Boutique Seymour Duncan Distortion ?

M

mixn4him

Active member
Its time for a new pu for my San Dimas and am thinking a DD is the next step . But curious if there is a better version, dont get me wrong I love SD pu’s just curious if anyone has tried something a little better.

Been thru:

Stock JB- fine but the usual complaints

Suhr SSH- too vintage and a little woolie in the bass

Suhr SSH+- much better but thinned out the low mids and lows too much

Thinking moving to the DD and ceramic mag may add back the low mid stuff and keep the top the the SSH+ has..

I know this may be a little cork snifferie but wanted to ask, thanks!
 
IMHO a DiMarzio Super Distortion is still the best superstrat bridge pickup.

The DD is cool too, just a little on the bright side.
I love it in Les Pauls but not so much in superstrats.
 
Just replaced a Painkiller with a DD bridge in a walnut neckthrough superstrat and its a pretty damn good pickup I think. But I'm playing the heavy stuff. I think I may eventually put the PK back in as it is just more articulate and punchy, but I do find the added compression and slightly less articulate nature of the DD nice when your not on your "A" game.
 
SD Black Winter is like a Duncan Distortion with better mids and dynamics. Might get a little sharp in the highs with a superstrat though...
 
guitarbilly74":2hn4a8m2 said:
IMHO a DiMarzio Super Distortion is still the best superstrat bridge pickup.

The DD is cool too, just a little on the bright side.
I love it in Les Pauls but not so much in superstrats.
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That! I really dig it on my 1984 Usa made Kramer Pacer!
 
I have a 2016 Charvel SoCal that had the stock Duncan Distortions, and I didn’t like them at all in that guitar. Too bright and thin. JB and 59 are definitely great for Charvels. If you want ceramic. Dimarzio Super Distortion is way better in a superstart as noted and what the original Charvels had. If you need something more modern, try a Bare Knuckle Holydiver which is like a partway between the JB and Dimarzio.
 
People complain about the JB cause very few know how to weak it properly.

That said, you could try the Schecter Sunset Strip, ceramic, tight, articulate, very interesting for superstrats.
 
I agree with other posters that I prefer the classic Dimarzio Super Distortion to the Duncan Distortion.

On the more boutique-side of things, I really like the Anderson H-3 and H-3+ for high gain pickups with excellent articulation. I use the H-3 in a number of super strats. If I wanted a higher gain pickup, the H-3+ would be on my short list.
 
If you haven't had an actual Duncan Distortion, why not try one before sampling the "boutique" variants? You'd get the baseline as to what a DD style pickup sounds like, it's inexpensive compared to the small build alternatives, and they're easy to sell if you end up not liking it. Personally, I've been using that pickup since 01, and I'm quite fond of it.
 
indespise":iansp8n3 said:
If you haven't had an actual Duncan Distortion, why not try one before sampling the "boutique" variants? You'd get the baseline as to what a DD style pickup sounds like, it's inexpensive compared to the small build alternatives, and they're easy to sell if you end up not liking it. Personally, I've been using that pickup since 01, and I'm quite fond of it.
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I have used it in the past just not in this gtr so I kinda know what to expect which is why Im looking at alternatives.

Anderson may be a great option too, think Im gonna start with a Suhr DSH+ since I like where I am with this guitar just want it slightly fuller...
 
Zado":1fn5d55u said:
People complain about the JB cause very few know how to weak it properly.

That said, you could try the Schecter Sunset Strip, ceramic, tight, articulate, very interesting for superstrats.
Click to expand...

Please enlighten, how do you weak the JB properly ?
 
I haven't had a Duncan Distortion in years but when I did have one it was installed in an SG. I remember it being awesome in that. What about a Suhr Aldrich or a RTM which is a JB with adjustments?
 
D-Rock":1jg16q6e said:
SD Black Winter is like a Duncan Distortion with better mids and dynamics. Might get a little sharp in the highs with a superstrat though...
Click to expand...

The Black Winters became one of my favorite Duncans quickly. I do kind of think of them like improved Distortions, with a mix of improved Invader. They are kind of bland in a way, but that is because they dont have any annoying qualities like almost all others have. They have a good solid base tone to work with.
 
I'm on the hunt too. The AT-1 in my '82 Kramer Pacer ain't cutting it. My favorites are my EBMM EVHs and those bridge pups are closest to the DiMarzio Tone Zone. But I'm open to others. Just can't find good enough Youtube demos.
 
Why do you feel like you need a boutique version of a proven good pickup ? That’s just cork sniffery...
 
paulyc":2bbp79hl said:
That’s just cork sniffery...
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Well sure that's what I said but cant hurt to look and ask and learn. Maybe the larger group here has some knowledge, I mean the DD is not perfect it is cool but if it was perfect there wouldn't be hundreds of small company pickup winders.. Thinking the DSV+ is the way to go after playing this gtr again yesterday LOUD..

Thanks!
 
I hope my post didn't come off like I was giving you shit about it, I was just pointing out that angle. The DD is my favorite pickup, it works for me.

I have a kind of bad attitude about boutique gear...it amazes me the number of choices we have as guitar players, but at some point it's time to stop obsessing over the smallest details and play the damn guitar, most of our heroes recorded their landmark tunes and tones with off the shelf gear and if it was good enough for them... I get that it's fun to tone chase and obsess over it all, but I know I wasted a lot of time on it. Pickups, pedals and speakers (IMO) are 3 areas I just kind of refuse to go boutique with, NOT saying what others should do, that's just my position.
 
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