Tell me about the Duncan Distortion 8-string

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

So I'm juggling between the EMG 81-8, 85-8X, D-Activator 8, and Duncan Distortion 8 for my 8-string. I'm leaning more towards the 85-8X due to it actually sounding like it could handle all the frequencies of an 8-string, but I'm curious about the Distortion. Anyone here fucked with it?

Only one I have previous experience with is the DA8 and the Distortion 8 NECK, and I preferred the DA8. Just kinda curious how well the Distortion 8 can handle going down to F.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Damn, no one used one?

 

[Eyelessfiend]

I had a Distortion 8 string in a Schecter Hellraiser Hybrid. It did chugs super well and overall sounded very grindy. Also blended with the Sentient great. I swapped it out for a Nazgul cause the Distortion was really stiff clean and not as sharp in the highs. Nazgul feels like the Distortion just lower output so it pretty much fixed my complaints.

 

[Zhysick]

I haven't played the 8 string Distortion but I know (some friends have or have had it) it sound just as you can expect if you have played the 6 string version and as I have played the 6 string version A LOT since it is one of my favorite pickups I am unsure if I would want that pickup for a 8 string unless you use the thinnest possible 8th string or a very long scale because the Distortion, despite getting lots of comments saying it's too sharp, ice picky or scratchy (yeah, it kinda is) it's very very very thick with HUGE thick mids and big lows but tight so, if you are running an extra thick string (80 or bigger) on a "shorter" scale and tuned very low... it could get too bassy/boomy: it's tight but there are limits...

The nazgul, being lower output than the distortion, could be a nice bet if you want a more versatile, clear and "better overall" sound BUT if you want ultimate grind, power and chunk then the Distortion is your pickup. No need to look any further...

 

[budda]

It's a guitar pickup for 8-string by seymour duncan.

(hides)

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I haven't played the 8 string Distortion but I know (some friends have or have had it) it sound just as you can expect if you have played the 6 string version and as I have played the 6 string version A LOT since it is one of my favorite pickups I am unsure if I would want that pickup for a 8 string unless you use the thinnest possible 8th string or a very long scale because the Distortion, despite getting lots of comments saying it's too sharp, ice picky or scratchy (yeah, it kinda is) it's very very very thick with HUGE thick mids and big lows but tight so, if you are running an extra thick string (80 or bigger) on a "shorter" scale and tuned very low... it could get too bassy/boomy: it's tight but there are limits...

The nazgul, being lower output than the distortion, could be a nice bet if you want a more versatile, clear and "better overall" sound BUT if you want ultimate grind, power and chunk then the Distortion is your pickup. No need to look any further...

I had experience with the Nazgul and I wasn't too fond of it. Seemed just as thick as the Distortion but with the high focus shifted more towards the mids. Didn't have the attack of the Distortion I liked.

 

[BigViolin]

Haven't tried the 8. I found the 7 lacking in dynamics and too compressed. I remember liking the 6 better but that was long ago. Had a Pegasus for awhile in a RG8 and thought that was balanced and dynamic enough and worked well with an 8.

You need soapbars right?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Haven't tried the 8. I found the 7 lacking in dynamics and too compressed. I remember liking the 6 better but that was long ago. Had a Pegasus for awhile in a RG8 and thought that was balanced and dynamic enough and worked well with an 8.

You need soapbars right?

Nope, passive-sized. If I could do soapbars, I'd go straight to Duncan Blackouts or 81-8s.

Last thing I care about in a pickup is dynamics. Just gimme a cutting high end/high mid and tight low end.

 

[Kyle Jordan]

Nope, passive-sized. If I could do soapbars, I'd go straight to Duncan Blackouts or 81-8s.

Last thing I care about in a pickup is dynamics. Just gimme a cutting high end/high mid and tight low end.

Are the humcap EMG’s not a fit either for your guitar? And yeah, it pisses me off to no end that SD stopped doing the humcap sized 8 string.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Are the humcap EMG’s not a fit either for your guitar? And yeah, it pisses me off to no end that SD stopped doing the humcap sized 8 string.

No clue. I'm gonna do some measurements tomorrow.

Given how square they are, I wouldn't be surprised if they DID fit.

 

[Zhysick]

Just gimme a cutting high end/high mid and tight low end.

Well, the Nazgul is lower output than the Distortion hence the better clarity and dynamics but if you don't care about that go Distortion all the way but I think you can fit passive sized EMGs in there...

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Well, the Nazgul is lower output than the Distortion hence the better clarity and dynamics but if you don't care about that go Distortion all the way but I think you can fit passive sized EMGs in there...

Like I said I tried the nazgul and wasn't happy with it. It had a shit-ton of mids but not enough high end for my taste.

 

[BigViolin]

Hit up banjomike. He might have a DA8 he hasn't listed. I see what you mean, holy hell Dimarzio is thin everywhere.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Hit up banjomike. He might have a DA8 he hasn't listed. I see what you mean, holy hell Dimarzio is thin everywhere.

I noticed on a DiMarzio FB group that a lot of people are complaining about their orders being backed up for months.

In the end I decided to go EMG. I found an 81-8H and 85-8XH for cheap.

 

[BabUShka]

Like I said I tried the nazgul and wasn't happy with it. It had a shit-ton of mids but not enough high end for my taste.

I had the same experinece with my Nazgul 7. Being a big SD fan, I was a little bit disappointed. Between those two, I would go with the Distortion. It feels brighter and sparkles more in the high end area.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I had the same experinece with my Nazgul 7. Being a big SD fan, I was a little bit disappointed. Between those two, I would go with the Distortion. It feels brighter and sparkles more in the high end area.

Ended up with an EMG 81/85x set, but yeah I was def considering the Distortion. My experience with the Nazgul wasn't that great. Only good thing I can say about it is that I preferred it over the Fluence Moderns that it replaced.

 

[Kyle Jordan]

Ended up with an EMG 81/85x set, but yeah I was def considering the Distortion. My experience with the Nazgul wasn't that great. Only good thing I can say about it is that I preferred it over the Fluence Moderns that it replaced.

It's funny, the more I hear and play the Moderns, and many other Fluence pickups, the less I like them. The Classics/Open Core Classics are still excellent, but many of the others are just starting to annoy.

Come to think of it, the vintage inspired Fluences have all been great in my book, while the others not so much.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

It's funny, the more I hear and play the Moderns, and many other Fluence pickups, the less I like them. The Classics/Open Core Classics are still excellent, but many of the others are just starting to annoy.

Come to think of it, the vintage inspired Fluences have all been great in my book, while the others not so much.

I had one guitar I liked the Moderns in and that's it. I tried the Classics and several guitars and prefered them so much more. The classics cover a more broad band of frequencies while the Moderns are like "I HOPE YOU LOVE MIDS!!!" But with the Classics, I'm just worried they won't be able to handle going too low on ERGs.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

I had one guitar I liked the Moderns in and that's it. I tried the Classics and several guitars and prefered them so much more. The classics cover a more broad band of frequencies while the Moderns are like "I HOPE YOU LOVE MIDS!!!" But with the Classics, I'm just worried they won't be able to handle going too low on ERGs.

classics worked fine with lower tunings ime. I ran moderns and classics through a baritone agile and both held up in drop g and F#eadf#b easily.

 

[CanserDYI]

I liked the Pegasus over the distortion on my end. Mids are more pronounced, the squish isn't as hard as the distortion, and the high end is a bit more tame in the Pegasus. I found the Pegasus to be just a bit more all rounder than the distortion, although I've never tried 8 string variants, only 6 string but they were on a baritone tuning, so I know they handle drop A really well.