Just got a Duncan Distortion for the first time

[Coryd]

I LOVE THIS PICKUP! I was wanting to try something different and my alder telecaster, and decided to try the the distortion to see how I like it. I’ve always heard this pick up to sound ice picky in the highs and maybe a bit too hot. For me I don’t hear any of that. To me, it sounds similar to a JB but with tighter low end and maybe slightly less midrange. To me, it sounds actually like a very balanced pick up and so far I’m really loving it. I think at the moment this one is tied with the Duncan Omega as my favorite bridge pickups. I think I just like hotter pick ups and the distortion is right up my alley. I’m not sure how much difference it makes but I think I have a 300k pot that I’m using as well.

when I was debating to get a bridge, pick up for my Jim root telecaster, I was kind of torn between the distortion and a JB. I’m now seriously contemplating another distortion to replace the JB. Maybe not though. I’m thinking about it though!

 

[Mincer]

People who like the Distortion generally really like it! I am happy you found the right pickup for your guitar- nothing quite like that feeling.

 

[Coryd]

People who like the Distortion generally really like it! I am happy you found the right pickup for your guitar- nothing quite like that feeling.

Many thanks! I really do like it! I appreciate all the suggestions from this forum as well! I totally agree as well - nothing quite like that feeling!

 

[Clint 55]

It's a great pickup. I think it sounds really good with an alnico magnet.

 

[Hsb]

I have or had a Distortion in a couple different guitars, love it myself.

 

[dave74]

Off topic but;

Why is the Alpha/Omega set named backwards?

The Alpha should be the bridge model!,,,,,,,,,,right?

They are supposed to be targeted at metal (albeit not my kind of metal), and everyone knows in metal the bridge pickup is dominant for riffing.

I'm sure someone will find a way to defend them, but Duncan got it bass ackwards on this one.

 

[Coryd]

Off topic but;

Why is the Alpha/Omega set named backwards?

The Alpha should be the bridge model!,,,,,,,,,,right?

They are supposed to be targeted at metal (albeit not my kind of metal), and everyone knows in metal the bridge pickup is dominant for riffing.

I'm sure someone will find a way to defend them, but Duncan got it bass ackwards on this one.

I was confused by this as well. I kept calling the bridge the Alpha originally until I looked it up and was like, geez….

I wonder if it is just Marks pickups. His other set is Scarlet and Scourge which is backwards as well.

I’ll try to post a clip of a recording with the distortion pickup soon.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Off topic but;

Why is the Alpha/Omega set named backwards?

The Alpha should be the bridge model!,,,,,,,,,,right?

They are supposed to be targeted at metal (albeit not my kind of metal), and everyone knows in metal the bridge pickup is dominant for riffing.

I'm sure someone will find a way to defend them, but Duncan got it bass ackwards on this one.

I guess because Omega is the heavier Trendiphery record, and you usually bridge pickup for teh heavyz.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

The Duncan Distortion is one of my favorite pickups. I hold it very dearly because for a while, I was "EMG pickups or die", LOL. Then, I tried the Duncan Distortion, and I converted.

I consider the Distortion more similar than not to the JB. It's obviously not the same pickup, but I mean, it's hard not to notice the similarities.

If you like the Distortion, other pickups you might like are the Gibson 500T (slightly less sizzly) and the Duncan Black Winter (tighter and more mid-focused).

 

[Supernautilus]

I thought I read in an old post somewhere on here that the Distortion is just a JB with a ceramic magnet. Fact or fiction?

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I thought I read in an old post somewhere on here that the Distortion is just a JB with a ceramic magnet. Fact or fiction?

People argue all the time. Some say yes. Some say no. IMO, even with different magnets, you can tell they're similar. If they're not the exact same coils, then at least, they're very close, and that's hard to dispute.

I don't remember if it's been "officially" confirmed. But at the very least, it's not as vox populi as the Custom family.

 

[Coryd]

The Duncan Distortion is one of my favorite pickups. I hold it very dearly because for a while, I was "EMG pickups or die", LOL. Then, I tried the Duncan Distortion, and I converted.

I consider the Distortion more similar than not to the JB. It's obviously not the same pickup, but I mean, it's hard not to notice the similarities.

If you like the Distortion, other pickups you might like are the Gibson 500T (slightly less sizzly) and the Duncan Black Winter (tighter and more mid-focused).

Like you I used to be an EMG 81 or die kinda guy! The distortion I think is probably my fav Duncan pickup at the moment. I was worried it would be too much but to me it isn’t that much different than the JB. I don’t even hearing it being that much hotter either. They are similar but different. They are very close but the the distortion to me has a tighter bass response and maybe slightly less midrange. The highs to me are not ice picky.

I'm interested in the black winter or blackened black winter but I may just stick with the distortion for now. I’m very happy with the distortion!

 

[Chistopher]

Off topic but;

Why is the Alpha/Omega set named backwards?

The Alpha should be the bridge model!,,,,,,,,,,right?

They are supposed to be targeted at metal (albeit not my kind of metal), and everyone knows in metal the bridge pickup is dominant for riffing.

I'm sure someone will find a way to defend them, but Duncan got it bass ackwards on this one.

Because you read from left to right, and if you hold the guitar to play it you have the alpha to the left and omega to the right. Same as reading from the top down if you have the guitar on a stand.

 

[Supernautilus]

Because you read from left to right, and if you hold the guitar to play it you have the alpha to the left and omega to the right. Same as reading from the top down if you have the guitar on a stand.

I’ve also noticed some people say “front” and “back” pickup rather than neck and bridge. Maybe that has something to do with it too.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I’ve also noticed some people say “front” and “back” pickup rather than neck and bridge. Maybe that has something to do with it too.

It has to do with their Juggernaut: Alpha/Omega albums.

It's kinda like their Damnation/Deliverance where one is heavier than the other. Omega is the heavier of the two, I think. Never really listened to either, TBH.

 

[dave74]

I guess because Omega is the heavier Trendiphery record, and you usually bridge pickup for teh heavyz.

So Periphery has an album named Omega? That alone is lame as f. No wonder I never liked what I heard from them.
If you have an album that is supposed to be heavy, and you choose to name it Omega,,,,,,,,then I for one am out.

 

[dave74]

Because you read from left to right, and if you hold the guitar to play it you have the alpha to the left and omega to the right. Same as reading from the top down if you have the guitar on a stand.

Well that's the lamest way to name a pickup I've ever heard of.

Alpha should bring the brutal dominant tone, it only makes sense.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

So Periphery has an album named Omega? That alone is lame as f. No wonder I never liked what I heard from them.
If you have an album that is supposed to be heavy, and you choose to name it Omega,,,,,,,,then I for one am out.

Yeah. They have a double album called Alpha and Omega.

Their album/song naming is always silly. They have a song or an album or whatever called "djent is not a genre".

But yeah, they suck. I agree.

 

[Chistopher]

Well that's the lamest way to name a pickup I've ever heard of.

Alpha should bring the brutal dominant tone, it only makes sense.

Most pickup names are pretty lame if you take a step back and think about it.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Most pickup names are pretty lame if you take a step back and think about it.

Not the Nazgul.