Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

[rbross1956]

I have a set of Duncans from the early 1970s. I actually got the guitar in 76 (it's a 74) and they were already installed. The neck is a 59N. The bridge is a Duncan Custom.

Are these pickups from 74/75 identical to today's? Have they changed at all in 40 years?

Thanks

 

[Liko]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

I would say there's no way that they've stayed totally identical in 40 years. Even using the same "recipe" (bobbin, gauge, winding) and with no change to SD's conventions like wire color, there are things beyond SD's control, like the plastic of the bobbins (even if it's been ABS for 40 years the processes and mixtures have been tweaked over time), the quality of the copper wire (incremental improvements in manufacturing make a purer copper for lower-resistance wire), solder (40 years ago lead-bearing solder was all there was), etc.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

I believe 1976 was when the first Duncan pickups were introduced.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/seymour-duncan-company/history-of-seymour-duncan-products

And they do seem to have changed, as my thread about the Duncan 59 points out.

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?315517-The-Seymour-Duncan-59

Rough magnets to smooth magnets in the 59 for one thing.

The pickups in my own guitars are mostly from the Duncan Custom Shop so the changes haven't really affected me.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

Are these pickups from 74/75 identical to today's?

In a nutshell, no.

Does it really matter? I don't think so.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

There are threads out there that cover how the flagship JB Model can sound different from the "JB Model" era to the "JBJ" era to the current label.

The "Concept" and the "Antiquity" JB probably wouldn't factor in to those.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

I believe 1976 was when the first Duncan pickups were introduced.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/seymour-duncan-company/history-of-seymour-duncan-products

And they do seem to have changed, as my thread about the Duncan 59 points out.

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?315517-The-Seymour-Duncan-59

Rough magnets to smooth magnets in the 59 for one thing.

The pickups in my own guitars are mostly from the Duncan Custom Shop so the changes haven't really affected me.

I was just coming in here to make it about you.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

I don't know many products that stay exactly the same in that time span. Streamlining manufacturing, and available materials change over time. Don't discount that changes could also be for the better. Value aside, as a playing instrument, I'd take a modern Fender over a 50s one any day.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

Short answer...no.

This thread was about a slightly later pup still.
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...-Has-SD-Insisted-They-Are-lt-Old-JB-Photos-gt

This one had nylon bobbins, roughcast magnet, and long legs.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

Short answer...no.

This thread was about a slightly later pup still.
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...-Has-SD-Insisted-They-Are-lt-Old-JB-Photos-gt

This one had nylon bobbins, roughcast magnet, and long legs.

your photo in that first post reminds me a LOT of the nylon bobbin The JB Model that I have.

it also reminds me of a video from about 5 or so years back of a factory tour where they point out a CNC that's winding production JB models.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

your photo in that first post reminds me a LOT of the nylon bobbin The JB Model that I have.

it also reminds me of a video from about 5 or so years back of a factory tour where they point out a CNC that's winding production JB models.

Don't know if I saw that one. Can you find the link for us?

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

Don't know if I saw that one. Can you find the link for us?

starts at 10:09

https://youtu.be/Vz7UB956OqU?t=10m9s

claims to have about a dozen CNC machines, at that time.



for my money, I prefer that old The JB Model and my JBJs. seems to have a little more character, to my ears.

has anyone wondered if the complaints about the "ice pick" have been tracked back to have any correlation to the usage of the production JB being made on a CNC?

 

[GoldenVulture]

Re: Are Duncans from the 20th Century identical to the 21st Century?

Re: Are Duncans from the 20th Century identical to the 21st Century?

fixed that title for you.:friday:

 

[LLL]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

A few years ago I bought off E-bay (F 'em) a pre-1983 SH-5 Custom. Then not long after, I bought a brand new SH-5 Custom.

So, at the very least... 30 years apart.

Did a little test... loaded them up separately in my superstrat and fired up Voxengo Curve EQ.

Here was the result:



Aside from maybe six frequencies being just a hair more prominent, no difference.

Then again, from what I've heard, ceramic doesn't lose its strength over time.

 

[KNUCKLHEAD]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

I don't know many products that stay exactly the same in that time span. Streamlining manufacturing, and available materials change over time. Don't discount that changes could also be for the better. Value aside, as a playing instrument, I'd take a modern Fender over a 50s one any day.

<<-^^ Completely True + also on the same notion for Practice, Recording and Gigging I Only play My own Tele or Strat builds (Mostly Their Necks ) and do so over Any Fenders (but I've been building for quite a while now ~ 30+) .

now though , I had a Seymour hand-wound tele set ( which I still have the Bridge to somewhere ) He wound for me in the 90's that I KNOW would be Identical, if He wound it tomorrow ~ Without Question

 

[rbross1956]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

A few years ago I bought off E-bay (F 'em) a pre-1983 SH-5 Custom. Then not long after, I bought a brand new SH-5 Custom.

So, at the very least... 30 years apart.

Did a little test... loaded them up separately in my superstrat and fired up Voxengo Curve EQ.

Here was the result:

View attachment 75735

Aside from maybe six frequencies being just a hair more prominent, no difference.

Then again, from what I've heard, ceramic doesn't lose its strength over time.

This is the best, thanks! Love real data.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

View attachment 75735

Aside from maybe six frequencies being just a hair more prominent, no difference.

This is a bit misleading. Looking at all that pink along the frequency spectrum, the reverse could be said - almost all the frequencies are a 'hair more prominent' on the older SH-5. But that isn't all that significant, because...

What is significant is that almost none of the deltas are more than 1db, which means the difference wouldn't be noticeable to the average listener. The differences would need to be exaggerated by running through amps or other equipment that magnifies particular frequencies to make the difference noticeable to some discerning listeners.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?

I wonder how close 2 SH-5s from today are, or one built a year ago.

 

[superpete]

Re: Are Duncans from the early 70s identical to todays?