Alternative 8 Trembucker?

I bought a used guitar that had a set of Duncans in it. The neck is a Jazz but the sticker on the bridge pickup is gone. It's a trembucker, open coil with the regular logo. It reads 18.11 on my meter. I've had JBs & Distortions before and this one is hotter than either of those. I'm thinking it could be an Alternative 8 Trembucker. Duncans site says an Alternative 8 Trembucker should read 17.9. Is there any way to tell which model this pickup is?

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Re: Alternative 8 Trembucker?

My alt 8's read in the 18 region. It could be

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Re: Alternative 8 Trembucker?

Have you looked at the magnet? You'll be able to tell pretty clearly if it's a Distortion with the double-sized ceramic magnet. If it has an alnico magnet, Duncan marks Alnico 5 with black marker. I'm not sure what color they use for Alnico 8, but if it's not black (or blue), it's probably an Alnico 8.

It could also be an RTM if the magnet's marked blue.
 
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Re: Alternative 8 Trembucker?

My guess is the Alt 8, too. How did it sound (before you took it out)?
 
Re: Alternative 8 Trembucker?

My guess is the Alt 8, too. How did it sound (before you took it out)?

It is really hot (I put it in one of my other guitars). I think it is an Alt 8. I just wish the sticker was still on it or there was some way to be 100% for sure what it is.
 
Re: Alternative 8 Trembucker?

Nothing else is in that output range. The JB, Distortion are in the 16 range. The hotter pickups like the Black Winter, and Parallel axis look funny... And they're ceramic. You should be able to tell that it's not a JB and it's not ceramic easily.
 
Re: Alternative 8 Trembucker?

If it is an Alt 8 watch the distance to the strings. Alnico 8 has a strong pull and can get weird in the overtones and lose sustain if you get them to close to the strings.
Owned a couple Alt 8's and found them to be big fat chewy sounding pickups.
 
Re: Alternative 8 Trembucker?

Big. Loud. Clear.
If it sounds like this, with the above mentioned specs, I'd say it's an Alt8.

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