# How is the SH-6 duncan distortion?



## mat091285 (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi guys just wanted to ask if anyone has any experience with the SH-6 duncan distortion? I heard from the Duncan Board that is just a JB with a ceramic magnet.


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## zimbloth (Jun 29, 2006)

Wow you got some bad information. The JB has a ceramic magnet too. I have a lot of experience with the Duncan Distortion. I had it in 3 seperate BC Rich USA's, a Washburn Sonic 7, a Gibson Les Paul Gothic, Fernandes Vortex Elite, and probably others which I don't recall at this time.

The pickup is okay, but I really believe this is one of the worst bridge pickups Seymour Duncan makes. It's quite bright with a lot of harsh overtones. It is a bit stale sounding, it doesn't really have the same balls the JB/Custom/Invader have. I really don't recommend it. It depends on what guitar you put it in, but even in mahogany I think it sounds boring and dull. Depending on your guitar, I would recommend the SH4/5/8 over this in a heartbeat.


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## D-EJ915 (Jun 30, 2006)

The JB has an Alnico 5 magnet in it.

Unlike Zimbloth said, the JB has no balls and has weak, flabby bass, it sucks really hard.


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## zimbloth (Jun 30, 2006)

Maybe through some rigs, but I'm guessing the legion of badass JB users with Mesas and comparable tube rigs would disagree.

The JB doesn't have great bass response perhaps, but compared to the Duncan Distortion it does. The DD is harsh city, at least through any quality tube amp I've ever tried it with. Maybe with digitals or solid staters it would sound ok, but I wouldn't know.

As for the JB being Alnico, I thought the 7-string version was ceramic but I could be wrong.


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## D-EJ915 (Jun 30, 2006)

The JB and DD use the same wind.

Funny how most guys I talk to say the DD has way more bass than the JB does. Even through Mahogany Schecters the JB just doesn't cut it for me, it sounded thin imo. I've played it with all sorts of axes from mahogany to alder, stop bar, floyd, etc. so it's not like I'm basing my opinion on 1 axe either.

I dunno, I just don't get along with it. The good thing is that if you don't like it you can trade it in to Duncan for a different one of their models.


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## zimbloth (Jun 30, 2006)

Yeah, I am no JB lover bro. I find them kind of boring personally. I much prefer the SH-5 and SH-8 models. BUT, I've had a TON of experience with both the JB & the Duncan Distortion, and the DD was just harsh and sterile in every guitar I ever had it in (diverse configuruations/amps). Conversely, I've had a million guitars with JBs, and sometimes they sounded pretty cool, othertimes weak. The whole JB in mahogany being great thing is definitely a myth I think. It sounds better in alder than mahogany IMO. I had two USA Jacksons (Marty Friedman Sig + KV2) with those and it sounded cool. I had it in a number of mahogany guitars where it sounded pretty bland.


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## mat091285 (Jun 30, 2006)

So i guess i will go for the custom then... nout sure why in the duncan board alot ppl recommended me a duncan distortion for thrash metal ..


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## zimbloth (Jun 30, 2006)

They just said that because it's very bright and very middy, but it's just not very good. Try the Custom, if you don't like it give the JB a shot.


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## Brett89 (Jun 30, 2006)

Hi there!

I think, in the future I will by an RG7321... you know that it's a basswood body guitar.... soo my quastion is that what kind of SD pick ups sould I put in it?


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## zimbloth (Jun 30, 2006)

Basswood is a fairly neutral body wood. A lot of pickups would work in that. I'd check out the Invader or the Custom. The JB might work okay too. I would still stay away from the Duncan Distortion. The Invader is a pickup almost no one in the metal world uses, it's very unique and is not for everyone, but if you eq your amp right ,it's one of the heaviest tones ever. 

In the neck pickup, the Jazz or 59 would probably be cool. Or if you go with the Invader in the bridge, an invader in the neck works too unless you care about prestine clean sounds


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## mat091285 (Jun 30, 2006)

Hi zimbloth from my knowledge i know only the guys from Nile, Lamb Of God and Roope from Children Of Bodom use the Invader. Not sure which artists use the custom


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## eaeolian (Jun 30, 2006)

D-EJ915 said:


> The JB has an Alnico 5 magnet in it.
> 
> Unlike Zimbloth said, the JB has no balls and has weak, flabby bass, it sucks really hard.



Yeah, the JB's Alnico. The Distortion's magnet is not only ceramic, it's bigger. I'm not much of a fan of the Distortion - I used the 6 string version in several guitars, and it lacks warmth and character to me. My Washburn Sonic 7 came with one, too, and I replaced it with a Custom after a month or so - the Distortion didn't work well with that guitar at all, IMO.

As to your comment on the JB's tone - to each their own. My major gripe with it has always been that the bass can get away from you if you don't tweak your setup correctly, including pickup placement. I certainly have no shortage of bass, though...


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## zimbloth (Jun 30, 2006)

mat091285 said:


> Hi zimbloth from my knowledge i know only the guys from Nile, Lamb Of God and Roope from Children Of Bodom use the Invader. Not sure which artists use the custom



I'm not too familiar with who uses Invaders other than Karl Sanders. All I know is, I put one in a USA Jackson Marty Friedman guitar and it sounded amazing. Same with a BC Rich USA Beast 7. My USA Washburn Sonic 6 had Invaders and sounded great. It definitely has a huge low end so you have to back off your amps bass a bit, but it roars like no other.

And yeah, what Mike said. Also, you shouldn't need your pickup to have the greatest bass response. The bass guitar and kick drums will cover most of that territory. It's more about how it sounds in the overall mix. Guitar is a midrange instrument primarily.


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## Brett89 (Jun 30, 2006)

Ohh, thanks, and not by... BUY!!!   

And what does the four-conductor hookup cable means? I can wire the PU in different ways? Coil-tap, double sound, and such?


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## eaeolian (Jun 30, 2006)

Brett89 said:


> And what does the four-conductor hookup cable means? I can wire the PU in different ways? Coil-tap, double sound, and such?



Correct - it allows for coil splitting and series/parallel switching.


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## Brett89 (Jun 30, 2006)

eaeolian said:


> Correct - it allows for coil splitting and series/parallel switching.



And what does the seroes/parallel mean? I think the coil split is when a humbucker "turns into" a single coil... and a series/parallel? how would the sound change?


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## eaeolian (Jun 30, 2006)

Brett89 said:


> And what does the seroes/parallel mean? I think the coil split is when a humbucker "turns into" a single coil... and a series/parallel? how would the sound change?



Correct - the coil split is when you "turn off" one coil.

Series/parallel changes how the humbucker is wired - they're normally in series. Wiring them parallel gives lower output, but a more "single coil" type sound while retaining the hum cancelling. It's a cool sound, although it doesn't "quack" as much as a single coil does...


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## Brett89 (Jun 30, 2006)

eaeolian said:


> Correct - the coil split is when you "turn off" one coil.
> 
> Series/parallel changes how the humbucker is wired - they're normally in series. Wiring them parallel gives lower output, but a more "single coil" type sound while retaining the hum cancelling. It's a cool sound, although it doesn't "quack" as much as a single coil does...



Aha, I understand!

Sorry if I write many things wrong but my English is not the best


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## eaeolian (Jun 30, 2006)

Brett89 said:


> Aha, I understand!
> 
> Sorry if I write many things wrong but my English is not the best



No problem at all. Glad I could be of some help...


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## Brett89 (Jun 30, 2006)

eaeolian said:


> No problem at all. Glad I could be of some help...



Well eve a word is a big help for me so thanks  AAAND even my english develops  

I didn't tought that there will be soo many helpful people here, where I live (Hungary) if a beginer guitarplayer ask something from a "pro" he speaks to you like this --->


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## zimbloth (Jul 1, 2006)

Its our pleasure Brett. Good luck.


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## Brett89 (Jul 5, 2006)

One more think... can a make a coil-tap switch and a series/parallel switch TO one pick up? Or just one switch to one PU?

And what is the different betwen the sound of a single coil pickup and a coil-taped humbucker?

Thank you!


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