Organic sounding Super Distortion, does it exists?

[Zoobiedood]

You'd certainly need less windings, and it would sound less compressed, so you'd gain touch-sensitivity. Unfortunately, you would also lose the inherent sound of that pickup. From what we make, I'd recommend the Custom (power) or 59/Custom Hybrid (more PAFish).

 

[rabidhamster]

Organic used to describe the sound of a pickup....now I've heard it all. What does it mean? Super distortion never sounded like it was raised on all natural fertilizers with no chemicals for pest control?

Do the certified organic pickups sound any different than those with an organic process that don't go through the grueling certification process?

 

[cousingrandpa]

BK Abraxas

 

[Walt_T]

I have to say, I know nothing about new Dimarzio products. But the SD and PAF set I bought in '79 are just killer. They've lived in three guitars to date.
Backing off the volume control on the SD cleans it up nicely, and there's a good range of tones available working the volume pot.

 

[Ed hunter]

Thanks, man! It's funny because I actually tried to talk 50WPlexi into trying those same pickups before you bought them!

Wire/alloys have a great deal to do with the treble and midrange profiles of the Super Distortion style pickup voicing. I've never found an easy mod to make a new SD sound like an old SD or even to make an old SD have a more open/breathy clarity. Ground-up-build seems to be the solution.

James , dimarzio "claims" there are NO DIFFERENCES in tone the newer super d and the older ones.
I know from owning both old and new that is not true.
the older ones sound a lot more " classic rock and roll" and less " Modern heavy metal" to my ears. and since ceramic does not degauss they must have changed something in the wind?
I know they older ones were in the 13.5K area and newer ones are as high as 14.4K
They have always used brass plates and hex poles so that stayed consistant.

 

[Ed hunter]

I'm really digging the sound/output of the Super Distortion. If I had to make an improvement on it, I'd make it just a bit more organic/PAF sounding. Is there a pickup out there that combines both well?

Have you ever tried the duncan SH-5 custom?
it is the same basic idea as the super d but uses a smaller ceramic magnet
and is more open and organic. and remember being that these are hotter pu's you may want to back them off the strings a bit more than usual.
here is both pu's in a LES PAUL
duncan custom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLsktp3h-Us
and super d
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO2JRT73ZKw

 

[LBG]

I actually read on a thread on the gear page forum that A PAF style super distortion is exactly what the SH5 custom IS. EVH wanted the exact same thing you're asking for at one time and asked Seymour to make something SD sounding with PAF looks and character. So he made the Custom.

Of course believe nothing that you read on the Internet and only half what you see I'm just telling you what I read

 

[Ed hunter]

I actually read on a thread on the gear page forum that A PAF style super distortion is exactly what the SH5 custom IS. EVH wanted the exact same thing you're asking for at one time and asked Seymour to make something SD sounding with PAF looks and character. So he made the Custom.

Of course believe nothing that you read on the Internet and only half what you see I'm just telling you what I read

Yes you are correct. eddie was using dimarzio super d's and the mighty mite clone of it(screamer #1300) back in 1976-77 wanted a more open sounded and more P.A.F looking p'u so he had duncan make him the Custom. This is the p'u installed in the Black/white strat on the cover of VH I.
Seymour tried selling this to the public as The "Van halen" pu but eddie threatened to sue him so he removed the name Van Halen and changed it to the SH-5 custom.
Here is a pic of the Seymour duncan advertisement in guitar player back in the late 70's, you can see later VH's name was removed from the ad.(pictured to the right)

I have a very early Custom from 1979 and they are not the same as the newer production ones
(just like the super d has changed somewhat in tone)
The newer ones are still good but are not as open and are a little hotter in output.
My Custom from '79 reads at 13.4K and the newer ones i have had read at 14.1K and up.
What i did with my newer custom's was to set them further from the strings.
This helped the tone "breath" more.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Simple solution here for a more organic Super Distortion: Dump the ceramic mag(s) and replace it with Alnico 8 or 9.