Gibson 500t or Dimarzio Super Distortion, for bridge?

poweredbysoul

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OK I have a Les Paul with Alnico II Pros look for more output and thicker bridge tone that can still clean up when rolled back. I play thru a mesa boogie and although theres a lot of gain on tap I would like a gutsier pickup. Play mostly Hard Rock and Metal. Want to leave the neck in and put one of these in the bridge.

Thanks
 
Re: Gibson 500t or Dimarzio Super Distortion, for bridge?

i say super D. Neither clean up great. I like the super dist cleans though
 
Re: Gibson 500t or Dimarzio Super Distortion, for bridge?

I like the 500t in my V, it's a great metal pup. Thick and Fat for sure.
 
Re: Gibson 500t or Dimarzio Super Distortion, for bridge?

I haven't really thought or listened to clean 500T's....hmmm. Good question.

Either pup will do the dirty work. I'm gonna say go with the superD. For the clean work I usually go with the neck & bridge combo on that guitar, which is a PAF and a SuperD. I'd think you would get similar results with a Superd and A2P.

also, PBS, there has been a thread on 500T SuperD in the past couple of weeks - do a search and see what you find.
 
Re: Gibson 500t or Dimarzio Super Distortion, for bridge?

Yeah it's between those two. Now worried about clean for the bridge always play overdriven in that position. Just like various shades of drive when backing it off.
 
Re: Gibson 500t or Dimarzio Super Distortion, for bridge?

I agree with the others that neither is "good" for cleans, but it sounds like you're looking for varied degrees of crunch, not "clean". So I would say the Super Distortion. It does that half-grit crunchy rhythm pretty well. The 500T IMO would be poorer in that you'd back the volume off, but it would still be pretty aggressive sounding. By the time you got the volume down to where you had meaningful variation in the amount of overdrive, the loading of the pot would have it sounding too dark. Pesonally I don't mind the tone getting darker as I lower the volume, and I've had both Super D's and 500T's. The Super D sounds better for you, and IMO it's a better match for the A2Pro in the neck.

(and don't forget about the Duncan Custom, which LOVES Boogies) ;)
 
Re: Gibson 500t or Dimarzio Super Distortion, for bridge?

Yeah - if it's flexibility in the mid crunch zone, SuperD is what you want. 500T is balls to the wall the second it kicks in.
 
Re: Gibson 500t or Dimarzio Super Distortion, for bridge?

Yeah - if it's flexibility in the mid crunch zone, SuperD is what you want. 500T is balls to the wall the second it kicks in.

+1

I had a super d for quite a while. I had to sell that guitar or else I'd still use it.
 
Re: Gibson 500t or Dimarzio Super Distortion, for bridge?

Sounds like the Super Distortion then. Now someone mentioned the Duncan Custom, how would that compare to the SD?
Thanks for the great replys so far!!!
 
Re: Gibson 500t or Dimarzio Super Distortion, for bridge?

Neither......Duncan Distortion! I've had one in the bridge of my Les Paul for nearly 20 years. I tried many others and stopped looking when I found the SH-6.

I don't like the "grit" of the Super D.....maybe thats just me though.....I do like the 500t, I compare it to the Duncan Custom......the Duncan Distortion is just better for me. I have no trouble getting it to mellow out a little by rolling the volume back.........
 
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Re: Gibson 500t or Dimarzio Super Distortion, for bridge?

I used to worship the SuperD till I got myself a Crazy8. Now? .....not so much.
Now I'd only use one if I was after an antiquated sound- a creatin specific tone from the past .Lots of people use them to mellow a bright guitar, but even then, I'd say the the PAtB-3 is a better pickup.
Don't get me wrong..the SuperD rawks, but if you want a little more sophistication in your tone, go with a Crazy8 .Thats one mans opinion. But rmember , an opinion is just an onion if you faactor out Pi. ( i made that up).
 
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Re: Gibson 500t or Dimarzio Super Distortion, for bridge?

The Duncan distortion actual has decent workable cleans, IMO - better than the superD. But it's a full on monster just like the 500T
 
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