DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

Rex_Rocker

Rex_Rocker

Well-known member
I have Seymour Duncan/IBZ pickups in my Ibanez RG570. I really like the bridge pickup, which basically a Duncan Distortion Trembucker with allen screws instead of slugs on the inner coil. The neck pickup is supposedly a '59N. Don't like it. I find it too weak with gain, too quiet clean, too chirpy and scooped, and overall kinda generic-sounding.

I'm really liking the EMG 81/85 combo in my PRS SE right now. I want something along the lines of the 85: Strong, fat, and smooth with lots of sustain, but still clear and articulate. I want to stay passive here, though.

I've had the DD-N in other guitars before, and I dug it, but I'm curious about trying something new: Something rounder, warmer, and less ceramic-y, perhaps.

So what are my options? I'm thinking DiMarzio Norton or Air Norton, maybe Liquifire. Any thoughts on those? FWIW, I like the voicing of the PAF 36th Anni, but I find it a bit weak output-wise. What's in the Duncan realm that will get me what I want? Maybe Alnico 2 Pro Bridge? Slash Bridge?
 
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Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

I loved the DD in the old 570 I had years ago. I have one in my Iceman now and was thinking about adding a A2P or Slash neck to the guitar to the replace the stock IBZ pickup.
 
Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

I know people always suggest mag swaps, but I honestly think a mag swap will get you there with the DDn. Since you like hotter neck pups and the DDn is that. You also said you want warmer, rounder, and less ceramicy. Going to an alnico in the DDn will absolutely get you that. Since the DDn is overwound, it is naturally pretty warm. If you stick an alnico in there I think it would get you what you want. I recommend A9 if you want to retain some grit to it and A5 if you want it more round.
 
Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

The Distortion neck is the obvious pick. The Black Winter is supposedly very similar, though I haven't used it.

To throw in another option for a fat but tight neck pickup: Dimarzio PAF Pro. Definitely not scooped sounding. Not as high output as the Distortion neck, but definitely not weak either.

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk
 
Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

Thank you all for the replies!

I can't mag-swap the Distortion Neck because I don't have one anymore. If I'm buying new, I think I'd rather buy something that I'll like from the start without mag-swapping. :)

The guitar used to have the PAF Pro (both in the bridge and neck, actually) at some point. Funny, I didn't think it was very fat-sounding. It wasn't as scooped or as weak as the '59, but it had A LOT of attack. Too much, for my taste. I'd rather have something smoother.

I have tried the BW-N before... you're right. It might just be the ticket. Still a bit ceramic-y, but smoother and stronger than the DD-N for sure!
 
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Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

You could try one of the medium output, alnico, bridge humbuckers like the Pegasus or Jason Becker. They would be the right output, warm, and not generic sounding or chirpy.
 
Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

Clint 55 said:
...Since the DDn is overwound, it is naturally pretty warm...
Click to expand...
can you explain this some more?
It's rather bright in the bridge spot which it was originally intended for as SH-7 seymourizer II.
I am not sure AWG 43 with 13k is overwound?
13k of AWG 42 won't fit on the bobbins as far as i know, so can't be AWG 42.
 
Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

Right. I meant in comparison to neck humbuckers. I have also been experimenting with medium output neck humbuckers for rock which are fat, not generic sounding, and not chirpy. Once you start to get above vintage output in the neck, things really fatten up if you use alnico. For example, what I have in there now is a Demon/WLHb hybrid at around 9.5k and it's somewhat fat but also a little gritty. What I had in there before was a DDn/FSn hybrid which was also quite fat.
 
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Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

Clint 55 said:
I know people always suggest mag swaps, but I honestly think a mag swap will get you there with the DDn. Since you like hotter neck pups and the DDn is that. You also said you want warmer, rounder, and less ceramicy. Going to an alnico in the DDn will absolutely get you that. Since the DDn is overwound, it is naturally pretty warm. If you stick an alnico in there I think it would get you what you want. I recommend A9 if you want to retain some grit to it and A5 if you want it more round.
Click to expand...

Absolutely not; the SH6N is originally an underwound SH5 with the magnetic structure of a Distortion: ergo, 12K (underwound 43awg) with a double ceramic. To this day I do not understand why this pickup has been chosen to match with the SH6.

@T.S.: I would go with a Screaming Demon on the neck. Less winds than an SH6N, alnico V: will work very, very well in the neck of any guitar. It is fat, round and absolutely not that honky, chirpy character.
 
Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

orpheo said:
Absolutely not; the SH6N is originally an underwound SH5 with the magnetic structure of a Distortion: ergo, 12K (underwound 43awg) with a double ceramic. To this day I do not understand why this pickup has been chosen to match with the SH6.
Click to expand...

I couldn't disagree more. It matches really well IMO. It's not a big difference from the Distortion bridge in terms of voicing or output. In the neck position it's plenty warm and fat, but still has a bit of the DD edge to it.

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk
 
Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

Thanks for the recommendations, dudes.

Do you think the Screamin' Demon would be better than the Air Norton? How do you guys think they would compare?
 
Re: DD in the bridge - what in the neck?

If we didn't think it was "better", six of us wouldn't have suggested it right off the bat!

Think of it as an Air Norton with everything you like about Duncans...
 
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