A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

[The JEM Ghost]

I think it's neat that the Duncan company offers humbucker sets, and that you get a slight reduction in price when you buy your pickups as a set.
However I was never able to buy a set, even if I wanted to.
Reason for that is that all my guitars are tremelo equipped and therefore need Trembucker spaced bridge versions (some non-trem equipped guitars need them too).
It would be great in my opinion if Duncan would offer sets with Trembucker bridge versions, so the sets would become accecible to all the people who need Trembucker spaced bridge buckers.
Am I the only one who regrets the fact that all the humbucker sets come with regular spaced bridge versions? What's your thought on this fellow forum members?

BTW: I mentioned it on the Duncan Idea board:
https://sdrl.seymourduncan.com/idea/171/2762

It would also be great if the choice in sets would be expanded with a couple of sets in the future.

Thanks in advance for any replies!!

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

You know "trembucker" is just Fender spaced. Although most Strats have trems. So why would you need a different neck spacing?


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[Lewguitar]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

The problem with Duncan Trembuckers I have owned is that they won't fit in some/most Strat pickguards without modifying the pickguard (and making it ugly) or replacing the pickguard.

That seems like a recipe for inexperienced/younger customers being disappointed, returning the pickups, and blaming Duncan for the problem.

And they won't fit in a normal humbucking pickup ring designed for standard size (Gibson size) humbuckers. Trembuckers used to come with their own mounting ring which was wider by about an 1/8". Maybe they still do...I haven't used one in years.

I dunno...Trembuckers fill a need...that's for sure.

But they're usually a PITA to install...especially if you're expecting one to just drop right in and have everything line up perfectly.

 

[The JEM Ghost]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

You know "trembucker" is just Fender spaced. Although most Strats have trems. So why would you need a different neck spacing?

Yes sir, I realised that. I am talking about the bridge pickups in the sets offered by Duncan, they never are Fender spaced.
BTW: I do need Trembucker/F-spaced buckers in the neck spot of my guitars that have a nut that is 43mm wide, such as my Ibanez RG's.(but that is off topic, I was talking about the bridge humbuckers offered in the Duncan sets).

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

The problem with Duncan Trembuckers I have owned is that they won't fit in some/most Strat pickguards without modifying the pickguard (and making it ugly) or replacing the pickguard.

Hmmmm. They are standard size humbuckers. At least the ones I installed.

There's no reason why modifying a pickguard would make it ugly if you do it right. Have a pro do it if you can't.


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[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

Yes sir, I realised that. I am talking about the bridge pickups in the sets offered by Duncan, they never are Fender spaced.
BTW: I do need Trembucker/F-spaced buckers in the neck spot of my guitars that have a nut that is 43mm wide, such as my Ibanez RG's.(but that is off topic, I was talking about the bridge humbuckers offered in the Duncan sets).

Because most humbuckers are made for Gibsons. But just because your nut is a certain width that doesn't mean the neck pickup will be different.
I can't think of a single guitar with different spaced neck and bridge pickups.
None of the stock Fender or Gibson pickups are made that way.


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[gregory]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

Because most humbuckers are made for Gibsons.

Tell that to Steve Blucher.

I can't think of a single guitar with different spaced neck and bridge pickups.

Ibanez SZ series for starters. I have others still that will have better string alignment with a standard spaced neck and trem-spaced bridge.

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

Tell that to Steve Blucher.

Actually I think you need to tell Duncan. Dimarzio did the F spaced pickups first.

Ibanez SZ series.

It's the better way to do things, but who else does it? No one really.


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[gregory]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

It's the better way to do things, but who else does it? No one really.

To my knowledge every HH Ibanez SZ is done this way, stock. When I replaced the stock pickups with Duncans I did it this way.

BTW, the SZ doesn't even have trem.

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

There's been this discussion before.

The Trembucker requires a wider hole in the pickguard or mounting ring. The opening needs to be almost 1/8" wider.

The two height adjustment screws are spread about an 1/8" wider than a normal Gibson size humbucker too.

Ah! Ok... I haven't installed any of these in a very long time.

That's kind of dumb for a replacement pickup. Where would you even get mounting rings?

I guess it's assumed it will be mounted in a pickguard. It's a trivial matter to make the hole larger with a template and router, but the wider mounting screws messes up that plan.

So you either need a new pickguard made or buy a DiMarzio F spaced.

But this wasn't the original question, was it?


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[Lewguitar]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

Hmmmm. They are standard size humbuckers. At least the ones I installed.

There's no reason why modifying a pickguard would make it ugly if you do it right. Have a pro do it if you can't.


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There's been this discussion before. The Trembucker is almost 1/8" wider than a standard Duncan or Gibson humbucker.

The Trembucker requires a wider hole in the pickguard or mounting ring. The opening needs to be almost 1/8" wider.

The two height adjustment screws are spread about an 1/8" wider than a normal Gibson size humbucker too.

So even if you carefully increase the opening in the pickguard for the Trembucker by 1/16" on each end, the two holes for the new height adjustment screws won't line up and will need to be redrilled also.

To me, that looks ugly...especially on a nice new guitar.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

Here's the diff:

View attachment 79929

View attachment 79930

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

To my knowledge every HH Ibanez SZ is done this way, stock. When I replaced the stock pickups with Duncans I did it this way.

BTW, the SZ doesn't even have trem.

There's a bunch of changes that guitar manufacturers should do. This is one of them. The other is to lose the two mounting screws in favor of three. That way you can angle the pickup parallel to the strings, and it won't wobble.

But they keep using parts designed over 50 years ago.


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[gregory]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[Artie]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

The "problem", so to speak, seems to be the opposite with the singles sets. On my Livewire Classic II set, the bridge lines up perfectly. Middle and neck, not so much. But it doesn't seem to have any actual affect on the character of the tone.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

And they won't fit in a normal humbucking pickup ring designed for standard size (Gibson size) humbuckers. Trembuckers used to come with their own mounting ring which was wider by about an 1/8". Maybe they still do...I haven't used one in years.

But they do fit in Gibson guitars and rings made within the last 10+ years or so. I currently have a 59/Custom Trembucker in my 2010 Les Paul Studio and before that had it in my 2007 SG. The height screws have a very slight angle but still thread fine and the bobbin tape just clears the plastic of the ring, but it fits and works.

 

[metalchurch79]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

I always thought/assumed that a TB bridge pup was a no cost option when involving sets. But then again I never buy sets because I'm allergic to neck pickups.

 

[Teleplayer]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

I never understood why Duncan make Trembuckers with such wide bobbins, which seems unnecessary and inconvenient.

All modern guitars can fit a normal F-spaced Dimarzio in the bridge. Standard spaced humbuckers are only needed for vintage spec guitars.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

I never understood why Duncan make Trembuckers with such wide bobbins, which seems unnecessary and inconvenient.

All modern guitars can fit a normal F-spaced Dimarzio in the bridge. Standard spaced humbuckers are only needed for vintage spec guitars.

Maybe Dimarzio has their design patented? They like to take steps like that.

 

[Teleplayer]

Re: A word on the Duncan humbucker sets.

I don't think its pantented. At least they don't list a patent number for it. I think its just a case of variations in the bobbin design. Other manufacturers also use smaller bobbins that seem to avoid the trouble in the installations I have done. Here are my measurements of F space/ Tremolo spaced pickups. For a start, the F-spaced Dimarzio pole spacing is less than the Duncan Trembuckers.

Dimarzio, pole space = 51.0
Overall width = 67.0

Suhr, pole space = 52.5
Overall width = 69.0

Lindy Fralin, pole space = 52.0
Overall width = 69.0

Seymour Duncan, pole space = 52.5
Overall width = 71.0