Super Distortion...

[CityofBlindingLights]

Okay, thinking of wiring a super distortion in my bridge slot (strat, swamp ash body) with a coil split option for more single coil-ish tone. The thing is, I'm still not 100% convinced. How would you guys describe the Super Distortion, and what do you think of it?

[screamndemon69]

Someone that has an RGT220a might get a "close-ish" sound to an ash strat with the stock IBZ/Dimarzio pups.

The stock bridge pup in my RG20062 is said to be close to the SD but I'm sure the depth of the SD is superior to the stock version.

[ColinMmmmm]

Yeah the thread about the Dimarzio/IBZ pups mentions that the SD is the closest "real" pup to the sound. I've got an RG2550 with the Dimarzio/IBZ pups and I'm considering putting a SD in my strat because of 'em. That or a Breed. We'll see.

[screamndemon69]

Originally Posted by ColinMmmmm

Yeah the thread about the Dimarzio/IBZ pups mentions that the SD is the closest "real" pup to the sound. I've got an RG2550 with the Dimarzio/IBZ pups and I'm considering putting a SD in my strat because of 'em. That or a Breed. We'll see.

I posted that info.

I found it while doing some research on my last new guitar. I figured it needed to be posted here.

As with most stock pups that aren't "true" namebrands (yes, they are made by Dimarzio but aren't the exact same as the originals), they are most likely VERY close to what they are modeled after but the real deal is usually more 3 dimensional IMHO. That doesn't mean they are less of a pup but just in a close proximity of the original.

[ColinMmmmm]

Originally Posted by screamndemon69

I posted that info.

Yeah I thought that was interesting - I wonder if the Dimarzio/IBZ pups are developed to be cheaper, or if they're intended to appeal to more people . . . I'd like to say they aren't trying to go the cheap route . . . But you never know . . .

[misplacedsanity]

I think the super distortion only comes with two wires, Isn't the duel sound like a super distortion but with four wires for coil taps?

[Big Red]

Originally Posted by CityofBlindingLights

Okay, thinking of wiring a super distortion in my bridge slot (strat, swamp ash body) with a coil split option for more single coil-ish tone. The thing is, I'm still not 100% convinced. How would you guys describe the Super Distortion, and what do you think of it?

I've had a Super Distortion in the following guitars:

Ibanez RG320FM (basswood)
Ibanez RGA121H (mahogany)
Dean Z 79 Re-issue (mahogany with maple top)
Jackson Dinky DK2T (alder with maple neck)
Lado Earth (maple)

This is the best all-around pickup I've come across. It cleans up half-decently, and it sounds excellent in all of the tonewoods I've come across so far.

Cheers

[brothersnowgone]

Originally Posted by misplacedsanity

I think the super distortion only comes with two wires, Isn't the duel sound like a super distortion but with four wires for coil taps?

I think you're right...wrong dual BTW

[screamndemon69]

That's good to hear Big Red. I might have to try one in one of my other axes.

[shreddingjoris]

IMO SD best all around pickup ever! why? Lots of output,veryvery well balanced. it's a little thin but that's ok i love this pup. excellent in basswood

[screamndemon69]

So you get decent cleans from it then?

Clean tones are very important to me. If have pedals to dirty it up but it has to start with a very nice clean ala PAF for me

[CityofBlindingLights]

Funny, clean tones are my base for building around, and even odder I don't want an overly PAF-y tone. Don't like the boosted mids (guess who hates Air Nortons and Tone Zones?) or so much of the vowel-sound; I LOVE scooped mids (even weirder, I'm not a heavy-metal player; I'm a blues/alternative/classic rock guy). But I like bass and treble, and will take mids. I have a clip here, it's EXACTLY the tone I want, I'll post it later.

You sure about the SD not having 4 leads? I know the Dual Sound does, but DiMarzio's site says the Super Distortion has 4 conductor wiring.

Anyway, I'm not that big on Ibanez's line... but I think I see what you guys are talking about. This thing is going to be a strat body (not RG), and will be in swamp ash (hopefully brighten up the pickup a tad, but not too much; I'm thinking it'll give me EXACTLY the tone I want).

But back on a question that hasn't been answered yet, what exactly are the tonal nuances of the pickup? What is it that makes it unique, and that you can tell is a Super Distortion? That's what I want to know.

[Big Red]

Originally Posted by CityofBlindingLights

But back on a question that hasn't been answered yet, what exactly are the tonal nuances of the pickup? What is it that makes it unique, and that you can tell is a Super Distortion? That's what I want to know.

You can probably get a million answers out of all of us on that one due to the massive variances in our set-ups. I myself equate the entire Super Distortion-series (which have ceramic magnets) with 80's British metal/rock (e.g. Maiden/Leppard/Priest), just as the PAF-series and it's derivatives are more associated with American shred (IMHO).

By my experience (YMMV), the Super/Super 3 in the bridge position is very thick and crunchy, but not muddy. Perfect for typical metal rhythms, riffs, and leads/melodies.....this is not a jazz pickup. The Super focuses on bass, and the Super 3 focuses on mids. Buy way of comparison, the ToneZone focuses on both, albiet with an alnico magnet.

The Super 2 is just a monster in the neck position which is what it was basically designed for (e.g. trebly eq, and compressed). Even when lowered as much as possible into my alder Jackson (to tame it down a bit), it was an ice-pick in the forehead; I haven't dared to put it my maple Lado. It now resides in my mahogany RGA, where the deepness of that wood warms it nicely. I've never had it in basswood, and I've never used it the the bridge position of any guitar, so I can't comment on that. To my ears (again YMMV) it sounds like a turbo-charged PAF-Pro.

My $.02. Again YMMV.


Cheers

[steve]

Back in the day the DiMarzio SD was a 2-conductor pickup hookup. They eventually introduced the Dual sound - same pickup in EVERY respect, except that it came with 4-conductor hookup, PLUS a DPDT switch in there.
(I recently got one, non-F-spaced, and it had a push-pull pot in there instead... interesting...)
Along the way, the SD was updated to the same specs - so, the diff is, with a 'Dual Sound' you get some type of switch in the container. The SD is ... just the pickup and mounting hardware.

Tonally - although I'm a 7-string player 99.x% of the time since 1991, I spent lots of time on the 6s along the way. The Dual Sound has been my bridge pickup of choice the whole time, and I did a LoOOooOOot of experimenting with that, too.
I do happen to like a strong spike in the midrange - I like that vocal type tone. I find it quite smooth, pickups up a broad spectrum of harmonics and overtones that allow for a complex tone to still shine through. It's nuanced enough to vary in sound from one instrument spec to another.
For me, it has the best balance of strong output and clarity, especially with the sweet spot that it seems to have in the upper-mids.

My dedication to the Dual Sound defined my search for the closest counterpart for the 7-string, and I did find it... Blaze Custom. For me, awesome...

That's my take on it... =]

[Ibateur]

I have a ToneZone now, and miss my old Super Distortion. The TZ is less muddy, but to me it also is less crunchy.