Duncan '78 as a neck pickup?

A

appar111

New member
So I'm putting together a new pickguard for my beat up franky (hardtail alder strat body with a maple neck w/ rosewood fretboard) which currently has a single EVH Wolfgang neck humbucker in the bridge and a 500K pot.

It's been a fantastic rock setup that always sounds good, but I recently got a great deal on an EVH Frankenstein pickup, and already had a new Duncan '78 in the box sitting in the parts drawer waiting to be used for something. So I'm thinking about putting the Frankenstein pickup in the bridge, and the '78 in the neck. They're both A2, and the '78 is 9K, so it seems like it'd be a good, warm, aggressive pickup for the neck that would pair well with the Frankenstein at the bridge.

Anyone tried the '78 in the neck and can offer up their opinions? This is the regular bridge version, not a neck version (do they even make those?).
 
Re: Duncan '78 as a neck pickup?

So you say you want to put a neck pickup in the bridge and a bridge pickup in the neck? What specifically do you mean by "EVH Frankenstein pickup", what brand/ model is it?

By any means, a neck pickup in the bridge and a bridge in the neck will most likely have volume differences, and it will be tough to EQ both the bridge and neck to sound nice. If you set your amp for the bridge, the neck will be too dark. If you set it for the neck, the bridge will be thin and bright.
 
Re: Duncan '78 as a neck pickup?

Chistopher said:
So you say you want to put a neck pickup in the bridge and a bridge pickup in the neck? What specifically do you mean by "EVH Frankenstein pickup", what brand/ model is it?

By any means, a neck pickup in the bridge and a bridge in the neck will most likely have volume differences, and it will be tough to EQ both the bridge and neck to sound nice. If you set your amp for the bridge, the neck will be too dark. If you set it for the neck, the bridge will be thin and bright.
Click to expand...

Nope, re-read what I typed. I already have the EVH brand Wolfgang neck pickup (around 16K) in the bridge-- for the Wolfgang pickups, Eddie spec'd the neck pickup to be higher output than the bridge pickup.

What I'm asking is about putting an EVH brand Frankenstein bridge pickup (14K) in the bridge position, but also putting the lower output (9K) Duncan '78 bridge pickup in the neck.

It sounds like you aren't familiar with the EVH Frankenstein pickup? Then again, there are a ton of companies that have come out with some "EVH-ish" labeled pickup, so clarification is probably warranted :)
 
Re: Duncan '78 as a neck pickup?

I figure worst case scenario, is that I can move the Wolfgang to the neck position (I know it sounds good there) and have the Frankenstein at the bridge, just didn't want the hassle of wiring up the '78 in the neck if it was gonna sound bad there.
 
Re: Duncan '78 as a neck pickup?

never tried it personally, but the frankenstein is one of my favorite bridge pus ever! got it in a les paul custom with a jazz bridge in the neck and it sounds fantastic. there's no reason it wouldn't work, and if you don't like it just swap it out!
 
Re: Duncan '78 as a neck pickup?

It would pretty warm, probably dark, being an overwound A2 PU. Not something that would ever appeal to me as a neck PU, but if that sounds good for you, do it.
 
Re: Duncan '78 as a neck pickup?

It will be fine in a brighter guitar like that, I had a 78 set in my big apple strat (neck and bridge models) and it was great, I also ran the Frankie in that guitar and the 78 bridge felt like it had more push than the Frankie, so I guess I might be concerned it would overpower it in the neck slot, but adjust it down lower and you will be fine, it's gonna be darker as Blueman says, but they have such a strong clear upper mids and high end in the bridge I think it will be ok. Btw if you ever run across a 78 neck model get it, it's killer in a strat setup, sings like a APH with gain, but more clear in the high end when clean, and a really good sound split.
 
Re: Duncan '78 as a neck pickup?

I have never tried a bridge '78 in the neck slot, but I do know from experience, the 8k '78 neck model is fantastic.

The bridge model is a bright enough pickup that I think it would make a great match. I say give it a go!
 
Re: Duncan '78 as a neck pickup?

My 78 is bright and thin, even in an SG or Les Paul. A2 doesn't make it warm, no more than a Pearly Gates is warm. (Not)

I think it would make a great neck pickup with the right higher output bridge.
 
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