BKP Aftermath vs the Sh6 Duncan Distortion

[Grim]

"For the last 15 years, I have tried pickup after pickup and I keep coming back to the Duncan Distortion SH6. I even tried the Painkiller and was horrified and within 30 minutes I put the SH6 back into my black flying V".

If you did not like Painkiller probably will not like Aftermath.
I think both have many similar characteristics.
By the way, like the SH-6 than Painkiller is a heresy.
Seymour Duncan SH-6 = GARBAGE. IMO.

They're both tight as all hell, that's about it. The painkiller has way more highs than the middy aftermath. I love the aftermath. Not crazy about the Painkiller (in alder)

[dark order flying V]

what didn't you like about the painkiller? i must admit, although i do like it - it can be an acquired taste.

The only way I can decribe it is that the Pain killer has no 'guts' in the sound, very thin.

[dark order flying V]

I've got 3 aftermaths. They're great for very technical thrash (Coroner, Megadeth). It doesn't get much tighter. Personally my go-to for thrash like Slayer or Metallica would be a nailbomb.

As for vs the Distortion, I used distortions for years... here's the breakdown

Distortion : More high end, Less Mids
Aftermath : Smooth high end, Mid spike, crazy tight


You'll be happy with the Aftermath. If not, I'll take it :D

Ohh! I like the sound of your description of the Aftermath vs the Distortion!!!! But you say the nailbomb is the shite for Slayer/Metallica style Thrash???? I mean, thats what we pretty much play, but I love the Scot Ian chunk too.

[dark order flying V]

"For the last 15 years, I have tried pickup after pickup and I keep coming back to the Duncan Distortion SH6. I even tried the Painkiller and was horrified and within 30 minutes I put the SH6 back into my black flying V".

If you did not like Painkiller probably will not like Aftermath.
I think both have many similar characteristics.
By the way, like the SH-6 than Painkiller is a heresy.
Seymour Duncan SH-6 = GARBAGE. IMO.

I think your wrong, through a Marshall the Sh6 has alot more guts than the Painkiller, which sounds thin and trebly compared to the Sh6.

[dark order flying V]

"For the last 15 years, I have tried pickup after pickup and I keep coming back to the Duncan Distortion SH6. I even tried the Painkiller and was horrified and within 30 minutes I put the SH6 back into my black flying V".

If you did not like Painkiller probably will not like Aftermath.
I think both have many similar characteristics.
By the way, like the SH-6 than Painkiller is a heresy.
Seymour Duncan SH-6 = GARBAGE. IMO.

They're both tight as all hell, that's about it. The painkiller has way more highs than the middy aftermath. I love the aftermath. Not crazy about the Painkiller (in alder)

As much as I don't like the Painkiller, perhaps it suits a very dark sounding Les Paul Custom. My all brazilian mahogany flying V is mor similar to an SG, meaning it has more mids/lessbass than a LP custom. BUt your description of the Aftermath, with powerful mids might, Ihope, do the trick. I play with alot of mids already, my EQ is: Bass=10, Mids=8, Treble=8, Presence=7-8. And thats with the TSL 100 'deep' switch turned OFF, becasue although its pleasing to hear the larg low end with it swithed on, I find that when playing in the band you loose alot of transient attack, plus you can run more overdrive with out the mud and leave the bass space for the bass guitar

[ericsabbath]

I don't think you tweaked the pickups height if you had it for only 30 min
the painkiller is not bass heavy, but it does get very chunky
only tried it a couple times in a brazilian mahogany ibanez RG7321, and it didn't sound thin at all, although it was a thin bodied bolt-on maple neck guitar
here's my friend trying it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENvB6X3imqg

I have a seymour duncan custom shop scott ian signature el diablo pickup that I just took out from a PRS
it doesn't clean up like any BKP model and gets muddy through high gain compared to a BKP
voicing-wise, I'd say the closest BKP to the diablo would be the alnico nailbomb, but the duncan is more midrangy and higher ouput
not a bad pickup at all, but I'd expect much more from a custom shop pickup

[dark order flying V]

I don't think you tweaked the pickups height if you had it for only 30 min
the painkiller is not bass heavy, but it does get very chunky
only tried it a couple times in a brazilian mahogany ibanez RG7321, and it didn't sound thin at all, although it was a thin bodied bolt-on maple neck guitar
here's my friend trying it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENvB6X3imqg

I have a seymour duncan custom shop scott ian signature el diablo pickup that I just took out from a PRS
it doesn't clean up like any BKP model and gets muddy through high gain compared to a BKP
voicing-wise, I'd say the closest BKP to the diablo would be the alnico nailbomb, but the duncan is more midrangy and higher ouput
not a bad pickup at all, but I'd expect much more from a custom shop pickup

I also have a Scott Ian Diablo that I still havent tried due to the fact that its too big for my pickup ring mount. I usually don't like alnico pickups for Thrash Metal, but I'm glad you told me your experiance with it!!! With the Pain Killer I had, I always adjust the pickup height to be at least 1mm away for the strings depressed at natural finger pressure against the frett board. The large ceramic magnet of the Sh6 does cause abit of oscillation, but not enough to annoy me.

[Alex]

The large ceramic magnet of the Sh6 does cause abit of oscillation, but not enough to annoy me.

You're serious??????  :o

[Kiichi]

I don't think you tweaked the pickups height if you had it for only 30 min

When you use BKP you got to know that the height makes a world of difference. You absolutly need to tinker with it.
On my RY bridge half a turn makes a world of difference. I just tinkered a bid with my bass side again and I feel that within a turn the bass qualitys vary between metal, hard rock and pop punk. Strenth, tightness and all is very dependant on the height.

When you get the Aftermath I advise you to basecally try just about everything from 4mm to 1mm.
Just donīt go to your fix point you are used to and leave it there or you will never see a fraction of the potential of the BKP!

[dark order flying V]

The large ceramic magnet of the Sh6 does cause abit of oscillation, but not enough to annoy me.

You're serious??????  :o

Yeah, on the wound strings. Most people don't notice unless I show them, and then it varies with different string brand

[dark order flying V]

I don't think you tweaked the pickups height if you had it for only 30 min

When you use BKP you got to know that the height makes a world of difference. You absolutly need to tinker with it.
On my RY bridge half a turn makes a world of difference. I just tinkered a bid with my bass side again and I feel that within a turn the bass qualitys vary between metal, hard rock and pop punk. Strenth, tightness and all is very dependant on the height.

When you get the Aftermath I advise you to basecally try just about everything from 4mm to 1mm.
Just donīt go to your fix point you are used to and leave it there or you will never see a fraction of the potential of the BKP!

OK! I will do! It hase three magents so I guess I have to approach it differently!

[Grim]

I've got 3 aftermaths. They're great for very technical thrash (Coroner, Megadeth). It doesn't get much tighter. Personally my go-to for thrash like Slayer or Metallica would be a nailbomb.

As for vs the Distortion, I used distortions for years... here's the breakdown

Distortion : More high end, Less Mids
Aftermath : Smooth high end, Mid spike, crazy tight


You'll be happy with the Aftermath. If not, I'll take it :D

Ohh! I like the sound of your description of the Aftermath vs the Distortion!!!! But you say the nailbomb is the shitee for Slayer/Metallica style Thrash???? I mean, thats what we pretty much play, but I love the Scot Ian chunk too.

To me, the Nailbomb is the quintessential thrash pickup. It's warm, though.

[dark order flying V]

I've got 3 aftermaths. They're great for very technical thrash (Coroner, Megadeth). It doesn't get much tighter. Personally my go-to for thrash like Slayer or Metallica would be a nailbomb.

As for vs the Distortion, I used distortions for years... here's the breakdown

Distortion : More high end, Less Mids
Aftermath : Smooth high end, Mid spike, crazy tight


You'll be happy with the Aftermath. If not, I'll take it :D

Ohh! I like the sound of your description of the Aftermath vs the Distortion!!!! But you say the nailbomb is the shiteee for Slayer/Metallica style Thrash???? I mean, thats what we pretty much play, but I love the Scot Ian chunk too.

To me, the Nailbomb is the quintessential thrash pickup. It's warm, though.

The Nailbomb you say? Compare it to the SD duncan distortion and the Aftermath please!!!!

[ericsabbath]

The Nailbomb you say? Compare it to the SD duncan distortion and the Aftermath please!!!!

smoother, darker and a lot less middy than both, but still puts out a fair amount of midrange
it has darker upper mids, but the top end is very sizzly and cutting
tighter and much clearer than the SH-6, bassier than the aftermath
not as high ouput as the others, but still HOT and very aggressive for an alnico 5 pickup

not sure if I agree with Grim's statement, as for me, the nailbomb sounds more like 90's crossover thrash/hardcore than 80's thrash
maybe the ceramic nailbomb?

in the end, it all comes down to the player's hands, rig and amp settings

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=24529.0
http://soundcloud.com/nolly/nailbomb-vs-aftermath

[dark order flying V]

Ok everyone. I know I was going to do a video comparing the Aftermath vs the SH-6, but I installed into my 1990 Gibson Explorer and even though it had superior clarity in the mids, it had about half the punch when palm muting in comparison of the SH-6, and less output, and then as I played songs with the Aftermath with my band, the sound was lost in our mix. The Duncans still reign supreme for our Thrash Metal, we play with mids on 8.

To me, the SH-6 had more mids, an ugly mid spike to be honest, but the Aftermath had nicer mids, and less of that spik, and sounded a little 'broader'. The Aftermath is reminicent of the PA TB 2 Parrallel Axis pickup but with more dynamics and less palm muted punch.

HOWEVER, it was very reminicant of the Scott Ian sound on the new Anthrax song 'Fight 'em till you cant'.

So reading this thread again, I've been told to look out for the ceramic Nailbomb is for Thrash Metal....