SH-5 Duncan Custom vs. SH-10 Full Shred vs. SH-13 Dimebucker vs. SH-6 Distortion

[Chuck_Norris]

Hey Guys!

First of all I want to say hello to everybody 'cause I'm new to this forum.

Recently, I bought a new guitar (the Ibanez s5470f Prestige) and now I'm looking for some new pickups (the stock ones are ok but not what I need).

It's an H-S-H configuration.

I use an ENGL Powerball. No effects except for a Dunlop Crybaby.

I'm in a band and we mostly play Metalcore, Thrash, Melodic Death Metal, Heavy Metal, Garage Rock and even some soulful ballads...

I'm looking for a bridge pickup that has a powerful and EXTREMELY ARTICULATE low-end, a good amount of mids for solos and a top end that cuts through. I need a crushing and extremely precise tone for the rythm work and a weeping, crying and screaming tone for the leads.

I'm stuck between the following 4 pickups for the bridge:

SH-5 Duncan Custom
SH-10 Full Shred
SH-13 Dimebucker
SH-6 Duncan Distortion

Of the 4, I already own the Dimebucker and the Duncan Distortion. Of the 2, the Dimebucker is my favourite because of the crushing low-end and the precision. But now i'm looking for something new.

The Full Shred seems to be the most precise bridge pickup from Seymour Duncan. So far so good. The only thing that disturbs me is the EQ-curve (4/4/8). It seems to be a very trebly pickup with a weak low end. I could compensate the lows with my ENGL but I'm not 100% sure... What experience do you guys have with it? Does it have enough lows for modern Metal?

And what about the SH-5? I heard it's a good and very popular pickup for Metal. It seems to have a very punchy low-end. But is it precise enough to handle extremly fast staccato riffs under tons of gain? And does it have a good lead tone that would suit my needs?

What suggestions do you have?


for your help!

[mustaine-who?]

The FS is very precise...has a nice modern tone to it. I prefer to run an EQ in the loop to boost low end on it, so that way when you switch guitars like say to the Dimebucker your bass setting on your amp won't be too much. I prefer the tone over the Distortion. I've never tried the Dime...

[grumptruck]

For some one to have such big balls to pick that screen name...

Just threaten 2 round house your current pickups into Seymour Duncans.

I say Custom in the bridge... What do you want in the neck? Super clean or something articulate for leads.

[daemon barbeque]

First of all, welcome to the forum

Full Shred and Custom share the same coils, with different pole pieces and magnets. The FS is a well balanced PU, and the tone chart somehow misguides. It is not piercing, nor is it weak. I would try the FS first, and use the 21 day policy if you don't like it

[Invader09]

The full shred is a really nice pickup, I had it in my les paul, but it didn't have enough bass for me.... the tone was to die for though. It's not going to have the dimebuckers low end though... but it has a good balance of everything else.

[CTN]

The full shred will sound BEASTLY with that ENGL. it's a really crunchy articulate pickup, and the bass is quite present, it's just very tight and controlled. Mids are also quite present, and the treble adds a nice searing crunch to the rest of the sound. Great for low tunings, and since it's not a VERY VERY high output pickup, it handles gain exceptionally well, and can clean up really nicely too.

[Chuck_Norris]

Well, I thought to go with the Full Shred in the neck position... I'm looking for a nice and warm clean tone in the neck but I'll also do a lot of shredding so to me it sounds like the neck version of the Full Shred should do fine. How do the cleans sound with it?

I also play an SH-2n Jazz in one of my other guitars. It has an amazing clean tone but for me it is a bit too muddy on the lower strings with high gain settings.

[Chuck_Norris]

Seems that the Full Shred in the bridge would do a good job for the music I play. Today, I had the chance to try it out... I played an Ibanez RG Prestige loaded with the Full Shred in the bridge position through a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier. It was f****** sick! The lows were tighter than a snakes arse and yet very punchy. They werent woofy at all so I could hear every single 16th note. The leads are just amazing! The tone just blew me away! It was a full and warm tone but I still could make the notes scream when I wanted to. Perfect.

But I'm still not shure about the SH-5 Duncan Custom. It also seems to be the perfect pickup for me but I'm not sure if it is as articulate as the Full Shred. And I'm not sure if it has a nice lead tone... I still didn't have the chance to try it out. Could anyone of you guys describe the rythm and lead tones of this pickup? How precise is it? Is the low end too woofy? Does it cut through well? How is the lead tone (full, warm, thin, trebly)?

[Christopher Caruana]

Seems that the Full Shred in the bridge would do a good job for the music I play. Today, I had the chance to try it out... I played an Ibanez RG Prestige loaded with the Full Shred in the bridge position through a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier. It was f****** sick! The lows were tighter than a snakes arse and yet very punchy. They werent woofy at all so I could hear every single 16th note. The leads are just amazing! The tone just blew me away! It was a full and warm tone but I still could make the notes scream when I wanted to. Perfect.

But I'm still not shure about the SH-5 Duncan Custom. It also seems to be the perfect pickup for me but I'm not sure if it is as articulate as the Full Shred. And I'm not sure if it has a nice lead tone... I still didn't have the chance to try it out. Could anyone of you guys describe the rythm and lead tones of this pickup? How precise is it? Is the low end too woofy? Does it cut through well? How is the lead tone (full, warm, thin, trebly)?

The custom has a bass that I would describe as....punchy. The mids are very fat and the highs are agressive, but not overly agressive. Ive heard someone on this forum say the Custom in a LP is like, "hearing the voice of satan."

[Jeff5]

Hey Guys!

And what about the SH-5? I heard it's a good and very popular pickup for Metal. It seems to have a very punchy low-end. But is it precise enough to handle extremly fast staccato riffs under tons of gain? And does it have a good lead tone that would suit my needs?

for your help!

Try the SH-5. It is the most balanced of the one's you've mentioned. Good, punchy and articulate low end. Enough mids to cut through without being annoying and a nice lead tone with a pretty good, yet not piercing high end. It is a very tight pick up, so you may not get the "give" you get with maybe an A5 or A2 based pick up, but that's a trade off for a low end that's tight and very very aggressive. Which is why I like it. When I hit a power chord, I want to feel it! With the SH-5, it's like a punch in the face.

It obviously doesn't have the output of the Distortion or Dime, but I think you can more than make that up with your Engl. (or with a pick up booster/OD pedal) Because of it's tightness and balance the SH-5 does very well under extreme gain and high volumes. (another reason I really like it)

My second favorite pick up is the JB. I mention it because you mentioned a singing lead tone which the JB has in spades and which I haven't really found with any other pick up. The low end is very good and crunchy, but has more of a "give" or "squishy" feel than the SH-5 and it's not as tight. Some people like it, some people don't. It does very well under high gain too. The JB has a tone all it's own and is very distinct and so polarizes a lot of people. (as you'll find on the forum) I sacrificed the singing leads for the balance, tightness, and punchiness of the SH-5...for now =).

Hope that helps!

Jeff

[Jeff5]

The custom has a bass that I would describe as....punchy. The mids are very fat and the highs are agressive, but not overly agressive. Ive heard someone on this forum say the Custom in a LP is like, "hearing the voice of satan."

I have the Custom in my Hamer Monaco Elite. (similar to an LP) Lol voice of satan, I dunno! But when I hit a power chord you FEEL the darn thing. And when I palm mute...things shake. It's definitely a huge sounding pick up in that guitar! Punchy is a good way to describe it.

Chuck to your question about woofy, definitely not woofy. Very tight and articulate. You will hear every note on the low end. Lead tone, I'd say not as good as a JB (see my previous thread), but still very very good. It cuts through, is articulate, and sings pretty well. It has just enough pick attack to not be annoying. Again, balanced is a good way to describe this pick up. (and aggressive)

[Chuck_Norris]

Thanks Jeff! You helped me a lot. Sounds like the SH-5 is an earth-shaking, bones-breaking rythm pickup I think I'd like it a lot...

But now I'm pretty much in the same situation I was before I've posted this thread... The SH-10 and the SH-5 were my favourites from the very beginning of my research. And now there's almost an equal number of people preferring the one or the other pickup. No clear winner so far...

You guys helped me a lot to define the sounds of the two pickups but now I have to ask you for some more help to actually choose one of them for my ibanez.

So now the final question is:

Should I choose the SH-5 Duncan Custom or the SH-10 Full Shred for the bridge position of my Ibanez s5470f Prestige? Please also tell me WHY you prefer the one or the other.

And please remember: The attributes that are most important to me are

1. Tightness/articulation on the bottom end
2. Beautiful lead tone
3. Punch/heaviness (my ENGL has more than enough bass to dial in - I NEVER needed that much so far...)

Thanks again for your help!

[Christopher Caruana]

The suhr "aldrich" has all of those things you want. A very tight bass (some ppl think too tight), best lead tone ever, and packs a mean punch. I have one in the bridge of my les paul and its never coming out! works great for drop tunings as well.

http://www.suhrguitars.com/pickups.aspx

[Chuck_Norris]

Thanks for the advice! Sounds great to me. Too great to be true... In Switzerland, there's absolutely no chance to get the Suhr Aldrich Pickups so I'll have to stay with Duncans.

[Christopher Caruana]

Thanks for the advice! Sounds great to me. Too great to be true... In Switzerland, there's absolutely no chance to get the Suhr Aldrich Pickups so I'll have to stay with Duncans.

id go with the custom then

[Chuck_Norris]

So why would you choose them over the Full Shred?

[orpheo]

for a les paul? hybridize the fullshred with a duncan distortion, with the magnet of the distortion. best metal/rock tone EVER in a les paul. its got the precision you want, but with that supertight, crushing low end you also want, with screaming, crunchy mids and singing highs. almost like the dimebucker, but less 'metallic' and more dynamic.

[Aceman]

See, I'd think the Distortion would really do what yo want in the bridge. More bass and crispy, with all the high end you need. I'd say the custom would be too round if you will. A bit on the bootylicious side. full shred for neck - sure. However, I haven't played a full shred bridge or neck.

I just think based on your description a Distortion fits the bill perfectly.

Lp + Custom = satan???? You scare easily dude.

[Marshall_Abuser]

The suhr "aldrich" has all of those things you want. A very tight bass (some ppl think too tight), best lead tone ever, and packs a mean punch. I have one in the bridge of my les paul and its never coming out! works great for drop tunings as well.

http://www.suhrguitars.com/pickups.aspx

I agree that the Suhr Aldrich is extremely tight (too tight!), but I totally HATED it for leads.

The Suhr Aldrich bridge is by far the worst lead pickup I've ever played, from any company, at any price point, stock or aftermarket...

I advise anyone against the Suhr Aldrich if they want to play lead with the bridge pickup.

[Christopher Caruana]

I agree that the Suhr Aldrich is extremely tight (too tight!), but I totally HATED it for leads.

The Suhr Aldrich bridge is by far the worst lead pickup I've ever played, from any company, at any price point, stock or aftermarket...

I advise anyone against the Suhr Aldrich if they want to play lead with the bridge pickup.

I knew someone would be against it. I just dont know why, but it's probably my favorite hard rock pickup ever! Then again I've always kind of liked my bridge pickups on teh tighter side. I love the aldrich for leads.