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  • New vrs old Duncans

    I was on another site (it shall remain nameless) and there was a post regarding the sound quality of newer vrs older Duncan's. A number of posters felt that the old pre logo pickups are superior to the newer ones. It turns out that old ones go for a premium on (you guessed it) e-Bay. My initial thought was Bulls...t. One theory is that SD has a different source for magnets now. Anyway, does anyone have some thoughts on this?

  • #2
    Re: New vrs old Duncans

    My guess for this is it's just like every other quality guitar/accessory/amp. The older it becomes the more valueable. There probably are differences in the old an new. One being that most of the originals were hand wound, and many probably used the techniques now only used in the custom shop, such as scatter winding.

    The magnets are a point of interest b/c over time magnets will lose power and give the pup a smoother sound, and less output. So yes the older pups will probably sound sweeter/smoother.

    Luke
    “That which we do for ourselves dies with us … that which we do for others lives forever.”

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    • #3
      Re: New vrs old Duncans

      im guessing there isnt much difference. it takes at least 20 years or so for a magnet to deguass enough to change the tone noticably

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      • #4
        Re: New vrs old Duncans

        I think some of the very early 80's ones with no logo on the BASEPLATE are pretty special sounding... probably because they were likely wound patiently by Seymour himself before the business became big and the forces of mass production took over.
        GMP Guitars RULE!

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        • #5
          Re: New vrs old Duncans

          the presence or absence of a logo on the bobbin is no indicator of timeframe of manufacturing ... i have brand new SD pups both with and without logos

          your BS detector was tuned appropriately on this one ... some people just like to hear themselves talk (or read their own words) ... idiots


          cheers
          t4d
          cheers
          t4d
          gear list in profile

          "no seymour - no tone ... know seymour - know tone!"

          Is it not the glory of the people of America that, whilst they have paid a decent regard to the opinions of former times and other nations, they have not suffered a blind veneration for antiquity, for custom, or for names, to overrule the suggestions of their own good sense, the knowledge of their own situation, and the lessons of their own experience?" - James Madison - Federalist #14

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          • #6
            Re: New vrs old Duncans

            Originally posted by tone4days
            the presence or absence of a logo on the bobbin is no indicator of timeframe of manufacturing ... i have brand new SD pups both with and without logos

            your BS detector was tuned appropriately on this one ... some people just like to hear themselves talk (or read their own words) ... idiots


            cheers
            t4d
            cheers
            t4d
            hehehe

            I forgot my less than one y/o pups in my heritage have no logo....of course the baseplates do though....

            Luke
            “That which we do for ourselves dies with us … that which we do for others lives forever.”

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: New vrs old Duncans

              Originally posted by tone4days
              the presence or absence of a logo on the bobbin is no indicator of timeframe of manufacturing ... i have brand new SD pups both with and without logos

              your BS detector was tuned appropriately on this one ... some people just like to hear themselves talk (or read their own words) ... idiots

              cheers
              t4d
              cheers
              t4d
              Are you referring to the idiot that doesn't know the difference between a baseplate and a bobbin or the idiot that can't read?
              GMP Guitars RULE!

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: New vrs old Duncans

                Originally posted by BachToRock
                Are you referring to the idiot that doesn't know the difference between a baseplate and a bobbin.. ?
                I think the older bobbinplates are of far superior quality
                My clips

                Originally posted by Rid
                How do I block my hardtail?

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                • #9
                  Re: New vrs old Duncans

                  BtR,

                  i exclusively intended my comment as a reference to the people that the original poster mentioned from the other website ... i apologize if i errantly left an inference that i was being deragatory to you or anyone else here ... i have no doubt that the distinction you described about logo vs non logo baseplates is real as you experience it

                  again, i apologize

                  cheers
                  t4d
                  Last edited by tone4days; 03-04-2005, 03:06 PM.
                  gear list in profile

                  "no seymour - no tone ... know seymour - know tone!"

                  Is it not the glory of the people of America that, whilst they have paid a decent regard to the opinions of former times and other nations, they have not suffered a blind veneration for antiquity, for custom, or for names, to overrule the suggestions of their own good sense, the knowledge of their own situation, and the lessons of their own experience?" - James Madison - Federalist #14

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: New vrs old Duncans

                    Originally posted by nuntius
                    I think the older bobbinplates are of far superior quality
                    Indeed the magnets windings were done with such care!
                    “That which we do for ourselves dies with us … that which we do for others lives forever.”

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: New vrs old Duncans

                      I think it would mainly have to do with old used pickups being de-gaussed slightly just by some of these factors....age, being stored next to other pickups, which can change the magnetic strength adversely, and by leaning a guitar against a speaker cab occasionally.

                      I remember at a clinic, Seymour talked about Andy Summers from the Police wondering why his strat got weaker sounding over time. Apparently, he'd lean it against a metal transformer at the subway station, while waiting to catch the train on his way to rehearsal everyday. It weakened the magnets. After he was famous, he had Seymour rewind his strat pickups, only to find that the sound was stronger, but lacked the sweetness that his strat had, years ago. Seymour also suggested to never lean your guitar against the front of your amp, for that reason, and to store pickups apart from each other....and parallel.
                      Originally posted by Boogie Bill
                      I've got 60 guitars...but 49 trumpets is just...INSANITY! WTF!

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