Pickup dilemma.

[andygifted]

So I've been working on my live guitar setup for which I am needing three guitars, a main a guitar tuned to Drop D, a second tuned to C and a third as a backup. I've got myself three Epiphone Les Pauls to do the job and to ensure constistency of sound, mainly volume, I decided I would install the same pickup in each and decided on the Duncan Distortion.

I installed one on the first Les Paul, a Custom Silverburst, and it sounded awesome. The second guitar being the 56' Gold Top had Soap Bar P90s for which I was going to go to the SD Custom Shop and get the Duncan Distortion made in a soap bar, and this is where the plan fell apart. Turns out the Custom Shop cannot ship to the UK due to EU regulations for electronics and wiring. So I was forced to go for an "off the shelf" option.

After reading around online I felt the best option was to go for the Dimarzio Super Distortion as many had compared that to the Duncan Distortion and Dimarzio make a soap bar option as standard. So I got myself one and installed it and it sounds awesome. I've found though that the Duncan is louder and when I change between these guitars there is a very notable volume jump especially on clean tones, defeating the purpose of why I was installing the pups in the first place.

I now have my third Les Paul and cannot make up my mind what to do. Do I get rid of the Duncan, having paid good money for it and will not get back what I paid, and go for Dimarzio across all three. Or is there a way to reduce the output of the Duncan or increase that of the Dimzarzio. I really am loathe the get rid of the Duncan as I will make a loss on what I paid for it despite having only had it a few weeks and not even gigged it, plus I love the sound of it.


I just don't know what to do.

Any ideas?

PS
I've also found the Dimarzio has about the same volume output as the stock pickup in my newest Les Paul, but a crisper sound with a tad more treble.

 

[PizzaMaker]

Re: Pickup dilemma.

SD might not ship but a forwarding agent might.

While they say they can't ship for this reason or that I think the reason is far simpler. By shipping it themselves they may be in breach of any agreements they have with their sole distributing agent to the EU & UK. I may be wrong but I don't think I am - it's the same reason I can't get custom converse chuck Taylor's sent to me in Australia by Converse USA.

Pickups get imported into the UK every day without issue. Forwarding agents give you a US address to ship to then arrange shipping to you for a reasonable fee. It was going to cost me AU $30 to get my cons shipped here express. Pickups will be cheaper.

 

[elelpe]

Re: Pickup dilemma.

Sell the gold top and Dimarzio. Put Distortion in your newest LP. Find another LP H-H for backup.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Pickup dilemma.

Not to sound trite, but tune for sound for the Dimarzio and then just roll off the volume knob with the Distortion. If need be, you can put a treble bleed in the Distortion for cheaper than getting another pickup. And then you also have the option of using the one with the Distortion in it for stuff where you might want a volume boost, say in the last songs of your set.

 

[MikE2e]

Re: Pickup dilemma.

Why not attack the tuning problem at the tuners rather than complete instruments.
I fitted a set of Tronical to a Strat copy I built. They have for Epiphone. Takes a minute or less to change to any tuning, has 6 standard turnings, 6 major and 6 custom setups. Good if you need to tune the guitar to a piano that changed tuning to slightly low for example. Tronical is a German company responsible for the Gibson Robot and follow ups, but for the last few years have made them to retrofit most guitars including acoustics. I am considering fitting them to a jazz guitar with a SD Benedetto pickup.
Download the template to check which model fits your headstock and tuner spacing before buying.


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