Zephyr Silver Noiseless Strat Stack ?

[robertkoa]

I'm wondering if it's possible using Zephyr Silver Wire and New Magnet Technology for the Duncan Design Team to create an amazing new Strat Noiseless Stack which sounds BETTER in many ways than the "original" Fender Strat Pickups.

Not merely eliminating the 60 cycle Hum but going beyond in transparency and Bandwidth- with some Models having a thicker bottom end -less scooped but still Transparent but warm on the top frequencies.

Some Models could nail the old Fender Sound without the noise but it's 2012 and I want to go BEYOND that- for example it could be a Fat, Medium Output Zephyr Stack- with warm Hendrix type tones and even more bottom end- but with it's two coils in Parallel to each other- go to a very delicate Vintage Type tone but still more transparent and responsive- but not over bright.

While definitely not a pickup expert- I believe the tighter magnetic field from the new magnets and the lower impedance of the Silver Wire should enable higher output and fatter type pickups with clearer top end and also the extended high end should enable noise free performance from a Humbucker Stack type with plenty of "Air" around the tones.

So - I'm asking the Duncan Team to come up with some Prototypes and advance the Art a little further-I'll do my best to do the same.

What do you guys think and what does the Duncan Design Team think?

Thanks.

[Bfeeney]

Re: Zephyr Silver Noiseless Strat Stack ?

That sounds like an awesome idea since within a month or two i'm getting a Strat. There is no way in hell I could afford something like that though, the ZSL-1 set is $955.95 at Musicians Friend.

[Mad Raxz]

Re: Zephyr Silver Noiseless Strat Stack ?

Cant say I've tried the Zephyr's but I'd love to hear how it turns out, so let us know!

[Chickenwings]

Re: Zephyr Silver Noiseless Strat Stack ?

order a set! be the first!

[efnaka]

Re: Zephyr Silver Noiseless Strat Stack ?

That sounds like an awesome idea since within a month or two i'm getting a Strat. There is no way in hell I could afford something like that though, the ZSL-1 set is $955.95 at Musicians Friend.

Well silver coils is not something I can afford, but I am curious. It would be nice to try zephyr for awhile.

[LtKojak]

Re: Zephyr Silver Noiseless Strat Stack ?

Frank, are the Strat bobbins made of "Glass Fiberfill Nylon" as well?

Inquiring minds would like to know.

[frankfalbo]

Re: Zephyr Silver Noiseless Strat Stack ?

No. Strat and Tele bobbins are lacquered vulcanized fiber just like any other. Just the HB has the bobbin.

A silver stack plus (including cryo) would be an amazing pickup. The Custom Shop can make it. It should put more sparkle responsiveness into the stack design for sure. But so does shutting off the bottom coil. You can put a coil split on there and use as true singles when hum is not an issue.

[robertkoa]

Re: Zephyr Silver Noiseless Strat Stack ?

Thanks Frank.

If you've ever heard a Stack with it's 2 coils in Parallel a medium output pickup can sound more like a brighter/very clear type single coil and it really adds to the "Quack" when combined with other pickups on the 5 Way Switch etc.- even on Guitars with H-S-H which are not 25.5" scale -for some reason you can get a lot of "Quack" this way .

Also when a Stack as you mentioned is used in "True " single coil mode- for some reason there's a little hum cancelling from the other coil anyway I've noticed- there's less Hum.

Now onto the Zephyr Stack- could the lower coil possibly be copper anyway or use a much lower wind coil since it's primarily just there to cancel Hum ? To save $ on the pickup ?

Also- would the Custom Shop have a pretty good idea of the final result- could I say I want it like a certain Duncan Model but more bottom end and Hum Cancelling and they'd get close ?

I'm guessing one advantage of the Zephyr technology would be that a pickup could be overwound with no muddyness ?

And the other advantage that I assume would be even with a Stack- even overwound-there would be plenty of upper Harmonics in the Tone and hence full single coil , or P90 type "openness" .

Does this sound correct to you ?

Personally - I find most "vintage " wound single coils to be overly bright - like where it's supposed to sound like a 60's Strat and it's really bright and then they play some Hendrix clean stuff to Demo the Pickup and surprisingly it sounds-


........too bright.

So my intention would be something Fat and Warm-but with some open-ness on top. Then if I occasionally want something really scooped sounding- put the two coils in Parallel with each other- but I should be able to get more output with the Silver with more "air".( ?).

Personally I don't see how a cryo treatment would affect tone- since molecular motion slows at low temperatures but returns to normal at room temp. ( no Science to support Cryo- but my interest is as a Player-not a scientist)- but that debate is not important- I just wouldn't pay extra for it.

I won't pay an extreme amount for any pickup but if they want to do some paid prototypes- I might be up for it- they'll definitely be heard by many and put through their paces if they sound good and bring something NEW to the table.

[0v3nm4n]

Re: Zephyr Silver Noiseless Strat Stack ?

hey Frank,

I noticed there's no zephyr P-90 in existence yet. Will it, or can it be done? There are lots of different P-90 styles out there (dog ear staple etc) what would be the IT zephyr p-90? I would inquire about ordering one for a jr style guitar

[LtKojak]

Re: Zephyr Silver Noiseless Strat Stack ?

hey Frank,

I noticed there's no zephyr P-90 in existence yet. Will it, or can it be done? There are lots of different P-90 styles out there (dog ear staple etc) what would be the IT zephyr p-90? I would inquire about ordering one for a jr style guitar

For the record, Frank Falbo is not with the Seymour Duncan Co. no more.

Having said that, I think this request has "Custom Shop" written all over... in capital letters!

[0v3nm4n]

Re: Zephyr Silver Noiseless Strat Stack ?

For the record, Frank Falbo is not with the Seymour Duncan Co. no more.

Having said that, I think this request has "Custom Shop" written all over... in capital letters!

oh wow, I didn't even know that. Definitely a custom shop job. But I was wondering; if I ordered a staple version, would they be able to make a bi-metallic staple pole piece? Also would there be an option to use the glass filled bobbin (whatever it's called) for the p-90 casing? hmmm...

[LtKojak]

Re: Zephyr Silver Noiseless Strat Stack ?

if I ordered a staple version, would they be able to make a bi-metallic staple pole piece?

No. The squares poles in the Stapled are actual A5 magnets.

Also would there be an option to use the glass filled bobbin (whatever it's called) for the p-90 casing? hmmm...

I don't think so.

My guess is that there's simply not enough demand to justify the (many) thousand of dollars of investment required to make the mold and change everything else in the production process to accomodate the change.

HTH,

[Diminished Triad]

Re: Zephyr Silver Noiseless Strat Stack ?

Are the Zeph's noiseless?