dmandude123455
New member
I've heard some pretty good things about them. And sometime soon I might be able to get some Duncan designed ones. So you guys should tell me about them.
Tell me about duncan Distortions
- Thread starter dmandude123455
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Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Tell me about duncan Distortions
The Distortion is probably my favorite metal pickup of all time.
Scream was a great description. The bottom is tight and crunchy, the mids are boosted, and the highs a right out there. It's a sharp high. If I'm thinking Metallica, Priest, Dokken, Ratt, or lot's of other metal...it's a no brainer. Great lead sounds, and great rhythm tones.
As pups go - it's very similar to a Gibson 500t (which I also love). I wouldn't swap a 500t for DD or a DD for a 500t. Both great ceramic pups. It's my favotite high output pup in m y #1 guitar.
The cleans, by the way, while very ceramic in flavor (meaning a little on the cool/sterile side) are pretty decent, considering what the pup really is: High output screamer.
I love it.
The Distortion is probably my favorite metal pickup of all time.
Scream was a great description. The bottom is tight and crunchy, the mids are boosted, and the highs a right out there. It's a sharp high. If I'm thinking Metallica, Priest, Dokken, Ratt, or lot's of other metal...it's a no brainer. Great lead sounds, and great rhythm tones.
As pups go - it's very similar to a Gibson 500t (which I also love). I wouldn't swap a 500t for DD or a DD for a 500t. Both great ceramic pups. It's my favotite high output pup in m y #1 guitar.
The cleans, by the way, while very ceramic in flavor (meaning a little on the cool/sterile side) are pretty decent, considering what the pup really is: High output screamer.
I love it.
Re: Tell me about duncan Distortions
To me the 500T is more open, the DD more compressed.
It's like if you hit a power chord, it's full ON power / output for a long time.
Metallica yes, and very well (old school Metallica, not the new crap). Seem similar to the Invader which is shares coils with.
Priest: Not to me. To me, the CC nails Priest pefectly in my rig and in the guitar I have it installed in.
Dokken maybe. I know Lynch says he used one in early Dokken, but the JB seems to work better to me in my Rig. In fact, I have an EMG81 in a RR24M that's nailing Lynch the best at the moment. Go figure.
Ratt: No way. Ratt is a 100% JB all the way.
To me the 500T is more open, the DD more compressed.
It's like if you hit a power chord, it's full ON power / output for a long time.
Metallica yes, and very well (old school Metallica, not the new crap). Seem similar to the Invader which is shares coils with.
Priest: Not to me. To me, the CC nails Priest pefectly in my rig and in the guitar I have it installed in.
Dokken maybe. I know Lynch says he used one in early Dokken, but the JB seems to work better to me in my Rig. In fact, I have an EMG81 in a RR24M that's nailing Lynch the best at the moment. Go figure.
Ratt: No way. Ratt is a 100% JB all the way.
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: Tell me about duncan Distortions
The Duncan designed stuff might not sound like the real thing at all.
The DD bridge is a compressing, pretty bright high-gain pickup with a very characteristic high-pitched scream to it that you hear nowhere else. The bass does what you tell it to, as opposed to a JB. The DD, or more generally the whole DD/JB/JBA2 line has more highs than the DC line (DC, C5, CC).
The DD performs well in guitars that don't have much bottom such as SGs and sustain block tremolo guitars.
I had a DD neck but it wasn't special in any way. I don't even remember what it was like.
The Duncan designed stuff might not sound like the real thing at all.
The DD bridge is a compressing, pretty bright high-gain pickup with a very characteristic high-pitched scream to it that you hear nowhere else. The bass does what you tell it to, as opposed to a JB. The DD, or more generally the whole DD/JB/JBA2 line has more highs than the DC line (DC, C5, CC).
The DD performs well in guitars that don't have much bottom such as SGs and sustain block tremolo guitars.
I had a DD neck but it wasn't special in any way. I don't even remember what it was like.
Re: Tell me about duncan Distortions
And don't forget about the PATB-2, I don't think the Parallel Axis Distortion gets a fraction of the attention it should. If you don't like the ugly presence of most ceramic pickups, it makes that a touch more controllable, though it has thicker lower mids in exchange. It's a hotter variant of the same wind, but the Parallel Axis polepiece structure gives it improved articulation, harmonic response and sustain.
If you like the Invader for rhythms, but want something easier to get a lead or clean tone out of, and especially if you are working with a bright floating vibrato bridge guitar, you should look into the PATB series.
A lot of people love the Invader for rhythm & riffs, but can't deal with it for leads, and cleans are even more work. The Distortion is more flexible, but can be too harsh for many lead tones. PATB-2 is thicker than the TB-6 Distortion, which makes it better for fat riffs but possibly too woolly for rhythms depending on the guitar/rig. With the PATB-2 it's pretty easy to turn up the presence and get as much bite as you need, but turning down the presence on the TB-6 (or SH-6) Distortion tends to get too dull before it hits the same lead tone.
If biting/harsh metal tones are all you care about, you might prefer the TB-6, or if you aren't working with a floating bridge. Daemon barbeque has some great demos, including same track played with PATB-2 panned to one side, SH-6 to the other to demonstrate the differences between the pickups.
Well, not Warren, anyways... Ratt's rhythm guitarist used a rather harsh solid state rasp, great thrashy tone, but really an ugly contrast to Warren's tones.
And don't forget about the PATB-2, I don't think the Parallel Axis Distortion gets a fraction of the attention it should. If you don't like the ugly presence of most ceramic pickups, it makes that a touch more controllable, though it has thicker lower mids in exchange. It's a hotter variant of the same wind, but the Parallel Axis polepiece structure gives it improved articulation, harmonic response and sustain.
If you like the Invader for rhythms, but want something easier to get a lead or clean tone out of, and especially if you are working with a bright floating vibrato bridge guitar, you should look into the PATB series.
A lot of people love the Invader for rhythm & riffs, but can't deal with it for leads, and cleans are even more work. The Distortion is more flexible, but can be too harsh for many lead tones. PATB-2 is thicker than the TB-6 Distortion, which makes it better for fat riffs but possibly too woolly for rhythms depending on the guitar/rig. With the PATB-2 it's pretty easy to turn up the presence and get as much bite as you need, but turning down the presence on the TB-6 (or SH-6) Distortion tends to get too dull before it hits the same lead tone.
If biting/harsh metal tones are all you care about, you might prefer the TB-6, or if you aren't working with a floating bridge. Daemon barbeque has some great demos, including same track played with PATB-2 panned to one side, SH-6 to the other to demonstrate the differences between the pickups.
Franknfilms
New member
Re: Tell me about duncan Distortions
The DD, like all sds, is very high quality. If you are going from some stock pickups to DD then you will be blown away. However, if you are comparing a duncan to a duncan you'll find that the distortion is not as versatile or clear under high gain as some of their lower output pickups, like the Custom for example. Now matter how heavy you think your metal is, you don't really need a distortion class pickup. If you have any interest in playing a broad scope of musical styles I'd take it down a notch. I don't mean to hate on the distortion, I really like the distortion actually and think it will work in just about any guitar, but I found from my personal experience that distortion should come from the amp and the pickup should be suited to your particular guitar, with just enough output to give you what you want, but not so much that you can't take it back if you need to.
The DD, like all sds, is very high quality. If you are going from some stock pickups to DD then you will be blown away. However, if you are comparing a duncan to a duncan you'll find that the distortion is not as versatile or clear under high gain as some of their lower output pickups, like the Custom for example. Now matter how heavy you think your metal is, you don't really need a distortion class pickup. If you have any interest in playing a broad scope of musical styles I'd take it down a notch. I don't mean to hate on the distortion, I really like the distortion actually and think it will work in just about any guitar, but I found from my personal experience that distortion should come from the amp and the pickup should be suited to your particular guitar, with just enough output to give you what you want, but not so much that you can't take it back if you need to.
misterwhizzy
Well-known member
Re: Tell me about duncan Distortions
Really? That was exactly the opposite of my experience. I thought the Distortion was almost TOO clear under high gain. You didn't get as much of the graininess like you do with the Custom, and it was just a little bit too tight. It may have had to do with the voicing, but it just punched through with its upper mids rather than crunching or growling like the Custom.
By the way, a Distortion on a downtuned guitar is glorious.
Really? That was exactly the opposite of my experience. I thought the Distortion was almost TOO clear under high gain. You didn't get as much of the graininess like you do with the Custom, and it was just a little bit too tight. It may have had to do with the voicing, but it just punched through with its upper mids rather than crunching or growling like the Custom.
By the way, a Distortion on a downtuned guitar is glorious.
Franknfilms
New member
Re: Tell me about duncan Distortions
You make a good point, I think this issue is that I didn't get the specific growl I was looking for in the distortion and tended to crank the gain higher to make up for it, thus turning my tone into mud. It doesn't help that the xxx has fizzy gain if you put it anywhere past 9 o'clock. At the end of the day it's all about what guitar/amp you have in order to make the right choice of pickups.
You make a good point, I think this issue is that I didn't get the specific growl I was looking for in the distortion and tended to crank the gain higher to make up for it, thus turning my tone into mud. It doesn't help that the xxx has fizzy gain if you put it anywhere past 9 o'clock. At the end of the day it's all about what guitar/amp you have in order to make the right choice of pickups.
metalmachine
New member
King IzzO)))
Ultimate Kitten Puncher
Re: Tell me about duncan Distortions
I'm not sure how you would turn a DD into mud, I run with pretty massive gain levels and it's about the only pickup that I CAN'T make muddy, it does compress a lot though, maybe that's what you mean?
The screaming description above is about right, and it's extremely tight, clear & articulate for a "distortion" pickup. With the big ceramic mag cleans are only good for cold black metal interludes or if you're trying to take someones face off (it's real bright), and lead sounds are more or less thin and suckish, depending on your rig. Metal riffage is about as good as it gets with them though, especially thrash metal. I think they work best in heavy guitars, wood type doesn't seem to impact them too much, mass does.
I have an A8 in mine now, and I think it's gonna stay.
I'm not sure how you would turn a DD into mud, I run with pretty massive gain levels and it's about the only pickup that I CAN'T make muddy, it does compress a lot though, maybe that's what you mean?
The screaming description above is about right, and it's extremely tight, clear & articulate for a "distortion" pickup. With the big ceramic mag cleans are only good for cold black metal interludes or if you're trying to take someones face off (it's real bright), and lead sounds are more or less thin and suckish, depending on your rig. Metal riffage is about as good as it gets with them though, especially thrash metal. I think they work best in heavy guitars, wood type doesn't seem to impact them too much, mass does.
I have an A8 in mine now, and I think it's gonna stay.
Got_tone?
New member
marvelous_seven
New member
Re: Tell me about duncan Distortions
Not to hijacked this thread,just a quick question guys,is Distortion tighter and more articulate than Full Shred or the other way around?
Not to hijacked this thread,just a quick question guys,is Distortion tighter and more articulate than Full Shred or the other way around?
King IzzO)))
Ultimate Kitten Puncher
Re: Tell me about duncan Distortions
My recollection of the FS (several years back) is that it's more tight and articulate, kinda clinical, I didn't like it near as much as the DD.
My recollection of the FS (several years back) is that it's more tight and articulate, kinda clinical, I didn't like it near as much as the DD.
Jackson Distortion
New member
Re: Tell me about duncan Distortions
The Distortion is angry. I find it's cleans too bright in the one guitar I own, and I tend to prefer the JB wtm.
The Distortion is angry. I find it's cleans too bright in the one guitar I own, and I tend to prefer the JB wtm.
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