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Duncan Distortion alternative

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  • #16
    Re: Duncan Distortion alternative

    Distortion neck is a great bridge pickup - as ToneFiddler mentioned, it was originally designed for bridge position.
    If it's a tad too bright there an A8 mag can mitigate the harshness nicely but it also gives a bouncier, slightly looser feel.
    For fast palm mutes IMO you're likely to prefer the ceramic.
    .
    "You should know better by now than to introduce science into a discussion of voodoo."
    .

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    • #17
      Re: Duncan Distortion alternative

      The regular custom is really your best option here. I had distortions and switched to the custom before - all documented on this site. The Custom was better for me. That said, it sounds like you really love the distortion but want to also have lower gain sounds. I'd personally suggest keeping your current guitar as is, then getting another guitar with lower gain pickups. No need to buy an expensive guitar - about $400 can get you some great guitars nowadays, even more so if you get used. It's not as cheap as a pickup swap, but I think outside of the Custom, anything else will disappoint you.

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      • #18
        Re: Duncan Distortion alternative

        Have you considered a DiMarzio Evo? The EQ has some stuff going on that reminds me a lot of the Duncan Distortion, but it's clearer, a touch tighter, and not quite as hot. The Full Shred might also be an option worth looking into.

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        • #19
          Re: Duncan Distortion alternative

          Originally posted by Cynical View Post
          Have you considered a DiMarzio Evo? The EQ has some stuff going on that reminds me a lot of the Duncan Distortion, but it's clearer, a touch tighter, and not quite as hot. The Full Shred might also be an option worth looking into.
          The Evo is more articulate (because it doesn't have the grainy treble) but it's definitely not tighter. The bass on the Evo is too boomy to handle palm muted chugging riffs like the Distortion. I recently swapped from the Evo to the Distortion and the difference in the bass response was huge.

          The Evo still has the screaming upper mids. The mids overall are more vocal and less barking. It's definitely not a subtle or subdued pickup and IMO it's a bad pickup for rhythm, whereas the Distortion excels at chugging rhythms.

          I wouldn't recommend it at all to someone looking for a slightly tamer Distortion.

          Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

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          • #20
            Re: Duncan Distortion alternative

            I'm definitely looking at the Custom. I was actually looking at an Evo but not sure. How would a Full Shred stack up for the styles I mentioned?

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            • #21
              Re: Duncan Distortion alternative

              Try the Parallel Axis version of the same pickup.
              Originally posted by LesStrat
              Yogi Berra was correct.
              Originally posted by JOLLY
              I do a few chord things, some crappy lead stuff, and then some rhythm stuff.

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              • #22
                Re: Duncan Distortion alternative

                Have you considered swapping the Distortion's magnet for a regular-sized ceramic magnet? I've put ceramic JB's in all of my guitars for the last 10 years or so and it gave me the middle ground I was looking for. JB's sound really nice but palm mutes are a bit fiubby and it doesn't sound great for drop tunings. The Distortion is cool but too aggressive, IMO. A ceramic JB was the sweet spot for me. Funny thing is I came on here tonight to make a post about the differences between JB's and Distortions outside of the magnets. Will make another thread though to not derail this one...but I'd imagine the Distortion with a regular size magnet will be exactly what you're looking for.

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                • #23
                  Re: Duncan Distortion alternative

                  ^ Isn't that basically a Dokkenbucker?,,,,,,,,on the cheap too!

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                  • #24
                    Re: Duncan Distortion alternative

                    Originally posted by dave74 View Post
                    ^ Isn't that basically a Dokkenbucker?,,,,,,,,on the cheap too!
                    Never heard of it.

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                    • #25
                      Re: Duncan Distortion alternative

                      Originally posted by deathbyguitar View Post
                      Never heard of it.
                      https://forum.seymourduncan.com/show...-DOKKENBUCKER-!!!!!!!!

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                      • #26
                        Re: Duncan Distortion alternative


                        Yeah it looks like a JB+/Distortion Lite or whatever you wanna call it. Again, OP...give it a shot. They sell ceramic 8 mags at Mojotone for a few bucks...and the BAM! New pickup!

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                        • #27
                          Re: Duncan Distortion alternative

                          Silly question : Why not just turn the guitar volume down or the amp gain down? That is what I do with my DD bridge By the way, I don't wire a tone knob, I guess it helps to keep some high end when turning the guitar volume down. That or lower the pickups what I did.
                          Who took my guitar?

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                          • #28
                            Re: Duncan Distortion alternative

                            It would indeed be a Dokkenbucker on the cheap! Mine had the lower DCR specs like an old JB/DD but yeah. That would give you the toothy thing.

                            Another possibility would be a Custom+ which is a custom with a big ceramic mag.

                            Luke
                            “That which we do for ourselves dies with us … that which we do for others lives forever.”

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                            • #29
                              Re: Duncan Distortion alternative

                              Originally posted by Khaine View Post
                              I'm definitely looking at the Custom. I was actually looking at an Evo but not sure. How would a Full Shred stack up for the styles I mentioned?
                              For what it's worth Duncan themselves used to recommend the Full Shred as a Distortion alternative when you'd rather trade some of the aggression for more articulation. The FS can be pretty awesome in low tunings as it stays tight on the low end but retains the alnico "flow" in leads.

                              I am currently working on a guitar that shunned the JB for being too muddy, then the Demon for being too scooped and feeble, and the Distortion which was brutal as expected - but a little too much over the top. I am now going to plant a Full Shred there and see what happens. It should fix both the DD's "buzzsaw" or "screaming through a megaphone" quality and the Demon's "underdrive". Lacking a better metaphor, the Distortion felt as if the accelerator pedal stuck wide open hooked on a ridge in the floor mat while the Demon felt as if the floor mat curled up under the accelerator so the latter doesn't depress beyond 30%.

                              Based on prior experience, I expect the FS to mesh better with everything although I haven't yet had the chance to test the new setup. Whenever I choose pickups I try to guess the overall picture in rather vague terms but I cannot predict if each particular pickup in each particular guitar hits the sweet spot despite years of experience.

                              The DiMarzio Evo excels at heavy overdrive but somehow is not quite my favorite flavor. Still, it is pretty hot so you might be better off with an Evo2, for example.

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