Duncan RTM - Believe the hype!

Kapo_Polenton

Kapo_Polenton

Well-known member
We are always going on about the various VH1 and VH2 pups out there from the 78 to many other alnico II based pickups but if you are stuck and looking for a humbucker that will do everything 80's and sound mean doing it.. grab this pup. I've been rocking it for a week and although it is close to a simple JB with alnico 2 , it is also chewier. If you've got a hard on for Zakk style harmonics, look no further. It has to be more than just a magnet swap in a JB, I suspect it is wound a bit differently as it carries more weight but still cuts. Expensive yes but it's killer. I'm moving this up to number 1 for me.

Tonenerd pickups also get an honorable mention ,not shy on quality and the Wicked8 pickup is well.. "wicked". I think it holds my second favourite bridge humbucker spot.
 
Just to spoil my own ( edit- the quote below is not mine) thread, I found an older thread on here from 2017 ( sorry to be a repeato) and apparently I am over hyping it lol. If you like your 78's, this might be why:

Nice p'u but i prefer my $50 JB with a A2 in it to the $150 RTM.
The JB with a A2 is very Demartini sounding.
The IM1 is a different beast and has a more of a old school VH vibe.
This is the same p'u as the EVH Frankenstein p'u fender sells.
Seymour Duncan makes them for Fender.
 
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I also use a Duncan RTM in my favorite Floyd Rose guitar. A seafoam green Kramer Imperial from 1987. The RTM can even do modern metal because of how tight it is compared to the traditional JB. More output too so I suppose it has a high wind. It's an amazing pup and because they don't sell that well really you can still order them with the Warren Demartini autograph backplate. His actual signature too. All of mine came with that. I ordered it cause I liked the Demartini Charvel's but they work really well in any Floyd Rose style guitar and effortlessly pull off all the 80's tricks.

I almost put one in my Washburn 333 but left in the Bill Lawrence for the Dimebag tribute.
 
I have one in my DeMartini Performance Koa and I love it. You are dead on about the squeals too...it's like I could probably pick out every time Warren played that guitar on Infestation based on the harmonics alone.
 
I finally snapped up an EVH Frankenstein and if this really is the Custom Shop IM1, I’m sold.

Way, Way back in the day, I was the sound man for my guitar teacher’s band. He had a JB pickup in a Kramer pacer and always had incredible tone live and recorded. I’m now tempted to source a used JB and swap in an A2 mag just to see how I like it. FWIW, any pickup I have ever tried that was wound over a polished A2, I have preferred with a rough cast A5. The RCA5 swap in a Duncan ‘Custom’ wind is pure money. (I just might slip a rough cast A5 in my Frankenstein just to see what happens…)
 
I have an rtm wound by M.J.
I've had it since 2010 in my 82 Kramer Voyager.
I had Mike Lull ( R.I.P. ) change the stock Schaler for this , pleck it and do a setup at the same time.
Does drop tuning stuff real well.
 
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PDC said:
I finally snapped up an EVH Frankenstein and if this really is the Custom Shop IM1, I’m sold.

Way, Way back in the day, I was the sound man for my guitar teacher’s band. He had a JB pickup in a Kramer pacer and always had incredible tone live and recorded. I’m now tempted to source a used JB and swap in an A2 mag just to see how I like it. FWIW, any pickup I have ever tried that was wound over a polished A2, I have preferred with a rough cast A5. The RCA5 swap in a Duncan ‘Custom’ wind is pure money. (I just might slip a rough cast A5 in my Frankenstein just to see what happens…)
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JB2 is also killer. Have one in one of my guitars. On a budget, that's the one.

Are you saying a Custom sh-5 or custom custom sh-11 with RC A5 ?

Honestly, between tonenerd and Seymour Duncan, it's hard for me to love any of my dimarzios I have tried as much. I've tried, I just find Duncan's to be rawer and more dry if that makes sense. Less unnatural compression.
 
Kapo_Polenton said:
JB2 is also killer. Have one in one of my guitars. On a budget, that's the one.

Are you saying a Custom sh-5 or custom custom sh-11 with RC A5 ?

Honestly, between tonenerd and Seymour Duncan, it's hard for me to love any of my dimarzios I have tried as much. I've tried, I just find Duncan's to be rawer and more dry if that makes sense. Less unnatural compression.
Click to expand...

I much prefer Duncans to dimarzios as well.

A sleeper Duncan is the sh-14 A5
 
Wow. Guess the one I have is right on the money resistance-wise. This is in my cold garage. It’s a trembucker so I expect over 18k in warmer conditions.
 

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Kapo_Polenton said:
JB2 is also killer. Have one in one of my guitars. On a budget, that's the one.

Are you saying a Custom sh-5 or custom custom sh-11 with RC A5 ?

Honestly, between tonenerd and Seymour Duncan, it's hard for me to love any of my dimarzios I have tried as much. I've tried, I just find Duncan's to be rawer and more dry if that makes sense. Less unnatural compression.
Click to expand...

From my reading on the Duncan forums, the SH/TB5 Custom (ceramic) SH/TB11 Custom Custom (A2) and SH/TB14 C5 (A5) are all the exact same coils with different magnets. During COVID, I got equal parts bored and brave and tackled my first magnet swap based on a recommendation from a member on the Duncan forums - I swapped a Rough Cast, unoriented A5 mag for the factory polished A2 in a TB11 Custom Custom. I loved it. It rides somewhere between the Ceramic mag Custom and the A2 CC: a bit more punch, a bit tighter lows than an A2, but less sizzle and softer high end than a ceramic.

My current favorite sleeper pickup in the Duncan line is the 59 custom hybrid. One coil from the traditional 59 and one coil from the custom and an A5 mag. It is absolutely killer. Super organic, lots of string separation, and cleans up well with the volume knob - even when playing with lots of gain.

And I agree, I much prefer Duncans to DiMarzios. Dimarzios seem to have a looser, woofier low end that needs quite a bit of tightening with a pedal or EQ. I’ve had great results with Jalen pickups and just snapped up a Tone Nerd Sunset Strip that I need to find a guitar for.
 
Man, I just couldn't get along with the RTM, but really wanted to. Tried it twice in two different guitars - Charvel DeMartini snakeskin with stock RTM, and have an MJ wound RTM in a mutt guitar. It was all mids in my experience, and sounded a bit thin.

I still have the MJ RTM lying around somewhere, I guess I'll dig it out and give it another try.
 
What tonenerd pup is closest to the evh wolfgang bridge? I really like that pup for rhythm and leads from hard rock to metal.
 
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