Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

[jeremy]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

Gotta agree with Ace on this one...

Me: I love bananas

Tech: GREAT! Try brussel sprouts!

i loves brussles sprouts! roasted with garlic and bacon is extra good... yum. bananas are fine too

 

[BeKindRewind]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

I think you'll like the Slash, it might not be as hot as the tone zone but I can't see why you wouldn't like it anyway. The A2Pro is one of Seymour's most magical recipes. You'll definitely be in the zone of tone.

Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk

 

[NJLK]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

I'm just going to call that guy an idiot. Wait and see.

WTF?

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

Don't read into Ace's response too much. He's just pointing out that most of us wouldn't connect the Slash pickup with "Tone Zone" sound, but who knows...the SD guy could be on to something. Give the Slash a try.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

The Slash set is a little hotter and warmer sounding than the original A2Pro's, but it's still vintage-esque in terms of output.

Personally, I think the SD guy missed the mark and is showing a clear bias toward lower-output pickups (suggesting higher output pickups can't get a "good clean sound"? :smack, but hey, that's what the company's exchange policy is for, right?

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

The Slash pickup is basically in no way compatible with a Tone Zone preference. Not electrically, not magnetically, not in the resonant peak....

That doesn't mean the OP won’t like it, and we weren’t on the phone call so we don’t know what was said on either side.

As far as hard science, the P-Rails and P-Rails Hot are actually probably the closest in terms of a broad (dual) resonant peak and resistive loading, rounded off treble...and you can rotate them 180° to influence the tone.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

I don't think the Slash set is dark. Smooth (for a vintage-type), sure. Dark? No way, IMO.

 

[NJLK]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

The A2Pro's are like some of the lowest output pickups around.

Nothing about A2's have anything similar at all to the Tone Zone.... besides being darker.

Most people here seem to think there is no SD pickup, which would be similar to the Tone Zone. So, I’m willing to try something different. How does that make me an idiot?

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

The Duncan Slash set is one of my favorite Duncan set, but it really does not remind me of the Tone Zone in any way. No Duncan pickup really does. The JB with an A2 is about the most similar Duncan I can think of to the Tone Zone, but it is still its own thing as well. I see Tone Zones and Paf Pros used on Ebay pretty often if you are patient and want to try it at some point.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

Most people here seem to think there is no SD pickup, which would be similar to the Tone Zone. So, I’m willing to try something different. How does that make me an idiot?

He was saying the Duncan employee is an idiot, NOT YOU!
Aceman expresses his opinions a but strongly sometimes but he doesn't typically insult anyone asking questions.

I hope you love the Slash.

Btw, Frank Falbo is a professional who designs pickups. If he says the P-rail comes close to the Tone Zone then I believe him.

 

[NJLK]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

He was saying the Duncan employee is an idiot, NOT YOU!
Aceman expresses his opinions a but strongly sometimes but he doesn't typically insult anyone asking questions.

I hope you love the Slash.

Btw, Frank Falbo is a professional who designs pickups. If he says the P-rail comes close to the Tone Zone then I believe him.

I do like Slash, though I guess not enough for my first choice to be a Slash pickup, since I went with an SH11. As for the P-Rail, it’s a fine pickup, and I have a set in a Warmoth Jaguar I put together some years back. After the suggestion was made, I played the Tone Zone and the P-Rails side by side, granted in very different guitars. At least in those particular guitars the two don’t sound much like alike. Both the highs and the bottom end sound pretty different. The Tone Zone is much more articulate when compared to the a P Rail in series. I don’t have it wired up for parallel, so can’t speak to that. I also haven’t tried the other P-Rails versions. Again though, it’s a nice pickup.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

BTW I don’t think the two are sound-alikes. The magnetic circuit is totally different so unless you rotate the P-Rails 180° you miss some of the information closer to the bridge. That’s what happens with a P90 also, but if you’re focused only on the HB tone then flipping the P-Rails in the bridge can be cool.

Anyway I’m only saying it’s the closest in terms of tech specs. Otherwise you’d have to make some kind of hybrid but Duncan doesn’t really have the comparable individual coils.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

Most people here seem to think there is no SD pickup, which would be similar to the Tone Zone. So, I’m willing to try something different. How does that make me an idiot?

Not you - the tech that recommended the Slash set. I'm flat out saying that that guy has no idea what he is talking about. No one here is even saying you won't like the Slash set. You might love it. But it is not in any way, shape, form, or tone, a Tone Zone.

His response was roughly the equivalent of saying "If you want a pickup that sounds like a Duncan Distortion, try a Duncan 59". There is just not a defensible explanation , and everyone here knows it. Falbo said it best.

That is not a statement about you. It is a statement about who/how Duncan has answering the phones these days.
And there are many out here that know and love the Slash set.

 

[dave74]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

Invader swapped w/A5 might be the closest. Just guessing.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

I think a JB with an A8 is kind of in that direction, but still not th same thing at all. Not even close.

 

[NJLK]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

Well, the Slash bridge pickup is installed, and I have to say: I’m very pleasantly surprised. First of all, it works really well in my Les Paul Classic. It’s a pretty bright guitar, and I was worried that the combination would be too bright. It’s not. Works really well. The pickup is also very versatile and fits the bill for me very well, while also being pretty different from my Tone Zone-equipped Les Paul Tribute. So, I now have a very nice variety of sounds (which was the idea when I originally went with a Duncan pickup). But, my biggest surprise is that the pickup sounds pretty different when compared to a regular Alnico II Pro bridge pickup. Maybe it is a difference in guitars or wiring or pots, or whatever, but it seems to cut through much better than my friend’s APH1b equipped LP. A little sweeter sounding, too.

Anyway, thanks for everyone’s input!

 

[Juanhanglo]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

I'd go with a norton in a les paul over a tone zone. Same kind of sound with less bottom end. Perhaps at1 too?

Guys say the dimarzio transition is a better tone zone too.

If the duncan exchange doesnt bear fruit, I'd research the above.

 

[NJLK]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

I like the Slash pickup, so I’m all set for now. But, will definitely keep the Transition in mind for the future. Thanks!

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

Glad you dig it. I know it isn't what you came in thinking you wanted, but now you've been exposed to something new and it has paid off.

The Duncan employee got lucky on this one, but not because he knew better. Other players would have been pretty upset if they were expecting "Tone Zone" and got "Slash", ha ha!

 

[NJLK]

Re: Duncan pickup that sounds like a Tone Zone

To be fair, he didn’t claim that the Slash pickup is similar to a Tone Zone. And, like I said before, I originally purchased a Duncan pickup because I wanted to try something different. The question about a similar pickup to a Tone Zone was more of Hail Mary to salvage the situation. The tech just went over what I’m looking to get out of the pickup and suggested the Slash pickup as something that different that could work well. And, he was right. So, I appreciate his help, as I do everyone else’s on here.