Duncan Full Shred or Custom for Mahogany Ibanez RG321?

[viva_360]

Hi just wanted to ask peoples opinion on which pickup to get ... for my Mahogany body RG321 guitar ... The Full Shred or Custom ...

My type of music i mainly THrash metal ... mostly Exodus, Testament, Nevermore and others ...

I would be doing Drop tunings alot also.

I was thinking of the custom first but alot of people say it is really beefy and having alot of low end ... and Mahogany is a bassy type of wood ...

On the full shred alot of people say it has bass in the pickup even though the EQ chart doesn't look like to have any ......

So what are your views people?

I am just mind dead to decide .... :alcoholic

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Duncan Full Shred or Custom for Mahogany Ibanez RG321?

The full shred is a great pup. I have one in an all mahogany Parker Fly, which is a very dark and warm sounding guitar, its much darker and has more low end than any other guitar I own or have played (not thin in any any respect). The full shred has kind of a knarly bite to it, its bright but not thin or ear piercing. Its hot enough to use with a high gain amp and get some great metal tones, but has a touch of class to it. It it one of the best chug pickups ever made. Another good choice is the Distortion, bright but not ear piercing, and has a very course and aggressive midrange - also enough thump for metal. I haven't played a custom yet, but I can attest to the full shred being a great pup for the things you have listed.

The tone chart doesn't really reflect what the full shred sounds like when you are running it with high gain; when you roll the volume back you can start to hear the tone chart kick in a little.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Duncan Full Shred or Custom for Mahogany Ibanez RG321?

The full shred is great for aggressive riffing but the problem I have with it is that when I use heavy palm muting the attack is a bit too bright. If it had a boost in the bass it would be better for fast palm muted thrash.

 

[theodie]

Re: Duncan Full Shred or Custom for Mahogany Ibanez RG321?

IMO, if you are downtuning, the Full Shred will be a better choice.

 

[AmirH]

Re: Duncan Full Shred or Custom for Mahogany Ibanez RG321?

The full shred is great for aggressive riffing but the problem I have with it is that when I use heavy palm muting the attack is a bit too bright. If it had a boost in the bass it would be better for fast palm muted thrash.

Actually that's really true. It becomes tight as hell if you roll the treble way down but at the same time loses some of the insanely aggressive "crunch" factor. If it had a bigger bottom that upper end attack would be more balanced for fast chug riffs. I actually think it gets more articulate as you roll the treble down though so I don't mind losing a little bit of the aggression. I have emgs for all out metal madness anyway

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Duncan Full Shred or Custom for Mahogany Ibanez RG321?

Actually that's really true. It becomes tight as hell if you roll the treble way down but at the same time loses some of the insanely aggressive "crunch" factor. If it had a bigger bottom that upper end attack would be more balanced for fast chug riffs. I actually think it gets more articulate as you roll the treble down though so I don't mind losing a little bit of the aggression. I have emgs for all out metal madness anyway

Even though the Dimarzio Evolution is a very different pickup from the full shred I would like to have the Evolutions bottom end on the full shred. I think the combo of those two would be the perfect pickup.

 

[bigheadood]

Re: Duncan Full Shred or Custom for Mahogany Ibanez RG321?

I'm using a CustomCustom Trembucker in my RG321.
It has monstrous mids, perfect for a Zak Wylde or Slayer sound, at least through my stuff. (peavey ultra 212 or PODxt).
For older Metallica/Megadeth/Testament stuff, I think that the custom would work well. So would the Evolution.

If you do alot of downtuning, I'd say evolution. Downtuning once in a while--Custom. I haven't tried the full shred though.
I don't recommend the CC for downtuning. Muddy.

 

[Sykes]

Re: Duncan Full Shred or Custom for Mahogany Ibanez RG321?

Actually that's really true. It becomes tight as hell if you roll the treble way down but at the same time loses some of the insanely aggressive "crunch" factor. If it had a bigger bottom that upper end attack would be more balanced for fast chug riffs. I actually think it gets more articulate as you roll the treble down though so I don't mind losing a little bit of the aggression. I have emgs for all out metal madness anyway

True.
I recently got an overwound FS. As you know, more DC resistance usually=less bright. But as you said, the articulation is still there, and it screams induceded harmonics.
For me, it's the "texture" of the FS that makes it my sig sound.

 

[viva_360]

Re: Duncan Full Shred or Custom for Mahogany Ibanez RG321?

How is the evolution then? i heard it sounds like a wah wah pedal some times ....

 

[AmirH]

Re: Duncan Full Shred or Custom for Mahogany Ibanez RG321?

True.
I recently got an overwound FS. As you know, more DC resistance usually=less bright. But as you said, the articulation is still there, and it screams induceded harmonics.
For me, it's the "texture" of the FS that makes it my sig sound.

Yeah I dig the texture a lot too. It's actually the biggest noticeable difference when switching from neck(APH) to bridge pickup for lead work. I hated that there wasn't a huge contrast at first but now I find it's really freakin cool to go from the super sweet violin sound to the nasally vocal texture since both pups can essentially cover every genre I'm into. Of course, the swap was so recent I may just be smitten with the pleasantness of change still haha.

Sorry to semi- derail your thread dude. I haven't tried the evolution but maybe someone else can help you out.

 

[viva_360]

Re: Duncan Full Shred or Custom for Mahogany Ibanez RG321?

y the way how is the dimebucker?