Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

S

SavageRiffer

New member
I've had a Duncan Distortion bridge/neck set for some time and there are some things I don't like about it. First of all, I actually like the neck version better than the bridge, so I'm mainly wanting to replace the bridge. The first thing I don't like is that it causes some weird kind of compression or something. I have some other high-output pickups, including a Custom sh-5, but they don't compress the same way. It's a hard thing to describe, but it's almost like a fuzzy compression or something. Maybe "compression" isn't the correct term, but that's what it seems to be doing.

There's always an overdrive or boost on in my chain, and the pickups especially affect that. There's something about the sound I don't like but I can't even say what it is. It's not missing any mids or any treble, it's not too bassy, there's nothing really missing. It's just rather insipid. Well to make a long story short, I want to replace it with something more organic but still in the med-high output range. As stated, I have a Custom and it's a great all-around pickup, but for this guitar I want something different. I play a variety of music with this guitar, half the time downtuned to D and half of the time standard tuning, but no drop C or anything like that. What pickup would you suggest if I were to keep the Distortion neck and what would you suggest if I replaced them both?
 
Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

I felt the same way about the Distortion and its fizzyness. Honestly, a double thick A5 cured it. Sounds balanced and organic now. I have a 59 in the neck and am quite happy with it.
 
Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

A boost/od where you have separate controls for high/mid/low can really help with fizz taming, especially when fed by scorcher-type ceramics.
Maybe the standard jb-tone is exactly what you're after.
Then there's also the Alt8 model, or alnico8/5 mag-swaps you can do with your current sh6.(as Clint55 posted)
 
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Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

Clint 55 said:
I felt the same way about the Distortion and its fizzyness. Honestly, a double thick A5 cured it. Sounds balanced and organic now. I have a 59 in the neck and am quite happy with it.
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I thought about putting an A4 mag in it, but wasn't aware the Distortion uses a bigger sized magnet. I usually shop eBay or Addiction FX for mags and can only get them in different lengths as far as I know, or are you talking about stacking two magnets?
 
Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

You can actually buy magnets that have double the thickness of a standard magnet. If you don't want to use a double thick magnet you can also buy normal sized spacers, or make your own.

I use a double thick A8 with ceramic spacers myself, it's roars. It's definitely worth a shot if you like high output pickups.
 
Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

Chistopher said:
You can actually buy magnets that have double the thickness of a standard magnet. If you don't want to use a double thick magnet you can also buy normal sized spacers, or make your own.

I use a double thick A8 with ceramic spacers myself, it's roars. It's definitely worth a shot if you like high output pickups.
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I'm not into high output pickups that much, but I do prefer pickups on the verge of being what I'd consider high output. Stuff like the Custom, JB, PATB-1 seem to have just the right amount of output for me. I haven't gotten satisfaction out of very high output pickups except for a few ceramic Dimarzios and the Bareknuckle Crawler. The Duncan Distortion has a lot of midrange so I'm not so sure an A8 would help it. My perception of A8 is a hot magnet with a very strong midrange and slightly attenuated highs. However, the Alternative 8 is one of the three I've kind of narrowed it down to. The Nazgul looks good, and on paper more versatile than the Duncan Distortion. Other than that, the Dimebucker has been on my mind. That's probably the hottest pickup that I really like, so I'll probably end up going with it.
 
Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

You can also put in a regular ceramic magnet, like in your Custom. You don't need new spacers, just take the spacer that's on the side were the wires run between the coils and baseplate out and turn the spacer on the other side on it's side.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
 
Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

Demanic said:
You can also put in a regular ceramic magnet, like in your Custom. You don't need new spacers, just take the spacer that's on the side were the wires run between the coils and baseplate out and turn the spacer on the other side on it's side.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
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I haven't opened my Duncan Distortion up yet so I don't know what it has. I assumed it only had 1 regular size ceramic magnet. Does it not?
 
Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

It does not. It has a single double thick ceramic. Putting in a regular ceramic will tame it just a bit.

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Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

Putting in a regular ceramic will give you a Dokkenbucker.
 
Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

Ceramic sucks, it's all fizzy and lame. Although I do like ceramic spacers with alnico in the middle. I also do like my little humbuckers. Wondering if the Dimebucker is any good.
 
Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

Sometimes one wants more sizzle, or as you put it, fizz.

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Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

Clint 55 said:
Ceramic sucks, it's all fizzy and lame. Although I do like ceramic spacers with alnico in the middle. I also do like my little humbuckers. Wondering if the Dimebucker is any good.
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The Duncan Custom and some of the ceramic Dimarzios are pretty organic in my opinion. The Distortion is kind of insipid compared to the Custom. The Dimebucker is very different. You'd think it would be all mid-scooped, but it cuts through really well without being harsh in the high end. I think it can do more than just metal. The only problem is that for some reason, Duncan charges nearly $100 for one. I like the $70-$75 price of most the Duncans. Still, I think that's the direction I'm going to go. Then I'll do a Jazz in the neck.
 
Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

A Custom & Jazz combo is a righteous one. There isn't a lot it can't do (except maybe actual jazz).
 
Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

SavageRiffer said:
Yes, and it pairs so well with the Jazz. What kind of magnets have you guys tried on the Jazz?
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A2 magnet makes a Jazz into an Alnico II Pro. Same coils.

It's probably been mentioned already, but there are double thick A5 or A8 bars available, that will fit a Distortion and can mellow its sound more than a thinner ceramic would.
 
Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

I've used roughcast A5 in the Jazz, but I think SD got this one right at the beginning. For what it does (not jazz), it does it really well.
 
Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

eclecticsynergy said:
A2 magnet makes a Jazz into an Alnico II Pro. Same coils.

It's probably been mentioned already, but there are double thick A5 or A8 bars available, that will fit a Distortion and can mellow its sound more than a thinner ceramic would.
Click to expand...

Ha! I had no idea. I have an AII Pro set in another strat and love it. This gives me an idea... The Jazz bridge shows it has more output than the neck, so maybe an A2 in the Jazz bridge, but in neck position might give me a higher output neck version?

Mincer said:
I've used roughcast A5 in the Jazz, but I think SD got this one right at the beginning. For what it does (not jazz), it does it really well.
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Agreed. I have never tried a Jazz in the bridge, but as a neck pickup, never thought it needed any modification. I do think it particularly pairs well with the Custom bridge more so than any combination I've tried.
 
Re: Suggest Replacement for Duncan Distortion

SavageRiffer said:
The Jazz bridge shows it has more output than the neck, so maybe an A2 in the Jazz bridge, but in neck position might give me a higher output neck version?
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I have a Slash set in a Mockingbird; it's a slightly overwound version of the A2Pro set. The neck is 8.3K, very close to an 8.4K Jazz bridge. Sounds great.
 
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