APHn + Duncan Distortion?

[Benjy_26]

Anyone done this combo?

I recently won a DD, and, having never owned one, would like to try it, most likely in my old Hamer Special. It currently has an Antiquity/S Deco V, which I love, but I've been kind of wanting to try something new.

I *could* keep the Antiquity in the neck, but it may not mesh well with the Distortion, right?

I also have a PGn available, and a 59n. I hesitate to use the 59n, because the DD is a zebra pickup, and, well, from an aesthetic standpoint, I don't think a black neck pickup looks very good with a zebra bridge.

 

[beaubrummels]

I had it in my LP Studio briefly. I've never owned an Antiquity, so I don't know what the mids are like on that one. APH has a wide, round Q of a mid. Distortion is reasonably flat with some thump/chunk on the bottom (in an LP anyway). PGn would work pretty well with the Distortion bridge. PGn is bright, but a very even PAF-type neck.

 

[Benjy_26]

I had it in my LP Studio briefly. I've never owned an Antiquity, so I don't know what the mids are like on that one. APH has a wide, round Q of a mid. Distortion is reasonably flat with some thump/chunk on the bottom (in an LP anyway). PGn would work pretty well with the Distortion bridge. PGn is bright, but a very even PAF-type neck.

The antiquity is like the PGn, but sweeter all around. You don't think the DD is too aggro for alnico II PAF types?

 

[PFDarkside]

It’s kind of up to you how you use it. I had a JB/APH combo for a long time. They didn’t really mesh that well in the middle but they each did what they did fantastically if that makes sense. Almost like the ultimate lead machine, JB for bridge leads and APH for neck leads.

 

[Benjy_26]

It’s kind of up to you how you use it. I had a JB/APH combo for a long time. They didn’t really mesh that well in the middle but they each did what they did fantastically if that makes sense. Almost like the ultimate lead machine, JB for bridge leads and APH for neck leads.

I can see that being a cool combo in the right situations.

 

[beaubrummels]

The antiquity is like the PGn, but sweeter all around. You don't think the DD is too aggro for alnico II PAF types?

In my LP Studio it wasn't, nothing that a little height adjustment and/or just setting the volume knob couldn't take care of to balance the levels. PG doesn't exactly sound like an A2 pickup. It's bright and even.

 

[Benjy_26]

In my LP Studio it wasn't, nothing that a little height adjustment and/or just setting the volume knob couldn't take care of to balance the levels. PG doesn't exactly sound like an A2 pickup. It's bright and even.

It chops the very lowest bass frequencies, which is why I love it in LP style guitars.

 

[JamesPaul]

I have resisted posting until now, but I have a DD paired with a Jazz neck. The Jazz and APH coils are the same. The Jazz just has a little more powerful, but mid scooped A5 magnet, where the APH has a weaker, but more balanced, A2. If I had a spare APH on hand, I would give it a go. If you do not like the APH, you can always swap it out.

 

[Mincer]

The APH will not sound tight at all, so if you are using gobs of preamp gain and volume, you might want to swap magnets to an A5. It would work if you like to use the neck pickup as purely a clean sound.

 

[Aceman]

I have not used it, but I have more than enough personal experience with both to understand how it will be.

My preference with the Distortion would be, in order:
59, PG, A2P

However, it really depends on what you want to do.

Play screaming metal in the bridge and use the neck for sweet bluesy leads? Fine - A2P

Use the neck+Bridge position, and fatten the rhythm sound? A2P would be perfect

Have a similar, yet neck style tone? Nope....