How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

D

DracoAran

New member
Yeah, I know, it is a tight pickup as it is...

But my guitar has way too much bass, and I'm trying to hit the preamp with a "tighter" signal, and then go and add bass after the gain stages.

The DD attack is punchy, so my problem is not sag.

So...what all can be done to a Duncan Distortion TB-6, to take away a little bass?.

I guess I could replace that oversized ceramic magnet.

How about changing the pole pieces to hex screws?. Would that have any impact on the bass?.
 
Last edited:
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

Placing the right value cap in series with the red and white wires does wonders. Its the basis for my de-mud mod. Like this:

demud.png


Experiment with different caps and resistors, but thats a good starting point.
 
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

You can also use a low value resistor 10k on the hot lead to take out some of the ZZZZZTTTT and add more chunk.
 
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

Lowering it won't make it sound any tighter. Hex screws might, though. Alnico 8 will land it between the DD and JB.

Try varying your pick hand attack, too. Makes a HUGE difference.
 
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

ArtieToo said:
Placing the right value cap in series with the red and white wires does wonders. Its the basis for my de-mud mod. Like this:

demud.png


Experiment with different caps and resistors, but thats a good starting point.
Click to expand...

Ahhhhhh.....This sounds promising.

Snowdog, what does the resistor actually do?. Is it loading a certain frequency in the highs/mids?. I'm actually trying to target only the true low frequencies.
 
Last edited:
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

I am not sure what it does but it does take the fizz off the top.
 
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

DracoAran said:
I am downtuning to C#, and the bass is just too much. No complaints about the high end or anything, just the bass.
Click to expand...
Doesn't your amp have tone controls? Did you try lowering the bass? :banana:
 
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

Toejam said:
Doesn't your amp have tone controls? Did you try lowering the bass? :banana:
Click to expand...

The concept is simple, you slam an amp up front with less bass, and then compensate for your bass after the gain stages.

Same amount of bass, just tighter. It's the basis of modern detuned metal tone.

Thanks for the condescending response though.
 
Last edited:
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

I would probably just switch to a dimebucker, the DD was meant more 80's metal type stuff anyways so it probably wont get any tighter than it is. The dimebucker is made for that modern metal tone. Maybe you can get some tighter sounding tubes in your amp too.
 
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

DracoAran said:
The concept is simple, you slam an amp up front with lots of mids, smooth highs, and the tightest possible bass, and then turn your bass back up at the amp.

Same amount of bass, just tighter. It's the basis of modern detuned metal tone.

Thanks for the condescending response though.
Click to expand...

Must not be that simple of a concept if you're overpowered with bass then. I wasn't trying to be condescending. Some people just don't know how to eq their setup correctly. Now, maybe that was condescending. Good luck in your quest, though.
 
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

DracoAran said:
Ahhhhhh.....This sounds promising. What exactly is that doing at the point where the 2 coils meet?.
Click to expand...

Its just a simple pre-set bass-cut control. It can be anywhere in series with the pickup. The junction of the red/white wire just provides a convenient, and "neat", place to put it. That combination worked great on a 59n. Should work good on a Distortion . . . and its cheap.
 
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

Hex head screws!
sd012.jpg

This tightened up my custom custom tremendously! Specificly the low end, I put fillisters back into the 3 high strings because I like the warm round sound of the CC for leads, but you may dig the sound of hexheads across the whole bobin. Also note the Duncan/Ibanez bridge pup in newer SZ guitars is modeled after the DD and it has 1 row of hexheads..and is the only stock pickups I WON'T replace. Give it a try Im sure you will be stoked with the results, I would definately try this before a bass cut circuit,...this way the bass is still there, its just tighter,more punch/percussion
 
Last edited:
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

Karmadog has the correct answer. I've done a hybrid of 2 distortion coils to get the 2 bobbins to match so I can have 12 adjustable pole pieces. Then I swap in hex screws (all 12 of them) Much tighter. This is your answer to tighten the low end bro.
 
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

Sweet.

I do like the idea of targeting only the wound strings with Hex polepieces. Where do you guys buy them (link)?.
 
Last edited:
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

DracoAran said:
I do like the idea of targeting only the wound strings with Hex polepieces. Where do you guys buy them (link)?.
Click to expand...

Post an ad in the trading post. Somebody has to have a few laying around. You might be able to find them at a hardware store, as well. Not Lowe's or Home Depot, but more likely a mom & pop kind of place.
 
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

Draco, here is the thread i started about my CC and some good info from Frank about what causes the tightness. https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=118531&highlight=tightened+custom I used screws from a full shred. the correct screw size is 5/40 X 1/2" , a regular fillister screw is 5/40 x 3/4" the secret may be in the screw length and not the shape of the head. If you buy screws from a hardware store make sure you use a ferrous alloy, not stainless.
 
Re: How can I tweak a Duncan Distortion to be tighter?

swap screws to hex poles and if you want just change the low 3 poles...also lowering the pickup WILL help with the bass...it will shift the EQ a tiny bit to the highs thus getting rid of some of the lows, in most cases it's not going to loose too much bottom but it will clean it up a bit...I'd try these 2 things before I even touched a soldering iron...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top