software

I remember playing my Charvel with the Jackson J50BC humbucker on my buddy's JCM800 and it had a tighter sound than he had with his Tone Zone (much more output). It was still a pretty open sound (JCM800...) but it was noticeable. Is that a normal thing, or did it just have to do with the pickup in question (the JC50BC isn't a particularly tight pickup usually)?

The Tone Zone is alnico 5. If that Jackson pup is ceramic you have your answer right there (the ceramics I've tried have all sounded tighter/punchier than alnico).

EDIT: It's been my experience that any pickup described as;

quot;.....tremendous bass and low-mid response to reinforce the bottom end and make the overall sound bigger.quot;

will not sound very tight.

Yep it is Ceramic indeed. It only has about 8.6K of DC resistance. That's the only value I have to measure its output. But it's definitely way less than the Tone Zone.
So that thing with lesser output pickups being less open is not true then? Dang

I did an edit that might add to it.

IF you want high output and a extremely tight tone go with a EMG 81
these are wound to 10K like a lower output pup then boosted via a preamp that is built in the pup

you can also get this effect with a demon and a duncan pup booster or a 59,seth,PG, or any other low output pup with the booster

I got it naturally with the FullShred muahahaha.