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DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

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  • DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

    I have Seymour Duncan/IBZ pickups in my Ibanez RG570. I really like the bridge pickup, which basically a Duncan Distortion Trembucker with allen screws instead of slugs on the inner coil. The neck pickup is supposedly a '59N. Don't like it. I find it too weak with gain, too quiet clean, too chirpy and scooped, and overall kinda generic-sounding.

    I'm really liking the EMG 81/85 combo in my PRS SE right now. I want something along the lines of the 85: Strong, fat, and smooth with lots of sustain, but still clear and articulate. I want to stay passive here, though.

    I've had the DD-N in other guitars before, and I dug it, but I'm curious about trying something new: Something rounder, warmer, and less ceramic-y, perhaps.

    So what are my options? I'm thinking DiMarzio Norton or Air Norton, maybe Liquifire. Any thoughts on those? FWIW, I like the voicing of the PAF 36th Anni, but I find it a bit weak output-wise. What's in the Duncan realm that will get me what I want? Maybe Alnico 2 Pro Bridge? Slash Bridge?
    Last edited by Rex_Rocker; 02-18-2020, 10:50 AM.

  • #2
    Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

    I loved the DD in the old 570 I had years ago. I have one in my Iceman now and was thinking about adding a A2P or Slash neck to the guitar to the replace the stock IBZ pickup.
    1994 Ibanez IC500 Iceman reissue
    Jackson Soloist 7 string
    ESP LTD M-400
    Original Marshall Silver Jubilee 2553

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    • #3
      Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

      It sounds like the Black Winter neck might solve all of your issues with your neck pickup.
      Administrator of the SDUGF

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      • #4
        Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

        I know people always suggest mag swaps, but I honestly think a mag swap will get you there with the DDn. Since you like hotter neck pups and the DDn is that. You also said you want warmer, rounder, and less ceramicy. Going to an alnico in the DDn will absolutely get you that. Since the DDn is overwound, it is naturally pretty warm. If you stick an alnico in there I think it would get you what you want. I recommend A9 if you want to retain some grit to it and A5 if you want it more round.
        The things that you wanted
        I bought them for you

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        • #5
          Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

          The Distortion neck is the obvious pick. The Black Winter is supposedly very similar, though I haven't used it.

          To throw in another option for a fat but tight neck pickup: Dimarzio PAF Pro. Definitely not scooped sounding. Not as high output as the Distortion neck, but definitely not weak either.

          Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

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          • #6
            Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

            Thank you all for the replies!

            I can't mag-swap the Distortion Neck because I don't have one anymore. If I'm buying new, I think I'd rather buy something that I'll like from the start without mag-swapping.

            The guitar used to have the PAF Pro (both in the bridge and neck, actually) at some point. Funny, I didn't think it was very fat-sounding. It wasn't as scooped or as weak as the '59, but it had A LOT of attack. Too much, for my taste. I'd rather have something smoother.

            I have tried the BW-N before... you're right. It might just be the ticket. Still a bit ceramic-y, but smoother and stronger than the DD-N for sure!
            Last edited by Rex_Rocker; 02-18-2020, 01:59 PM.

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            • #7
              Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

              You could try one of the medium output, alnico, bridge humbuckers like the Pegasus or Jason Becker. They would be the right output, warm, and not generic sounding or chirpy.
              The things that you wanted
              I bought them for you

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              • #8
                Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

                Originally posted by Clint 55 View Post
                ...Since the DDn is overwound, it is naturally pretty warm...
                can you explain this some more?
                It's rather bright in the bridge spot which it was originally intended for as SH-7 seymourizer II.
                I am not sure AWG 43 with 13k is overwound?
                13k of AWG 42 won't fit on the bobbins as far as i know, so can't be AWG 42.

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                • #9
                  Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

                  Right. I meant in comparison to neck humbuckers. I have also been experimenting with medium output neck humbuckers for rock which are fat, not generic sounding, and not chirpy. Once you start to get above vintage output in the neck, things really fatten up if you use alnico. For example, what I have in there now is a Demon/WLHb hybrid at around 9.5k and it's somewhat fat but also a little gritty. What I had in there before was a DDn/FSn hybrid which was also quite fat.
                  Last edited by Clint 55; 02-18-2020, 04:35 PM.
                  The things that you wanted
                  I bought them for you

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                  • #10
                    Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

                    Screamin' Demon. That's what you want.

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                    • #11
                      Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

                      +1 on the Demon. Great choice to pair with a hot bridge.
                      .
                      "You should know better by now than to introduce science into a discussion of voodoo."
                      .

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                      • #12
                        Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

                        Originally posted by Clint 55 View Post
                        I know people always suggest mag swaps, but I honestly think a mag swap will get you there with the DDn. Since you like hotter neck pups and the DDn is that. You also said you want warmer, rounder, and less ceramicy. Going to an alnico in the DDn will absolutely get you that. Since the DDn is overwound, it is naturally pretty warm. If you stick an alnico in there I think it would get you what you want. I recommend A9 if you want to retain some grit to it and A5 if you want it more round.
                        Absolutely not; the SH6N is originally an underwound SH5 with the magnetic structure of a Distortion: ergo, 12K (underwound 43awg) with a double ceramic. To this day I do not understand why this pickup has been chosen to match with the SH6.

                        @T.S.: I would go with a Screaming Demon on the neck. Less winds than an SH6N, alnico V: will work very, very well in the neck of any guitar. It is fat, round and absolutely not that honky, chirpy character.

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                        • #13
                          Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

                          Originally posted by orpheo View Post
                          Absolutely not; the SH6N is originally an underwound SH5 with the magnetic structure of a Distortion: ergo, 12K (underwound 43awg) with a double ceramic. To this day I do not understand why this pickup has been chosen to match with the SH6.
                          I couldn't disagree more. It matches really well IMO. It's not a big difference from the Distortion bridge in terms of voicing or output. In the neck position it's plenty warm and fat, but still has a bit of the DD edge to it.

                          Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

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                          • #14
                            Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

                            Originally posted by misterwhizzy View Post
                            Screamin' Demon. That's what you want.
                            Originally posted by eclecticsynergy View Post
                            +1 on the Demon. Great choice to pair with a hot bridge.
                            Yup, exactly my first thought when I read the initial post...Screamin' Demon in the neck

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                            • #15
                              Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

                              Originally posted by misterwhizzy View Post
                              Screamin' Demon. That's what you want.
                              Yeah, just like what Rex wants: strong, fat, and smooth with lots of sustain, but still clear and articulate.

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