You know I was considering the Distortion. I've used them before with really good results in one guitar and then terrible results in another guitar... but It may have been wired wrong?? I do like the JB, just wish it was suited a little better for metal. This may be the ticket??
A Distortion is a JB wind with a double thick ceramic magnet instead of the A5. Midrange is similar to the JB, but it has a slightly bigger, but tighter low end and more top end. Distortion is a classic pickup for metal.
Ya, I think this is what I'm getting. I want something in the same ballpark as a JB just with a bit more of a metal edge to it, hope it's just as clear sounding in the treble frequencies?
Well, I rarely back off the volume on my guitars. I'm full on all the time basically. The brightness concerns me a bit, but if it ain't working for me i'll just put the JB back in.
You might like it. To me it sounds like playing the guitar with a screwdriver.
Alot of people claim it's.the same, but either Duncan's specs are incorrect or it's a different wind. They advertise them both as a 5.5k resonant peak, but that's impossible if using the same wind but different magnet. The ferrous content of ALNICO adds the inductance of a pickup coil whereas a C5 or C8 magnet has negligible affect on the inductance. Inductance and coil capacitance determine the resonant peak. The only way possible for a pickup to have the same resonant peak with ALNICO vs Ceramic would be to be wound different to add capacitance to the ceramic. I suspect their posted specs are wrong and they're the same winds, since that typically what SD does is like what's seen in the custom line and use the same wind with different magnet. That said, the Duncan Distortion would have a higher resonant peak than the JB if wound the same
How much higher of a resonant peak are we talking? I sure hope it's not icepick city with the Duncan Distortion. I was looking at the tone graph and it's labeled something like 5/8/9 I think? That's brighter than the Dimebucker which is a 8 on the treble end. But I don't remember the Distortion being that bright, I've had them in a couple guitars before. I do remember the Dimebucker being very bright.
It's not brighter. Their EQ curves are a starting point, but rarely match up.
No, it shouldn't be too bright The ceramic magnet should compensate for that. My Psykes pickup is at 6k resonant peak, 1.1k higher than then whiskey but has lots of lows and low mids and sounds darker
Yeah, I love both the JB and the Distortion when they're paired in the right guitars. I've had similar results like you have where the Distortion worked great in one guitar and just didn't click for me in the next one. It seems like it does walk a fine line where brightness is concerned, if the guitar tends to be a bit on the bright side naturally then the Distortion can be a bit much, at least for my taste.
The upper mid spike of the JB doesn't bother me at all, I kinda dig it. It could be a bit tighter on the low end though. I'll look into the alternative 8 sometime for sure.
Ya, that pickup (black winter) was next on my list. I'll probably try one out if I ever get bored of this Distortion or JB, or get another guitar to put it in... actually I was thinking about taking out the EMG's in my Yamaha RGX, so right there is my opportunity.