Re: ALTERNATIVE HIGH OUTPUT HUMBUCKER FOR THE BROKE MUSICIAN.....
An alternative closer to SD you can get Duncan Designed fairly cheap used.
https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/product-news/duncan-designed-pickups
The "HB-108 is called the Detonator[emoji769] and is based on the high-output, Seymour Duncan SH-8 Invader."
Then when you have saved enough you can swap for the real thing
I have a set of Detonators. Pretty dark sounding, sort of like an invader.
It's actually NOT an invader, " Detonator/Performer/HB-108b is an UNPOTTED distortion with slugs"
The HB108 uses the button head screws, and only one ceramic mag, extra thick! The Distortion is built a bit different, it has the spacer plate for the adjustable screws under one coil.
There's a thread here somewhere with a bunch of info, this is quoted from it:
MOST OF THIS CAME FROM A FORMER SD EMPLOYEE THAT VERIFIED THE INFO
The JB is the same wind as the distortion but A5 vs ceramic. The invader bridge is the same WIND as well but triple ceramic magnets and cap head screws.
The custom, custom custom, custom 5 and full shred bridge are all the same wind and the distortion neck is an underwound custom. Full Shred is not the exact same coil as the Jazz
The jazz neck, alnico 2 pro, full shred and invader neck are all the same winds other than magnets and pole pieces, also the invader neck has a cap across one coil to allow more treble through.
NOTE: Frank Falbo, a former Product VP has confirmed that the Jazz neck and the Full Shred necks are not the same winds. None of the PAF style winds are the same.
Jazz and Alnico II Pro are the same coils, neck and bridge. So a mag swap in either of those transforms them into the other.
Jazz has one slug coil and one screw coil with long fillisters, whereas the the FS has two screw coils with short hexes.
The Duncan Performer Series Detonator is a Duncan Distortion with caps screws. (Does not have a threaded keeper bar under the coil for the pole screws to sit in.)
The shape of the magnetic field, and the inductance shift from a keeper bar vs slugs, for example, it all makes a significant difference. It all makes a difference, really. For example you can take a PAF style construction pickup, and hear very quickly what happens if you cut the 6 poles off flush with the baseplate.
2/12/2018 INFO PULLED FROM SEYMOUR DUNCAN FORUM THE PICKUP LOUNGE
SH-11 Custom Custom in the bridge, alnico 2 magnet,ceramic magnet makes it an SH-5 Custom, and an A5 will turn it into an SH-14 Custom 5.
Custom: Ceramic is Custom, A2 is Custom Custom, A5 is Custom 5, A4 is a Custom 5 with more balance and no mid scoop, UOA5 is tonally half way between an A2 and A5, and the A8 is essentially a louder Custom Custom with three testicles. The UOA5 is the best mag swap for a Custom in my opinion, with the A8 right behind it.
