Duncan YJM Pickup Set Review

[UberMetalDood]

So I've had my YJM set for a while now and put them through the paces. I'll make this short because there's not a whole lot to say. It's pretty simple really. There's nothing innovative or ground-breaking about the YJM's. The coolest thing about them is that they do have a high output but use alnico magnets. My favorite single size humbucker by Seymour Duncan is the STK-S9b. The YJM bridge is similar in my opinion, but a bit beefier low end. While the YJM bridge is a nice pickup, I prefer the STK-S9b over it.

I hate the YJM neck. It's boring, bassy, and doesn't have any cut. It's loud but doesn't have a pick attack that is responsive enough to equal its loudness, so it ends up feeling as dull as it sounds.

When Seymour Duncan announced the YJM pickups, I remember reading something about how Duncan was "raising the bar." I perceived it at arrogant since Dimarzio YJM's are great pickups and served Yngwie well for a very long time. Rather than coming along and acting like their new pickups blew away the classic, they should have been more humble. Having owned this set for a substantial amount of time, I can say that Duncan did not live up to its hype.

One of the most awesome tones Yngwie ever achieved was with the neck pickup, but the SD YJM neck fails miserably. The Dimarzio YJM or HS2/3 are superior to the YJM neck.

The YJM bridge is somewhat praiseworthy because it brings something a bit different to the table, but like I said, it's nothing innovative or ground-breaking.

Overall, I'm disappointed with the Duncan YJM's. The best thing Yngwie Malmsteen ever did was Rising Force, and that was back in 1984 with the Dimarzio HS2. Probably the best thing someone can do is pair the YJM bridge with an HS3 neck.

 

[Inder_Cine_Mann]

Re: Duncan YJM Pickup Set Review

What guitar and amp did u test it with? Just curious

 

[JeffB]

Re: Duncan YJM Pickup Set Review

FS1

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Duncan YJM Pickup Set Review

What guitar and amp did u test it with? Just curious

+1

The write up is of limited help without reference to the host guitar, amplification, any pedals and the playing style.

Additionally, I seem to recall reading that Malmsteen himself favours the bridge pickup for chordal playing and the neck pickup for single note melodic things.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Duncan YJM Pickup Set Review

What guitar and amp did u test it with? Just curious

G&L strat

+1

The write up is of limited help without reference to the host guitar, amplification, any pedals and the playing style.

Additionally, I seem to recall reading that Malmsteen himself favours the bridge pickup for chordal playing and the neck pickup for single note melodic things.

I have a variety of tube amps and pedals: Ecstasy 101b, Marshall Plexi & DSL50, Friedman PinkTaco, Bogner Goldfinger 90, Fender Blues Junior - Maxon OD820, OD808, SD9, Ibanez TS808hw, Xotic BB Plus, GNI Distortion Pro, Line 6 M9, etc... I don't use modelers except my M9 strictly for modulation and reverb. You don't need to reference gear to know the quality of a pickup. I think I pretty concisely pointed out exactly what I didn't like about the neck pickup, and if you play one or hear one then it should be evident. I know people here want to defend Duncan and all that, and I do too, but you can't expect them to hit it out of the ballpark every time. I'm not saying that the YJM neck pickup sucks. I'm just saying that I hate it. The bridge is good but unimpressive. In the hands of a guitar god like Yngwie, I'm sure they sound awesome in his rig. For the rest of us mortals, they are unimpressive. What gets me is how arrogantly they were marketed as if they could crap all over Dimarzios, then they came out and weren't even that good.

That's all I'm saying. Like my opinion or not, I tell it like it is because I'm not the kind of guy who seeks approval or tries to gain the favor of public opinion.

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: Duncan YJM Pickup Set Review

Thanx!!!

 

[GHWelles]

Re: Duncan YJM Pickup Set Review

I like the YJM neck pickup, it has a good feel and does even out picking and legato volume as advertised

 

[Farkus]

Re: Duncan YJM Pickup Set Review

The more I've played them I find the neck is the weak link in the set. I think the bridge is fantastic though. I've been thinking about calling the custom shop and having something wound for the neck position that will stay in the same ballpark with the bridge but have less bass and overall thickness. I like the HS-3 for the neck position but I don't know that it would jive with the fury in the bridge.


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