Super Distortion or Seymour Duncan JB?

robdynamite

I want to swap out my pickups in my les paul and i'm struggling to decide.

I play mainly heavy rock/hardcore through my jcm 800 via an OCD nothing fancy but i'm also a huge fan of the 70's/80's rock era tones. Which is the best choice as i'm struggling to pick?


Also, they're going in a goldtop and i'm struggling with wanting to not get nickel covers and i'm pretty sure i can't seem to find super distortions with a nickel cover?  

Caffeine_Vampire

I prefer the JB. YMMV. 

guitars4you

I personally don't like DiMarzio Super Distortion pick-ups for the style of music I play/like - But when you mention a JCM800 + 70's and 80's rock then a Super Distortion is almost the only choice - It almost was the only choice back then, certainly compared with what options are around today - They do rock better than subtle, so for you it sounds like a good option

Elwood

Oil City Dirty Secret - its a rework of the original JB formula and Ash can put what ever covers on that you like.

Maynehead

Personal taste really.

The SDs have more top end bite, whereas the JBs have strong mids but slightly rolled off top end.

If you like crispy crunch, go for the SD, if you like meaty mids, go for the JB.

John_P

Of the two I’d get the JB but I prefer the Suhr Aldrich for that type of sound.   

Nunogilberto

I’ve had the JB in a couple of guitars but it always sounds quite compressed. I’ve also had the Pearly Gates which is good for heavy rock.

CasperCaster

Dimarzio certainly list Super Distortions and Dual Sounds (same pickup) as being available with nickel covers - I guess they just aren't that popular in that format, so probably a special order? Personally I'd avoid doing that in the UK - last year I had nothing but trouble ordering via the current UK distributor. I gave up, cancelled the order, and bought from the US instead from eBay/banjomikez

As others have said there are UK made options which are 'inspired' by the Super Distortion and JB - Oil City pickups are superb, so I wouldn't hesitate to try one of theirs.

If you do like the JB then also look at the Dimarzio AT-1 which in my view is very similar.

timmypix

Elwood said:

Oil City Dirty Secret - its a rework of the original JB formula and Ash can put what ever covers on that you like.

I feel like I see lots of mentions of Oil City pickups on this forum that aren't on the OCP website - how do people find out about these other pickups?

Brize

Try the Seymour Duncan SH-11 Custom Custom. @FelineGuitars put it in the bridge position of one of my guitars and will attest to how great it sounded.

Elwood

timmypix said:

Elwood said:

Oil City Dirty Secret - its a rework of the original JB formula and Ash can put what ever covers on that you like.

I feel like I see lots of mentions of Oil City pickups on this forum that aren't on the OCP website - how do people find out about these other pickups?

I have one, I spoke to Ash pn the phone about it. That is how I found out.

Some are listed on the Feline guitars website. I'm not sure why they are not on the main site.

clarkefan

Buy both used on eBay, try them both and sell one/both for most all your money back.  

My experience is each will sound different depending on the guitar they're in.

For instance the SD I have sounds fat and toppy in a Les Paul but for some reason not as toppy in a Strat, no idea why.

fretmeister

SD for me. Don't like the JB at all.
as said up there ^ get them both used on ebay and keep the one you like.

xscaramanga

I've had the JB in five guitars (two Charvels, two ESPs, and a Yamaha). Never owned a Super Distortion. I've got an Oil City Transonic which is meant to be similar. It's awesome, but I couldn't say how similar it is to a DiMarzio SD. I had a DiMarzio Super 3 for years in an Ibanez SC420 and loved it. Thinking about it, I've only really liked the JB in the Charvels, but I like it a lot for them.

For what you've described you can't go far wrong with either, although the JB didn't show up until the 80s. Having recently done several pickup changes and made detailed before and after recordings, I've concluded the differences between pickups are more subtle than people sometimes say, and shows up more on clean tones and leads than on dirty rhythm parts. Based on specs and my experience with the Transonic, I'd say the Super Distortion is probably a fair bit thicker than the JB and probably kicks the amp input harder, but they're both definitive pickups for 80s rock tones. 

Incidentally, if you're interested in a pink Oil City Transonic, I'll have one for sale very soon as I've ordered another in a different colour. 

roberty

Didn't like the JB in my Les Paul.  Swapped for Super Distortion and I've now put one nearly every guitar I've had since :-)

JB was extremely middly in my rig, jumped out of the band mix too much!  A good problem to have I suppose

roberty

jonnyscaramanga said:

I've had the JB in five guitars (two Charvels, two ESPs, and a Yamaha). Never owned a Super Distortion. I've got an Oil City Transonic which is meant to be similar.

Incidentally, if you're interested in a pink Oil City Transonic, I'll have one for sale very soon as I've ordered another in a different colour. 

I'm well curious about the Transonic, not so keen on bright colours though :-)

KevS

I found the Custom Custom to be a bit Scratchy and a bit bass light in one of my Les Pauls when using 500 k Pots and 47k ohm Capacitors...That Bass lightness coupled with the definition up top works brilliantly with a Semi Solid..Balances it out using gain beautifully..

I like both the JB and SD..The JB has a part of the mids that really drives your amp.With a tonal balance like a tamed down version of a Cocked Wah in a way.I find the Custom Custom has the pushed mid too....I would say..In my experience the JB is higher output, also Fatter..The SD has a very Classic Rock sound..First time I heard one..I said that it sounds like 1978..lol..The overdriven sound of that era..The JB gives your fingers bigger muscles because of that output..It is too powerful a pick up to use with my Focus Scarlet interface thingy..The JB really is Hotter than it sounds when you compare it to other pickups..The JB and Jazz set really Match well..I am talking about tonally, when you dial in your amp, you can get them to work with each other across both pickups with the same amp sound with both guitar tone controls on full..So you can use the JB with the treble up for maximum blast..lol..I find PAF style pickups..I have to pull back the treble on the bridge pick up for that, that means the Bridge Pick up loses a fair bit of it's power....

I have  a JB and a Jazz in 2 of my Les Pauls Covers Off..They usually get used with a Marshall Half stack..JVM or JMP or MG  heads..The MG is lighter to carry and I've had a couple of heart attacks..It is passable, but the valve heads sound better..Although obviously come with their noise and both good Infinite Sustain and bad,Squealing feedback..

I have a JB and a Bare Knuckle Mule in another Les Paul..With Covers on..Covers on is a little more erm,restrained in the treble..Still a great sound..It looks better too..

I have a couple of souped up Sheratons..I use a Custom Custom and a Seth Lover in them..both with covers on

Good match tonally and Volume wise....The Seth Lover sounds great, but it is not Wax Dipped,so not for high gain really..

Some folk would have made it work for them though.It just has more tendency to squeal.

I have a Westbury Standard with A Super Distortion and old Dimarzio PAF..Ceramic I believe..

That guitar s a tone monster..I completely physically dwarf it though..

The Westbury sustains longer than any of my Les Pauls..Phenomenal little thing.

Sorry,I yap on a bit..Hopefully the descriptions give you a decent pointer though..

xscaramanga

roberty said:

I'm well curious about the Transonic, not so keen on bright colours though :-)

You could do what I did, and buy a secondhand Transonic in the wrong colour, and order it in a better one if you like the pickup!

roberty

Actually I've got an early 80s Super Distortion to sell.  The baseplate screw holes are threaded so you'd have to MacGuyer it a bit.  I think a couple of U nuts would probably do the trick.  It's 3 conductor.  Let me know if interested

KevS

clarkefan said:

Buy both used on eBay, try them both and sell one/both for most all your money back.  

My experience is each will sound different depending on the guitar they're in.

For instance the SD I have sounds fat and toppy in a Les Paul but for some reason not as toppy in a Strat, no idea why.

250 vs 500 k pots in Fender vs Gibson, plus I find Strats don't sound as bright as people make out..

A Les Paul with Burstbucker Pros to me sounds really shrill..

The old style USA Standard 2 point trem with block saddles I have found sounds less trebly that the Six Screw Bridge..

Never tried the 2 point trem with the newer vintage style saddles..

There is obviously much more to it, but you are right..

Different pickups sound very different in different guitars.

I have 2 matching Sheratons,matching in everything but the tunomatic bridge..

The cheaper bridge, probably pot metal has less definition when it comes to hearing the separate strings, on the better bridge there is more definition and bite..

robdynamite

CasperCaster said:

Dimarzio certainly list Super Distortions and Dual Sounds (same pickup) as being available with nickel covers - I guess they just aren't that popular in that format, so probably a special order? Personally I'd avoid doing that in the UK - last year I had nothing but trouble ordering via the current UK distributor. I gave up, cancelled the order, and bought from the US instead from eBay/banjomikez

As others have said there are UK made options which are 'inspired' by the Super Distortion and JB - Oil City pickups are superb, so I wouldn't hesitate to try one of theirs.

If you do like the JB then also look at the Dimarzio AT-1 which in my view is very similar.

funnily enough i've just found one on ebay, i'm not sure if they look aesthetically pleasing enough for me haha

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-DiMarzio-DP100-Super-Distortion-Humbucker-Guitar-Pickup-Nickel-Cover-Chrome/253853488992?hash=item3b1ad8d760:g:rB4AAOSw-wJaLJaI:rk:40:pf:0