Duncan "Little 78?"

[ArtieToo]

I always thought that it wasn't very clear why you'd choose one over the other, though.

That part, for me, is easy. If my neck & bridge are Hot or Cool Rails, then I'd do the VR. If the neck & bridge are the screw style, then I do the Duck. It's just aesthetics.

[Mincer]

That part, for me, is easy. If my neck & bridge are Hot or Cool Rails, then I'd do the VR. If the neck & bridge are the screw style, then I do the Duck. It's just aesthetics.

Well, I guess that makes sense. But outside of the way they look, I don't know why one would be recommended over the other.

[JB6464]

Well, I guess that makes sense. But outside of the way they look, I don't know why one would be recommended over the other.

I think with the rails there is less drop out when bending strings during solos.
Plus, they look better than mini screws if looks were important.

[Mincer]

I think with the rails there is less drop out when bending strings during solos.
Plus, they look better than mini screws if looks were important.

Possibly, but less dropout seems to be a better design, huh?

[jeremy]

the attack is different with rails, not better or worse really, but different

[ArtieToo]

the attack is different with rails, not better or worse really, but different

I've noticed that Rails, (especially the Cool Rails), has a distinctive "spank", or "punch" to it that makes it one of my favorite Duncan single-sized pups.

[Rex_Rocker]

I wonder why they use ceramic for the Little '59 while they do use alnico 2 for these.

[Mincer]

I wonder why they use ceramic for the Little '59 while they do use alnico 2 for these.

Sometimes the tried-and-true formulas don't really work when you change other things about the pickups, like the coil size and wire type. I trust MJ and the rest of the crew to come up with the right formulas. If I ever order a custom pickup from her, I describe what I am going for, and what she comes up with is usually not something I'd think of, but it winds up sounding perfect.

[Humbucker]

I wonder why they use ceramic for the Little '59 while they do use alnico 2 for these.

I suppose the reason they use a ceramic on the Little ‘59 and similar single-coil sized humbuckers is that the bobbins tend to be considerably taller than full size humbucker bobbins so a more powerful magnet is needed to project a strong enough magnetic field across the greater distance to the strings.

How they get away with using a tiny A2 mag on the Little 78 and Little Pearly Gates is a mystery to me although I’ve heard anecdotally that the Little Pearly Gates is too weak sounding.

[Clint 55]

Ceramic just seems to work for the sc size hbs. They need the extra power, and the coils are kinda compressed so I'm guessing the ceramic helps cut through that.

Possibly, but less dropout seems to be a better design, huh?

No dropout is a nice feature. It also makes the pickup sound differently. The rails are more conducive to a wet sound, while the benefit to the mini screws is that they give a crunchy and drier sound which I like sometimes.

[Masta' C]

Can't wait 'til one of us gets one in hand and posts a review! Who's first?

[Aceman]

i think i remember those from a while back, never tried one though. a2 and 9k sounds fun though!

That's what my PG bridge is. Love it.