Has Duncan CC "icepick"?

Re: Has Duncan CC "icepick"?

CC is one of the least icepicky humbuckers that I've used. But if you want tight bass the CC would not be the best choice for you.

Have you considered the regular ceramic Duncan Custom? A good compromise between vintage output and high output: it is louder than the CC, but still pretty touch responsive because it isn't wound as hot as the more powerful pickups. Tight and crunchy but I wouldn't call it icepicky.

The 59/Custom Hybrid is a nearly perfect humbucker for my personal tastes. Very open & dynamic, great touch response, excellent for blues or classic rock. It's like a vintage humbucker with a little extra push. Still, in this case I think something bigger and a little less bright might suit you better. Especially in a Strat.

Duncan Distortion is loud, with firm bass and lots of sizzle in the highs. DiMarzio Super D is not quite as bright and perhaps a bit less aggressive overall, still drives an amp good and hard for nice high gain tones. If you want huge, one of these two could be the right choice.

Another DiMarzio I like is the AT-1. It's often described as being like a less-bright JB but I think it's also a little firmer in the bass. In a Strat this pickup will be plenty bright but without the icepick. And its dynamics are better than a JB too.

I can't offer any advice about the newer DiMarzio ceramic pickups. I know there are many; in fact it seems like most of the modern DiMarzio models use ceramic mags.
 
Re: Has Duncan CC "icepick"?

Don't go 250k - just roll down your tone knob for that.

The ceramic jb will have less sparkly cleans than the a5 does.

I always use 500k. If you don't want it as bright, use a 250k.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

I agree with demanic here. I battles with brightness in my LP until I put a 250K pot in it.
You shouldn’t have to roll back the tone to hear what you want. You should be able to get your tone with wide open pots and roll back for variations on that.
Besides the OP said he only has a volume pot iirc.
 
Re: Has Duncan CC "icepick"?

Whatever one may think of the Distortion, I've never heard one sound thin.
That being said, I repeat my recommendation for the Dokkenbucker.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk
 
Re: Has Duncan CC "icepick"?

I like my JB tone when volume is 8/10. Tone is little low output, hasn't icepick and hasn't prickly high frequences, sounds more hard rock.
Soon I will buy ceramic and a will try it.
It seems to me that it will be too hot for me, but it will turn out :)
 
Last edited:
Re: Has Duncan CC "icepick"?

You first said the JB was too hot, but then said you wanted more "heat"...can you clarify what you mean?

When your JB's volume is 8/10, you like the tone, but the output is too low? Perhaps an Un-Oriented A5 (UOA5) magnet would be a better swap for you than the Ceramic!
 
Back
Top