EMG-HZ vs. Duncan Designed

[wilkinsi]

Well, we've had passive vs. active, EMG active vs. different Duncans. Now I wanna read your opinions on this. I've owned two imports with HZ and DD's, and i've found the HZ's have a good low end, the DD's are brighter but a bit scrappy at the top end. What's your preference and why?

[slash-ed]

Depends on which DDs you're comparing... if it's the HZs to the DD JB/Jazz set, the HZs win hands down. The DD Detonators can sorta compete on an output/metal sounding level though.

[jrnic]

The DD 103 set is awesome. It's based on the Duncan Distortion. Both neck and bridge are distortions and the bridge p/u is a "trembucker." I have them in a guitar and I have to say they sound the same as the Distortion p/u. Sometimes I get the urge to scrape off the little "Duncan Designed" on the bottoms so it will look like a more expensive pickup. It sure sounds like a more expensive set, that's for sure. Has anybody else ever thought of that or am I just crazy (or anal???)

[jrnic]

Depends on which DDs you're comparing... if it's the HZs to the DD JB/Jazz set, the HZs win hands down. The DD Detonators can sorta compete on an output/metal sounding level though.

I haven't tried the DD JB/Jazz set but I agree, the Detonator is a great pickup depending on what guitar it's in. I had the detonators in my RR3 and I didn't care for the sound. I put a Duncan Distortion Trembucker/Jazz set in it and it sounds much better now. BUT, I put one of the Detonators in a single p/u Fender Strat I have and it sounds amazing. Go figure. I guess the body wood made a big enough difference.

[Rich#6]

The HZs are good as a bridge pup, but there wasn't much change with the 5 way switch I had and 2 Humbuckers . It just got muddier. I love the DD distortions. I have the buckshot which is the over counter version of it from GC in my 96 dinky. LOVE IT! loved in my RX10 too. Also sold the HZs and put in DD Dist in the ESP I used to have.

[soc_monki]

The DD 103 set is awesome. It's based on the Duncan Distortion. Both neck and bridge are distortions and the bridge p/u is a "trembucker." I have them in a guitar and I have to say they sound the same as the Distortion p/u. Sometimes I get the urge to scrape off the little "Duncan Designed" on the bottoms so it will look like a more expensive pickup. It sure sounds like a more expensive set, that's for sure. Has anybody else ever thought of that or am I just crazy (or anal???)

i actually did a test...my Music Man with a Duncan Distortion panned one side, my DX10 with DD 103's panned on the other, same amp model on my Pod, same settings. nearly identical tone. same thing through my 5150...the Jackson had slightly less low end and the top end wasnt as smooth as the real Duncan, but that might be attributed to the fact that my Music Man is a hardtail and the Jackson has a Floyd LOL

so no, youre not crazy. although i did replace the Designed pickups with a set of EMG 81's i had laying around cuz i just cant leave well enough alone...one day at band practice the DD's just werent doing it for me, then i plugged in the music man and it wasnt doing anything for me either...i changed the Jackson to EMGs and havent been happier LOL im just more of an EMG guy though.

but no, youre not crazy...the DDs do sound very close to real Duncans. 95% there i think. the Detonators i had in my RR3 were pretty annoying though.

[RacerX]

The DD 103 set is awesome. It's based on the Duncan Distortion. Both neck and bridge are distortions and the bridge p/u is a "trembucker." I have them in a guitar and I have to say they sound the same as the Distortion p/u.

I wouldn't say "the same" but they're really close. That guy Newc will have more experience in this matter, maybe he'll ring in.

[levantin]

I find that the DD bridge PU (the one modeled on the distortion) just doesn't cut it (output too low). I've had 2 guitars with Duncan Designed PU and I changed the bridge to JB's on both and the difference is amazing. On the other hand, I like the DD neck pickups that came stock. I think they sound a lot like the jazz, and the lower output doesn't bother me.

[Newc]

I've not had a DD103. What model Jackson do they come in?

I do like the HZs with the AfterBurner, though the neck pickup is not as bright as I like them for cleans.

[shadowcat]

I changed the DD103 in the bridge of my KVX10 to a real Distortion. Got a tighter lowend and more clarity, but the general tone (which I liked!) stayed. I still use the stock DD in the neck...

IMO the DDs shit all over the HZs, I hated the HZs in my DKMGT, they sounded weak and lifeless and I always had to turn up the turbocharger a notch to get some punch. That is, until I got my SD JB/'59 set for it, fixed it right up.
I also played a SLSMG in a store (pre 2006) that suffered from the weak-pickup-syndrome.

So: The DDs are nice stock pickups in my book, worth upgrading if it's a really nice guitar (and your main axe for gigs or something).
While I don't like the EMG tone in general, at least the actives have clarity and punch! Couldn't say that about the HZs.

Oh, btw, I'm talking about the HZ3s that came stock in my DKMGT.

[wilkinsi]

i'm comparing the HZ's in my WRMG against the DD's in what used to be my DX10DFS. i guess i should've tried out a WRXT.

[Rich#6]

I'll chime in again. I recently swamped out the DD JB for a DD D in my 96 Dinky. Sold the DD JB on ebay. I had a question about the output of the DD compared to the real thing. I tested my Dinky with the 103 against my RR5 with a real SD JB. The Dinky blew away the RR5 on output and sound! Not quite apples to apples.

[Goolash]

I didnt like the detanator in my WRXT when I got it, so I replaced the bridge with a JB and it worked fine with "Marshall" sounding amps. When I got my B-52 I hated the sound of a JB, just wasnt defined at all. I switched to EMGs and I havent been happier since. To answer the question, The DD 103 is very close to the Distortion. The Hz are good sounding pups, I would just compare with 2 guitars the have the corresponding pups in them.

[soc_monki]

I find that the DD bridge PU (the one modeled on the distortion) just doesn't cut it (output too low). I've had 2 guitars with Duncan Designed PU and I changed the bridge to JB's on both and the difference is amazing. On the other hand, I like the DD neck pickups that came stock. I think they sound a lot like the jazz, and the lower output doesn't bother me.

thats one thing ive heard...the Duncan Designed pickups can be a bit inconsistent. the DD 103 in my DX10 had about the same amount of output as my real Distortion...i used the same settings on my 5150 gain-wise...just had to turn the treble down a notch and up the bass a tad. volume levels were the same though.

[Adam]

There's a big difference in quality between DD and HZ. DD's are designed by Duncan but produced offshore by several different companies. HZ's are still produced by EMG in the USA. They're just passive EMGs, that's all.

I have an EMG-HZ H4 in the bridge of one of my guitars and find it kind of bleh.. Weak, compared to a real JB or something awesome like a DMZ Tone Zone. It lacks in the midrange dept. as well. I'll likely replace it with a DMZ X2N or a Duncan CS Scott Ian pickup soon. IMO buying a passive pickup from EMG is kind of like going to a mexican restaraunt and ordering a steak. It ain't what they're known for....