[alexh9]

Wondering if anyone has tried both of these in the bridge, and can compare them? I have a 36th in the neck, and the SD in the bridge. The SD is alright, not as hot as I thought, maybe cause I've set it rather low, but it's got a ceramic quality to the top end which I can't get used to.

I know the 36 bridge is a PAF style, and different than the SD. But from what I read they may actually be somewhat similar? I hear the 36 bridge has quite a bit of mids (some say too much?) and can really rock. I'm just worried it might be too middy/bright, since my guitar has 1meg pots. Curious how it compares to the SD.

[buddroyce]

It wouldn't really be a fair to compare the two as they're two different classes of pickups. I've had both and I know what you mean by the SD having that ceramic top end. I'd probably try raising it and rolling down the tone control a tad to see if that helps with the top end.

The PAF 36th Bridge is a great pickup but I always found that it was a bit lacking in terms of output and used a clean boost or an overdrive pedal helped give it the output I needed. Never found them too bright or too middy though. Granted I've mostly used 500k and 550k pots in my guitars.

Have you considered just swapping the 1meg pots for 500k ones?

[darkbluemurder]

Even with 500k pots I found that the SD has a sizzly top end - this may be what you referred to as "ceramic top end". I got rid of it by adding a resistor from hot to ground to bring the total load to about 380k. Gone was the fizzy top end and what is left is just great tone. So before swapping the SD out, try a 470k resistor from the hot connection of the pickup to ground and see if you like the effect.

Good luck,
Stephan

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Not at all the same animal or the same sound. 

As noted, ditch the 1meg pots or anything will be shrill.

36th:  much tighter lows, more vocal mids.  Bright but not the glass-scratching bright of the SD.

[greenlion]

I'd be willing to be that the "ceramic top end" you are hearing is just the 1meg pot letting too much high end through. Most humbuckers are designed to run best with 500k pots. Change that out first and see how you like the Super D.

[darkbluemurder]

Even with 500k pots I found that the SD has a sizzly top end - this may be what you referred to as "ceramic top end". I got rid of it by adding a resistor from hot to ground to bring the total load to about 380k. Gone was the fizzy top end and what is left is just great tone. So before swapping the SD out, try a 470k resistor from the hot connection of the pickup to ground and see if you like the effect.

Just noticed that my math was slightly off - with 470k in parallel to 1M you will get a load of about 330k. To get a load of about 380k as I suggested you would need to add a 680k resistor (you will get about 400k) or a 560k (you will get about 360k).  The closest would be to add two 1.2 meg ohm resistors (=600k), which would give you about 375k.

Cheers Stephan