Super Distortion rocks! (MkII)

[Blix]

For some reason unknown to me, the thread I just made suddenly disappeared.

Well here's what I wrote again:

Got an early 80's Super Distortion in the mail today, and had it mounted in one of my Kramers in no time, eager to hear how it sounds. It replaced a new-ish Duncan CC.

Never tried a DSD, so I didn't really know what to expect, but in my mind I imagined something super hot and probably muddy to be honest.

Boy I was wrong!

I was way clearer then I had imagined, and cleans up rather nicely with my volume pot. Nice "zingy" highs, tighter bottom than the CC, and slightly "honky" mids. Great string separation.
It's got a really cool old school vibe to it, and I can totally hear Ed using one of these back in the days.
Quite aggressive without getting thin with single notes. And really brings out you pick attack when you dig into it.

Okay, honeymoon pickup-day and all, but I really like what I hear!

[SteadyEddie]

I just pulled the trigger on a new one.

[dirtycooter]

Thats sweet Just what I wanted to hear

Still tryin to figure out which axe I wanna try mine in before I go messin with my #1 axe.
Think I am gonna stuff this baby into my black pv wolf standard as that guitar, after usin my ash super strat so long, is like a wet paper sack and its p\u's, well I am sure of it now...........i hate 'em! So maybe it'll wake it up and make it scream.

So what are you usin down the other end of the cord? Amp?

[Funky Hunky]

Recently dug out my old Super Dist and threw it in my ash Strat. Normally I have a SD59 in it. Took it back out. 59 has better harmonics and more detailed content. The Super cleans up more but thats the only thing I feel is better. Gain doesnt seem as different As one would expect.

[Blix]

So what are you usin down the other end of the cord? Amp?

I use a Brown Note 100w Dumble clone with a Mesa Recto 4x12" and two Jet City 1x12" loaded with EV12L in a wet/dry/wet setup. Not quite your typical cranked plexi, but sounds pretty damn massive with a Wampler Pinnacle hitting the big sounding clean channel of the amp .

[bmf5150]

If you take a super distortion and switch the magnet to an A5 it sounds exactly like the peavey Wolfgang bridge pickup!!

[rockstah]

If you take a super distortion and switch the magnet to an A5 it sounds exactly like the peavey Wolfgang bridge pickup!!

then that Wolfgang PU sounds terrible. i did this once and the SD lost all of its bottom end.
you want the ceramic magnet anyway.
Mark

[Ed Hunter]

If you take a super distortion and switch the magnet to an A5 it sounds exactly like the peavey Wolfgang bridge pickup!!

I dont agree? the wolfgang bridge pup and the DSD use different wire and polepieces. i did niot care for a DSD with a alnico 5 or 8. the stock ceramic is perfect for VH 1

[Blix]

Some further comments after more time with it.

I can't believe I haven't tried one before, it's basically one of the coolest humbuckers I've tried, hands down.
It's got way more of a PAF character than I had imagined as well.
Also, it rocks clean too! It does something to tapped harmonics I really like, it's got a recognizable zing to it I think, like the intro to Women in Love.
It may not be for a brightish sounding guitar, as it's quite clear and open and isn't "fat" as many modern humbuckers are, but it really brings out some crunch and spank to a guitar. I can't wait to try one in a guitar with a vintage strat trem and some good wood, that'll take it even further....

I can totally hear EVH went to say a Duncan CC later on, but call me a believer on the DSD "theory" for his early tone!




Did I tell you I like it?

[dirtycooter]

I have wondered before about ceramic......its the brightest of all mags. Just take a listen to some old vai. Hear the aggresive pick attack, articulation, the clear overtones. That bright mag is perfect for a hot overwound p/u. As rule of the good old thumb in alot of the p/u making articles on the web, the hotter you wind a pickup the harder it is to maintain clarity and top end sparkle.
A2 and A5, in just about every combo imagineable, have been pawned over here. We like meager output paf types mostly here, at least a majority here do. Some People complained the 59 was too bright. At first I did too, but quickly realized it was what I needed though.
The dc resistance measurement means nothing.
I believe randy rhoads tribute is a super d. Listen to the attack and overtones. Even my stock les paul pickups with ceramic mags clean up better than all my other non ceramic pickups.
These are just some general observations of my own, all subjective of course.

[Tone Slinger]

I agree with you.

[dirtycooter]

Wow, just a cool fact on a spec for the super d. They have an output chart on dimarzioforum.com that shows all the outputs of all dimarzio pickups. Most of their close paf knockoffs are right at 200mv in actual output. Probably the case with other pafs from sd as well as some others out there.
But the super d? Its over double that, one of the hottest pickups ever made crackin over 410mv!!!!

Of course there is the resonant peak, and dc resistance, tone of the magnet and type of wire that all add up. But its seriously one drivin high output pickup for sure.

[vanhalen5150]

Wow, just a cool fact on a spec for the super d. They have an output chart on dimarzioforum.com that shows all the outputs of all dimarzio pickups. Most of their close paf knockoffs are right at 200mv in actual output. Probably the case with other pafs from sd as well as some others out there.
But the super d? Its over double that, one of the hottest pickups ever made crackin over 410mv!!!!

Of course there is the resonant peak, and dc resistance, tone of the magnet and type of wire that all add up. But its seriously one drivin high output pickup for sure.

http://www.dimarzioforum.com/output.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Keep in mind Dimarzio also had a 7K version wiht the exact same output. As well so did Mightymite. One of the Mightymites sold on ebay for $20 last week. 7K but same high output. Looking at a pic of Ed's guitars and judging what pickup it is by color or bobbins appearence is misleading in some sense. Ed likes PAF's, perhaps all those MM's and DSD were in fact the 7K versions with the high 425mv outputs.
You f@#$er's stop outbidding me on ebay please!!!

[cary chilton]

If you take a super distortion and switch the magnet to an A5 it sounds exactly like the peavey Wolfgang bridge pickup!!

then that Wolfgang PU sounds terrible. i did this once and the SD lost all of its bottom end.
you want the ceramic magnet anyway.
Mark

+1 DSD vintage , Mighty Mite 1300 vintage, Gibson 500T

The ONLY A5 pu's that come close in my estimation are the Icebucker http://www.wcrguitar.com/IceBucker_order.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and motorcity's Blissterbucker. I wonder what either of those would be like with ceramic magnets?

[Blix]

Yeah it's weird, the on paper super high output had me expecting mud, and it turns out being a super clear and open sounding pickup, quite the surprise. Mine meaures 13.53k btw.