Duncan distortion neck magnet swap in bridge position

[natelc1979]

Just wondering if anyone swapped the magnet in the distortion neck and tried it in the bridge position. I’m thinking about putting a rough cast alnico 5 in it and putting it in the bridge spot. What are your guys thoughts guys?

 

[Aceman]

I'd think you would have something sort of like a 12k JB-ish pup. Can't think what rough vs smooth would do. I'm talking smooth, so not sure.

Never did that though. I guess it would be like a less highs/more mids Demon sort of tone maybe?

The best thing in these situations is to go do it and report back. Like I said - never heard of this specific thing. I think I'd remember that....

 

[Masta' C]

The Distortion Neck was originally a bridge pickup (the SH-7 Seymourizer). I would try it in stock form first!

 

[Aceman]

The Distortion Neck was originally a bridge pickup (the SH-7 Seymourizer). I would try it in stock form first!

I did not know that!

 

[Tone Mechanic]

As mentioned, I'd try the neck pickup first in the bridge. The Duncan Distortion has a thick ceramic magnet and 2 spacers that you will have to change out if you switched magnets. You will need spacers the thickness of the A5 to take up the extra space and everything will fit properly.

 

[Clint 55]

^ Ducan uses regular spacers turned on their side with the double thick ceramic.

The DDn is a fantastic bridge pup. Sounds like the DD but less compressed. And all pickups sound better with alnico instead of ceramic. Absolutely do it. I don't care for
RC mags, but if you like them then the result will probably be good.

 

[Masta' C]

I did not know that!

Wait...have you ever tried an SH-7/SH-6n in the bridge?

If not, then I'm blown away! Seems right up your alley, to be honest!

 

[alex1fly]

With these things I like to change one thing at a time so I can isolate the difference that the change is making. So if I've never put the neck DD in the bridge, I'd do that first... spend some time adjusting, playing, adjusting, leaving it alone, etc... then do the magnet swap at a later date if I'm still curious and repeat the process of playing/adjusting/leaving.

 

[Masta' C]

With these things I like to change one thing at a time so I can isolate the difference that the change is making. So if I've never put the neck DD in the bridge, I'd do that first.

That would be my approach, as well. It's worth seeing how the SH-6n works in the bridge as Seymour designed it. It's actually one of his earliest designs, circa 1980!

 

[natelc1979]

Thanks everyone. I’ve heard of the Seymourizer and was aware that it became the distortion, but I wasn’t aware that it was actually originally designed as a bridge pickup.

 

[Aceman]

Wait...have you ever tried an SH-7/SH-6n in the bridge?

If not, then I'm blown away! Seems right up your alley, to be honest!

To be honest - I find the 59/Custom a bit mild for the bridge....so no, I have not.

 

[GrilledChickenSalad]

SH-6n = underwound SH-5

 

[Clint 55]

SH-6n = underwound SH-6

 

[hamerfan]

Nope Chicken is right. Underwound SH-5 with a thicker ceramic magnet. Clearer and louder as SH-5, less compressed than a SH-6b

 

[Clint 55]

The DDn is voiced like the DD, so how is it a Custom?

 

[Masta' C]

I don't believe the wire gauge has ever been officially confirmed. There was some intense speculation that it was most likely 43.

43 = underwound Custom
44 = underwound Distortion

 

[Clint 55]

That's not logical to assume a master pickup builder can't scale down 1 model of pickup from 44 to 43 without it automatically making the parent pickup an arbitrarily chosen pickup built with 43.

 

[jeremy]

:smack:

 

[Masta' C]

That's not logical to assume a master pickup builder can't scale down 1 model of pickup from 44 to 43 without it automatically making the parent pickup an arbitrarily chosen pickup built with 43.

huh?

 

[frankfalbo]

That's not logical to assume a master pickup builder can't scale down 1 model of pickup from 44 to 43 without it automatically making the parent pickup an arbitrarily chosen pickup built with 43.

The term “underwound” would assume that you have a pickup, then you take turns away from that pickup. Like with PAFs, the old trope is that it was overwound if they left the machine engaged too long while chatting with their neighbor, and underwound if they stopped it early for a coffee break.

So from a pickup maker’s perspective you wouldn’t refer to any coil that has a different wire gauge as an underwound or overwound version of it.

Like at 10k DCR the Screamin Demon isn’t an overwound PAF or Jazz coil, because those are 42AWG. The Demon is 43, which has been confirmed by other sources but also that answer is in plain sight. The Demon coils are skinny when compared to a Jazz. So a higher DCR + a smaller coil means smaller wire diameter. That’s basic physics.

So as we look at the Seymourizer, based on the size of the coils and the DCR, you’d probably notice it’s a little fatter than the Demon, and a little skinnier than the Custom. But if it were 44 like the JB/Distortion/Invader then it would be even skinnier than that.

I’ve always liked the idea of the Seymourizer/Distortion Neck as a moderate bridge pickup, with A5, rough cast, even A2. I did all that experimenting while I was at Duncan. My favorites for it are Alnico 4 & 6 actually.