Best of the New Duncan Pedals
- Thread starter Scott_F
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PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals
Why didn't you include the Catalina Chorus or Palladium Gain Stage?
I haven't had an opportunity to try the drive pedals, but the Shape Shifter is really an outstanding tremolo.
Why didn't you include the Catalina Chorus or Palladium Gain Stage?
I haven't had an opportunity to try the drive pedals, but the Shape Shifter is really an outstanding tremolo.
frankfalbo
In Fluence Y'all
Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals
C'mon Scott. You're a veteran around here. Where's the Rob option?
C'mon Scott. You're a veteran around here. Where's the Rob option?
JimmyO
New member
Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals
Really hard for me as I use the dirty deed and 805 for drive tones and a vapor trail in the effects loop for my delay tones. Voted 805 as it works with every amp I've tried it with and get great comments about how warm, defined and amp like it is from friends who try it out.
Oh, I have a shapeshifter too, and it is fantastic.
Really hard for me as I use the dirty deed and 805 for drive tones and a vapor trail in the effects loop for my delay tones. Voted 805 as it works with every amp I've tried it with and get great comments about how warm, defined and amp like it is from friends who try it out.
Oh, I have a shapeshifter too, and it is fantastic.
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals
Don't have any of 'em. The ones that interest me are the updated versions of the ones I already have (boost, tremolo, delay). It'd be nice if they actually held together without repeatedly crapping out this time. I know they are assembled in the U.S.A. now, but their assembly quality was never the problem; it was the use of unreliable components. Are better quality components being used on the new versions?
Don't have any of 'em. The ones that interest me are the updated versions of the ones I already have (boost, tremolo, delay). It'd be nice if they actually held together without repeatedly crapping out this time. I know they are assembled in the U.S.A. now, but their assembly quality was never the problem; it was the use of unreliable components. Are better quality components being used on the new versions?
Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals
I truly believe that was the issue with scrapping the old line and starting over here in the US. But I don't work for the company.
I will take apart the next Duncan pedal I own and will report back what I believe I will see as quality inside and superb tone. As a guy that builds amps, I am OCD about picking quality components and made in the US where I can. I don't make as much money on one of my amps, but I've only had one ever come back for repair. Knock on wood.
You know I have four of the older ones and none of them have given me a lick of trouble. But I do recognize that you guys use your pedals waaaaaay more than I do and I am well aware of some of the past issues reported.
I truly believe that was the issue with scrapping the old line and starting over here in the US. But I don't work for the company.
I will take apart the next Duncan pedal I own and will report back what I believe I will see as quality inside and superb tone. As a guy that builds amps, I am OCD about picking quality components and made in the US where I can. I don't make as much money on one of my amps, but I've only had one ever come back for repair. Knock on wood.
You know I have four of the older ones and none of them have given me a lick of trouble. But I do recognize that you guys use your pedals waaaaaay more than I do and I am well aware of some of the past issues reported.
Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals
Well many of the new pedals are assembled in the US from parts sourced elsewhere. The Palladium is made here. But the new versions are generally more robust, prettier to look at, and from what I understand, improved internally. I've never A/B'd them, though.
Well many of the new pedals are assembled in the US from parts sourced elsewhere. The Palladium is made here. But the new versions are generally more robust, prettier to look at, and from what I understand, improved internally. I've never A/B'd them, though.
L
Little Pigbacon
Guest
Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals
The only new one I've tried is the Shape Shifter, and it's just terrific.
The only new one I've tried is the Shape Shifter, and it's just terrific.
DinoTrousers
New member
Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals
We haven't had the chorus, tremolo, or Palladium in my shop yet, but the rest range from pretty good to fanastic for me. The standouts from what I've used are definitely the Vapor Trail, the 805, and the Visegrip. The effects loop on the Vapor Trails is just fantastic. I hooked up a board with a fuzz, a wah, and a volume pedal in the loop to create super weird cocked-wah swells of ambience. It's seriously just stupid fun.
We haven't had the chorus, tremolo, or Palladium in my shop yet, but the rest range from pretty good to fanastic for me. The standouts from what I've used are definitely the Vapor Trail, the 805, and the Visegrip. The effects loop on the Vapor Trails is just fantastic. I hooked up a board with a fuzz, a wah, and a volume pedal in the loop to create super weird cocked-wah swells of ambience. It's seriously just stupid fun.
Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals
Putting another Vapor Trail in the insert of the first one is super terrific happy fun. And that is how a time machine is created.
Putting another Vapor Trail in the insert of the first one is super terrific happy fun. And that is how a time machine is created.
Luke Duke
PRSlustologist
Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals
I wish I could thumbs up x100
Cmon Scott, you're a smart guy it was ALL about marketing. The new pedals are, minus Palladium, ASSEMBLED in Santa Barbara, not made. Duncan thinks that everyone is going to miss that detail I guess. They allegedly disassembled and checked pedals in the original series when we were there in '05 we SAW the disassembled Pup Boosters. SD is using the label to market AND get a hefty price bump.
To me this ties in with Pepe's thread. Where is Seymour in the middle of all this nonsense?
I wish I could thumbs up x100
Scott F said:
Cmon Scott, you're a smart guy it was ALL about marketing. The new pedals are, minus Palladium, ASSEMBLED in Santa Barbara, not made. Duncan thinks that everyone is going to miss that detail I guess. They allegedly disassembled and checked pedals in the original series when we were there in '05 we SAW the disassembled Pup Boosters. SD is using the label to market AND get a hefty price bump.
To me this ties in with Pepe's thread. Where is Seymour in the middle of all this nonsense?
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Best of the New Duncan Pedals
One can hope...but I'm more cynical/realistic, and don't hold out anywhere near as much hope as you.
"Assembled" or "made" in the U.S.A. are simply NOT labels that are, in and of themselves, indicative of good quality labor and/or parts. More expensive labor than most overseas factories, hence a higher price, probably, but not necessarily a better product because of it. Putting these things together is easy work that doesn't require much specific skill or training. Asians, Mexicans, Indonesians, or whoever aren't any less capable of turning a screwdriver or melting some solder than are U.S. employees. The quality of parts and labor are not really dependent on the country of manufacture, but rather, determined/specified by the amount the company that orders the work is willing to spend. You get what you pay for when ordering any kind of work, at home or overseas. If a company like Duncan is willing to pay the price for good quality parts and truly skilled labor, here or overseas, then a well-made, reliable product is what they are going to get. If, however, they cheap out when ordering the work, then a less skilled and/or more rushed labor force makes the product with worse materials, and a cheaped-out product is the result.
Is the idea with this change of assembly location that the company can use the same proven unreliable/non-durable components, make the products look prettier, have them assembled by Americans instead of Asians, and a more reliable product will result? If so, then it's not a meaningful change. It's just a marketing strategy aimed at "re-booting" the reputation of their pedals. This reputation is, if my experience with them is any indication, that they sound cool, but are kinda chintzy for the high prices you pay to get them.
I'd rather have them continue to be made them overseas, but have a switch to good quality components, than made here out of the same components as the older ones. As I said before, it ain't like Americans can solder and turn screws and nuts any better than Asian people. Americans putting together the same parts Asians were slapping together will result in no difference whatsoever.
Note that I am not stating as a fact that the components are no better. I am simply frustrated by the lack of a clear answer as to whether they are or not. It could be that the component quality is actually being improved, and I certainly WANT this to be the case. But you'd think that if it was, they'd be all over it in their marketing. They'd be touting it prominently and in some detail in their descriptions. They are not (that I have seen yet, anyhow). You'd also think that when someone directly questions whether the components are any better than before, especially in threads in which those "in the know" are involved, they'd jump at the opportunity to boost their product, and the question would clearly and loudly be answered with a YES. But they do not; they ignore or evade such pointed questions.
And I just want to clarify that I have absolutely no complaints about the sounds Duncan pedals produce. They are excellent sounding pedals – among the best I've ever used. But this just makes it even more frustrating when they crap out. I wouldn't go on and on about them being built like crap if I didn't think they sounded great and were thus of great potential use to me. I want them to be well made, but I'm not dumb enough to buy that they are just because they are now assembled in the U.S.A. and look a little different. In order for me to buy these new pedals, I'd have to hear from an official source that the components used have been improved in such and such a way, in grisly detail.
It is also worth pointing out that Duncan is not alone in having reliability problems with their pedals. But they need to be a step above the others, especially for their asking prices.
One can hope...but I'm more cynical/realistic, and don't hold out anywhere near as much hope as you.
"Assembled" or "made" in the U.S.A. are simply NOT labels that are, in and of themselves, indicative of good quality labor and/or parts. More expensive labor than most overseas factories, hence a higher price, probably, but not necessarily a better product because of it. Putting these things together is easy work that doesn't require much specific skill or training. Asians, Mexicans, Indonesians, or whoever aren't any less capable of turning a screwdriver or melting some solder than are U.S. employees. The quality of parts and labor are not really dependent on the country of manufacture, but rather, determined/specified by the amount the company that orders the work is willing to spend. You get what you pay for when ordering any kind of work, at home or overseas. If a company like Duncan is willing to pay the price for good quality parts and truly skilled labor, here or overseas, then a well-made, reliable product is what they are going to get. If, however, they cheap out when ordering the work, then a less skilled and/or more rushed labor force makes the product with worse materials, and a cheaped-out product is the result.
Is the idea with this change of assembly location that the company can use the same proven unreliable/non-durable components, make the products look prettier, have them assembled by Americans instead of Asians, and a more reliable product will result? If so, then it's not a meaningful change. It's just a marketing strategy aimed at "re-booting" the reputation of their pedals. This reputation is, if my experience with them is any indication, that they sound cool, but are kinda chintzy for the high prices you pay to get them.
I'd rather have them continue to be made them overseas, but have a switch to good quality components, than made here out of the same components as the older ones. As I said before, it ain't like Americans can solder and turn screws and nuts any better than Asian people. Americans putting together the same parts Asians were slapping together will result in no difference whatsoever.
Note that I am not stating as a fact that the components are no better. I am simply frustrated by the lack of a clear answer as to whether they are or not. It could be that the component quality is actually being improved, and I certainly WANT this to be the case. But you'd think that if it was, they'd be all over it in their marketing. They'd be touting it prominently and in some detail in their descriptions. They are not (that I have seen yet, anyhow). You'd also think that when someone directly questions whether the components are any better than before, especially in threads in which those "in the know" are involved, they'd jump at the opportunity to boost their product, and the question would clearly and loudly be answered with a YES. But they do not; they ignore or evade such pointed questions.
And I just want to clarify that I have absolutely no complaints about the sounds Duncan pedals produce. They are excellent sounding pedals – among the best I've ever used. But this just makes it even more frustrating when they crap out. I wouldn't go on and on about them being built like crap if I didn't think they sounded great and were thus of great potential use to me. I want them to be well made, but I'm not dumb enough to buy that they are just because they are now assembled in the U.S.A. and look a little different. In order for me to buy these new pedals, I'd have to hear from an official source that the components used have been improved in such and such a way, in grisly detail.
It is also worth pointing out that Duncan is not alone in having reliability problems with their pedals. But they need to be a step above the others, especially for their asking prices.
