anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

Re: anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

I've heard good reviews from this board. I've heard that the difference, if any, is minute.

But, I don't know for myself.
 
Re: anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

See my recent posts regarding my HB103 set here:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=48445

Scott Miller, SD's tech support manager liked the 103 neck in my Schecter.

Personally, I haven't gotten much playing time with the PT. At first I didn't like the pickups, but height adjustment made a big difference. So far they're pretty good, though I may eventually replace the bridge HB103 "DD" with a JB.

I say, don't knock 'em til you've tried 'em (for a good long time) and make sure you mess with the pickup height.
 
Last edited:
Re: anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

compared to most stock pups they are great and for many players they wouldnt need them changed. ive noticed that schecter pups tend to be set pretty low from the facotory, especially the bridge
 
Re: anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

jeremy said:
compared to most stock pups they are great and for many players they wouldnt need them changed. ive noticed that schecter pups tend to be set pretty low from the facotory, especially the bridge
the 102b is a JB right?
alnico 5
16.4K

do these sound like a USA made JB?
 
Re: anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

they have the same general flavor as the jb, ive heard one that i thought sounded amazing, but the quality control isnt as tight as on a usa built. i doubt the same wire and magnets are used but i could be wrong. ive heard more variation in the designed pups, maybe more so on the lower output pups
 
Re: anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

I bought a 103 set and thought both were great.The Bridge even sounded good in my strat.The neck was really nice,I replaced it with a 59n but liked the 103n better.
 
Re: anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

kjrocks said:
I bought a 103 set and thought both were great.The Bridge even sounded good in my strat.The neck was really nice,I replaced it with a 59n but liked the 103n better.

Do you happen to know what the DC resistance was on that 103N? It's supposedly the same as a DD neck, but my 103N only measured ~8K. After playing it, Scott and Seymour decided it was more like a "Ceramic Jazz" than a "Distortion Neck". Curious if yours is the same.
 
Re: anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

Maybe thats why I liked it so much.I never measured the neck but the bridge was 16.+ K. I still have the neck somewhere.If I get a chance I'll try to get a reading for you.I think I robbed the magnet out of it ,will I still get a reading?(I think so...) :question:
 
Last edited:
Re: anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

Alot depends too on what amp you are using them with. They do well with SS amps. I tthink they also go great on high gain amps. I had a pair in a Squier M-77 and they were nice for a designed by pickup.
 
Re: anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

I had every intention of replacing the 103b(DD copy) in a Jackson Kelly XL Pro when I bought it. However after seriously playing it, I didn't get the squalls and feedback screeching associated with many stock pups.
Try as I may couldn't find any reason to replace them, so they'll stay put. Good pup.

Being a huge fan of the Invader, the 108b(invader copy) left me very unhappy in a Jackson Kelly KE-3 (Crimson Swirl, buddy !). It lacked most of the qualities I love about the Invader. It also had the "squeeling squalls"
of most weaker variety stocks. Replacement mandatory for me (the bridge at least). The neck one will stay for awhile.

However a few qualifiers for my opnion.
1. I've been playing with the Invader regularly in another Kelly for awhile,
so I know that sound in a Kelly and love it. I'm an Invader believer !
All hail its brutallity !
2. I've been a Dimarzio guy for a zillion years (although Duncans are great
PUPs much respect for the Duncan Crue !). I prefer the Super Distortion over the DD, but then again I've used those since 85 or so.
My point is for the 103b(DD) to fit right in the middle there might be an indicator.
3. The Super Distortion, Tone Zone, X2N, and Invader are my bridge pickups of choice when hot rodding.
4. My amps are Marshall all the way baby ! Been a Valvestate user since the "Artist Series" hybrids around 1987 or so. Been sold ever since. Main amp Valvestate AVT 150H

sorry if this doesn't help, but thanks for reading the ramble !
 
Re: anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

There's a 103 in my son's Samick and I think it sounds great! It was my guitar before he kind of took it over and I never had any intention of changing it.
 
Re: anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

I had a Invader copy in a kit guitar i have for awhile. Alone it sounds pretty good, but in my band it totally disappeared, as it didnt have a lot o' mids. I ended up replacing it with a Mighty Mite Motherbucker, which is a very nice,very hot,cheap humbucker. I got a set for 40 bucks off ebay.
 
Re: anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

The Invader copy, to me, is decent. In the Jackson KE-3 it comes in, it actually sounds pretty powerful, but it doesn't have the balls-through-the-wall power of the SH-8. Decent, but I'd rather take the Invader.
 
Re: anyone have anything good to say about the duncan designed pups?

I've had several guitars with Duncan Designed pickups come through my shop for setups, and they have always sounded good. Height adjustments are where the guitar manufacturers drop the ball with them, so I can see how they might get a bad rep among players who don't know how to use a screwdriver.
 
Back
Top