Tried a Duncan '78 today...

[UberMetalDood]

and it's BRIGHT! I was expecting something more like a Custom Custom or Wolfgang pickup but it was trebly and harsh. I adjusted the presence and treble on the amp and got a nice crunchy bright sound. If the Custom Custom is a 3|7|7 then this pickup would be a 3|5|8.

I could see this being a fairly good pickup for a very dark sounding, bassy guitar. It probably wouldn't be very good in any other guitar through a bright amp.

It's definitely for someone with something very specific in mind. It's price tag I was told is $250 which could afford me a decent set of custom humbuckers elsewhere. Needless to say I won't be buying one.

[Got_tone?]

Re: Tried a Duncan '78 today...

Yeah, it definitely would benefit from an roughcast A2 instead (which is what zhang uses). $250 is a rip off, you can get one wound for $160 plus tax and shipping from the CS.

[kramer.geetar]

Re: Tried a Duncan '78 today...

I've owned a '78 model and loved it, only sold it cause it was in a guitar I was selling. Anyways, bright? No way! Its an awesome sounding pickup.

[MetalManiac]

Re: Tried a Duncan '78 today...

and it's BRIGHT!

I could see this being a fairly good pickup for a very dark sounding, bassy guitar. It probably wouldn't be very good in any other guitar through a bright amp.
.

Congrats. Yeah, its a bright pickup , however the EVH is one of those rare few pickups I like to say is "magic".
As far as it being good in a dark guitar; IDK.
I can say that Van by all accounts got the famous Brown sound with a very bright sounding Hard Ash guitar and a Duncan wound A2 pickup similar or the same to the '78.
To my ears, when used with a bright sounding guitar, the EVH totally nails VH1 with a good Plexi'ish amp. Other Van Halen " pickups I have tried don't sound as true to that early VH1 sound.
Some guys were saying they preferred an A5 , but I think thats cause they are using a more balanced tone guitar like Alder or Mahogany, so the extra sizzle of an A5 is missed ( although Fender also uses an A2 in their Frankie).
Being so bright, Edie van Halens sound had to be very specifically Eq'd- and it was, however he also had some extraordinary gear to help balance the tone.
First, his famous extra Special Plexi that just sounded a lot better than most, and I guess warmer.
Then he was Running old G12M 20 Celestions , which are now pretty much unobtainable ( and they reissues are by a fair measure wide of the mark of the originals ).
Next he had some really great Old stock tubes .

I hope you enjoy that EVH 78. In the right application, its one of the best pickups ever made .

[Got_tone?]

Re: Tried a Duncan '78 today...

No, with 500ks it can be very bright. It's not as bright as say a JB or c5 but it's not too far off, IMO.


edit:

I hope you enjoy that EVH 78. In the right application, its one of the best pickups ever made .

+1 Mos def. The '78 and the s deco are the top 2 paf (ish) p'ups in SDs line, IMO.

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Tried a Duncan '78 today...

I've been wanting to try one as a neck pickup forever, but they are pretty much out of my price range. If I knew it would work I'd bite the bullet, but for a total specualtive crapshoot I'm not spending $160 on a pickup.

I am a jew, go figure.

[MetalManiac]

Re: Tried a Duncan '78 today...

I've been wanting to try one as a neck pickup forever, but they are pretty much out of my price range. If I knew it would work I'd bite the bullet, but for a total specualtive crapshoot I'm not spending $160 on a pickup.

I am a jew, go figure.

Are you being facisious, or are you really Jewish?
I've never heard anyone using a '78m in the neck.
You can get one used for about a buck and a quarter or even a littel less sometimes.

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Tried a Duncan '78 today...

Haha, yeah, really 1/4 polish jew, great grandfather left Poland 2 weeks before the invasion, my name is Israel.

$125 is a lot for anything this side of a BK Warpig (which I KNOW how it sounds), and then for a neck pickup, which I only use maybe 10% of the time.

[Desert]

Re: Tried a Duncan '78 today...

I've tried what seems like a billion humbuckers, and the '78 stopped me dead in my tracks from searching anymore.

It wasn't like "I gotta sleep on this and hear it the next day" sorta thing...it was just Bamm..., I'm done.

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Tried a Duncan '78 today...

In my personal opinion a Custom Custom is 1/2 the price and sounds better. I think the 78' is for too specific an application.

[Got_tone?]

Re: Tried a Duncan '78 today...

^^ At what, being awesome? It'll cover a lot of ground with the right amp. If you were expecting the '78 to sound similar to a CC, you're barking up the wrong tree. You'd probably like this p'up instead. frankenstein Which can still be made in the CS but under a different name, IRRC.

[phred]

Re: Tried a Duncan '78 today...

I have 78 in a Rosewood floyed tele with a maple neck. It is BRIGHT. I have the bass side of the pup raised and the treble lowered as well. I may try it with a 300k pot that may get me a bit more bass.

Scott

[claytonc]

Re: Tried a Duncan '78 today...

Bright is the last word I would use to describe the '78. I used it with 500k pots.

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Tried a Duncan '78 today...

The pickup is never better than the guitar that is being used.....

[Got_tone?]

Re: Tried a Duncan '78 today...

Well yeah, since you probably used it with one those LPs.