist...and it shows...

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Synsonics Pro Series Strat
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Single coil bridge
Other pickups on guitar: Single coil
Artists using this pickup: Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day)
You musical style(s): Punk, Grunge, Surf
Reason for pickup change: The guitar I have sounded like crap, I had the humbucker installed for a better sound

Perceived output level: It's louder and more distorted.............
Tone: More treble
Sonic evaluation: I use a Synsonics strat and play out of a Peavy 65 watt and the distortion is killer man

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: In the bridge position this pickup is great for punk/grunge, you don't even need a pedal if you have a fairly good amp

Comments: If I ever get another guitar I am going to have this humbucker re-installed

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs: www.seymourduncan.com

Model of guitar or bass: ESP M-II Deluxe (body wood: ALDER)
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: ESP LH-200
Other pickups on guitar: ESP LH-200 neck
Artists using this pickup: All of them should :)
You musical style(s): SHRED!!!, Metal, Power Rock
Reason for pickup change: I wanted to get more....uhmmm....more "something" you know...ESP sounded flat after 8 months.....after a nearly one year search......I decided to go with the JB

Perceived output level: Hummmm...more than the ESP, They say it's a "high output humbucker" and I agree...the output level is perfect....couldn't be better
Tone: BOOM! The tone on that thing is Balanced...but a little on the trebly side...VERY GOOD FOR the 80's SHRED thing
Sonic evaluation: I use a Marshall JMP-1 straight into my Crate Half-stack...
I also use a Peavey special 112...sounds fuckin' great with both!
If you want my appreciation...I'd say the JB has a tone of it's own....whenever you hear it...you know it's a JB...it's a little bit compressed and SQUASHED like a Single coil....but it sounds huge!!
To get a good exemple of that metal tone....listen to the tone Marty Friedman got on "countdown to extinction" and hear how the JB sings...
BTW: the harmonics are DEVASTATING!! it shreds and pumps!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I tried blues with it and was stunned....this thing is good for everything except VERY chunky and palm muted barre chords (go with a EMG-81 for these)

Comments: I'd buy it again for sure!!
The best bridge (soloing)pickup I've ever tried!! I think it says it all!!
For that "powerful and Pantera"ish" sound...go with an EMG-81 or Lawrence XL-500......the JB will give you POWER in leads...not in rythm
Also, this pickup is NOT muddy!!
Email if you need some info....

Pickup features: passive humbucking
Impedence or other specs: 16k

Model of guitar or bass: E.S.P. mkII
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar: Dimarzio fasttrack rail
Artists using this pickup: Jeff Beck; Megadeth
You musical style(s): Neoclassical
Reason for pickup change: Too trebly and one dimensional. absolutely no tone or character.

Perceived output level: overwound and not player friendly
Tone: trebly!
Sonic evaluation: Marshall JCM 900 SLX
Fender twin
Various rack gear
traditional stomp boxes

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: neoclassical/ unsuitable for every application that requires gain

Comments: I actually had to give this pick-up away! No kidding. I told the now current owner that it was good for any serious stundent of the skin flute or fan of Korn.Needless to say, he took it up the a**, and he
it left very little differentiation between the front and rear settings. Needless to say the Fasttrack is getting ripped out, too.I think it best to go with a low output pick-ups set-up because it leaves more room for tone, and then more expression.

Pickup features: Humbucker (passive)
Impedence or other specs: See below :

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul Black Beauty
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Bridge
Other pickups on guitar: stock
Artists using this pickup: Jeff Beck, Dave Mustaine none of my 'heroes'.
You musical style(s): alternative, art-rock
Reason for pickup change: Epiphone appear to use deaf chimps to make, design and evaluate their pickups. Stock pickups lacked clarity and Quality.

Perceived output level: Stock (Standard PAF level). Its not as hot as some people seem to think ???
Tone: Well balanced, possibly a bit trebly, but ideal for combination with the neck pickup.
Sonic evaluation: Its going into a Trace-elliot 100w amp via a danecho, boss tremolo, Rat, boss fuzz and boss ac2.
It sounds surprisingly good, especially considering that my amp is really designed for use with fender style guitars. Slightly trebly, but with warm undertones. An OK split coil sound, nothing special.
Comes into its own when overdriven. !!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Bridge only. A good all rounder.

Comments: If it were stolen I would replace it. Excellent. It really outshines my neck pickup, which now obviously needs replacing

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Yamaha RGX Standard ('91): mahog bdy/maple top, SSH config.
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar: SD Cool Rails (neck), single coil stock (middle)
Artists using this pickup: that guy over there
You musical style(s): rock mainly, a bit of everything
Reason for pickup change: I grew bored of the stock bucker's unlively sound and low output

Perceived output level: between warm and hot output level
Tone: balanced to my ears (perhaps I've grown used to this PU)
Sonic evaluation: My current setup is eihter feeding my RGX into either a SansAmp GT2 or Peavey Classic 30 1x12.
Initially, the JB sure filled the gap where the stock bridge PU was lacking: output level, a punchy attack and tonal versatility, compared to stock 'bucker. By versatility, the JB sounds thick without being muddy during heavy power riffs, and backing the guitar volume knob gives a classic rock rhythm sound without changing amp settings. Single-note leads have a punchy attack and sing nicely but don't really cut through a loud mix (depends how you mix I suppose).
Through a clean amp setting and intending to play clean, I found it difficult with the JB as it has such a robust clean tone without much high-end it wants to distort all the time. The bass and mid-range have good presence for loud, power amp distortion rhythms though.
I even tried single-coiled configurations: bridge coil only and the two coils in parallel (out of phase). Single coil only was quite noisy. Parallel was quieter than the standard 'bucker wiring but the resulting tone seemed still boomy with little improvement in high-end for twangin'. Either way I didn't find either of these settings very usable so I stuck with the standard wiring.
I found the Duncan Cool Rails a good match for the JB for output level and overall tonal variety as I like a thick rhythm sound and a slightly cleaner but not anemic bluesy solo sound while playing the upper frets. For pure twanging, I still like my stock middle single coil best.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I didn't find the JB well-suited for twangy stuff even in single coil configs

Comments: I've been playing on and off for the past five or so years with the JB in my only guitar. I knew I wanted to replace my stock bridge PU, but since I was still trying to find my sonic groove, I bought the JB per recommendation from the salesman as a can't-go-wrong choice. It has served my purposes as a beefy and punchy rhythm and lead pickup that brings out what little warmth my floating trem and bolt-on neck may have taken away from my guitar's mahogany body. One can't expect one guitar to cover all possible tonal flavors, however classic/hard rock seem to be up the JB's alley.
If the JB and I had to part ways, I'd use it as an opportunity to see what another pickup sounds like in comparison as I've had this setup for a while. Don't get me wrong, it's not going anywhere anytime soon. Before I change my existing setup I'd get a new guitar, which I'm seriously contemplating after all this time. Again, the JB would be a serious candidate for my next to-be rhythm axe.

Pickup features: Passive humbucking
Impedence or other specs: 4-conductor wire

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson JS-1
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Seymour Duncan Distortion
Other pickups on guitar: Stock (neck)
Artists using this pickup: Adam Jones (Tool)
You musical style(s): Hardcore / Metal
Reason for pickup change: Duncan Distortion went microphonic..looking for a pickup
with more warmth and dynamics.

Perceived output level: slightly lower than Duncan Distortion, but much hotter than stock
Tone: warm, with good bass and clarity
Sonic evaluation: I evaluated this pickup with a cheap Jackson played through a Mesa/Boogie Subway Rocket Reverb. It definitely has the dynamics I was looking for. With distortion on you can play very softly and still get a clear almost clean sound. Playing harder results in more driven distortion. Metal-only players might want a hotter pickup, but I find this one to give me more clarity whereas the Seymour Duncan Distortion got too saturated and was too bright for my taste.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Mainly in the vein of Tool--dynamic hard rock. This pickup is a perfect match for this style. This is for bridge position.

Comments: I would buy it again, but I might opt for the Trembucker version. This version matched up with the pole spacing on the original stock pickup, however the pole spacing on the Duncan Distortion looked wider like a trembucker. This pickup gives me the sound I want and I'm very satisfied. It has great harmonics and the sound I was looking for.

Pickup features: Humbucking,passive(?)
Impedence or other specs: not sure

Model of guitar or bass: H?fner Genuine
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Original H?fner single-coil pickup, broken
Other pickups on guitar: Original H?fner single-coil pickup, neck
Artists using this pickup: Jeff Beck...
You musical style(s): Grunge, Rock, Pop...
Reason for pickup change: The original single coil pickup in my guitar was broken, so I had to change it of course. And I wanted a particular sound I had heard, and it was done by Duncan JB, so...

Perceived output level: well, what can you say... it's blasting hot!! ;)
Tone: muddy I'd say!!
Sonic evaluation: I'm using a hybrid 80Watt Marshall combo, and the H?fner I've mentioned so many times before. But I'm also using a Fender Stratocaster with single coil pickups... I don't see what does it have to do with anything but anyway... =|

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This really suites my needs and it's perfect for the Grunge/Rock whatever type of music!!

Comments: If something happened to this pickup I'd sure get another one for my nuber one guitar. I'm rreally satisfied with this one, but I'd like to try something else on my other guitar, which now has 3 single coils. Sometimes when I want to have a sound more clearer than this has I use the single coils. But it's really a great sounding pickup, with my new Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger/Filtering, my Boss Super Chorus and the greatest of all... the BOSS DS-2 Turbo Distortion. It sounds great with the distirtion on!!!

Pickup features: Passive humbucker, 4 conductor wiring
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul Standard
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Duncan Alnico II Pro
Other pickups on guitar: Duncan Alnico II Pro in the neck
Artists using this pickup: Dave Mustaine, half the LP players on the planet
You musical style(s): Progressive rock/metaand general mayhem
Reason for pickup change: After a few months with the Alnico II Pro, I got frustrated
with the noise and microphonic feedback. Even having it
replaced by the factory didn't seem to help.

Perceived output level: Hotter than stock, a bit less than the Distortion in my Flying V
Tone: There's a definite midrange emphasis, with a complex top end. The bass is a bit looser than on the Distortion.
Sonic evaluation: I evaluated this mainly through a Peavey Classic 50 2x12 combo with
a Vox ValveTone in front and a Boss ME-6 in the effects loop.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is a *great* pickup for rock. Serious metal players may want something with a bit more low end. This is definitely a bridge pickup.

Comments: If stolen, I'd likely put another one in a Les Paul; other guitars
I'm not so sure about. I've been playing for 4-5 years now; I also
own an Epi Flying V with Duncan Distortion bridge and Jazz neck
pickups and a Hamer super-Strat with a Dimarzio Tone Zone.
For this guitar and the applications where I use it, this is the
perfect bridge pickup. It excels at classic 70s style rock, like Zep,
Queen, BOC, etc. I occasionally wish it had a tighter low end for
more modern metal sounds, but then I switch over to the Flying V or
the Hamer. I like the top end complexity.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone SG (G-400)
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Epi crap pickup
Other pickups on guitar: Epi rythym (actually, half-decent PU)
Artists using this pickup: Jeff Beck, Kurt Cobain, Jimmy Page, etc.
You musical style(s): Grunge, Blues, Heavy Rock, 70s Rock (Zeppelin, etc.)
Reason for pickup change: Epi lead pickup sucked

Perceived output level: More than Epi pickup, not tremendously hot though
Tone: A little on the trebly side for me in clean situations, but perfect when playing with full on distortion. Very balanced tone, mids are not accentuated. I love it.
Sonic evaluation: Epi G-400 into Peavey Bandit 112S through a Boss Distortion, Crybaby Wah, Boss Chorus, and Boss Noise Gate sounds wonderful. Many combinations available from Hendrix to Page to SRV even. An all-around rockers pickup.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is a good pickup for just about any style, with the exception of jazz and metal leads. Too bright on clean setting for jazz, not enough power for metal.

Comments: I would definetley buy this again. Just a great all around pickup. It is by no means meant for the neck position though. Get a SD 59 or Jazz instead.

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Dean Icon Standard
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Dean
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Metal, Rock
Reason for pickup change: Lacked Harmonics

Perceived output level: Lean or distorted with harmonics galore
Tone: Very balanced tone
Sonic evaluation: Peavey Classic Tube Series 120watt with Boss MT 2 pedal on occasion

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Great pickup........I highly recommend if you play rock or metal and like harminics.

Comments: 10 - I would also like to try a full shred or duncan distortion but this JB is great. Forget Dimarzio.

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 4-conductor

Model of guitar or bass: `94 Jackson Concept
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock Jackson humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Jackson singles
Artists using this pickup: Marty Friedman, Dave Mustaine, Scott Ian
You musical style(s): Metal
Reason for pickup change: Stock humbucker was fine for rhythm playing, but leads didn't
sound clear, especially at higher frets. Also, sustain was
next to nothing and harmonics weren't exactly forthcoming!
As it is, I already had two identical guitars and this one
is my "hot rod" so I had room to experiment.

Perceived output level: Slightly higher than stock
Tone: Very balanced, with better mid-high definition
Sonic evaluation: This pickup went into the bridge position of a Jackson JDX-94 with
a "hard tail" Tele-style bridge. My rig consists of a Peavey Special 212 (solid state w\ tube emulation) and a `77 Peavey Classic 212 (tube) with an ART Xtreme for distortion. The Special also has a Boss DD-2 delay and ART FX-1 reverb; this is my "lead" setup.
From the very start, there was an obvious difference in sustain between the JB and the stock pickup. With reverb and delay, notes hold for 2-3 times as long as before, and harmonics are more easily attained. The output was boosted just a tad, and there was more midrange than the old pickup. I have mids at zero on my amps and pedals, so it's just enough to clear up my leads. The usual metal riffs don't really sound much different, but that's not why I bought it! It has an acceptable clean tone, especially with a phaser or flanger going for an almost-liquid sound. No audible noise.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play metal, and it's just right. Can't say what it *wouldn't* work for though...

Comments: I never thought about trying new pickups in my Jacksons until I bought a used Hamer with Duncans and noticed a big difference. I've been playing for over eight years, and this is the first time I've deviated from a stock setup, replacing all the hardware and the humbucker. I had a local shop install it and do a quick setup; if you've ever replaced the bridge pickup on a Telecaster or other guitar with a hardtail non-trem, you know you have to remove the bridge in the process.
I compared this to the DiMarzio Evolution, EMG 81 and Duncan Full Shred. The Evolution would've worked but has very little treble, and the Full Shred seemed like overkill given my already "full shred" rig. The EMG would be fine, but I didn't have room for a 9V hookup, and if I went active I'd probably need to replace my single coils, which I think sound great for stock. I'm satisfied with the JB, although I'm sure I'll try other pickups in other guitars. In the future, I'll probably try out some other Duncans.

Pickup features: PASSIVE HUMBUCKER
Impedence or other specs: Go to the web site and ckeck yourself

Model of guitar or bass: GIBSON EXPLORER with the Wonderbar trem
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibsons
Other pickups on guitar: All JBs All the time
Artists using this pickup: Myself, and I would think Mr. Beck (he has Lace Sensors on his models)
You musical style(s): Classic Metal, And all other Metal (also Praise & Worship)
Reason for pickup change: The stock pickups really were not to my liking, just not hot enough. There took care of that slight problem.

Perceived output level: Quite a bit hotter then the stock Gibsons, I can really tell the difference
Tone: More bottom end, cleaner, I can tell the notes apart, neck pickup is still very bright
Sonic evaluation: The guitar is an 83 GIBSON EXPLORER, and I run it through a Crate GT-80DSP, A 1948 GIBSON BR 3, EARTH 100 head, Fender Automatic SE, and a Harke 2115 Bass Combo. It's hard to get a good sound with the fender, and the Gibson is impossable. With the stock pick-ups the Gibson amp was passable, but not now. It sounds just O.K. though the Earth, but it RIPS with the Crate, A match made in heaven. I also slave the Harke with the Crate and it SMOKES. The bridge JB sounds pretty good, but the neck is beyond compare. I usually use EMGs in EVERYTHING, but I don't even consider replacing the JB in the neck for one, EVER. For the first time in my life I use the neck pickup to solo, and the bridge for chord work. Both JBs at once don't sound that happening, but you would have to hear the neck to believe it, ITS THAT GOOD. I also put on Chrome covers (Gibson)and it sounds even better. Hey Gibson you should think about these for the neck in your new Explorers
I don't know how else to describe the neck IT JUST SMOKES. I might replace the bridge sooner or later but NEVER THE NECK, NEVER NEVER NEVER.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: for my guitar THE NECK is very suitable. the brige sounds good but not near as good as the neck

Comments: The rating as you have guessed, is for the neck pickup. I wound replace it with another WITHOUT QUESTION
For the bridge, I prefer the EMG 81s as I use a lot of gain when I play, but for now it does o.k.
The JB in the neck is all I could ever want, again IT SMOKES
I still can't get over how good it sounds, and it cleand up pretty good when you back off the volume a little.
The bridge pickup is a little to trembly for me, but just back off the tone knob a little and its usable.

Pickup features: passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Standard
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibson (490T)
Other pickups on guitar: SD '59
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Fusion, blues rock
Reason for pickup change: wanted more warmth (stock too brittle)

Perceived output level: Very hot -- easily breaks up tube amp, can be quite ugly with transistor amp
Tone: middy and trebly
Sonic evaluation: Les Paul through either Fender Pricneton Chorus or Soldano-designed all tube Yamaha combo.
RELIABILITY PROBLEM: PICKUP SEEMED TO LOOSE VOLUME RECENTLY. I REPLACED IT WITH THE ORIGINAL GIBSON, WHICH REMEDIED THE PROBLEM.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pick up is way to hot for my style. I need crisp tone and dirt only when wanted. This pickup offers dirt ALL THE TIME!

Comments: I wouldn't buy it again given both my taste in tone as well as the reliability problem discussed above.

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: No idea whatsoever

Model of guitar or bass: Stinger STX - Telecaster clone w/humbucker at bridge
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Crappy stock pickup
Other pickups on guitar: Single coil at the neck
Artists using this pickup: Jeff Beck, among others
You musical style(s): Classic rock, power pop
Reason for pickup change: Original pickup was terrible. Low output, no high end... no "ooomph" to the thing whatsoever.

Perceived output level: Pretty damn hot... but not too much so. Good overdriven sound.
Tone: Middy with a decent high end
Sonic evaluation: I'm using this with a solid-state Crate and Zoom 1010... without the effect it gives a slightly overdriven clean sound, good for mid-sixties rock. With effects, this thing just rules. Couldn't have made a better choice, I don't think.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Nice choice for classic rock, for power pop could probably use something cleaner

Comments: This pickup does what I need it to do and was a good deal. In retrospect, I might have gone for something with a bit of a cleaner sound (because you can always fuzz it up with effects); make no mistake, this pickup has a bit of an edge to it. It's not a total metal shredder, but for classic rock, you can't go wrong.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Sorry, I don't know.

Model of guitar or bass: Steinberger GM
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: EMG 89
Other pickups on guitar: Duncan Little'59
Artists using this pickup: Lots and lots.
You musical style(s): primarily crunchy rock.
Reason for pickup change: EMG's had a sterile, brittle sound on the high end, that was impossible to get rid of.
I also hate replacing batteries.

Perceived output level: Output is high, but not as high as the EMG's.
Tone: To me the tone is pretty balanced, although they're definitely more mid-heavy than the EMG's.
Sonic evaluation: I'm using a Rocktron Piranha preamp, Graphic EQ, BBE Sonic Max, Alesis Midiverb 4, thru a Mesa Strategy 500 Tube amp.
Very good for getting crunch, not so good for the clean sounds, but I'm not a big humbucker fan for clean tones anyway. If you're running thru solid-state stuff, you may want to stick with the active pickups, but with a tube rig it gives a pretty typical classic humbucker tone.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: It's a good match for any kind of classic rock type sound.

Comments: I'm not sure if I would get this one again, but I'm not ready to replace it yet, so that's a good sign. I've been playing for about 15 years. This is a good pickup for both rhythm and lead playing.

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: Super 59
Artists using this pickup: Standard in the bidge posision of many Hamer guitars
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues
Reason for pickup change: The guitar was a 70's Les Paul custom modle and it's original pickups sounded realy bad. They were too tiny and thin for humbuckers as well as one dimentional. This modle of Les Paul came with a coil tap and that just made the pickups sound worse. Keep in mind this gibson was from the 1970's. Bad pickups!

Perceived output level: Hotter than your normal "PAF" type of pickup. Made to distort.
Tone: More of an upper mid and high end sound with good bass response. It liked plenty of gain.
Sonic evaluation: At the time of using the JB I played my Les paul threw a music man HD 130 with a Marshall drive master or tube scremer for distortion.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play souther rock and blues for the most part. And tend to lean towards a texas tone if I can. While I belive the JB dose just what it was designed to do quite well it was not for me. The JB was too hot for my tastes and not fat enough. The mids of it's sound didn't honk as much as I wanted and made my tone some what generic. The best sound in my opinion was the JB coil taped. The gain was too hot and crunchy /half dirty tones sounded to pushed.

Comments: I wound up replacing the JB with a Super 59 and was much happier. The best way for me to describe the sound of the JB is to point you to Gary Moore's blues rock works of late. You can nail that tone with a Les Paul outfitted with JB's. I got damn close useing the music man.

I will not use one of these models again, they just don't have enough warmth and give to much gain masking your personal tone.

Pickup features: passive humbucking
Impedence or other specs: check site

Model of guitar or bass: Washburn Lyon
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Washburn
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan Alcino II in neck, stock middle
Artists using this pickup: Too many to list
You musical style(s): Rock, blues, metal, country..pretty much everything
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickup was mucho cheapo. Very muddy, no clarity.

Perceived output level: Hotter than most humbuckers, but not over-the-top
Tone: Mostly trebbly and middy. A noticeable upper-mid hump. Hardly any bass
Sonic evaluation: I'm using this through a Peavey Classic 50 4x10". I've been using this pickup for about a year and play out in a band regularly. First let me point out the JB's strong points. This pickup is great for leads. It has a smooth and clear high-end and has a nice bite to it. It has great sustain and really picks up harmonics. However, I found that where this pickup really lacks is with rhythm playing. The upper-mid frequency really sticks out when playing chords. I've played this through multiple amps and no matter how much I mess with the eq, that annoying middle-trebble frequency sticks out and makes me cringe. This pickup also hardly has any bass. When playing chords, the JB lacks the fullness that I'm used to hearing with other humbuckers.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I think this pickups works great for leads in rock, metal, and blues. I think it's unsuitable for rhythm playing, especially with harder rock and metal that requires those heavy power chord riffs

Comments: I've been playing for about 6 years and playing out with a rock band for about a year. This is probably the best pickup I've ever heard for playing leads. I literally get goosebumps sometimes from the tone that oozes out. However, it's really not a great pickup for rhythm playing. It was not until I purchased my new Godin LGT that I realized how thin the JB sounded in comparison. It's definitely not a "fat" sounding pickup. I would give this a 10 for leads and a 6 for rhythm.

Pickup features: four-conductor cable allows in/out of phase, series/parallel wiring, coil tap
Impedence or other specs: umm

Model of guitar or bass: fender jag-stang
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: fender "special design" humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: vintage strat p/u @neck
Artists using this pickup: umm...kurt cobain used to use them
You musical style(s): alt, punk, rock
Reason for pickup change: the humbucker that came with the jag-stang is horrible. it gave no warmth or sustain, and couldnt be coil tapped. the guitar was completely unless to me, and since i couldnt sell it for anything decent, i decided to change at least the bridge pickup to make it playable.

Perceived output level: much louder than the stock p/u, but not quite as loud as the OBL on my epiphone les paul. it doesnt overdrive my cab like the OBL does...which is a good thing, i mean, this is a bridge humbucker. another cool thing is that it doesnt squeal at high volumes.
Tone: very smooth, nicely balanced, just the right amount of bottom end...gives a powerful sound... a lot of mids. my only complaint is that the treble doesnt stand out enough. thats not to say the p/u is muddy (because it isnt), just that there isnt much power behind the treble. but at any rate. i never imagined the jag could sound this good...im actually *using* it now if u can believe that. at band practice no less...unbelievable. i no longer hate this guitar.
Sonic evaluation: i first tried it out on my fender deluxe 112 plus and it sounded great. it sounded just as good thru my crate halfstack. it doesnt have as much sustain as the OBL (especially when played clean...but this is more of a distortion p/u anyway), but its still much better than the original fender that was in the guitar. it is a bit weak with the treble...but on the upside it isnt muddy at all...it has great clarity.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: hmm...my band is a mix of radiohead, sonic youth, dk, and nirvana. this p/u is great. i cant think of any styles that this p/u wouldnt work for. i dont know how it would sound in other postitions...its recommended for the bridge, and it sounds great there.

Comments: ive been playing for about 4 and a half years. ive owned an american std strat, which i sold to buy my epiphone les paul. i was going to sell my jag-stang but i wouldnt have gotten much for it, so i figured i might as well make it tolerable. but like i said, this p/u surpassed all expectations...i actually use this guitar in place of the les paul sometimes. i became interested in this p/u because i heard that cobain used to use them around the time of the in utero tour, and i always liked his sound. so i looked at the reviews here and figured it was worth trying out. again, my only complaint is the lack of power in the treble response, and it could have a bit more sustain when clean. but at least it has clarity (the OBLS are a bit muddy, though not anywhere near as bad as the stock epiphone p/u's). im definitely satisfied with it, and would not hesitate to buy it again.

Pickup features: Humbucker (Passive)
Impedence or other specs: ?

Model of guitar or bass: Epi Les Paul, SG Copy and Ibanez Artist.
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock or whatever.
Other pickups on guitar: Duncan '59 or Custom Custom
Artists using this pickup: Maybe ... Jeff Beck
You musical style(s): Cutting Edge Praise and Worship, Country, Rock, Gospel styles
Reason for pickup change: To sound better.

Perceived output level: Medium High, but not Shredder high
Tone: Like a PAF with a nice high mid punch
Sonic evaluation: I use several amps - a Laney LC-50, a Modified Sovtek Mig-60, Marshall, Gibson, Fender. This is a great pickup through any amp. The guitars use a variety of body wood combinations. This pickup sounds really good with all of them. It also sounds great coil tapped. Just a great all around lead pickup.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is a great match for most styles. A nice punch for leads.

Comments: I keep buying them, so yes I'll eventually get another one (when I get another guitar!). I've heard a lot of what's out there and this gives me that Duane Allman/Clapton kind of bark I like for lead. If you want more punch than a PAF and still want tone this is it!

Pickup features: Humbucker(passive)
Impedence or other specs: N/A

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez Goldtop Les Paul Copy
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock ibanez humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: stock ibanez neck humbucker.
Artists using this pickup: N/A
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues
Reason for pickup change: This is my first les-paul type of guitar and before i've
always owned strats. The pickup gave a good Peter Green tone
through my Fender Princeton Chours combo. It was hotter than
a '59 and it had more bite and i've kept the gain between 4
and 8, with the master at 4 or 5.

Perceived output level: To-Die-For Hot.
Tone: middy
Sonic evaluation: At the time (1993/94) I had an Ibanez Goldtop LesPaul copy that
came stock with ibanez pickups. Then, I had added the JB p/u from
Seymour Duncan and installed it in the bridge. I also purchased
a Dimarzio PAF for the neck(more on this in another report)
I loved my sound and at first I had the LP with the JB in bridge
and stock in neck. I had reversed the pickup in the neck position
and i got that sweet, out-of-phase Peter Green tone with just
the neck position alone and a little reverb from my amp ala "The
Supernatural".
THE SOUND WAS GOOD BUT I'm STILL SEARCHING FOR THAT Gibson LP/Bluebreakers tone. Of course, I could go out and buy the Gibby
and the Breaker. I don't have the Ibanez anymore because I got offered
300 bucks cash for it and I still have the Dimarzio and Duncan pickups
that I put in there.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I mostly play classic rock and blues. The pickup is good for rock with good gain.

Comments: I still have the pickup, but i haven't decided to put it in anything
yet. like is said before, i'm still in search of that Green/Woman
tone.

Pickup features: passive humbucking w/coil tap
Impedence or other specs: sorry,cant help ya there

Model of guitar or bass: gigson SG
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: emg 81
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: who cares
You musical style(s): Metal
Reason for pickup change: forever seeking out the perfect tone

Perceived output level: normal to high
Tone: muddy
Sonic evaluation: mesa dual recto w/4x12 recto cab

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: metal,this is a great pickup,really nice tone,when it comes to really cranked up gainy situations...it seems to breakup and/or get muddy(yuk)

Comments: not sure if i would replace it in the situation im in now,i love the
fattnes you get when your slamming out chords(esp in dropped d) but when it comes to playing very precise gainy runs...it tends to mud up.
if i played in a band like kyuss it might be more to my liking

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: no clue

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson Soloist SL1
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: This pickup is stock in most high-end Jacksons.
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan Hot Strat Stack (2)
Artists using this pickup: Jeff Beck I guess, anyone else playing a high-end jackson
You musical style(s): Hard Rock, Blues, Southern, Funk, Classics....
Reason for pickup change: None (It was my stock pickup)

Perceived output level: A little above average output I guess, it's more than enough
Tone: Very nicely balanced. Sounds good with minimal amp tweaking.
Sonic evaluation: This pickup is very good. It has great harmonics and is very clear for high, singing leads. It also does the power chord crunch thing very well. Like I said before, it needs almost no EQ tweaks on the amp (a Peavey 5150).

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup can cover any style. I have a multi-fx processor (Boss GX-700) and this pickup sounds good using both the light distortions and the death metal settings. When used with the other singles on this guitar it sounds good. No bridge humbucker really sounds spectacular using a clean sound though...distortions are great with this pickup.

Comments: I would definitely get another one if it broke (I'm not sure how a pickup could be stolen). I have been playing for 4 years, and have only had this pickup for about 8 months. I love it. This pickup gives me everything I need for distortions. It works great when used in combination with a Duncan Hot Strat Stack.

Pickup features: Full-sized passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Standard
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: 490T stock Gibson
Other pickups on guitar: SD 59 in neck
Artists using this pickup: a lot
You musical style(s): Blues, Blues-Rock, hard Rock
Reason for pickup change: Original 490T was too bright and lacking mids

Perceived output level: Very high output
Tone: As described my the manufacturer, very balanced sound (i.e., strong bass, mids, and highs)
Sonic evaluation: Running the gutiar through a Yamaha T-100C all-tube high gain amp, the pickup delivers a very pleasing overdriven sound, though it does not clen up very nicely when you back off the volume of the guitar. I guess the output is just too high. When plyed through the clean channel, I have to reduce the gain on the amp in order to avoid any hint of distortion or breakup.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I would say this pickup is ideal for people who enjoy rich overdriven sounds (think ZZ Top). I would not recommend it for people playing mostly clean sounds (e.g., jazz (not fusion) runs, or mellow blues).

Comments: For my personal style and tastes, I am very pleased with the results. Yes, I would definitiely buy it again if it were to die on me (though I doubt it will).

Pickup features: passive, humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez Ex-series
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: Duncan Alnico II and DiMarzio Blue velvet
Artists using this pickup: Marty Friedman, any other user of high end Jacksons
You musical style(s): Rock,Funk, Fusion
Reason for pickup change: Wanted more clarity and balance. Also wanted to reduce feedback.

Perceived output level: Slightly hotter than stock. Not as hot as f.x. a Gibson 500T
Tone: The sound emphasizes on upper mid/treble in a nice, smooth way.
Sonic evaluation: I'm using an Ibanez(floyd) through a JH-1 Wah into a MesaBoogie.
When pushing the Preamp on the Mesa i can achieve great harmonics with
this pickup. The clean tone is quite bright and cutting. Like a good
bridge PU should be...

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: hard to say without hearing it in another type of guitar.

Comments: I'm quite satisfied. It gives my relatively cheap guitar a great voice.
As i'm still young (and therefore poor) i have not considered changing
it. i would like to hear the pickup in,say, a LesPaul. Then i could
have given a more solid review...
Still i have to rate it after the sounds it makes with my guitar.