Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

[Rex_Rocker]

I apologize for the overabundance of threads. It's just that lately, I've decided on ditching my vintage-output pickups in favor of high-gain monsters in the bridge position.

Anyway, I've decided I'm sticking a Duncan Distortion in the bridge position of my Ibanez RG570. I have a few pickups in my arsenal that I can use in the neck position. I want a cutting without being overly attack-y neck pickup that, however, does not have an overabundance of bass. Which of the following do you think would be a better match for the Distortion?

Duncan '59-B
This is my top runner up because it seems like a good candidate for experimenting swapping magnets, though I fear in stock form, it would be too bassy. Can magnet swaps completely fix it and take it to where I want? Alnico 2, 3, or 4? Or will roughcast or unoriented Alnico 5 be enough? Or maybe even ceramic? What do you think?

DiMarzio PAF Pro
Generally, I don't like this as a neck pickup because I find it too bright and attacky to the point of chirpiness and scratchiness. However, I have only paired it with smoother-sounding bridge pickups in the past, and the Duncan Distortion itself is king when it comes to bright grind, so maybe the PAF Pro won't be so out of place?

DiMarzio Dominion Bridge
This is a bit left field, but when I had it in the bridge position, it reminded me in a lot of ways of the EMG 81. It's super tight, not very bassy, very mid-focused, and kinda dry. The EMG 81 is my favorite neck pickup for leads, so maybe the Dominion wouldn't be so bad there in the neck position. I rarely ever play cleans, but if I do, they probably won't be great with this pickup, though.

I wanted you guys to help me decide so that I can take my guitar to my tech, and not have to do any soldering myself.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

Try the 59b with an A4. I don't like UOA5 in the neck, too nasally for my taste.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

Is A4 less mid-focused than UOA5, then?

 

[Demanic]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

A4 is flat. It tends to let whatever the characteristics of the wind are to come through without overly influencing any particular band of the eq.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

A4 is flat. It tends to let whatever the characteristics of the wind are to come through without overly influencing any particular band of the eq.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

And does the '59 take A4 well? I was under the impression the wind on the '59 is kinda scoopy (unlike the WLH). Does A4 cure the boominess? Is it still bright with A4?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

I always thought a Jazz is wonderful with a DD.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

From what I know about the 59's, the A5 tends to give them the scooped quality. The A4 works well with the 59n as far as taming the bottom without losing the top. I don't see why it wouldn't do the same with the 59b. It would just be a bit hotter.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

Thanks for the replies!

I always thought a Jazz is wonderful with a DD.

I don't have a Jazz kicking around, though. I do have a Phat Cat, but I don't think it would achieve what I'm wanting out of a neck pickup this time around.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

Thanks for the replies!


I don't have a Jazz kicking around, though. I do have a Phat Cat, but I don't think it would achieve what I'm wanting out of a neck pickup this time around.

I don't know, with 2 magnets you can get just about anything out of a Phat Cat. I believe the fan favorites here are A5/A4 or A5/A3 for the neck and they both work extremely well. Twin A5s might work well for you with the DD.

 

[Nacho8807]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

So uh, I just wanted to point out that they make a neck version for the DD. Its actually really nice, and I use one in my LP. Nice singing tone, that cuts and is never boomy or muddy. It also uses a ceramic magnet but you can only tell because of the slight compression.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

Try the 59b with an A4. I don't like UOA5 in the neck, too nasally for my taste.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

thats what i would suggest as well. less bass and more mids than a5.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

with 2 magnets you can get just about anything out of a Phat Cat.

Except make it hum-cancelling, lol.

So uh, I just wanted to point out that they make a neck version for the DD. Its actually really nice, and I use one in my LP. Nice singing tone, that cuts and is never boomy or muddy. It also uses a ceramic magnet but you can only tell because of the slight compression.

I know there is. I'm wanting to use one of the pickups I already have, though.

 

[mxaniac]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

Whew, really missed the boat on this thread. Thought the title was how to pickup double D's and I got all excited and thought I might learn something. My bad....

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

Except make it hum-cancelling, lol.

Phat Cats are actually really quiet, especially with their covers acting as shields. I'd actually Phat Cats are actually quieter than some humbuckers.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

Whew, really missed the boat on this thread. Thought the title was how to pickup double D's and I got all excited and thought I might learn something. My bad....

With both hands, of course.
How else would you do it?

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

Phat Cats are actually really quiet, especially with their covers acting as shields. I'd actually Phat Cats are actually quieter than some humbuckers.

Nah. I know it's quiet, but I still don't really want the single coil attack/twanginess. And the cover can't be removed, so I think it would look a bit out of place in a guitar with cosmo black hardware.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

Nah. I know it's quiet, but I still don't really want the single coil attack/twanginess. And the cover can't be removed, so I think it would look a bit out of place in a guitar with cosmo black hardware.

Understandable, in that case, A4 59b would be your best bet since you have one on hand. But have you tried a Sentient? They work well with the DDb.

 

[80's_Metal]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

The 59 is the only neck pup I've ever even liked.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

Understandable, in that case, A4 59b would be your best bet since you have one on hand. But have you tried a Sentient? They work well with the DDb.

I have not tried it. It does look interesting, though. Maybe further down the line I will get one. Thanks!

The 59 is the only neck pup I've ever even liked.

I used to have an 59B in the neck paired with a JB in the bridge a while back. It was alright-ish, though a bit too boomy and scooped for the JB. Then again, the Distortion has a bigger low-end. I did not try magnet swaps either. I think those might make it shine.

 

[Sun King]

Re: Which of these neck pickups do you think would pair best with a DD?

I'm not sure putting a bridge model into the neck, and hoping to make it right with a mag swap, always works. I tried the samething with a Jazz bridge in the neck, paired with a Custom 8 in the bridge. Tried the usual A2 and A4 mag swaps in the Jazz, but never really liked it. In the past, though, I *have* used a Jazz neck model, and got along with it pretty well (paired w/Custom 5 bridge). I ended up taking out the Jazz bridge in favor of a 59n, in the neck. Much better, but i already knew i like the 59.

For mag swaps in the 59, the A4 magnet did cut the boominess, and was a sweet combo paired with a Distortion bridge, in a Jackson. That is a pretty versatile set-up, and the 59 clean and/or split could do a lot, like some fairly convincing Skynyrd, or SRV, Hendrix etc.

But what Demanic said about the A4 flattening the EQ makes sense. I have a Sentient/Black Winter combo in another guitar. Everyone says the Sentient is between a Jazz and 59, which to me seems to lack "character," kind of uninspiring. I thought that since the A4 works well for me with the 59, it'd do that for the Sentient. But since it seems kind of "flat" to begin with, the A4 only made it worse. I just put an A2 into the Sentient and now it sounds great. (Someone else in a much older thread also mentioned success using an A2 in the Sentient).

Anyway, if you already HAVE the 59 bridge on hand, hey might as well at least give it a try. Isn't that what Dimebag used to use?