BKP Aftermath vs the Sh6 Duncan Distortion

[Transcend]

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....

From your descriptions i would actually go with a miracle man as you seem to be wanting some low end chunk and aggression and that delivers both in spades.

If you find it doesnt ave enough mids just turn them up at the amp

[witeter]

I have a calibrated set of ceramic nailbombs installed in my PRS SE and i love them. Though the band i play in covers a wide range of metal styles, at home i mostly play Metallica, Opeth, Inflames, Slayer, etc and for me it excels in all of that. Its also very flexible though and can play any style of music. Id describe the bridge ceramic pickup as being chunky, massive and very deep-it has lots of low mids rather than mid'mids if that makes sense lol and the palmmutes sound great, for my sound heavy palm-mutes and tightness was paramount and the ceramic nailbomb delivers

[Madsakre]

It seems like you want more of everything. The pickup that delivers that is the Ceramic Warpig, it will blow the Sh6 to cinders and tear down your local church in the passtime.

If you want a hotter, punchier, grinding pickup. Then dont waste time with other pickups than this. It still retains all the other bkp qualities too.

[ericsabbath]

half the punch when palm muting in comparison of the SH-6, and less output

did you try the pickup as close as possible to the strings?

[mongey]

I'm suprised the AM had less chunk and chugg than the duncans. I have just put in a nailbomb set and they completly own my duncan Custom 5, custom 8 ,alt 8 and dimebucker i've had in this guitar  for chugg

[dark order flying V]

From your descriptions i would actually go with a miracle man as you seem to be wanting some low end chunk and aggression and that delivers both in spades.

If you find it doesnt ave enough mids just turn them up at the amp

I play with the mids on 8, and thats with the Duncan Distortion!!!! If the Nailbomb has less mids, like a Duncan Custom, what will I do?????

[dark order flying V]

I have a calibrated set of ceramic nailbombs installed in my PRS SE and i love them. Though the band i play in covers a wide range of metal styles, at home i mostly play Metallica, Opeth, Inflames, Slayer, etc and for me it excels in all of that. Its also very flexible though and can play any style of music. Id describe the bridge ceramic pickup as being chunky, massive and very deep-it has lots of low mids rather than mid'mids if that makes sense lol and the palmmutes sound great, for my sound heavy palm-mutes and tightness was paramount and the ceramic nailbomb delivers

Do you play through a Marshall? I play straight into a TSL100, no fx's.

[dark order flying V]

half the punch when palm muting in comparison of the SH-6, and less output

did you try the pickup as close as possible to the strings?

Yep. When depressing the two E's its 1mm under

[dark order flying V]

It seems like you want more of everything. The pickup that delivers that is the Ceramic Warpig, it will blow the Sh6 to cinders and tear down your local church in the passtime.

If you want a hotter, punchier, grinding pickup. Then dont waste time with other pickups than this. It still retains all the other bkp qualities too.

I'm kind of worried that the Ceramic Warpig, being heavy on the bass, will be too boomy for an all mahogany guitar like mine, like the way the SH8 Invader can be...

[dark order flying V]

I'm suprised the AM had less chunk and chugg than the duncans. I have just put in a nailbomb set and they completly own my duncan Custom 5, custom 8 ,alt 8 and dimebucker i've had in this guitar  for chugg

And thats the thing, the SH6 Distortion completely blows the duncan Custom 5, custom 8 ,alt 8 and dimebucker when palm muting chugging. So is your Nailbomb ceramic????

[zachary b]

I'm not sure how old this thread is, but I'm adding input regardless! Merry Christmas by the way :)

being a Painkiller user for 4 years now, and with experience using the Warpig, Duncan Sh-6, and Duncan Sh-10 (full shred), maybe I can offer some insight from personal experience. I jumped on this forum because of my new found desire to try the aftermath. Of course, the Cbomb has always had my attention as has the MM.

I think, OP, that you might need to consider looking into higher end amplification. I mean, if you can't find incredible metal tones with the Painkiller or the Aftermath, and think that the Duncan D is somehow better... well, I dunno. I've owned the marshall amp you have, and it is not anything near what it should be. I play through a KT88 loaded Framus Cobra now, and its EVERYTHING it should be... and much much more. If you are addicted to the 2000, can I suggest you send if off to FJA Mods for the upgrade that amp needs to shine? Otherwise, sell all these pickups and start fresh with a new amp! Of course the Duncan D sounds good with that Marshall, they are both at the same mid grade level in the tone world. And that's fine, and even more so, maybe you should just stick with them! though, I feel that you might be looking for something in a pickup that you'll need to first find in a quality amp. And lastly, pickup height is HUGE the BKP's I've owned. Like the one djentleman stated, a half a turn on the adjustment screw is night and day.

As for the Aftermath, I'm looking for a little less high mids and a little more low mids, and perhaps a bit more tightness in the lower tunings (drop C to drop A).  The Painkiller sounds fabulous, and I might just leave it be. But the AM has been callin' my name for months now..

lastly, have you tried the duncan full shred? its an incredible thrash metal pickup.. it has it all, and its alnico V. Just don't go below drop C# with it. People have no idea that the sh-10 is perhaps one of Duncan's finest achievements.

[shred-o-holic]

lastly, have you tried the duncan full shred? its an incredible thrash metal pickup.. it has it all, and its alnico V. Just don't go below drop C# with it. People have no idea that the sh-10 is perhaps one of Duncan's finest achievements.

Why can't you go below C# with the Full Shred?  :?

[psalterium]

I've had experience with:

- Duncan Invader
- Duncan JB
- EMG81
- PATB2

Recently, I bought an Aftermath, and now I'm considering buying more for other guitars as well. It's a completely different beast: don't expect any kind of "fizz", the aftermath is tight as hell, very dry and very unforgiving, but its midrange has a special quality to it, very musical and powerful. IMHO it's a great upgrade on any of pickups you've listed, if clarity and fast attack are what you're after.

[BigB]

By the way, like the SH-6 than Painkiller is a heresy.
Seymour Duncan SH-6 = GARBAGE. IMO.

p

Man, your garbage might be someone else's gem. Not a huge SD fan myself but I can understand why so many peoples like the JB, and I can even understand why some people don't like BKPs.

(don't know zilch about neither SH-6 nor Aftermath FWIW).

[zachary b]

lastly, have you tried the duncan full shred? its an incredible thrash metal pickup.. it has it all, and its alnico V. Just don't go below drop C# with it. People have no idea that the sh-10 is perhaps one of Duncan's finest achievements.

Why can't you go below C# with the Full Shred?  :?

well you can, and I'm sure it would sound good to some ears or with a real thin sounding amp. I think that for me, once I'm down in drop C or lower, its ceramic BKP time. Clarity and tightness.. the full shred has both, but because of the alnico V magnet, gets a little outtahand for me down below drop C# (or C# standard I guess).