Best Duncans for old school thrash?

[Ed Hunter]

Re: Best Duncans for old school thrash?

Like Ace said, dont change the 500T out for a DD. There wont be that much of a difference as they are fairly similar

sorry i disagree with this!
the only thing that makes them comparable is the ceramic magnet and hot output but the tones are not alike IMHO
there is a better tone(voice) coming from the duncan DD whereas the 500T is fizzy hot and can be very farty! LOL!

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Best Duncans for old school thrash?

I don't think the 500 is farty at all, it's pretty tight and compressed, I can see a lot of people not liking that, but for thrash it's perfect.

250K vs 500K pots, there's more than just high end that gets cut, so you're not hearing what the pickup is capable of. Also, if the 500T is bright to you, you'll think the DD is too, they're roughly equal on the high end, DD maybe a little brighter. Seriously, change the pots and then decide what you need to complete the picture.

 

[IceThrash]

Re: Best Duncans for old school thrash?

Thanks for all the replies guys! I think im going too keep my 500T/496R set since they are too similar to the DD/'59 to be worth a change, But are Gibson pups of lesser quality than Duncans?

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Best Duncans for old school thrash?

...But are Gibson pups of lesser quality than Duncans?

I would say that they are of similar quality, there is nothing wrong with Gibson pups if they do what you want.

I am also an advocate of the DD, great pup!

 

[Dark Order Lord]

Re: Best Duncans for old school thrash?

Thanks for all the replies guys! I think im going too keep my 500T/496R set since they are too similar to the DD/'59 to be worth a change, But are Gibson pups of lesser quality than Duncans?

The DD has alot more high mids than the 500T great for that palm muted chunck - ala Anthrax (even their last album for that song "Fight 'em till you can't" it does that riff BETTER than the JB thats on the album!!!), but the 500T has a really cool and bigger growl than the DD. I have a Gibson Explorer reisssue (NOT called '76 reissue)from 1990, the short run that they did with one piece body and came stock with Grover mini tuners and the Dirty Finger in the bridge, and, an unknown neck pickup BOTH with covers. Now, I love the clean sound for the neck, it's a dead ringer for the clean sound of 'Welcome Home' (Saniterium) and I used that guitar for the majority of clean sounds on our lastest album 'Cold war of the Condor'.
In the past when I removed the neck pickup cover, the bobbins have this rough surfaced look, like a fine sandpaper look....never seen it before, and it was suggested to me that it might be a OEM pickup from Bill Lawrence as apparently Gibson did use OEM pickups from Bill Lawrence for a short while, but really I haven't a freakin clue what it is, and I'd love to know. I do like the '59's in my two V's, and they sound fatter than this unknown Gibson pickup, but a hell of alot less of that awesome 'Piano' clean sound that this UPO ('unidentified pickup object' thats what I'll call it') in my 1990 Explorer (btw, I bought in NEW in 1990, had it all this time and stashed away for recordings only). Also, I long ago replaced the dirty finger with a DDJ (yes, a DDJ) and it sounds killer, far better than the Dirty Fingers for playing Thrash! :beerchug:

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: Best Duncans for old school thrash?

Thanks for all the replies guys! I think im going too keep my 500T/496R set since they are too similar to the DD/'59 to be worth a change, But are Gibson pups of lesser quality than Duncans?

IMHO gibsons are not of the same QC as seymour duncans:cool2:
you can get a old DDJ for $50 and it screams old school thrash so why stick with that 500T? if the 500T was so great why didnt all the great thrash guitarist use it????

 

[Sphere]

Re: Best Duncans for old school thrash?

Ice,

I put an SH-4/SH-2 Hot Rod Set (JB/Jazz) in my Gibson V a little while back. I'm quite pleased with the results.

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: Best Duncans for old school thrash?

Ice,

I put an SH-4/SH-2 Hot Rod Set (JB/Jazz) in my Gibson V a little while back. I'm quite pleased with the results.

not suprised at all, great pup set for all styles!

 

[Varg]

Re: Best Duncans for old school thrash?

I think that the invader is wouldn't be the best choice, too loose of a low end I would assume.

You would assume wrong. Invader is perfect for thrash and death metal rhythm playing.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Best Duncans for old school thrash?

I won't disagree that the DD and 500T are not EXACTLY the same pup. But I can't remember who put it best here....

They are the same pup with one *slightly* better for rhythm (DD) and one *slightly* better for lead (500T).

But IMO, they are 95% the same. Both hot, compressed, mid/high, ceramic screamers.

Close enough to my ears, that I wouldn't go through the hassle/cost to swap.

 

[Dark Order Lord]

Re: Best Duncans for old school thrash?

I don't think the 500 is farty at all, it's pretty tight and compressed, I can see a lot of people not liking that, but for thrash it's perfect.

250K vs 500K pots, there's more than just high end that gets cut, so you're not hearing what the pickup is capable of. Also, if the 500T is bright to you, you'll think the DD is too, they're roughly equal on the high end, DD maybe a little brighter. Seriously, change the pots and then decide what you need to complete the picture.

Gotta agree with this.