Nocaster bridge pickup vs Seyomur Duncan Jerry Donahue

[paulfury]

Hi guys,
I'm a long-time, lurker, first time poster. Worked in music retail for 15 years, played hundreds of guitars and dozens of pickups but tend not to change very often (like every 10 years or so ;-p ) - mostly try and keep the GAS in check. I have an early 80's Tokai Breezysound tele with a maple board that currently has SD Hot for Tele in both positions. They are ok but too hot for most stuff now, looking for more of a classic early tele tone with just a tiny bit more. The Nocasters seem to get a lot of love on here (obviously there are dozens of choices for this sort of thing), feeling like I'm gonna get a set, but considering the SD Jerry Donahue pickup in the lead position - anybody got any thoughts regarding the Nocaster bridge pickup vs the SDJD bridge pickup?
Going to to go 5 way switch and JD wiring just for grins as well (and screen my guitar a bit better while it's apart).
Thanks for your thoughts - this is a great forum and terrific resource.
Cheers!
Paul

 

[Colt W. Knight]

IMO, they are both good pickups, but I prefer the SDJD.

This is a guitar I built for my buddy Patrick Golden using a SDJD. IMO, it compares well side by side with boutique pickups.

 

[WaylonFan76]

May I suggest a third choice : the Klein Broadcaster ? I got one recently for my Esquire and was blown away by it. Loud, bold, punchy, twangy, very even, ballzy, sparkle... everything you want in a Tele lead pup and much more... Just my $.02

 

[uriah1]

+1 Nocaster

 

[Rockdog]

I have no experience with the Nocaster, but for the money I don't think there's a better Tele bridge pickup than the SD Jerry Donahue. I first found out about it on Robert Quine's website. He mentions it about halfway down:

http://www.robertquine.com/ask.html

Quine (RIP) played guitar for Richard Hell and the Voidoids as well as Lou Reed, Tom Waits and Matthew Sweet. I love his tone.

 

[paulfury]

Thanks for the thoughts all. Sounds like I'm headed in the right direction, anyways. Assuming I wet with the JD in the bridge, what would you prefer in the neck position? I'm going to keep it traditional size/chrome cover.
Cheers,
P

 

[Rockdog]

My JD is paired with a Seth Lover humbucker, but if I were to choose a traditional Tele neck single coil, I'd go with the Alnico II Pro. That's what the Seymour Duncan site suggests.

 

[tjalla]

I currently have them both - great pickups each.

My qns:

What ballpark sound are you shooting (songs, bands etc)
What amp are you plugging into
What vol level this amp is turned up to.

 

[Hoodster]

I owned them both at the same time, although in different Telecasters. Compared head-to-head, the Jerry Donahue sounded better on all criteria. It wasn't an enormous difference, but it was definitely noticeable. It just seems to have a little MORE of everything good.

PS -- the description referenced above by Robert Quine hits the nail on the head: I highly recommend the Jerry Donahue Bridge pickup. It's a little fatter and warmer that most Telecaster pickups but doesn't compromise that vintage Tele "twang."

 

[SPUDCASTER]

Another vote for the JD. It plays nice clean or with overdrive.

As Rockdog said, the AlnicoII is the APS-2 for Strat neck pickup.
Thats the one Jerry uses or did use with the SD JD bridge pickup.

Rob DiStefano claims the Strat pickup will fit in the neck route without the cover. I've never tried it, but seems right. You would need to cover the windings to protect them, tape maybe?

I have my JD paired with an O.C. Duff Big Boy. I really like it also, nice, clear big sound. Go to O.C.'s site and check it out. He has quite a selection or can wind you whatever your looking for.

Good luck no matter what you decide. Welcome to the forum.

P.S. If WaylonFan doesn't quit crowin' about his Klein, I may have to try one!

 

[JtotheP68]

I went through a bridge pickup changing phase a few years ago. I tried the SDJD, Nocaster, Fralin Blues Special and SD Antiquity. The JD pickup is still in the guitar, its a great pickup, never too trebly, sort of sounds quite P90 like. The Nocaster is similar, but did not have quite so much of the good stuff as the JD.

 

[Rod Parsons]

How do these JD and Broadcaster pickups compare to a Fender original vintage reissue? That's all I have ever had in my Tele. I hope this isn't getting off the subject of this thread... just wondering.. Thanks ....R

 

[paulfury]

Hi all, thanks for the shouts. I did think about going the full JD route with a strat APS II. I play in a wide variety of original and cover bands and the tele is not my only guitar, so I'm taking the Hot Tele's out to make it more classic-ish and less modern/overhyped sounding. I play in a 3 piece doing classic rock, country rock/blues rock and frequently use the tele for this along with my tokai Love rock. I usually play through a Kelly 50w head (a rebadged Selmer Treble & Bass MkIII) into a closed back 2x12 with some original 2x12s at medium to high-ish volume with a variety of pedals in the front. As people seem to think the Nocasters are pretty cool I thought I might start with them as a pair, and then possibly swap the JD bridge in and see how they pair up. As someone who's worked in music retail for a looong time I'm not for changing pickups incessantly (try to curb my natural GAS disposition;-p ), so I appreciate all the real world feedback from you guys.
As for sound - the Tele players I dig include early Billy G, Stones, all those tele instrumentalists like Gatton, Buchanan, Hellecasters etc, plus a bunch of indie/alternative guys ( I also love Bob Quine's playing on Matthew Sweet's "Girlfriend" album) - pretty wide ranging. Not chasing one player really, just trying to get a good tele that has that classic twang and growl but with a tiny bit more juice/magic, but before they start sounding like a different guitar.
Thanks again for the help and welcome greets!
Cheers,

 

[tjalla]

How do these JD and Broadcaster pickups compare to a Fender original vintage reissue? That's all I have ever had in my Tele. I hope this isn't getting off the subject of this thread... just wondering.. Thanks ....R

OV52 is a classic sound, if anything slightly one-dimensional. But plenty good.

Nocaster is in the same ballpark but meatier with more mids and overall more aggressive.

Both share a common brassy/metallic edge in the mids that Duncan does not have. The JD has more mids and very punchy top end, plenty of attack - but less shimmer and a different sort of chime. As noted above it, translates to OD very nicely where the OV52 can lose focus in the trebles when gain is added. The Nocaster takes drives OD pedals well too.

They are all great PUs and which one works for you comes down to your guitar and amp, plus any pedals you have a preference for.

 

[ScottJPatrick]

I have the JD paired with an alnico II (Tele) in the neck, matches very well, beautiful full sound in 2nd position and also works well as a humbucker as I have the 4-way installed. Both have alnico II magnets which give IMO one of the best tones around, warm, sweet and full. There was an alnico II tele neck on eBay new at £39.99 last time I looked. JD's are a bit dearer when you find one.

 

[jetagegreg]

I'd recommend an Alnico 5 strat pickup in the neck, like this one perhaps http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/custom-shop/telecaster/rhythm_for_tele/

Alnico 2 in the neck position is often too spongy for a lot of people (like me).

My 2 cents,
-GB

 

[ScottJPatrick]

Want an easy cure for too spongy? Take the chrome cover off, works great!

 

[paulfury]

I just bought a used Nocaster set on eBay for £56, which is pretty good I think. Going to make a brand new harness with a 5-way switch for JD wiring. Any suggestions for the best switch to use? Will let you all know how I get on. Feel like I might end up with the Nocaster neck and a JD bridge in a while. They were cheap enough for starters, anyway.
I've been recovering from an achilles tendon rupture but am getting towards the end of it now, might try and record some clips if people are interested.
Thanks all for the help and suggestions!
Cheers
P

 

[Gypsyblue]

To be honest, I don't love either. But I do love the Duncan Custom Shop alnico 2 Tele Hot Tapped.

The Nocaster is to bright for me and the JD is not bright enough for me.

But the A2 Tele Hot Tapped gets warm, thick, hot tones as well as sparkling vintage tones.

Use it with a 5 way selector switch and you'll get:

1. bridge vintage
2. bridge vintage & neck
3. neck
4. bridge hot & neck
5. bridge hot

I actually use mine as the bridge pickup in my favorite Stratocaster!

 

[jetagegreg]

I just bought a used Nocaster set on eBay for £56, which is pretty good I think. Going to make a brand new harness with a 5-way switch for JD wiring. Any suggestions for the best switch to use? Will let you all know how I get on. Feel like I might end up with the Nocaster neck and a JD bridge in a while. They were cheap enough for starters, anyway.
I've been recovering from an achilles tendon rupture but am getting towards the end of it now, might try and record some clips if people are interested.
Thanks all for the help and suggestions!
Cheers
P

You'll need a super-switch for sure. Something like this http://www.allparts.com/Fender-5-Way-Super-Switch-p/099-2251-000.htm I'm guessing.

Although after fooling around with that set-up for a while, I bagged it in favor of a 4-way switch and a no-load tone pot.

-GB