Best of the New Duncan Pedals

[Mincer]

Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals

We haven't had the chorus, tremolo, or Palladium in my shop yet, but the rest range from pretty good to fanastic for me. The standouts from what I've used are definitely the Vapor Trail, the 805, and the Visegrip. The effects loop on the Vapor Trails is just fantastic. I hooked up a board with a fuzz, a wah, and a volume pedal in the loop to create super weird cocked-wah swells of ambience. It's seriously just stupid fun.

Putting another Vapor Trail in the insert of the first one is super terrific happy fun. And that is how a time machine is created.

[leevc5]

Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals

I think the 805 is a great overdrive pedal. However, my vote has to go to the pup booster because it provides by far the greatest sound improvements/options for a strat or tele of any pedal I've tried.

[Guitaraxz]

Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals

Pickup Booster. It's nice and transparent with the mini switchinthe middle, so it works great after the distortion pedal for them guitar solos. It works great before the distortion pedal too.

[Luke Duke]

Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals

C'mon Scott. You're a veteran around here. Where's the Rob option?

I wish I could thumbs up x100

I truly believe that was the issue with scrapping the old line and starting over here in the US.

Cmon Scott, you're a smart guy it was ALL about marketing. The new pedals are, minus Palladium, ASSEMBLED in Santa Barbara, not made. Duncan thinks that everyone is going to miss that detail I guess. They allegedly disassembled and checked pedals in the original series when we were there in '05 we SAW the disassembled Pup Boosters. SD is using the label to market AND get a hefty price bump.

To me this ties in with Pepe's thread. Where is Seymour in the middle of all this nonsense?

[ItsaBass]

Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals

I truly believe that was the issue with scrapping the old line and starting over here in the US. But I don't work for the company.


I will take apart the next Duncan pedal I own and will report back what I believe I will see as quality inside and superb tone. As a guy that builds amps, I am OCD about picking quality components and made in the US where I can. I don't make as much money on one of my amps, but I've only had one ever come back for repair. Knock on wood.

You know I have four of the older ones and none of them have given me a lick of trouble. But I do recognize that you guys use your pedals waaaaaay more than I do and I am well aware of some of the past issues reported.

I truly believe that was the issue with scrapping the old line and starting over here in the US. But I don't work for the company.


I will take apart the next Duncan pedal I own and will report back what I believe I will see as quality inside and superb tone. As a guy that builds amps, I am OCD about picking quality components and made in the US where I can. I don't make as much money on one of my amps, but I've only had one ever come back for repair. Knock on wood.

You know I have four of the older ones and none of them have given me a lick of trouble. But I do recognize that you guys use your pedals waaaaaay more than I do and I am well aware of some of the past issues reported.

One can hope...but I'm more cynical/realistic, and don't hold out anywhere near as much hope as you.

"Assembled" or "made" in the U.S.A. are simply NOT labels that are, in and of themselves, indicative of good quality labor and/or parts. More expensive labor than most overseas factories, hence a higher price, probably, but not necessarily a better product because of it. Putting these things together is easy work that doesn't require much specific skill or training. Asians, Mexicans, Indonesians, or whoever aren't any less capable of turning a screwdriver or melting some solder than are U.S. employees. The quality of parts and labor are not really dependent on the country of manufacture, but rather, determined/specified by the amount the company that orders the work is willing to spend. You get what you pay for when ordering any kind of work, at home or overseas. If a company like Duncan is willing to pay the price for good quality parts and truly skilled labor, here or overseas, then a well-made, reliable product is what they are going to get. If, however, they cheap out when ordering the work, then a less skilled and/or more rushed labor force makes the product with worse materials, and a cheaped-out product is the result.

Is the idea with this change of assembly location that the company can use the same proven unreliable/non-durable components, make the products look prettier, have them assembled by Americans instead of Asians, and a more reliable product will result? If so, then it's not a meaningful change. It's just a marketing strategy aimed at "re-booting" the reputation of their pedals. This reputation is, if my experience with them is any indication, that they sound cool, but are kinda chintzy for the high prices you pay to get them.

I'd rather have them continue to be made them overseas, but have a switch to good quality components, than made here out of the same components as the older ones. As I said before, it ain't like Americans can solder and turn screws and nuts any better than Asian people. Americans putting together the same parts Asians were slapping together will result in no difference whatsoever.

Note that I am not stating as a fact that the components are no better. I am simply frustrated by the lack of a clear answer as to whether they are or not. It could be that the component quality is actually being improved, and I certainly WANT this to be the case. But you'd think that if it was, they'd be all over it in their marketing. They'd be touting it prominently and in some detail in their descriptions. They are not (that I have seen yet, anyhow). You'd also think that when someone directly questions whether the components are any better than before, especially in threads in which those "in the know" are involved, they'd jump at the opportunity to boost their product, and the question would clearly and loudly be answered with a YES. But they do not; they ignore or evade such pointed questions.

And I just want to clarify that I have absolutely no complaints about the sounds Duncan pedals produce. They are excellent sounding pedals – among the best I've ever used. But this just makes it even more frustrating when they crap out. I wouldn't go on and on about them being built like crap if I didn't think they sounded great and were thus of great potential use to me. I want them to be well made, but I'm not dumb enough to buy that they are just because they are now assembled in the U.S.A. and look a little different. In order for me to buy these new pedals, I'd have to hear from an official source that the components used have been improved in such and such a way, in grisly detail.

It is also worth pointing out that Duncan is not alone in having reliability problems with their pedals. But they need to be a step above the others, especially for their asking prices.

[Scott_F]

Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals

Like I stated earlier, I'm looking forward to getting my first one soon.

Maybe I have ingested the kool aid. I just wonder where the assumption is that poor quality components are being used now? Is this an assumption? Perhaps the QAQC is much tighter? Are we seeing posts of failing pedals now? I'm just asking. I really don't know.

[Scott_F]

Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals

I wish I could thumbs up x100



Cmon Scott, you're a smart guy it was ALL about marketing. The new pedals are, minus Palladium, ASSEMBLED in Santa Barbara, not made. Duncan thinks that everyone is going to miss that detail I guess. They allegedly disassembled and checked pedals in the original series when we were there in '05 we SAW the disassembled Pup Boosters. SD is using the label to market AND get a hefty price bump.

To me this ties in with Pepe's thread. Where is Seymour in the middle of all this nonsense?

So I am guessing there are micro circuit boards being soldered by some machine off shore somewhere. Guessing. Them tested here in the US and then assembled which to me says installing jacks and switches and ports and testing the final product. I'm very okay with that.

I am only stating the appearance/perception is that the old line was recognized as needing improvement. They've attempted to improve it. What are the actual results?

I have several of the old pedals and all are working well still. I'm only talking about what I can see and I am also making assumptions. But I've been back here for a while now and don't see a lot of hate for the new line. Don't see a lot of complaints of failures, Etc.

[Mincer]

Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals

The new pedals look and feel more solid than the old ones, and do some things the old ones don't. I actually never looked where they were from.

[frankfalbo]

Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals

It's market perception, really. $249 for a pedal with Made in China on the back just feels like a $249 version of a $79 Mooer or Joyo to the consumer. You can't sell it, especially if you're not already a big name in pedals like Boss. They can get a high price for full featured delay pedals because they're fully trusted in the industry.

There are sophisticated machines in the medical industry that are made overseas, or have stuffed boards/components from overseas. With electronics, quality is simply a matter of choice, diligence, cost...Whatever barrier is in between you and quality, knock it down. Smartphone screens cracking? Use stronger glass. Electronics overheating? Fix your heat sink issues. How do you know you have a good design before shipping it? Your designers should have a good track record AND you'd better know how to test it for real-world abuse.

Auto makers recall cars constantly, and they're trying their best with pretty smart people. No one is perfect. But sending your designs offshore increases the odds of mishap.

Someone like MXR has been in the pedal game for a looong time. They have a proven track record. Why should your typical pedal customer buy a Vapor Trail instead of a Carbon Copy? Quality? No. Size? Nope. Price? Nope. An insert loop? BINGO. The pedal has to DO something that I can't get from other, more established pedal brands. There are dozens of compressors with dry blends and tone controls. The Double Back/Vise Grip is still (as far as I know) the only one that lets you shift the EQ of the dry blend.

Aside from that, like I said you can't have Chinese made copycat pedals at prices higher than MXR/EHX because no one will buy them. And at "booteek" prices, you're competing with highly focused, personality driven companies like Keeley, Fulltone, JHS, Wampler, Earthquaker, Bogner, the list is a mile long.

Let's be honest, Van Freaking Halen released a 5150 pedal right before the Palladium came out. It has a noise gate, AND it's $200. The Palladium is $300. I'd put the Palladium in a different class of course as far as the other features go. I wish them the best on the Palladium I ONLY say this to point out the competitive landscape. Bogner has amp-in-a-box pedals for the same or less. We're talking about THE Reinhold Bogner, legendary amp maker. There's an inherent credibility there.

For these reasons, whether a Made in USA label like the Palladium or Assembled in USA like the rest of them, it is simply essential, or the market will spit you out.