best duncan passive pickup for metal?

best duncan passive pickup for metal?

  • Distortion

    Votes: 78 43.8%

  • Full shred

    Votes: 10 5.6%

  • Invader

    Votes: 15 8.4%

  • JB

    Votes: 19 10.7%

  • Alt 8

    Votes: 12 6.7%

  • Dimebucker

    Votes: 8 4.5%

  • PAT-B2

    Votes: 6 3.4%

  • custom

    Votes: 30 16.9%
  • Total voters
    178
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

Deathmonkey said:
I love the Alt 8, tho I aim for a pretty mid-heavy sound. Nothing else has that lower mid punch to it. I like the Full Shred 7s, tho they can get a little dark.
Click to expand...

Isn't the Alt 8 pretty much a Distortion with an Anico 8, kinda like the JB is the same wind with an Alnico 5? Don't quote me on that as I am not positive that is the case, but from what I have heard, the Distortion and Alt 8 have a lot in common, though the Alt 8 trims some high end in favor of stronger low-midrange.

Unfortunately, I have not heard any good sound samples of the Alt 8 at this point.
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

I voted for the JB, but it's because that's what I always use for metal. Until now..... I was looking at buying another JB for a Jackson DXMG I got awhile back and it had EMG's in it. I'm not much of an active fan. One of the staff at the shop I was in showed me a Suhr David Aldrich pickup. It was more than I wanted to spend but he offered to buy it back if I wasn't pleased with it so I thought why not. I like the sound of that pup a lot and it's really similar to my JB's sound with a noticable difference in the mids. I like it for older metal sounds a lot. I've tried most of the other pups on the list and a good part of them are in my parts bin. The DD is the only pup I no longer own, it was in an RR3 when I sold it. I didn't have any luck with it sounding good with the amp I had at the time but I'm sure it would sound great with my current amp. Being the only guitar player in my band I have to make some sacrifices to cover so many different aspects of sounds that the JB was the best choice for me.
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

I must admit I'm surprised at the poll results here. All these votes for the Distortion, yet its a pickup people hardly ever mention on here!

I need to get another one, I was never that impressed with my last one, but maybe it was just the guitars I had it in.
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

I found that I like it best in maple neckthrus. Didn't really care for it in my explorer or BC rich stiii
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

Here is the different pickups I have used for different albums, and remember I use NO pedals at all, just straight into the amp :14::14: :

1/ OPERATION CONDOR (Cold war of the condor)
http://www.myspace.com/darkorder/music/songs/operation-condor-71567751

All mahogany Flying V:
Amp: Marshall TSL100
Rhythm guitar: PA TB2 B
Leads: Lead 1: TB6 DD
Lead 2: SH13 Dimebucker on a Alder Charvel Model 6 neck thru


2/ The Terran Empire (The Violence Continuum)
http://www.myspace.com/darkorder/music/songs/the-terran-empire-22233642

All mahogany Flying V:
Amp: Marshall DSL100
Rhythm guitar: Dimarzio Megadrive
Leads: Lead 1: PA TB2 B
Lead 2: Jackson J90

3/ OIDIO PURO (5000 years of violence)
http://www.myspace.com/darkorder/music/songs/odio-puro-22233494
All mahogany Explorer:
Amp: Marshall JCM900 Dual Reverb 50W 4500
Rhythm guitar: Sh6 DD
Leads: Lead 1: SH4 JB on a Alder Charvel Model 6 neck thru
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

Dark Order Lord said:
Here is the different pickups I have used for different albums, and remember I use NO pedals at all, just straight into the amp :14::14: :

1/ OPERATION CONDOR (Cold war of the condor)
http://www.myspace.com/darkorder/music/songs/operation-condor-71567751

All mahogany Flying V:
Amp: Marshall TSL100
Rhythm guitar: PA TB2 B
Leads: Lead 1: TB6 DD
Lead 2: SH13 Dimebucker on a Alder Charvel Model 6 neck thru


2/ The Terran Empire (The Violence Continuum)
http://www.myspace.com/darkorder/music/songs/the-terran-empire-22233642

All mahogany Flying V:
Amp: Marshall DSL100
Rhythm guitar: Dimarzio Megadrive
Leads: Lead 1: PA TB2 B
Lead 2: Jackson J90

3/ OIDIO PURO (5000 years of violence)
http://www.myspace.com/darkorder/music/songs/odio-puro-22233494
All mahogany Explorer:
Amp: Marshall JCM900 Dual Reverb 50W 4500
Rhythm guitar: Sh6 DD
Leads: Lead 1: SH4 JB on a Alder Charvel Model 6 neck thru
Click to expand...

i liked the patb-2 the best. the megadrive and sh-6 had that true old school extreme metal sound though
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

Go for JB and swab the magnet to A8, and see if you like it , If not , Then Make your own hybrid , My Last hybrid I made is Gibson 498T with Duncan Distortion Stud , with A8 Magnet in it, it is so hot, clear big sounding , sweet mids, singing highs.
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

charlemetallica said:
Gibson 498T with Duncan Distortion Stud , with A8 Magnet
Click to expand...

Ha, that sounds like a cool one, 498T is a little nastier than a Custom. I don't think people realize that SH Duncans and older/neck spaced Gibbos can be put together yet.
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

Now that I have played the invader I am gonna go with it for metal that is thrash and heavier .
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

At the end of the day, Duncan has the eq of metal covvered:

Bass and mids: Invader
Bass and Treble: Custom
Mids and Treble: Distortion

It's really that easy. If you want a little more or less or whatever, they have that too.

Uber Articulation: Full Shred
Whatever Dime had: Dimebucker

etc..
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

Aceman said:
At the end of the day, Duncan has the eq of metal covvered:

Bass and mids: Invader
Bass and Treble: Custom
Mids and Treble: Distortion

It's really that easy. If you want a little more or less or whatever, they have that too.

Uber Articulation: Full Shred
Whatever Dime had: Dimebucker

etc..
Click to expand...

True that
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

Best heavy metal sound ive ever heard is the Duncan distortion in all mohogany with rosewood neck. the warmth of the guitar really tames the high end shrill of that pup. They balance everything out and makes for the most brutal distortion sound ever. That is one serious pickup for metal. Ive had it sound bad in brighter woods though.

If you have a les paul, put the custom in it. it's a big vintage tone with huge bottom end chug. it's got that ceramic sizzle up top but not as bad as the DD. It's probably the most massive punch in the face sound ive heard. love it too.

I like the custom 8. There are more metal pickups out there but you can get some really aggressive tones out of this one.

JB is good. I liked it the most in a jackson soloist alder body neck through. Bottom end is an issue in that one

havent tried the PATB-2, but I really want to
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

i change my vote to a full-shred with A8 swap. the hex poles make it a little less boomy than the custom 8 in heavier guitars. but i still prefer the custom 8 in light guitars.
 
Last edited:
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

I might be alone in the fact that I can't get along with the Duncan Distortion. I had one in a mahogany baritone guitar and while it sounded great, there was this cocked wah sound going on that made it grating after playing for awhile. It seemed to loose definition when playing fast extreme metal riffs, but that it could be that it didn't work with the amplifier I'm using, and it may sound much better with others. I am keeping around because overall it's a gnarly, interesting pickup that may have a use somewhere else.

I switch to a JB and couldn't be happier, so that's my vote.
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

The DDJ i scored a week ago is hands down thee metal pickup! I used emg's,live wires and even tried the blackouts but the distortion is the only one that still has things about it that the others do not. it even has a decent clean tone if i dont set it real close:fing2: duncan hit a home run with this one as usual!
 
Last edited:
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

Foroverall best, it depends. Sometimes a JB is a better fit than a heavier brother, sometimes a DD is not enough. Everything depends on the actual music.

For a strictly subjective best, I've tested this and failed that but the Invader is still unmatched when it comes to deliver riffs with the biggest punch.
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

Attack of the NecroThread, been over it some time ago (more than a year actually).
Alt 8 RIPs in the right guitar, Custom 8 has that old-school voice but wit5h a modern EQ, Distortion is great and very menacing but kinda lacks in that organic feel.

And now there are some new players
 
Re: best duncan passive pickup for metal?

Black Metal: Distortion
Unholy Black Metal: Invader
Tr00 Black Metal: Dimebucker
Kvlt Black Metal: 59

Thank you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top