What should I get

Aceguy

Aceguy

New member
I recently bought a Les Paul and I want to put in some new, more versatile pickups. I play blues, classic rock, metal, shred, thrash metal, death metal, jazz, and KISS, Sabbath, Priest, and Maiden. Yeah, I know that's a lot but can anyone help. It can be any Duncan, Dimarzio, Gibson, etc. humbucker set. NO Actives please.
 
Re: What should I get

for the bridge: Duncan Custom
Neck: JazzN, Pearly GatesN, '59N

with a little tweaking of your volume/tone knobs, you'll be able to cover all those bases quite well.
 
Re: What should I get

Aceguy said:
I recently bought a Les Paul and I want to put in some new, more versatile pickups. I play blues, classic rock, metal, shred, thrash metal, death metal, jazz, and KISS, Sabbath, Priest, and Maiden. Yeah, I know that's a lot but can anyone help. It can be any Duncan, Dimarzio, Gibson, etc. humbucker set. NO Actives please.
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Just what we need....Another pain in the Ace! ;o) Hopefully you aren't a pain in the ace?

Welcome to the forums!
 
Re: What should I get

Aceguy said:
So the Custom can handle everything I do, even KISS?
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pretty much.

I pretty much play the same mix of stuff as you do (minus Kiss and Priest - I just can't get into them) but tone wise, the Duncan Custom can handle almost anything, because it's hot but not too hot, a little bit vintage, a little bit modern, tight and punchy without being scooped, flabby or harsh. It's got enough power for any metal stuff (provided you have the right amp as well), and it can clean up surprisingly nicely for a ceramic pickup.

If you decide to go the extra step with coil splits or series/parallel wiring, you'll have even more awesome tones available to you.

Also, in my experience, it tends to be quite a transparent pickup with respect to a guitarist's playing technique, so if your chops are in shape, you'll get really good clarity and note separation. If you play a bit sloppy, well that will be plainly evident as well. But that said, it does great at huge sludgy, messy, chaotic chords as well.
 
Re: What should I get

Aceguy said:
Define Pain in the ace.....
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Aceman
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Join Date: Apr 2004
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Age: 45
Posts: 13,584
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Re: What should I get

Really the pickup I'm looking for is a mix of a Dimarzio Super D, Duncan JB, and a Duncan Distortion. What pickup am I looking for?
 
Re: What should I get

SH-5 Custom in the bridge
SH-1 '59 in the neck

Someone on this forum once said: "Customs are the truth"

And indeed they are! You can't go wrong with this setup.
 
Re: What should I get

So what's the difference between the Super Distortion and the Duncan Custom?
 
Re: What should I get

the custom has a very balanced EQ. Nice thumpy lows, clear midrange, and good present highs.

Super Distortion on the other hand is very thick sounding, and its EQ is slanted towards huge bass and low-mid response, with a very reduced treble response. Good for fattening up a thin or bright sounding guitar.

I'd say they are roughly equal in terms of output levels. SuperD might be just a touch more, but not by much.

Duncan custom definitely (to my ears anyway...I have both pups), has more character and complexity in the sound. It also cleans up much nicer and sounds better for leads IMO.
 
Re: What should I get

ConvoysToNothingness said:
the custom has a very balanced EQ. Nice thumpy lows, clear midrange, and good present highs.

Super Distortion on the other hand is very thick sounding, and its EQ is slanted towards huge bass and low-mid response, with a very reduced treble response. Good for fattening up a thin or bright sounding guitar.

I'd say they are roughly equal in terms of output levels. SuperD might be just a touch more, but not by much.

Duncan custom definitely (to my ears anyway...I have both pups), has more character and complexity in the sound. It also cleans up much nicer and sounds better for leads IMO.
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Thanks for the answer. Everyone says that the Super D is thick but I have it in my other guitar and it sounds weak. But that guitar is cheap anyway. I heard the Custom was rumored to be a copy of the Mighty Mite Screamer, essentially making it a Super D copy. Can anybody clarify this? Whatever, I think I will get the Custom because EVERY. SINGLE. PERSON. ON. THIS. THREAD. has been insisting I get it. I guess it's the perfect pickup for me. I'm thinking I'll get a Pearly Gates for the neck.
 
Re: What should I get

Ahem...excuse me...so what exactly is the question?

Pain in the Ace? I have not acted like an Acehole for a week or more at least....

Greetings Aceguy! welcome, and you will of course defer to my avatar selection. we can discuss that later.

59/Custom is a great all around recommendation. custom is just a PAF style on striods and PCP. I hear it as a bit scooped - but not death metal scoop. Just more bass/treble than mids. But it has mids too.

I feel the Superdistortion has more highs than most people give it credit for.

IMO, you need a guitar with a SuperD, one with a Distortion, AND one with a Custom. Conveniently, I have one of each. Each has it's uses, where it fits best.

No ONE pup will cover all the range you just described. But, a PAF style (even if the Custom) is a good start.

What amp are you using? I might even get a 59 set depending on the amp/fx.
 
Re: What should I get

Sometimes I read that the SuperD is mid scooped too, years have passed since I tried a superD on my guitar so I can't remember exactly how it sound, but I don't remember it as mid scooped, could anyone confirm?
 
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