How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
- Thread starter Electric
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Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
extremely unlikely.
But i reckon it is pretty likely that a lot of people break their pickups during installation.
extremely unlikely.
But i reckon it is pretty likely that a lot of people break their pickups during installation.
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
Thank you for the response. You're right that it's unlikely for a whole set of pickups to be broken at once, haha. I was wondering how common it was for one pickup to be broken in a matched set of two or three. I think I didn't phrase it correctly...
A single pickup? It *could* happen.
A set of pickups? That'd be next to impossible for the pair (or trio, if single coils) to be dead... unless you bought them used from someone else that destroyed them.
Thank you for the response. You're right that it's unlikely for a whole set of pickups to be broken at once, haha. I was wondering how common it was for one pickup to be broken in a matched set of two or three. I think I didn't phrase it correctly...
Lucy Diamond
Well-known member
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
I too would say extremely unlikely and to add a little something different to a topic that I would pretty much call "answered" I can say that in 27 years of guitar playing, gear buy and collecting I have only ever had one pickup die on me. It had been installed and used for years. My tech said he could wire it up as a single coil I wanted to keep it. I just bought a new one. (It was a hotrails.)
The second hotrails is around/over 15-years-old and going wicked strong.
Sometimes $h!t just happens...not very often and (for my money) it is in no way a reflection on Duncan. There are things that are just unforeseen. I didn't even bother seeing what they'd say if I called them about it. I just replaced the pickup.
Anyway...I hope that adds. I like these open conversational threads.
I too would say extremely unlikely and to add a little something different to a topic that I would pretty much call "answered" I can say that in 27 years of guitar playing, gear buy and collecting I have only ever had one pickup die on me. It had been installed and used for years. My tech said he could wire it up as a single coil I wanted to keep it. I just bought a new one. (It was a hotrails.)
The second hotrails is around/over 15-years-old and going wicked strong.
Sometimes $h!t just happens...not very often and (for my money) it is in no way a reflection on Duncan. There are things that are just unforeseen. I didn't even bother seeing what they'd say if I called them about it. I just replaced the pickup.
Anyway...I hope that adds. I like these open conversational threads.
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
Interesting addition to the topic. Do you exclusively use Seymour Duncan pickups? I guess it really is rare for pickups to break - maybe that's why I hardly ever read about dead pickups on forums or in product reviews...
I too would say extremely unlikely and to add a little something different to a topic that I would pretty much call "answered" I can say that in 27 years of guitar playing, gear buy and collecting I have only ever had one pickup die on me. It had been installed and used for years. My tech said he could wire it up as a single coil I wanted to keep it. I just bought a new one. (It was a hotrails.)
The second hotrails is around/over 15-years-old and going wicked strong.
Sometimes $h!t just happens...not very often and (for my money) it is in no way a reflection on Duncan. There are things that are just unforeseen. I didn't even bother seeing what they'd say if I called them about it. I just replaced the pickup.
Anyway...I hope that adds. I like these open conversational threads.
Interesting addition to the topic. Do you exclusively use Seymour Duncan pickups? I guess it really is rare for pickups to break - maybe that's why I hardly ever read about dead pickups on forums or in product reviews...
Gibson 1964
New member
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
Other Option: Package is delivered and looks like it went through a meat grinder. I have had DOA pickups this way. (Pulled or broken leads.)
Generally speaking IME if the package arrived intact and the pickup has not been molested, you should be good.
Other Option: Package is delivered and looks like it went through a meat grinder. I have had DOA pickups this way. (Pulled or broken leads.)
Generally speaking IME if the package arrived intact and the pickup has not been molested, you should be good.
Lucy Diamond
Well-known member
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
With the exception of one or two guitars here and there. Yes, I only use Duncans.
I have a Rickenbacker Susanna Hoffs that I kept stock for obvious reasons and I have an SG Classic in ebony stain that I went with another company on because their noiseless P-90s are still the stock size and I didn't want to route my body.
With the exception of one or two guitars here and there. Yes, I only use Duncans.
I have a Rickenbacker Susanna Hoffs that I kept stock for obvious reasons and I have an SG Classic in ebony stain that I went with another company on because their noiseless P-90s are still the stock size and I didn't want to route my body.
El Supremo
New member
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
More likely to happen with vintage spec single coils than humbuckers in my experience. I've had a set of CS '69 of which one had a broken lead on arrival. Same thing with a set of Bare Knuckles. In both cases the packaging was okay, so it's most likely to have happened during packaging in the manufacturing location.
Since then, I measure all my pickups prior to getting the 'ol soldering iron out.
More likely to happen with vintage spec single coils than humbuckers in my experience. I've had a set of CS '69 of which one had a broken lead on arrival. Same thing with a set of Bare Knuckles. In both cases the packaging was okay, so it's most likely to have happened during packaging in the manufacturing location.
Since then, I measure all my pickups prior to getting the 'ol soldering iron out.
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
How dead is "dead"?
No D.C. Resistance meter readings or just de-magnetised?
How dead is "dead"?
No D.C. Resistance meter readings or just de-magnetised?
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
"Dead" to me means no output/no DC Resistance reading.
"Dead" to me means no output/no DC Resistance reading.
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
Intriguing that it can happen with a boutique pickup set like Bare Knuckles as well. Do you think they are generally less susceptible to this happening to them than Fender single coil sets?
Intriguing that it can happen with a boutique pickup set like Bare Knuckles as well. Do you think they are generally less susceptible to this happening to them than Fender single coil sets?
Brandenburg
New member
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
never had a pickup die in 25+ years
my guitars are loaded with a variety of pickups atm.. the oldest are a pair of late 80's EMG's and a gibson TTOP thats pushing 35 years.. they work great after all these years
never had a pickup die in 25+ years
my guitars are loaded with a variety of pickups atm.. the oldest are a pair of late 80's EMG's and a gibson TTOP thats pushing 35 years.. they work great after all these years
El Supremo
New member
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
It's about the construction of these vintage like pickups. There are 2 super thin leads running around the baseplate, which are very vulnerable to being damaged. This can happen to any pickup of this type of construction no matter what brand. If you see just how thin this wire is, you could very well imagine that just one bump during packaging will sever the connection.
Other than these 2 cases of DOA, I've never had a pickup die on me.
It's about the construction of these vintage like pickups. There are 2 super thin leads running around the baseplate, which are very vulnerable to being damaged. This can happen to any pickup of this type of construction no matter what brand. If you see just how thin this wire is, you could very well imagine that just one bump during packaging will sever the connection.
Other than these 2 cases of DOA, I've never had a pickup die on me.
Aku Tonklips
New member
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
I'd say it is because of broken or misplaced coil wire, rare but it's a possibility.
I'd say it is because of broken or misplaced coil wire, rare but it's a possibility.
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
You could always try connecting up the suspect pickup(s) to a 9v battery or, better still, a defibrillator. :naughty:
You could always try connecting up the suspect pickup(s) to a 9v battery or, better still, a defibrillator. :naughty:
DreX
New member
Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?
Out of over a hundred pickups ordered, I've only had one DiMarzio True Velvet ever show up DOA, so I'd put the odds at less than 1%.
It's easily possible for a dead pickup to have a DC resistance reading. It depends on how the pickup has failed.
Out of over a hundred pickups ordered, I've only had one DiMarzio True Velvet ever show up DOA, so I'd put the odds at less than 1%.
It's easily possible for a dead pickup to have a DC resistance reading. It depends on how the pickup has failed.
