metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

RatPoison

RatPoison

New member
ok,

The guitar in question, is a Dean Caddilac Select.
Les-Paul shape but smaller. Mahogany body, neck-thru. Ebony board.

I'm digging the sounds of both PUs but I'm not sure which one is best.
Looking at the tone chart I'm thinking the DD might be too bright with the ebony board. Tell me, does the fretboard make that big a diff, at least as big as the body's wood and construction itself??

the amp I'm considering getting is a 5150, and I like playing modern metal in the style of Pantera, Machine HEad, Metallica, LOG, etc.

Given all this, what are you convinced is the better choice???
Can anyone give any A/B comparions??

Thanks
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

been having that battle in my own head. I have a distortion equiped axe, and thinking about the caddy, I'm gonna go custom: Unless by metallica you mean ride the lightning era then I say DD. But I think custom is really gonna be what works for that axe for me...

Sorry I can't do A/B..
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

I've got a mahogany body neck thru Schecter and the Custom absolutely rocks in it. It's got a rosewood fretboard, though.
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

Ok RTL is a good tone but I much prefer the ass-beating sound on the next three.

I figured I'd add MUSTS for either pickup choice

the pickup MUST
-be capable of maintaining composure at low tunings, as low as Drop B.
-be able to spew pinch hamonics easily, as if I were Zakk Wylde.
-of course, be suitable for modern metal - thrash, death, melodic death, metalcore, hardcore, sludge

-cutting highs are good....
-NO MUD PLEASE.
In both instances I'm leaning towards the DD....would suit the 5150/Mesa combination perfectly

thx
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

I have a mahogany Dean EVO and I have an Invader in the bridge and a Duncan Performer Detonator (Korean Invader) in the neck and, surprisingly, the Invader is SUPER TIGHT in the palm mute department under extremely high gain. It is even brighter than my Duncan Distortion in my basswood Dean ML. Invader =HUGE CRUSHING TONE!!!!!!!!!!!!:bowdown:
Most people say the Invader is too dark and muddy but in this mahogany Evo it slays!! all the stuff you want it to do in the post above this one, I can do w/ my Invader!
 
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Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

nah I think that would be too drastic.. I like the sound of Invaders though, and Hetfield DID get a good sound out of one in a V on MOP.....

the dimebucker actually is another option of which Im thinking, but I dont want to be all iconic now..
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

ive asked the same question a while back and the people here told me to get the Custom.
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

You can look at it this way: both the Custom and Distortion retail at the same price. If you're leaning to one, get it. If it's not quite what you want, use the return guarantee and go with the other.

That being said, I love my Custom in my Epi LP Standard Plus. It's huge, has a tight low end (yes i know how that sounds) and pinch harmonics fly out of it.
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a huge but tight low end...and pickups with that are good too. I think this really comes down to:

Mids and highs in a bassy guitar = distortion
Lows and highs in a non-bass heavy guitar = custom

For a regular paul, I'd generally say distortion. My dean would sound way to crispy with that.
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

custom is brighter than the distortion for sure, so if you want the least bright pickup get the distortion, custom is pretty damn bright, especially when i play on my at-100! For your type of music just get the distortion
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

I love the custom great clarity great overall tone... but for me the Distortion is just more agressive. I have it a few similarly configured guitar as you. Neck thru mahogany body with a maply top and an ebony board. I love they way they sound. I loved the custom too but the DD was jsut more aggressive.
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

RatPoison said:
Ok RTL is a good tone but I much prefer the ass-beating sound on the next three.

I figured I'd add MUSTS for either pickup choice

the pickup MUST
-be capable of maintaining composure at low tunings, as low as Drop B.
-be able to spew pinch hamonics easily, as if I were Zakk Wylde.
-of course, be suitable for modern metal - thrash, death, melodic death, metalcore, hardcore, sludge

-cutting highs are good....
-NO MUD PLEASE.
In both instances I'm leaning towards the DD....would suit the 5150/Mesa combination perfectly

thx
Click to expand...

two words: Duncan Distortion
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

???......

I thought the custom had less highs......

Oh well. Distortion it is. I heard deamon-barbecue's clips with it in a adler guitar no less, and that was all the convincing I need....


I think I'll get the custom when I get an SG :D

But, keep on giving insight guys.

thanks for the replies.
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

From my experience, out of all the Duncans out there the Custom is the hottest and biggest sounding of all the hot pups. The DD is of course hotter
but after one goes past the Custom to the DD, the tone begins to get a little compressed. Because of this, I would say that if you want a hot output and huge dynamics, go Custom. If you want a more aggresive midrange tone, and
a tighter low end. go with the DD. The custom and the DD are very similar in tone so either one will work. All I would say now is to go with a Full Shred for the neck!

BTW, the Custom has more highs than the DD. The Custom has a
resonance frequency of 6.0 and the DD is rated at 5.5
 
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Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

Aceman said:
There is absolutely nothing wrong with a huge but tight low end...and pickups with that are good too. I think this really comes down to:

Mids and highs in a bassy guitar = distortion
Lows and highs in a non-bass heavy guitar = custom

For a regular paul, I'd generally say distortion. My dean would sound way to crispy with that.
Click to expand...

Exactly!!! Check my sig...love the Distortion pup!!!!

Cheers Primo.
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

frehley said:
The custom and the DD are very similar in tone so either one will work. All I would say now is to go with a Full Shred for the neck!
Click to expand...

Exactly what I'm thinking for my new setup...
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

I always wondered about the PAX Dist. If I find the ORG Dist too shrill, thats what I'll go for..
 
Re: metal player, torn between a Custom and a Distortion

frehley said:
...but after one goes past the Custom to the DD, the tone begins to get a little compressed.
Click to expand...
He nailed it. Remember the DD was made at a time when most amps had trouble achieving full saturation even with the gain dimed. The JB, DD, and Invader pushed amps into greater distortion, at the expense of some dynamics. Now, metal amps saturate with PAF's and the gain knob on 5.

So 14-15kohms is about as high as I like to go on a guitar that is supposed to stay tight sounding under a lot of gain. Once you get into the 16k range, it's like the pickup chokes on itself a little. It's a great sound, but a little less versatile. There's a pushed quality to the sound of 16k 'buckers. I have plenty of guitars with them, but I like them for solo work, and messier, darker sounding rhythms, not tight metal rhythms. I've got the 500T, Dirty Fingers, Super 3, PATB Distortion, Invader, and some custom buckers all above 15k and they all have the same kind of blistery midrange compression.

Here's the good news. The only way you'll have clarity and punch despite a 16k bucker is with the large Ceramic magnet found in the Distortion. So you've narrowed it down to the two most likely candidates. You won't be disappointed with the Distortion. Just remember to relax the amp's gain a little.
 
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