Is this a real Seymour Duncan?

[joshisaacs]

I am not feeling good about this. There is an unverifiable hearsay story connected to it, too, and the fact that even SD prototypes have a certain look to them that this doesn't have.

You may be exactly right. I cannot find ANY pickups like this with holes in the same spot. I unfortunately have no other way of verifying unless Seymour Duncan tells me it's theirs. I'll probably email and call them today.

[Mincer]

Hi. I bought a mini humbucker from a local guitar shop in Covington Kentucky around 10 years ago. He told me me a story that he had heard that this pickup was used as a prototype for Bruce Kulick of Kiss and Grand Funk Railroad. I messaged Bruce and he responded. He said that he can't remember anything like that, but he also may be mistaken. Regardless, I can find a mini humbucker with the same through holes as this anywhere. Any help on if this is a Seymour Duncan or a weird knock off would be appreciated. Any photos of similar ones would be awesome too! Thank you!

I am not feeling good about this. There is an unverifiable hearsay story connected to it, too, and the fact that even SD prototypes have a certain look to them that this doesn't have.

[joshisaacs]

The solder job doesn't look like Duncan work. You would be best to call Duncan and ask about it. They keep detailed records on all their prototypes and models and endorsement artists' pickups.

Thank you! I may call them tomorrow

[beaubrummels]

Hi. I bought a mini humbucker from a local guitar shop in Covington Kentucky around 10 years ago. He told me me a story that he had heard that this pickup was used as a prototype for Bruce Kulick of Kiss and Grand Funk Railroad. I messaged Bruce and he responded. He said that he can't remember anything like that, but he also may be mistaken. Regardless, I can find a mini humbucker with the same through holes as this anywhere. Any help on if this is a Seymour Duncan or a weird knock off would be appreciated. Any photos of similar ones would be awesome too! Thank you!

The solder job doesn't look like Duncan work. You would be best to call Duncan and ask about it. They keep detailed records on all their prototypes and models and endorsement artists' pickups.

[beaubrummels]

yeah it's more bevelled than you would expect. the box printing looks strange also. the Seymour is a thinner font than duncan. that'S odd. non of my boxes have that.
The pickups look good though and i bet they will sound what they are supposed to.
I mean, it looks like plain enamel wire, which it should be

The current logo has Seymour in thinner font. Just look at the top of the forum, or the web site. My understanding is when Cathy took over operations she wanted to emphasize "Duncan" more than Seymour.

[joshisaacs]

Hi. I bought a mini humbucker from a local guitar shop in Covington Kentucky around 10 years ago. He told me me a story that he had heard that this pickup was used as a prototype for Bruce Kulick of Kiss and Grand Funk Railroad. I messaged Bruce and he responded. He said that he can't remember anything like that, but he also may be mistaken. Regardless, I can find a mini humbucker with the same through holes as this anywhere. Any help on if this is a Seymour Duncan or a weird knock off would be appreciated. Any photos of similar ones would be awesome too! Thank you!

[ToneFiddler]

Got these off ebay and were advertised as a Psychedelic set, but red flegs popped up when I opened them and saw no stickers or markings on the back off the pickups. CS could not authenticate them. DCR is very closed to the advertised values, my reads is 5.95k instead of 5.98, middle is around 6.05 insted of 6.07 and neck is 6.10 instead of 6.17, so very close but it could be the cold and my mutlimeter. Anything else that could point to what these pickups are?

Caption

yeah it's more bevelled than you would expect. the box printing looks strange also. the Seymour is a thinner font than duncan. that'S odd. non of my boxes have that.
The pickups look good though and i bet they will sound what they are supposed to.
I mean, it looks like plain enamel wire, which it should be

[Hydra19]

Alright, thanks! I guess they're legit, but another thing that had me worried was that the set was pretty cheap, I won it on ebay auctions.
I had an ESP Strat a few years back and it had Duncan Antiquity pickups, which were so good, probably the best I played but they're too expensive, so I decided to go for this and put them in a maple fretboard Strat. Thanks for the replies and the welcome!

[beaubrummels]

Thanks, someone mentioned that the pole pieces look more bevelled than usual Psychedelics, and SD CS mentioned that Duncan sets are usually RWRP, and these seem not to be. On the other hand, I've seen some sets on google images that also don't appear to be RWRP but I supposed those were custom ordered to be non RWRP. Thanks, I will install these and then report back

My understanding is Duncan typically doesn't do RWRP on pickups that are replications of actual known vintage pickups, e.g. something Seymour wound for someone back in the day, or a variant of a 'traditional' pickup, which the Psychedelics are supposedly (modeled on mid-late 60's Fender Strat pickups).

[MakerDP]

Thanks, someone mentioned that the pole pieces look more bevelled than usual Psychedelics, and SD CS mentioned that Duncan sets are usually RWRP, and these seem not to be. On the other hand, I've seen some sets on google images that also don't appear to be RWRP but I supposed those were custom ordered to be non RWRP. Thanks, I will install these and then report back

Glad to see you got your registration issues sorted out. Welcome aboard!

[Hydra19]

Thanks, someone mentioned that the pole pieces look more bevelled than usual Psychedelics, and SD CS mentioned that Duncan sets are usually RWRP, and these seem not to be. On the other hand, I've seen some sets on google images that also don't appear to be RWRP but I supposed those were custom ordered to be non RWRP. Thanks, I will install these and then report back

[jeremy]

nothing screams they are fakes to me, and those numbers are well within tolerance so not an issue.

[Hydra19]

Got these off ebay and were advertised as a Psychedelic set, but red flegs popped up when I opened them and saw no stickers or markings on the back off the pickups. CS could not authenticate them. DCR is very closed to the advertised values, my reads is 5.95k instead of 5.98, middle is around 6.05 insted of 6.07 and neck is 6.10 instead of 6.17, so very close but it could be the cold and my mutlimeter. Anything else that could point to what these pickups are?

Caption

[Mincer]

There were Antiquities that were not aged, usually OEM for specific guitars. Rarer to be ordered as replacement pickups non-aged...I have a set, but most people who order them want the ageing.

[beaubrummels]

If you sink the screws down below the cover, does wax come out? And can you see the bobbin color?