DiMarzio Axis Bridge PU vs. Duncan JB

[Steve Nukather]

DiMarzio Axis Bridge PU is Duncan JB?

Based on specs, the Axis bridge pickup is like a Duncan JB. Both use 44 gauge poly wire with similar number of turns and same soft charge Alnico V magnet. Has anyone here compared the Axis bridge pickup to a Duncan JB in the same guitar? Do they sound similar?

 

[headcrash]

I don't have a JB to compare (owned one ina Framus Diablo Pro almost 20 yrs ago), but the general consensus is, that the JB is a little hotter, has more upper mid bite and maybe more compression.
However, many tend to forget, that the distance to strings plays an important role (at least that's my experience).
Many or even most guitars the JB comes in will be mounted with adjustable height, whereas the Axis PUs are mounted to the wood with a fair bit more distance to the strings than people would normally mount their bridge humbuckers.
And I think they did this intentionally. I think that's crucial for letting this pretty high Z pickup sound so dynamically and open.
So on paper they look like they might sound very similar, but maybe many who compare these two, should keep in mind what I wrote

 

[xjbebop]

I've got a couple of other gittars with JB's in the bridge, and they seem to be slightly less 'hot & biting' than the Axis / AL bridge buckers to me....
Generally speaking, Dimarzios are known to be more 'modern' sounding, where as Duncans tend to be more 'vintage'...
All the other factors come into play as well...wood, height, etc...

 

[hbucker]

I've got a '93 EVH and another guitar with a JB in the bridge.

My comparison may be a little null because of the age of my EVH and the wood/hardware differences between the guitars (not just pickup height). But - I'm biased toward my EVH pickups. Best stock pickups of any guitar I've ever bought. Compared to the JB, I'd say the EVH bridge pickup is warmer but more harmonic at the same time without losing crisp clarity. It has a clearer clean tone and handles high gain with more dimension and elegance.

JB is an outstanding pickup. I like it a lot. But it's a little less dimensional. A little crisper and probably less versatile. But it's still a great pickup for rock. Maybe does the "80s thing" more closely than than the EVH pickups? Yet over all I have to go with the EVH/Axis HBs.

Again, maybe a little apples and oranges based on the guitars. But that's what I hear.