500T vs Duncan Distortion

[troublehead]

Which one has more high mids and clarity?

This will be put in a LP. I'm not interested in boutique pups so try and keep the discussion on these 2 pups.

 

[SFW]

The Distortion will have more upper mids and highs. The 500T will sound bigger. Closest Duncan to the 500T would be the Custom.

 

[Shask]

The Distortion will have more upper mids and highs. The 500T will sound bigger. Closest Duncan to the 500T would be the Custom.

How accurate is this? I really want to try a Custom


I have a 500T in a Gibson V and a Duncan Distortion in an Ibanez. The Duncan is definitely brighter, with more crunchy upper mids. The Gibson is darker, not as "splatty" on the high end, and kind of.... "looser" on the low end.

I am not sure which I prefer, because I kind of like the 500T better because it is not as "too much of everything" as the Duncan is. But, the Duncan has a good sound, and I think I would love one with less mids. I have an Invader as well, and it is different than either of these...

 

[SFW]

Think of the Duncan Custom as a more refined 500T.

 

[Dimebag11]

The Duncan Custom is quite possibly my all time favorite pickups...along with most Gibson pups.

 

[rupe]

The Custom can have a biting high end in the wrong guitar. I typically like that pickup but found it to be too thin and bright in my LP Custom. IMO, the Duncan Custom has a lot more high end than the Distortion or the 500T.

 

[Schaf]

Think of the Duncan Custom as a more refined 500T.

Isn't the 500T way more output than the custom? I do think the wood makes a difference. I loved it in my explorer. Didn't like it in my V. The explorer was a pro studio, so it was poplar. The V is mahogany. Like the JB a lot more in the V.

I thought the 500 T had a pretty big sounding bottom end. I personally like the Distortion better. Much prefer the aldrich over either in a les paul though ( yeah I know I'm not suppose to go there). Not much more expensive either.

Schaf

 

[Anonymous]

only one way to find out.....slap either one in there, and, well, then try the next.

Invader might be what you're looking for though...

 

[SFW]

Think of the Duncan Custom as a more refined 500T.

Isn't the 500T way more output than the custom? I do think the wood makes a difference. I loved it in my explorer. Didn't like it in my V. The explorer was a pro studio, so it was poplar. The V is mahogany. Like the JB a lot more in the V.

I thought the 500 T had a pretty big sounding bottom end. I personally like the Distortion better. Much prefer the aldrich over either in a les paul though ( yeah I know I'm not suppose to go there). Not much more expensive either.

Schaf

The 500T doesn't really have that much more output. The Custom will have a slightly tighter bottom end, and the highs will be a bit rounder. I was merely stating that the closest Duncan pickup to the 500T would be the Duncan Custom.

 

[Schaf]

Think of the Duncan Custom as a more refined 500T.

Isn't the 500T way more output than the custom? I do think the wood makes a difference. I loved it in my explorer. Didn't like it in my V. The explorer was a pro studio, so it was poplar. The V is mahogany. Like the JB a lot more in the V.

I thought the 500 T had a pretty big sounding bottom end. I personally like the Distortion better. Much prefer the aldrich over either in a les paul though ( yeah I know I'm not suppose to go there). Not much more expensive either.

Schaf

The 500T doesn't really have that much more output. The Custom will have a slightly tighter bottom end, and the highs will be a bit rounder. I was merely stating that the closest Duncan pickup to the 500T would be the Duncan Custom.

Sounds like the perfect pickup! I did really like the 500T. I've almost got the custom on a number of occasions. But, I almost always go back to what I know. I need to take a chance sometime. I may pick one up if the price is right. The one thing about the 500T that I didn't like is, I didn't think it cleaned up that great with the volume knob. How about the custom in that area? Man, I really feel like I've overlooked a great pickup. Thanks for the info.

Schaf

 

[thegame]

a Duncan Distortion in an Ibanez. The Duncan is definitely brighter, with more crunchy upper mids. The Gibson is darker, not as "splatty" on the high end, and kind of.... "looser" on the low end.

I have a Distortion in my main guitar and agree the high end is splatty, and to me unrefined. I like alot of bite and crunch but the Distortion is over the top in this dept.