Gaps in the product line?

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Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Just wondering what you guys felt might be some under-represented segments in the Seymour Duncan product line. This is a good question to ask now and again.

There have been a lot of interesting things released in the couple of years on both ends of the spectrum - from the stuff aimed at extreme metal (Nazgul/Sentient, Black Winters) to stuff designed for vintage-inspired tastes (Whole Lotta Humbuckers), to something in between (59/Custom Hybrid)... But I wonder if there's anything missing.

Have you recently wanted to buy an SD but went with something else because, ultimately, we don't offer what you needed for a particular project?
 
Re: Gaps in the product line?

A neck pickup specifically designed for the 59/custom hybrid seems to be a requested product, we're voting for a forum pickup currently to fit that need though.

I didn't bother asking anyone with more experience than I had with the seymour duncan line up, but recently I was looking for a very "liquidy" neck pickup, and maybe it was just my search terms, but I kept reading about the dimarzio liquifire and air norton for that, with very little mention of a fitting seymour duncan product. I don't know if its a hole or if there is a different word for what I wanted that would help me find a duncan product with that sound.
 
Re: Gaps in the product line?

I'm admittedly curious why the '78 hadn't jumped from the custom shop into regular production. Is there something than doesn't translate onto the production line equipment?

Also, a lot of people look for recommendations for single coils to go with bridge humbuckers. How about some HSS sets to go with the HH sets.

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Re: Gaps in the product line?

In general, everything is AlNiCo 2 or 5, I wonder why there aren't more offerings that utilize other magnets, especially in the single coil side, where there is A5, A2, A5+A2, degaussed A2, degaussed A5... but no A3 or A4.
 
Re: Gaps in the product line?

For me I would like to see a HSH set released. I know the PATB series offers that but maybe something with a more traditional look.
 
Re: Gaps in the product line?

I think I'd be more interested in more Duncan Performer pickups than trying to cover more ground. Though I make more money than when I first started buying pickups, less of it is disposable now. With all the crap my kids are into, it's much more likely I'd buy a $35 Performer than a $70+ USA model.
 
Re: Gaps in the product line?

I'm actually in the market for a middle single coil that will work well with a Black Winter Set.
 
Re: Gaps in the product line?

My biggest gripe is there's a lack of continuity in models and classifications across platforms, which I don't think makes any sense. For example there are three main classifications for Strat pickups vintage, custom and hot. However there isn't a direct equivalent for these models for Telecaster, Jaguar or Jazzmaster.

Holes in the product line:

  • Tele pickup with SSL6 Custom specs
  • Jaguar/Jazzmaster Custom
  • Humbucker sized P90 Custom or Hot
  • Tele pickup with JB Jr specs
  • Tele pickup with Little Screamin Demon specs
 
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Re: Gaps in the product line?

Lucy Diamond said:
I'm actually in the market for a middle single coil that will work well with a Black Winter Set.
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Do the current offerings fall short there?

vinta9e said:
Purely a marketing term IMHO.
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That's the problem with asking for help identifying tonal gaps in the product line; there's a pickup for just about every desirable adjective, but there's not an adjective for every desirable pickup.
 
Re: Gaps in the product line?

i was looking for a p90 sound from a tele bridge sized single coil like the reilander tp90 or the creamery tele90.
 
Re: Gaps in the product line?

Non vintage sounding or based mid output neck humbuckers

preferably with short hex screws not the slug and fillister arrangement that SD so loves.
 
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Re: Gaps in the product line?

Slash set with 4-conductors and quick-connect for easy swapping in Gibson Les Paul.
 
Re: Gaps in the product line?

grumptruck said:
I don't know what you mean by that... I think I am on the same page with you.

But with SD bringing in peeps in the Djent genre and bringing in the Sentient and Pegasus to 6 stringers.... they are trying to get more dimarzio-y. Its a good market since most modern metal guys are moving from super duper high gain pups to mid range... since they are using modelers.
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I'm seeing people ask for mid-output humbuckers with hex screws.

The interesting thing is that, I'd say most of the boutiques that nibble as SD's heels offer either near-vintage or "vintage correct", so I don't think there's a glut of vintage pickups, and in fact I don't think there's enough. You hear about how inconsistent winding on the Leesona winder led to all sort of various sounding PAF's, and let the highly consistent '59 model was supposed to represent the entirety of that category for a long time. Now they have the Seth Lover, the Antiquity, and the WLH, but those are still somewhat categorical; authentic new, authentic aged, and overwound, respectively. There are winders out there that seem to only exist on the reputation of their PAF replicas, to me that indicates that guitarists want more, even if it might look like there's a glut. So the question is, are the differences in PAFs overstated, or is the product line understated? I think LTKojak suggested simply offering the '59 with various magnets, for those who aren't willing for whatever reason to mod a pickup themselves, not a bad idea.
 
Re: Gaps in the product line?

I wanted a P90 sized humbucker and went with the Dimarzio Super Distortion version, since SD only offers those as a Custom Shop offering. I would've loved a Duncan Custom in a P90 cover though.
 
Re: Gaps in the product line?

DreX said:
That's the problem with asking for help identifying tonal gaps in the product line; there's a pickup for just about every desirable adjective, but there's not an adjective for every desirable pickup.
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On the contrary, there's no problem with asking when all you're interested in is each individual person's opinions.
 
Re: Gaps in the product line?

DreX said:
I think LTKojak suggested simply offering the '59 with various magnets, for those who aren't willing for whatever reason to mod a pickup themselves, not a bad idea.
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We did just roll out the Build Your Own Pickup page on the Custom Shop site. While it's (admittedly) not well integrated into seymourduncan.com yet, I think this is a good start. Unfortunately this level of customization is going to put you squarely into custom shop / boutique pricing, which should be understandable given the amount of inventory we'd have to accumulate in order to scale something like a '59 with every magnet available.
 
Re: Gaps in the product line?

i just want a 9.4k antiquity added to the line up
 
Re: Gaps in the product line?

Swyse said:
I didn't bother asking anyone with more experience than I had with the seymour duncan line up, but recently I was looking for a very "liquidy" neck pickup, and maybe it was just my search terms, but I kept reading about the dimarzio liquifire and air norton for that, with very little mention of a fitting seymour duncan product. I don't know if its a hole or if there is a different word for what I wanted that would help me find a duncan product with that sound.
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I agree with this. I haven't tried every SD pickup but I've yet to play/hear one that responded and performed like the DiMarzio Liquifire. One of my main pickup combos is the DMZ Liquifire in the neck with the SD Screamin Demon in the bridge.
 
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