Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

[Jason_Clement]

I've been drooling over the SH-6 and SH-5 pick ups forever. And mag swapping sounds REALLY fun and interesting. So to hell with it, to passive I go. Tone utopia.

I have a mahogany bodied guitar, and it is a 7 string. It has an ebony fretboard and a maple neck. I don't go below "low A", and it is a baritone scale, but the pick up needs to be able to handle that. If you guys could recommend what each of these pick ups would sound like in this kind of guitar and what you might think is the better choice for this mahogany demon, that would be great!

Also, recommendations for a neck partner would be nice it has to be 7 string though, so it leaves my options somewhat limited. I'm thinking an SH-2n?

My playing technique switches from heavy staccato/palm muting/tremelo picked metal riffs and power chord chugging galore to Pink Floyd styled lead guitar/ambience

 

[metalmachine]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

Distortioin/jb with coil tap on jb in the neck

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

As far as I know, all Duncans are available in 7-string, so you're not limited to the Jazz and 59 for a neck.

As for the 5 (Custom) vs the 6 (Distortion), I'd go with the Distortion. The Custom can be a bit too dark for a 7-string, even with a maple neck and ebony board. You might also want to look at the JB-7. I'm normally not a fan of the regular JB, except in the neck, but I do like the JB-7 in the bridge.

Then there's the Invader, but that may also be a bit dark like the Custom, but with the obvious output increase.

I would definitely avoid the Custom in the neck, however. I haven't spent much time with a Full Shred in the neck, but some here say they're nice (that's generally for the 6-string, though).

The Jazz-7 isn't bad for the neck. Maybe you could get both the Distortion and the JB and swap them back and forth to see what works best for you in each position?

 

[superpete]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

If you're playing aggressively, with lots of chugging and palm muting, the distortion is the way to go. I use both the Custom and the Distortion, but the DD has a lot of really tight bass thats excellent for what you've described, especially on the low A.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

As far as I know, all Duncans are available in 7-string, so you're not limited to the Jazz and 59 for a neck.

If your talking normal production this is not true. The SH12 has to be ordered from the custom shop in a 7 string version and is priced accordingly.

The JB, Custom, 59, the C/59 hybrid, Full Shred, Distortion, Invader and Jazz are all production 7 strings anything else you would have to order.

 

[Jason_Clement]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

I was thinking about a C/59 hybrid or the jazz in the neck.

 

[Jason_Clement]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

Yeah, I need tightness, 'cause when I use a bridge pick up I brutalize my guitars haha. Think Iced Earth or System of a Down for examples of bands that really influenced my very rhythmic style. Lots of palm mutes and chugs I don't really need the bridge to be crazy versatile because that's what I'm aiming for the neck to be, a counter balance for super nice cleans and singing leads in the style of Pink Floyd or Porcupine Tree.

 

[primo]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

The custom is not as tight as the distortion!!! IMO, the distortion is one of the best for chugging and palm mutes

cheers Primo.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

The custom is not as tight as the distortion!!! IMO, the distortion is one of the best for chugging and palm mutes

cheers Primo.

i disagree the custom is tighter than the distortion in particular if your talking the 7 string model of the pickup.

 

[primo]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

i disagree the custom is tighter than the distortion in particular if your talking the 7 string model of the pickup.

Not my ears, went from a custom to a distortion in the same guitar and same amp settings. But then again I'm speaking from the 6 strings models. Don't know why the 7 string would be different?

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

Not my ears, went from a custom to a distortion in the same guitar and same amp settings. But then again I'm speaking from the 6 strings models. Don't know why the 7 string would be different?

My point was mostly that "tightness" can be subjective. Whats tight to one person is loose to another.

But there are tonal differences between the 6 and 7 string models. The magnetic field is wider which changes things some also the longer bobbins will change things some. The differences arent radical but they are there. For instance in a 6 string version I think the SH8 is so so. Its very thick but its too thick and palm mutes lack definition. In a 7 string version this seems to change its still thick but differences let the pickup open up and be less over bearing. Keep in mind this is my personal experiences yours might vary. hence my original if not so well made point that its subjective.

 

[Jason_Clement]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

I'm leaning towards the SH6 to be honest, it seems like it has more bite in soundclips and stuff. However I'm worried because mag swapping seems hard on an SH6? and people say it turns into a JB basically. What does a custom 8 sound like, and how does it compare to the standard SH5 without mag swap and to the SH6?

 

[dvanburen]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

i voted before i read through the entire first post. i voted for the sh-5 because i like it better than the distortion. I really like the distortion and i would absolutely recomend that for your setup. the DD slays with drop tunings. it holds up very well. Dont let that scare you from the custom as it will do fine but DD gets my vote for you now

 

[Jason_Clement]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

i voted before i read through the entire first post. i voted for the sh-5 because i like it better than the distortion. I really like the distortion and i would absolutely recomend that for your setup. the DD slays with drop tunings. it holds up very well. Dont let that scare you from the custom as it will do fine but DD gets my vote for you now

Thanks! To me the SH6 sounds really defined... not sure how I will like it compared to the SH5. I have a harder time finding good SH5 clips online :cussing:

 

[Shadow1psc]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

I'm leaning towards the SH6 to be honest, it seems like it has more bite in soundclips and stuff. However I'm worried because mag swapping seems hard on an SH6? and people say it turns into a JB basically. What does a custom 8 sound like, and how does it compare to the standard SH5 without mag swap and to the SH6?

May I throw in a vote for the Alternate-8? I think that thing sounds KILLER.

 

[tonello]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

In terms of balance, I'd go with the custom. If what your doing is more metal than anything else, the Distortion should do you fine, but you said you like pink floyd, so I'd really try to custom first. If that doesn't work for you, then I'd switch mags out of the custom. The distortion is very narrow minded, in that it's only good for certain sounds, not an across the board sound.

 

[Shadow1psc]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

Oh, I forgot about the wanting a more balanced tone... yeah, you don't want the Alternate-8 unless you want a killer metal tone.

 

[eMyTh]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

You are making this more difficult than it really is. Seymour Duncan has a 21-day return policy and I think the safest bet for you is to just get the SH-5 Duncan Custom and if you find yourself unsatisfied with that pickup then get the SH-6 Distortion instead.

In my experience opinions usually steer you into the somewhat-right-territory, but they are by no means accurate. You have to try yourself so just do it.

Personally, I would recommend the BKP Aftermath for your guitar if you want tight with balls with clarity and amazing growl.

 

[rumblebox]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

The distortion/JB would probably be too ice picky with an ebony board and maple neck. Go with a custom or custom8. OR a full shred with a ceramic or A8 magnet.

The full shred is the same pickup as a custom5 with hex coils making it tighter.

For drop tunings i find the full shred with an A8 magnet to be the most percussive without getting shrill or too boomy. Your guitar will probably like any of those 4 combos, but fine-tuning never hurts.

My horizon is less than 6 pounds and loves the custom8 which was too boomy in heavier guitars. My M100 loves the FS8 for drop tunings, because it doesn't get messy. It all depends on your guitar, amp, ears, and hands.

 

[Dark Order Lord]

Re: Alright, I'm sold. SH-6 or SH-5, help plz.

If you're playing aggressively, with lots of chugging and palm muting, the distortion is the way to go. I use both the Custom and the Distortion, but the DD has a lot of really tight bass thats excellent for what you've described, especially on the low A.

+1 ! Totally agree