Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

S

SGjammer5493

New member
So i am going to by a PRS Mira possibly in the near future and plan to turn the thing into a metal playing beast. :rocket: I was just wondering if anyone has tried a distortion/custom hybrid pickup for the bridge. Im looking to play mostly drop c with this guitar (As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red, Killswitch Engage, The Devil Wears Prada ect...) and i want something unique that will handle this amount of gain but nothing too over the top like an invader. I'm looking for something with a fairly balanced eq. I want a nice tight and punchy in you face sound that cuts through the mix really nicely. I play lots of both rhythm and lead.
 
Re: Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

IMO, this is a job for a Gibson Tony Iommi signature HB.
 
Re: Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

I've got a CS made one. VERY loud, VERY aggressive. It balances the ballsiness/thump of the Custom and the lead sizzle of the Dist.

Luke
 
Re: Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

I think the custom is 43 gauge wire and distortion is 44 gauge wire which would yield some interesting harmonics with high/compressed output.:dunno:
 
Re: Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

The difference between a JB (A5) and a Distortion (thick ceramic) is the magnet (though according to specs the Distortion is wound a hair hotter, but given the +-10% range on pickups, it's not significant).
 
Re: Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

Sounds like a perfect house for an Alnico 8! Let's hear that badboy when it's done!
 
Re: Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

I would love to try an alnico 8! but im probably going to stick with the ceramic magnet from the custom for this guitar. I was thinking about a custom 8 in my sg though :) If i decide that there is too much high end with this hybrid, im thinking about trying out the pole pieces from an invader :)
 
Re: Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

I was gonna do this, but my 80's DD is spaced about 1mm narrower than my newer Custom. I guess I could swap the slug coils, but I just decided to get another pickup.
 
Re: Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

yes! :lol:

Also have done DD/Demon.

Reserving judgement until further trials. But like the 59/C Hybrid, it is also harmonically rich. The main difference is that 59/C has the classic rock voicing, while the DD/C has modern metal type tone. It also combines the crunch and low end of Custom and scream and tightness of DD. But because both pickups have sizzle, the top end sounds like a fryer.
 
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Re: Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

See that's always kind of been my issue with the DD. There's a fizz or harshness that I just can't dial out of the top end. While the Custom has a lot of bite, it's a smoother bite if that makes sens and doesn't have that fizz to it. The JB, while it's in the same family as the DD (it was confirmed awhile back by Evan or someone that the DD is not just a JB with an oversized ceramic magnet) doesn't seem to have it either. Still, might be worth it giving it a whirl. I like the JB/Custom hybrid but have cooled on it and now love the Custom with an oversized ceramic magnet. The DD/Custom may be another variant that I really like.
 
Re: Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

I'm looking for that perfect sound of the custom8 with more output and without going to ceramic mags. I like ceramic mags and all but after playing the C8, that is the sound I want, but like i said, I want more output out of it. I thought the DD/ custom with the A8 mag might do it. Lazyfinger, "top end sounds like a fryer". Is it too much? I figured it would be tolerable especially paired with the custom wind and with an A8, would be much better than a ceramic... Or did you use a ceramic mag?
 
Re: Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

JB and dist do not share coils, despite them having nearly the same DC reading. Frank confirmed that some months ago.

about the C/Dist hybrid. thats cool! it's got huge harmonics, great dynamics and a lot of BITE. but not the sizzle the dist has. I prefer the jb/fullshred though. fullshred = custom 5 with hex polepieces, so that makes it a bit tighter, less chewy, and the JB makes it sing a bit more. also, I really like it with an alnico8


but the best is still the patb2/fullshred.
 
Re: Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

orpheo,
sounds like youve done some cool hybrids. im gonna do a DD/customA8 this weekend. Have you played a custom8? thats what Im using now and love it, just looking for a bit more aggression. Kinda the basis on why im going to try this hybrid.. if you have used C8, how does it compare with the DD/custom?

I play mostly hard rock and metal by the way
 
Re: Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

The Dist. does have a high end fizz or harshness. That's the one thing that I didn't like about it (as well as other ceramic mag pups I've tried). Easy to get rid of that by using an A8 mag. Made all the difference.
 
Re: Duncan Distortion/Custom hybrid

would it make a difference using JB instead of the DD for the hybrid? Is the DD less honky than the jb? Ive only tried the stock Jb and the stock DD no mag swaps yet. but the jb has a nasally tone to it
 
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