is the duncan distortion darker than the duncan custom?

[chrisrocksusa]

TGP does seem to have a bias against mesa (which I love), but most of the time those guys are dead on. I love that forum, it's my favorite music forum. I've bought my last two les pauls there too.

 

[killertone]

I have never heard that I a JB sounds bad in LPs. That is fucking nuts!

Can't stand TGP though and never go there so I guess that's why!

The Custom is an awesome pickup as is the Distortion. Two of my all time favorite pickups ever.

 

[Anonymous]

TGP does seem to have a bias against mesa (which I love), but most of the time those guys are dead on. I love that forum, it's my favorite music forum. I've bought my last two les pauls there too.

They might not be "right", they probably just share the same opinions as you.

 

[Greazygeo]

Also Duncan has an exchange policy. Call them up and they will swap things around.

WHAT?!

seriously? bc that is really cool. I wish I had known that, I would have just exchanged the custom for a DD. In any event, if the DD doesn't work I'll try them and see if they want to send me a JB

Yes its 21 days. If there is a difference in price, it just costs whatever the difference is.

Dimarzio has a 30 day exchange period.

 

[Greazygeo]

the majority of the SD forum as well as the les paul forum. TGP too, and TGP is probably the best forum for GOOD info on gear stuff.

Try to find an example of their playing and tone before taking anything said as truth.

In a LP either the Custom, DD or JB should sound fine. I cant use the DD anymore, they don't clean up like I prefer. The JB is my go to pickup normally. If that doesnt work I'll go with the Custom.

 

[Anonymous]

i love trying different pickups in guitars.

im on a new neck pickup kick right now....dimarzio evo neck lowered really far away from the strings....
holy FUCKING SWEET tone....


there's a number of variables that might be contributing to your perceived hi end/thin coming out of your guitar.

is it wired correctly?
what pots are in it?
what instrument cable u using (same one u used with the guitar with a different pickup?)

obvious stuff, but, can be easily overlooked.

if it sounds thin and piercing, that SOUNDS to me like you have it wired in parallel, or one coil is wired to the guitar not both instead of the normal humbucking wiring:

green and ground to pot
white and red soldered together and wrapped
black is output

i had an sh5 that all the sudden sounded shrill, weak, and piercing. turns out it was wired wrong...an oversight on my part 17 years ago when i had taken my guitar apart and put it back together.

a DD will be hotter and a tad darker yes.

i dont personally love the JB in my les pauls, but i LOVE it in my ibanez basswood body guitar.

 

[chrisrocksusa]

a DD will be hotter and a tad darker yes.

i dont personally love the JB in my les pauls, but i LOVE it in my ibanez basswood body guitar.

I'm hoping so. Everything is the same minus the pickups. I will try the JB if I don't like the DD and I can get it in exchange for my DD. If not I'll probably go back to stock gibson pickups.

 

[Anonymous]

dont give up! if you're sticking with duncans, and the JB doesn't work, try an *gulp* .....dare i say it....


invader

backed off about 1/8 an inch or even more

im starting to really love higher output pickups backed off pretty far, and im going to swap a few more different pups out for higher output, dropped lower and note my results.

 

[chrisrocksusa]

well I cant give up yet as the DD hasn't even arrived yet. I expect it to arrive within the next couple days, then I'll have to drop the guitar off at the shop to have it installed. Really hoping there's a quick turn around on it.

if that doesn't work I just may give the JB a try as I had it in a USA KE-1 and loved it in that guitar

 

[Death by Uberschall]

I gotta say, I put a SD Distortion in my 2000 Gary Moore LP and it rocks, but it was a little bright for me. I had the same experience in my 1st GM LP that was stolen. I just installed the SD Alternative 8 in the bridge and it's amazing how much it compliments the SD Jazz I put in the neck. The Alt8 is such a smooth and opening sounding pickup. It has a strong mid/low-mid presence that is great, SD's description is right on, smooth highs, good lows and not muddy. Give it a try.

 

[duodecim]

I like to stay in Eb

maybe go back to the JB

everyone says they're terrible in les pauls

If I remember correctly, the JB was made to go into Jeff Beck's LPs. Whether you like it, who knows, but I'd be a bit more careful taking advise from ignorant internet parrot flocks.

 

[rlord1974]

 

[rlord1974]

I could be wrong, but I thought that Seymour had designed the JB pickup specifically to go in the Les Pauls Beck was playing back in the day?

If I remember correctly, the JB was made to go into Jeff Beck's LPs.

There seems to be a consensus building......

 

[marshallmel]

I have a JB in my '95 LP Standard and it sounds fantastic. And I'm not the only one who thinks so.

 

[AmpliFIRE]

Swap out the ceramic magnet in your Custom with an A2. This will turn it into a Custom Custom which will be more suited for what you're looking for (less treble, more bass).

 

[baron55]

Hate to ask this, but this is a real Les Paul correct. Just arsing since most who like these pickups in pauls are real pauls. Les pauls do tend to emphasis the upper mids for a bright crunchy top

 

[Brad737]

I agree...Nothing wrong with a JB in a Lester. Hell, back in the 80's, if you went to a club to see a live band, 75% of them were rockin JBs into a Les Paul, into a JCM.

maybe go back to the JB

everyone says they're terrible in les pauls

Who exactly is "everyone"?

I could be wrong, but I thought that Seymour had designed the JB pickup specifically to go in the Les Pauls Beck was playing back in the day?

Regardless, MANY pros use the JB in their Les Pauls, so saying "everyone" thinks they're terrible in Les Pauls is WAY OFF.

I have them in two of my LP Customs and think they sound great.

BTW, I also have a Duncan Distortion in another LP Custom and think it sounds good too. However, it is a little on the hot side for my liking, but not so much that I have been desperate to lay out the coin to replace it with something else.