Double Hex Duncan Distortion

[PFDarkside]

Just had a thought experiment. Actually I was daydreaming about a specific look, the double hex pole look... if you put this in a Duncan Distortion set would this just rip your head off? Take the Distortion as is an ramp up the attack and treble even more?

 

[beaubrummels]

My experiements with hex heads in other pickups so far is that it totally changed the pickup. For example, in a 59 it changed the EQ, it scooped out the mids, lowered the bass and made the treble totally even. don't know what it would do in a Distortion, but if you hybrid the screw coils of two Distortions and put hexes in there, easy enough to find out.

 

[Hsb]

Do it do it do it

 

[Aceman]

Is it the hex head, or the length of the hex pole? Or both?

Color me intrigued by this though.

 

[Masta' C]

Is it the hex head, or the length of the hex pole? Or both?

Different lengths, different head shape/mass, different alloys...

Anyone interested in something like this should seriously consider picking up a leftover SD/Ibz TB-6 from here: LINK

It's basically a TB-6 with dual screw coils and was used on the SZ2XXX/SZ4XXX models. You can swap pole pieces to customize as you'd like.

 

[PFDarkside]

Ooh, nice find, I didn’t even know that existed.

 

[Clint 55]

if you put this in a Duncan Distortion set would ramp up the attack and treble even more?

Yes. The treble isn't unmanageable because a lot of the effect is the different attack plus the scooping of the bass. Although I think hexz do add some treble. It might sound good. You could always do the hexz and then switch to alnico magz if you wanted to compensate some for the aggression. One of my main guitars had a Distortion set and I tried all different pole set ups. They all sounded different and they all sounded good.

 

[Zheddar]

I actually have one of those SD/Ibz TB-6's, and the hex coil gives less treble then with slugs, tightens the bass, and sucks some mids out. If you put it at the same height as you would a regular TB-6, it has more dynamics and kind of reminds me of an SH-5 with a little less bass and treble. That pole piece load out makes it sound a little more like a common PAF'ish EQ imo. It's pretty cool, I like it more then the regular TB-6, mostly due to the nice dynamics, warmer treble, and nice tight (but still big) bottom end.

 

[Securb]

Lindy Fralin did a custom wind for me an A6 high output pickup with double-poles. They slay. I say you go for it.

Here is a review I wrote about the Fralin.

http://www.tmrzoo.com/2015/64824/gui...metal-settings

 

[PFDarkside]

I actually have one of those SD/Ibz TB-6's, and the hex coil gives less treble then with slugs, tightens the bass, and sucks some mids out. If you put it at the same height as you would a regular TB-6, it has more dynamics and kind of reminds me of an SH-5 with a little less bass and treble. That pole piece load out makes it sound a little more like a common PAF'ish EQ imo. It's pretty cool, I like it more then the regular TB-6, mostly due to the nice dynamics, warmer treble, and nice tight (but still big) bottom end.

Awesome, I’m thinking of pulling the trigger.

Lindy Fralin did a custom wind for me an A6 high output pickup with double-poles. They slay. I say you go for it.

Here is a review I wrote about the Fralin.

http://www.tmrzoo.com/2015/64824/gui...metal-settings

Damn man, what guitar is that? Carved top Mockingbird?

 

[Securb]

Damn man, what guitar is that? Carved top Mockingbird?

You win today's edition of Name That Axe

 

[PFDarkside]

That is awesome.

 

[Ace Flibble]

Considering how sticking double hexes in a Custom 5 turns it into a Full Shred, which really aren't terribly different-sounding in many guitars, I think it's safe to say with a Distortion you'll experience quite a subtle change. With the C5/FS and their (comparatively) weaker A5 magnets it's like dropping the bass by 1.5 and upping the treble by 1; since the Distortion is using an extra-hefty ceramic magnet with a larger magnetic field (so how the poles extend it isn't such a factor) I expect the difference will be the same as the C5/FS or less. Expect to lose a tiny bit of bass and gain a tiny bit of treble. Nothing major.

 

[Aceman]

Different lengths, different head shape/mass, different alloys...

Anyone interested in something like this should seriously consider picking up a leftover SD/Ibz TB-6 from here: LINK

It's basically a TB-6 with dual screw coils and was used on the SZ2XXX/SZ4XXX models. You can swap pole pieces to customize as you'd like.

That's a late entry...but perhaps find of the year! Must be strong...

But what does that sound like?

 

[Aceman]

I actually have one of those SD/Ibz TB-6's, and the hex coil gives less treble then with slugs, tightens the bass, and sucks some mids out. If you put it at the same height as you would a regular TB-6, it has more dynamics and kind of reminds me of an SH-5 with a little less bass and treble. That pole piece load out makes it sound a little more like a common PAF'ish EQ imo. It's pretty cool, I like it more then the regular TB-6, mostly due to the nice dynamics, warmer treble, and nice tight (but still big) bottom end.

So - would sound great in a Floyded King V? Damn...

 

[Aceman]

Considering how sticking double hexes in a Custom 5 turns it into a Full Shred,

Going out on a limb and say it doesn't...

 

[Zheddar]

Yeah, it works really well in a floyded system. I took one from a neck through RG to a kind of like the RG floyded (hardened steel parts) Washburn, it sounds really good in both. Because it has a different mid structure then the usual Distortion (maybe less upper and more lower mids) it works pretty well in bright or mid heavy instruments. imo, who knows what others may think. You should for sure get one Aceman, it would be heresy if you didn't!

 

[Mincer]

Going out on a limb and say it doesn't...

Yeah, I wanna hear the source on that, too.

 

[Masta' C]

There has been a longstanding assumption that the Full Shred is just a Custom 5 with 2 rows of hex poles because the resistance spec is similar and SD has been known to pimp out its "Custom" wind. While at least one previous SD employee suggested this was not the case, no other indication about how they differ has been offered up, so the uncertainty continues...

EDIT: Even DarthPhineas suggests this in his review of the Full Shred: LINK

And in another chapter of “what-coil-can-we-use-again?”, the Full Shred is based on the Duncan Custom. As in, it’s a Duncan Custom with a couple of changes not related to the coils. Twelve shorter Allen head pole pieces and an Alnico 5 bar magnet are the differences. Alnico 5?! It’s a Custom 5, you say! The Custom 5 was another 15 years after the release of the Full Shred. An interesting thing is that a printed interview at the time has Vivian hinting at a Custom.

 

[Mincer]

It is hard to state it as fact unless we have confirmation from an employee. I don't like spreading assumptions.