super distortion

fullfistrock21

fullfistrock21

New member
just played dimarzio super distortion pickup over the weekend and overall i like it better than the x2n. the super distortion is so raw its great. i have blackouts on order but i think i want to get a guitar with the paf super distortion set up now also. shredding with the super distortion setup ruled harmonics were nice....everything was great, it wasnt the smooth sound im used to hearing nowadays but rather raw and powerful....very cool. Is this still a popular pickup? because i think its amazing, so much more punch than a JB.
 
Re: super distortion

I use a Super Distortion in one of my Strats with a PAF Pro in the neck and love it. I like it better than the X2N as well. The SuperD has low windings and a big magnet where the X2N has lots of windings and big bar magnets, way too hot anymore for me.

Once you get the SuperD dialed in to the sweet spot, it can do darn near anything. I use it for classic rock, blues, classic metal. Works for me.
 
Re: super distortion

fullfistrock21 said:
Is this still a popular pickup?
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I think it's always been relatively popular. It seems to be one of the first DiMarzios, and even though they've come out with a lot of pickups that're better, it's still a very good pickup. You can take a very average guitar, and make it sound good with Super Distortions.

I think their Tone Zone is a better pickup personally. But for certain sounds, nothing can beat a SD. It's almost a benchmark sound by now. I wish I had a spare Les Paul to throw a set into.

Pete
 
Re: super distortion

I love the old Super D that came with my '81 Hamer. It's the biggest, warmest ceramic pickup I've heard. It's got a bid, warm midrange and there's not a trace of fizz in the highs that you can get with pickups like the Custom or the Duncan Distortion.
 
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i wouldnt say the windings are low, they are just average, which is great because it makes it have tons of balance but its really loud and rude
 
Re: super distortion

How does this pickup compare to Duncan's signature JB humbucker? Or a pickup that seems similar on paper like the Duncan Custom?
 
Re: super distortion

fullfistrock21 said:
i wouldnt say the windings are low, they are just average, which is great because it makes it have tons of balance but its really loud and rude
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The windings are low compared to other high output pickups. I don't consider the Duncan Customs high output. To me, they are more medium, upper-medium output.
 
Re: super distortion

nightwing122087 said:
How does this pickup compare to Duncan's signature JB humbucker? Or a pickup that seems similar on paper like the Duncan Custom?
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Super Distortion is fat, bassy sounding high-output. It's ephasized on low mids and bass, quite warm.
Custom has PLENty of highs and big tight low end. Custom is like a hot-rodded PAF, output isn't terribly high, but not vintage either. Highs are emphasized.
JB has lots of high mids, small and loose low end. High mids are emphasized. The output is higher than Custom, but lower than SuperD.

Super Distortion has more like 70s rock sound and JB has that 80's thing.
Custom is just a **** hot PAF, with ceramics to make it sligthly brittle.
To put it this way:
Custom = Michael Schenker of Scorpions
Super Distortion = Paul Gilbert (OLD), KISS
JB = Dave Mustaine and MANY others in the golden eighties.

E:
The windings are low compared to other high output pickups. I don't consider the Duncan Customs high output. To me, they are more medium, upper-medium output.
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Yeah, that's right.
 
Re: super distortion

ErikH said:
I use a Super Distortion in one of my Strats with a PAF Pro in the neck and love it.
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+1 for super distortion with a paf pro - my next hh strat will have this exact combination. the super distortion is great. it's really more versatile than its name implies, and it's got a magnificent low end. personally, i like the sound of a super distortion through a marshall particularly.
 
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Re: super distortion

Super D/ PAF in a set necked guitar ran into a script MXR Distortion + will put you really close into the Randy Rhoads live tone.
 
Re: super distortion

the superdistortion sounds awesome for 80's shred, it doesnt have the super high end mids, its solid and raw, its just a fat rude pickup, it can be used for anything really. The time it was made and the people who played with it doesnt put it into a certain category, its just if you want fat, raw, and rude with just enough high end, that is a great pickup to match that sound.
 
Re: super distortion

SuperD is just an awesome pickup period for all sorts of stuff. Besides the obvious stuff I play with it - here is a shocker: The PAF/SuperD gives me the best acoustic sim of any guitar I have. It's the blending of the superD at the right level that just makes it come alive.

I also agree that the ToneZone is a really interesting comparison to the SuperD. In a lot of ways for some things it really seems to an evolution of the SuperD in a good way. Or maybe it's an 80's SuperD....

And for the record - PAF is my #2 favorite vintage Paf style. Better than a Duncan 59 IMO - but it's no Pearly Gates!
 
Re: super distortion

SD is a very fine pickup and always will be a good solid option for straight up rock and metal tones, metal as in 80's not today's mind you.

I found the duncan sh-14 custom 5 to be a bit of the SD tone, raw and with a big bottom end and nice smooth hights, but with a bit more of an open tone. Less mids but dispite that it sounded a bit "bigger"

Either are great pickups and the SD is sure worth a try. Its been around for about 30 years for good reason. It simply works
 
Re: super distortion

SD is awesome, but i dont think the tone zone is better, it seems the tone zone is a pickup meant for ibanez type guitars that are really bright, its more round and less edgy, and the SD sounds great in any guitar. Im in love with the rawness of it. If you want to hear what it sounds like for shredding type stuff you can listen to Paul Gilbert when he was in racer X, Ozzy's Mr crowley with Randy Rhoads ,or you can listen to the sound clips of it on the dimarzio website, lookup super distortion and listen to sound clip of Nicola fassi shredding on it. Im pretty sure i can hear it on old Iron Maiden and Judas preist too.
 
Re: super distortion

It's a classic,for sure,but lately I'm leaning towards the Norton over the Tone Zone & the Super III over the Reg SD.Also the PAF Pro over the Reg PAF.
My pre-amp just seems to like them better,so what can ya do?!?!?!?!?!?!?
 
Re: super distortion

i have never played the super 3 before but i am pretty sure thats what john 5 uses in his humbucker tele's. the super 3's seemed to be aimed more for brighter guitars as well like alder and maple woods, i hear its pretty dark. im also pretty sure the SD is a pickup you dont need many effects with maybe a little dist. and chorous and an all tube marshall amp. Pickups with more of a dc resistance seem to do better than pickups with a low dc resistance with effects maybe its just because more modern day pickups have a higher dc resistance.
 
Re: super distortion

fullfistrock21 said:
i have never played the super 3 before but i am pretty sure thats what john 5 uses in his humbucker tele's. the super 3's seemed to be aimed more for brighter guitars as well like alder and maple woods, i hear its pretty dark. im also pretty sure the SD is a pickup you dont need many effects with maybe a little dist. and chorous and an all tube marshall amp. Pickups with more of a dc resistance seem to do better than pickups with a low dc resistance with effects maybe its just because more modern day pickups have a higher dc resistance.
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I had a Super 3 in the bridge position of my '82 Les Paul Standard for years. Never really liked it. I think it has a lot to do with why I stopped using that guitar. I thought maybe it'd be a good matchup for the Super_II that I had in the neck position, which was a pretty decent pickup in that position.

What I have in that guitar now that's a whole lot better is an out of phase unpotted set of Duncan '59 bridge pickups, and the neck tone control is wired '50s style, while the bridge tone control is wired modern style. That works real well for me because '59s are pretty strong for PAF pickups, and the unpotted version makes the guitar rather alive, even though it's basically a boat anchor with 6-strings.

Pete
 
Re: super distortion

The ultimate superdistortion advert is KISS ALIVE. But yes - it's all over priest and maiden, and a lot of other stuff!
 
Re: super distortion

I believe Adrian Smith still uses Super Distortion in his Fender Strats. I'm actually on a toss up between a few pickups to but in the bridge position of my strat and the Super Distortion is one of them.
 
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