Tell Me About The Duncan Distortion

[Clint 55]

Ok, BUT...does anyone know what the DDn does in the bridge?

It's kickin. Less compressed version. Very good medium output option.

[Benjy_26]

Nice. Similar to the Custom series, or does it bring something else to the table?

[Clint 55]

It's voiced the same as the DD but has less output. So like a different flavor of Custom.

[Demanic]

Ok, BUT...does anyone know what the DDn does in the bridge?

It used to be marketed as a bridge pickup as I recall. The Seymourizer II.

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[eclecticsynergy]

+1 on the DDN as an excellent crisp medium-output bridge pickup.
Crunchy with nice even mids, great choice for a warm guitar.

SH6B is big sounding and pretty aggressive, yet still cleans up well.
I put in a double thick A8 to smooth the fizz a little for a bright guitar.
Sounds fabulous, still plenty of mass & muscle.

[Demanic]

I put a Mayhem set in an old Ibanez RG-120.
Completely transformed the tone. Metal out the @$$.

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[Aceman]

I am a long time user and fan of the DD. Probably my favorite along with the PG. I have a few guitars with them.
- Bridge of my #1 Les Paul (1979)
- Bridge & neck of my Silverburst Cadillac
- Also in Jackson Jenna V and DX10
- Also - the Jackson JS32's are very similar to Distortions, IMO.

Distortion: Mids and screaming ceramic highs; Best in darker guitars or for tight ultra bass riffing in down-tuned. Or anything to tear faces off.
Custom: Bass and Screaming Ceramic highs; All around great loud hard rock / metal pickup.
Invader: Bass and mids; Best in long scale Fenders or for thick dark music.

Distortion is Judas Priest (> 1980), Accept, Dokken
Super Distortion is KISS, Iron Maiden
(overall sound-wise, I know they used different things)

It is hot, crunchy AF, and searing in the highs. It is a metal pickup made for medal with serious cut and shred to it.

Distortion is "Chunk"
Custom is "Thump"

It actually cleans up surprisingly well for what it is, but I wouldn't use it straight clean without some chorus or reverb or both.

The Distortion really lets you use (or not) the bass without getting muddy ever. Super tight bottom. You have to be caution of the highs though. Unless you like slicing through like a razor blade.

[Aceman]

+1 on the DDN as an excellent crisp medium-output bridge pickup.
Crunchy with nice even mids, great choice for a warm guitar.

Indeed -

Custom is to 59/Custom Hybrid as
Distortion is to Distortion Neck in Bridge

[Strat1127]

When I bought my Les Paul '68 Custom reissue I immediately replaced the 57 Classic with my normal JB/Jazz setup that I use in most of my guitars. I found this particular guitar very dark and lacked high end as well as output. At the time I was playing through a Laney Tony Iommi head which has massive gain. When switching from my LP Classic to the Custom (both with JB's), I would have to boost the gain and adjust my EQ.

I'm not normally a fan of ceramics because of their icepickyness but I figured I would try the DD in the Custom. It worked wonders on this guitar. The high end of the DD brightened it up while teh dark qualities of te guitar tamed the highs of the pickup. Perfect match in this case. I haven't tried these in anything else but I would suggest them to anyone with a dark guitar.

[chris effect]

It's my favorite pickup. I prefer it blackened (dual row hex screws) & matte black for aesthetics. I play hardcore and metalcore. Mostly Drop C stuff. The black winter is the closest thing IMO. They barely sound different distorted.

This youtube channel has the best comparisons I've found. https://www.youtube.com/c/MikeStamperMusic

[dave74]

It's my favorite pickup. I prefer it blackened (dual row hex screws) & matte black for aesthetics. I play hardcore and metalcore. Mostly Drop C stuff. The black winter is the closest thing IMO. They barely sound different distorted.

This youtube channel has the best comparisons I've found. https://www.youtube.com/c/MikeStamperMusic

Yeah he's been on the Invaders vs everything lately. The Invaders fare well no matter what he puts them against.

[Aceman]

Also...the Gibson 500T, is basically (or more than basically) a Duncan Distortion. I wouldn't change a 500T out.

Best sublet distinction between the two I ever heard (on here)
- A 500T is slightly better for solos
- A Distortion is slightly better for rhythm

Meh - they are both loud and awesome!

[DonP]

I really try to like the DD or 500T, but maybe my amps aren't right (too bright?) for these. I wasn't too happy with swapping a Duncan Custom for the JB in a Jackson SL2H either. I have a set of Warpigs on the way.

I have the Mayhem set in a Charvel Model 3A I rebuilt.

The zebra 496R/500T set are in a 1996 Classic PP with push/pull tones to split the coils. I does do a vey good Scorpion's tone. With the coil split it sounds like a Tele.

I've tried the Mayhem set in a Charvel 750XL. It now has a Full Shred set that works well in there.

My favorite pickups seem to be A2's. A CC in an 1988 ESP Horizon, a JB2 in a Charvel ProMod.