Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

U

UnWind

New member
Hey all!

I've always been curious about the real differences between Duncan Designed and the US made pickups. I know the Duncan Designed are made overseas so presumably there is less quality control. But I was wondering if any has actually taken apart a Duncan Designed humbucker and compared the wind pattern (turns per layer) to it's US counterpart, to see how different they really are?

For example has anyone compared wind pattern of an HB-102 to an actual JB? They both use 44 awg poly wire, alnicoV bar magnets and have correct nickel/silver baseplates. So if the wind patterns are the same, you could potentially just upgrade the steel components (keeper, screws and slugs) and almost have the US model, right? And on that note I'm also curious to see if the steel components are the same alloys.

I mean both pickups are machine wound so the pattern should be easily programmed the same in the US as Asia (I'm just curious if Seymour gave them the exact recipe for his pickups)
 
Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

UnWind said:
Hey all!

I've always been curious about the real differences between Duncan Designed and the US made pickups. I know the Duncan Designed are made overseas so presumably there is less quality control. But I was wondering if any has actually taken apart a Duncan Designed humbucker and compared the wind pattern (turns per layer) to it's US counterpart, to see how different they really are?

For example has anyone compared wind pattern of an HB-102 to an actual JB? They both use 44 awg poly wire, alnicoV bar magnets and have correct nickel/silver baseplates. So if the wind patterns are the same, you could potentially just upgrade the steel components (keeper, screws and slugs) and almost have the US model, right? And on that note I'm also curious to see if the steel components are the same alloys.

I mean both pickups are machine wound so the pattern should be easily programmed the same in the US as Asia (I'm just curious if Seymour gave them the exact recipe for his pickups)
Click to expand...

Your going to spend as much as a normal JB upgrading all the hardware. Why not instead of doing things the hard way just enjoy them for what they are.
 
Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

+1

Even if pickup manufacture were one hundred percent consistent, wood and playing styles are not. If a pickup seems to go well in a particular guitar, leave it in there and enjoy.
 
Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

Upgrading the hardware (keeper, slugs and screws) with 1018 steel components only cost ~$8-9 from addiction fx and about the same if you go with 12L14 alloy parts from Philadelphia luthier tools, both equally good quality parts. Considering you can find used duncan designed hb-102's on ebay and reverb for around $15-20 (just bought one for $15) it would definitely be worth it if it puts them in the same ballpark.

But Kojak answered the question I was looking for, it seems that they are not the same wind pattern. I'm still interested to see for myself how far off they are, so I think I may unravel and check out the wind patterns on the duncan design hb-102b and an extra JB I have lying around. Let me know if anyone wants to know the findings.
 
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Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

UnWind said:
Upgrading the hardware (keeper, slugs and screws) with 1018 steel components only cost ~$8-9 from addiction fx and about the same if you go with 12L14 alloy parts from Philadelphia luthier tools, both equally good quality parts. Considering you can find used duncan designed hb-102's on ebay and reverb for around $15-20 (just bought one for $15) it would definitely be worth it if it puts them in the same ballpark.

But Kojak answered the question I was looking for, it seems that they are not the same wind pattern. I'm still interested to see for myself how far off they are, so I think I may unravel and check out the wind patterns on the duncan design hb-102b and an extra JB I have lying around. Let me know if anyone wants to know the findings.
Click to expand...

You'll be better off just getting a second-hand JB. There are tons of'em for sale everywhere for less than fifty bucks.

HTH,
 
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Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

UnWind said:
I know the Duncan Designed are made overseas so presumably there is less quality control.
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I'm sure there's good quality control. These pickups have Duncan name after all. They're just built differently and accordingly as OEM pickups for mid-level guitars.
 
Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

elelpe said:
I'm sure there's good quality control. These pickups have Duncan name after all. They're just built differently and accordingly as OEM pickups for mid-level guitars.
Click to expand...

That's true. I visited the Duncan Designed factory last month. Those pickups are made slowly and carefully, in small batches, by hand, just like Seymour Duncan pickups. There's a lot of quality control that goes into Duncan Designed pickups.

When Kevin Beller designed those pickups, he didn't make them exact copies of their USA counterparts. The OP is correct that, for example, the HB-102b and SH-4 JB have a lot of the same materials and similar voicing. But they're not exactly the same. That's true for all the Duncan Designed pickups and their USA-made counterparts.
 
Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

Evan Skopp said:
That's true. I visited the Duncan Designed factory last month.
Click to expand...
Pics? :)

Evan Skopp said:
When Kevin Beller designed those pickups, he didn't make them exact copies of their USA counterparts.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I always thought they were exact copies, from the blueprints. Regardless, I've always found DD's to be a great value. They're an excellent upgrade to a less expensive guitar.
 
Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

The website/catalogue description uses expressions such as "based on".

For instance, the SC-101 trio aims to be somewhere between the Vintage and Hot American models. In other words, exactly what a midprice guitar probably needs to compensate for any shortcomings.
 
Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

ArtieToo said:
Pics? :)
Click to expand...

The gentleman on the far right owns the factory and the building which is located in Incheon, very close to Seoul. The girl in front is his daughter who did her schooling in USA and has just returned to Korea to join the family business. The two women in the back row work in the office. The one with the glasses interfaces with Saulina from Seymour Duncan multiple times daily. They're a great group. Very easy to work with and very serious about making a quality product.

BUlTUFg.jpg
 
Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

Like this thread, very timely for me.

I just scored an MIK Hamer that has the 102b. I'm not normally a JB fan, it is for the most part a little too focused for my tastes and style, but the DD version is really quite cool. It is far more wire-y sounding and comes off a bit like a P-90 witch is a total win for me. The downside is the DD 101 is a little flat compared to a real SD '59. Don't think I am going to change them up though they really seem to work pretty well in this guitar.
 
Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

Evan Skopp said:
That's true. I visited the Duncan Designed factory last month. Those pickups are made slowly and carefully, in small batches, by hand, just like Seymour Duncan pickups. There's a lot of quality control that goes into Duncan Designed pickups.

When Kevin Beller designed those pickups, he didn't make them exact copies of their USA counterparts. The OP is correct that, for example, the HB-102b and SH-4 JB have a lot of the same materials and similar voicing. But they're not exactly the same. That's true for all the Duncan Designed pickups and their USA-made counterparts.
Click to expand...

Hey Evan,

Thanks for clarifying on this topic! Just a follow up question, when you say they have a lot of the same materials does this apply to type of steel used in the keeper, screws and slugs in both pickups? Not sure if you're able to share that info, but the keeper definitely looks different comparing the US to the Duncan Designed, the Duncan designed keeper seems lighter and looks nickel plated.
 
Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

By and large, most materials are the same in terms of types of plastics and metals called out. Sometimes there are minor discrepancies based on specific suppliers or metric vs. SAE, but for the most part, they're the same or very similar.
 
Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

Beautiful people, making great pups. Thanks for the pics Evan. It's nice to put a face behind the product. ;)
 
Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

I'm very fond of the 102N and the 103N.

Excellent neck p'ups with either A3 or A4 mags. Even the covers are good-sounding.

HTH,
 
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Re: Duncan Designed humbucker wind pattern question

LtKojak said:
I'm very fond of the 102N and the 103N.

Eccellent neck p'ups with either A3 or A4 mags. Even the covers are good-sounding.

HTH,
Click to expand...

Nice to hear that. I have a spare 102N and a spare A4. I think I will try it in my Epiphone Les Paul.
 
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