Is there a way to tell when a pickup was made?

[Safales]

Is there a way to find what year a Duncan was made from the Serial number?
Not that it makes any difference but I know models are updated and improved from time to time.
I'm specifically wondering about the Custom 5 SH-14 and the 59'.

[Safales]

Re: Is there a way to tell when a pickup was made?

To be more to the point I want to know the accurate specs of used said humbuckers

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Is there a way to tell when a pickup was made?

Though looking at the features and labels you can get broad general terms of when a pickup was made. If you provide pictures of the pups we can take a guess at it. There is no way to exactly date a pickup. Actually the specifications for the pickups dont change in theory while some minor details might change a 59 from 1982 should be sonically the same as a new one fresh off the assembly line. There is some debate over what changes have a occurred and if they make a difference if any. Its more just forum hub bub than anything substantial.

The most accurate specs you will get for a used humbucker will be to take a resistance reading with a multimeter. Keep in mind though that there is a tolerance and even temperature can effect the reading.

[kramersteen]

Re: Is there a way to tell when a pickup was made?

Dont you cut the pickup in half and count the rings?

[Safales]

Re: Is there a way to tell when a pickup was made?

Thanks
No need for that unless there would be something wrong with it but I doubt it.

I'm just curious is all

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Is there a way to tell when a pickup was made?

Is there a way to find what year a Duncan was made from the Serial number?

With a few exceptions (Antiquity, Seth Lover and Bonamassa), Seymour Duncan pickups are not serialized. Modern SD pickups have a sticker on the bottom that tells three things: (1) the model (like SH-1 which is the '59 Model), (2) the specific part number (like 11711-01-B which refers to a '59 neck with black exposed bobbins, single conductor cable, long legged bottom plate, and the SD logo, for OEM use), and (3) the lot number. The lot number could be traced by certain Operations folks at SD to the date the pickup was built. Further, based on that number, they can tell who wound it, who hooked it up, who wax potted it, who inspected it, etc. But that information is gathered for primarily for quality assurance purposes, not for dissemination to the general public.