Duncan Pickups: Custom, Custom Custom, Distortion?

I’ve come to like the Distortion over the years. It’s definitely the industry standard for metal for a passive pickup. Has a similar eq to EMG 81. Lots of high mid zing, lows are cut but still strong for a tight sound. Hard to believe that these pickups designed in the late 70s/early 80s work so well for modern metal.
I like the JB but kind of tired of it these days.
I tried the Black Winter once, definitely close to the Distortion but it has a more hairy presence to it with a little more lows for a balanced EQ. It may say lower treble on paper, but it sounds brighter with the peaky high frequencies I preferred the Distortion because it was a little more traditional sounding for me.
 
I tried them all....but they were in different guitars so difficult to say the differences.

How do you change out the magnets ? I have nevermind done it.
 
Swapping same size magnets: Unscrew the 4 screws at the back a few turns. No need to take the back plate off. Use a pick or fine screw driver to pull down the tape a little on the 2 short ends of the pickup. The magnet is right there...push it out with a screw driver about half way, and slide the new magnet in all the way until it pushes the old one out. Make sure the new pickup is inserted the right side up to ensure correct polarity.

Swapping different size magnets: You need to remove the tape and backing plate completely. There are 2 plastic spacers on either side of the magnet. Turning the spacers on their side will usually give you the right height to match a smaller or larger magnet.
 
metal_master":3fb106er said:
Swapping same size magnets: Unscrew the 4 screws at the back a few turns. No need to take the back plate off. Use a pick or fine screw driver to pull down the tape a little on the 2 short ends of the pickup. The magnet is right there...push it out with a screw driver about half way, and slide the new magnet in all the way until it pushes the old one out. Make sure the new pickup is inserted the right side up to ensure correct polarity.



Swapping different size magnets: You need to remove the tape and backing plate completely. There are 2 plastic spacers on either side of the magnet. Turning the spacers on their side will usually give you the right height to match a smaller or larger magnet.
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Thanks for the details.
 
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