[HarlowTheFish]

Harlow, I really like your descriptions as they not only cover sound but also feel and are put in context. I think this is really helpful.

Cheers Stephan

IMO, my $0.02:
You can get any sound with an MXR 10-band and we would all be playing Telecasters if that was the only thing that mattered.

The real reason we all gravitate to different axes/pickups is because they feel different, respond better/worse to our individual playing styles, and drive our different rigs in their own unique ways. I have 4 humbucker guitars, an ESP Eclipse, and RG Prestige, a Strandberg (HSS but still), and my Kiesel - they all sound like bright, decently attacky modern humbuckers (Strandy excepted) and I can make them sound the same with a couple of notches on my amp EQ. But the response, playability, and feel of each pickup in each guitar (despite the fact that I could easily swap all of them around and not necessarily hear a difference on a recording) is complementary to the response, playability, and feel of each guitar. I like the stiffer Lithiums in the Kiesel because it has a spongier resonance, I like the more compressed Fusion Edge set in the RG because of its open resonance, and I like the EMG-ish Guitarmory Patriots in the Eclipse because they make it sound as big plugged in as it does acoustically.

Jazz guys don't dislike the X2n because of the sound and output - there's a lot of them that use a Tone Zone which is in the same kinda ballpark - they dislike it because of the feel.
Country guys don't avoid humbuckers because of the sound necessarily (as there's definitely HBs that will get that plucky clean) but because they don't feel right for the style of playing.
Etc., etc.

Just my $0.02, /rant

[Boyan Bo]

Air Norton
Liquifire
Illuminator
Sonic Ecstasy
Rainmaker

IMHO -->
I have tried the AN, LF, and Illuminators, because they have come with my JP guitars.
If speaking only to the neck pickups (since the AN was the neck on the first JP6 guitars) all of them have potential for a nice creamy tone.
John being a fan of Steve Morse, has always wanted to achieve a similar singable and bubbly tone, especially in the neck position. Something that I am partial to, myself.
Out of those three, the Illuminators have been the most difficult to tame, which was accomplished by dialing their sweet-spot tones on the amp / processor / modeller.

Good tonal hunting folks!

-Bo

[DarthPhineas]

I know that but this is a forum about pickups. We are supposed "want" to know the differences between those. All the details. Does that makes sense to you?

I mean yeah but Darth Phin is right - these are pretty minor changes in pickups that feel and sound very similar. The CL/LF is has the most treble and is the most aggressive overall, the Illuminator has a bit more low-mids and less low bass than that and a brighter but less extended treble (so a growlier rather than snarlier attack under gain), and the Sonic Ecstasy is basically the same tonal recipe as the Illuminator but a bit sweeter on the treble. They're all a great steak, so to speak, it's just a matter of whether you're a skirt steak (CL/LF), NY strip (Illuminator), or ribeye (SE) kinda person. Even JP seems to take them as just evolutionary steps bc every time a new pickup comes out, all of the guitars he still plays switch over to them (JP 15 started with CL/LF, got Illuminators, JP16 started with Illuminators and switched to SE, Majesty did the same).

Welp maybe right about the minor changes but for the record I own both Crunchlab and Illuminator bridge. Tested both on several guitars. Similar but not "that" close.

What I disagree with is telling someone not to sweat the details. Pickup forum bro. Stay curious.

in case it wasn't clear.  probably shouldn't sweat those details.

to break it down for the "bros" that are "curious", JP wants a homogenous result from whatever comes from the output jack of whatever guitar.  the "curious" will note that whenever JP changes up something with his EBMM model, there is generally a new pickup to go along with it.... to... yep, keep the result in line with the basic result he wants hitting his amp.

so, yeah "bro" they are close enough to throw down with some slight amp tweaks to get similar results without dropping $100 on new gear.  which, for anyone "curious" is also what it's about.  like most artist DiMarzio models, JP's cost a little more because he gets a piece of that action.  it's marketing for all the OCD players that thing the slightest bit of this or that will transform their tone so much that the dude ordering another beer will turn around and tell the bartender "Wow! that "bro's" tone really cut through my drunken stupor as the best thing since EVH!  why's that band been playing open mic night at the HoJo for 5 years when they should be on the main stage at OzzFest"

good luck on your tone quest, "bro".  if you're genuinely "curious", you'd be throwing down the $ and trying them out instead of flexing on a message board.

[Aceman]

Help an old man out; JP?

I'm thinking Judas Priest....but that can't be right.

[HarlowTheFish]

Help an old man out; JP?

I'm thinking Judas Priest....but that can't be right.

John Petrucci of Dream Theater, AKA Italian Prog Jesus

[Guitar74]

if you're genuinely "curious", you'd be throwing down the $ and trying them out instead of flexing on a message board.

I was sort of thinking the same thing myself. I'm new here so I'm gonna try and establish myself as the alpha.