Duncan Custom In A Bolt-On Guitar

[beaubrummels]

Re: Duncan Custom In A Bolt-On Guitar

If it’s too bright, that’s what tone controls are for.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Duncan Custom In A Bolt-On Guitar

Thanks, Ace! I don't remember exactly where I saw the comment, but it was a user review. The reviewer said he had the Custom in a LP and another pickup in a Strat-type guitar. He decided to swap them to see how it would sound. The Custom ended up sounding too bright in the Strat and the other pickup (Screamin' Demon, I think) was too muddy in the LP so he swapped them back where they came from. I wish I could find the review but it was years ago that I saw it.

Ahah! We we one individual's thoughts on his particular guitar and his favorite tones. That explains it. It is tough for a lot of people to not express their individual preferences vs a more objective review.

See - I'd say the majority of people (but not all) would say that the Demon sounds like more of what you'd expect in a Strat pickup, when in a Strat. The Custom is no doubt a ceramic screamer. A Strat scale + general Strat tone could easily make a sound you don't like with a Custom. But the Custom is very "Your guitar will sound like a Custom" pickup in whatever you put it in. I'd think if the Strat had 250k pots it would sound awesome with the top taken off.

And there are a number of people who really like the Demon in a Les Paul, especially in the neck position! As you go from 59 to Pearly Gates, to Demon, you move the bass eq down and the treble up. Last stop on that road is a Full Shred. But - muddy Les Paul can be muddy Les Paul no matter what pickup is in it. And then there are the Gibson 300k pots.

I play rock, mostly. A lot of Kiss, some Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, and some of the slower Megadeth and Metallica stuff. Rhythm playing through a Boss Katana 100, just for fun. No gigging. A long time ago I learned that Paul Stanley once used the sh-5 and so began a fascination. For whatever reason, I never put one in any of my Gibsons. The Gibsons are gone now and ever since reading the review I just mentioned, I figured there were better choices for my bolt-on guitars.

Try a Custom/59 hybrid in this guitar. And again - the Katana should really be able to tone shape to whatever is needed.

And you sir, like bands that cause an age old problem....half use SuperDistortions and half use Duncan Distortions/JB's.... No easy solution there - except two guitars! There is no Duncan or DiMarzio that is going to nail all of those! Decide who/what you like best and go for that.

At the moment I have a Custom in a Dean Cadillac (Play almost anything with it), A Demon in a Kramer Strat, a Custom Custom in a Floyded Dean Custom 350 (Sounds awesome! Nothing like it would in a Les Paul). Also have Duncan distortions, and a Tone Zone in some Strat styles.

Honestly, for what you play, I think my DiMarzio Fast Track 2 would be my go to combo in a Strat. Or in your case - with a Humbucker, I'd go with a SuperDistortion for the best all around use.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Duncan Custom In A Bolt-On Guitar

Picking the right pickup is basically about power and EQ. The power determines the feel, and the design determines the EQ. Listen to the current pickup. What does the guitar need?