Sticky for list of Duncans that are the same wind with different magnets?

[PDC]

A while back I ran into a very informative and helpful thread listing all the Duncan offerings that were essentially the same wind with different magnets. Now I cannot seem to find that thread for the life of me. The search function either yields 0 results - or 10 pages worth of threads.

Is it possible to ‘sticky’ that thread here in the Pickup Lounge?

I know all the OGs already know this stuff, but for folks who are just getting turned on to Duncans, that thread is pure gold.

 

[Mincer]

That thread was a few known pickups and a ton of speculation that wasn't confirmed. So I'd rather not spread info that we don't know is accurate for sure.

 

[superpete]

aside from the custom series and an aside that MJ may have said regarding the Slash sig set, most of it was unconfirmed back and forth about JB/Distortion/Invader. I think the general consensus here became Seymour Duncan has earned the right to keep some trade secrets to themselves.

 

[Clint 55]

It's only the Jazz and A2P, then the Custom, CC, and C5. JB and Distortion are different. 2 minutes with an A5 in the DD will tell you that. The Full Shred could be a Custom wind, just with a different pole set up, but I've never tried it. Someone could order a shop floor custom double screw C5 and compare the 2.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

59N and 59B are only official models in the stock A5 versions.
But like the Custom wind, they take various different magnets very well.

 

[ItsaBass]

The only ones that are officially spec'd as such are the variants of the Custom. If they wanted to spec more as such, they would do it on their Website.

 

[Clint 55]

We can talk about it if we feel like it.

 

[Zheddar]

It's only the Jazz and A2P, then the Custom, CC, and C5. JB and Distortion are different. 2 minutes with an A5 in the DD will tell you that. The Full Shred could be a Custom wind, just with a different pole set up, but I've never tried it. Someone could order a shop floor custom double screw C5 and compare the 2.

I have also noticed that the Duncan Distortion with an alnico 5 does not sound like a JB. It has a more aggressive sound to the mids and sounds sharper then a JB.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

So, so far:

Confirmed:
Custom - Custom 5 - Custom Custom
Jazz - A2P

Suspected:
Custom - Full Shred
JB - Distortion - Invader
Jazz - Invader Neck - Full Shred Neck

Anything else?

On the Distortion - JB subject, I have swapped A5 magnets in a couple of Distortions, and while I've never A/B'd them directly to JB's, I'd say they're close. Honestly, the Distortion with its stock oversized ceramic is already close. Dead on? Perhaps not, but even if the wind is not exactly the same, it is un undoubtedly similar at least.

 

[jeremy]

similar in that they are both #44 wire and 16k but i really dont think the wind is the same between the jb and distortion. i havent messed with mag swapping or pole piece swapping with the invader so cant make any informed comments there.

the full shred bridge could be the custom wind

i know the jazz neck but again dont have much experience with the full shred neck or invader neck

 

[Clint 55]

On the Distortion - JB subject, I have swapped A5 magnets in a couple of Distortions, and while I've never A/B'd them directly to JB's, I'd say they're close. Honestly, the Distortion with its stock oversized ceramic is already close. Dead on? Perhaps not, but even if the wind is not exactly the same, it is un undoubtedly similar at least.

They're about as similar as a 59 and Jazz. Kind of similar eq but really easy to hear the different voicing if you don't have the distortion box on 24/7. B/M/T of the JB I'd estimate would be like 4/10/6 while even only the eq profile of the DD is different. More like 5/8/7. It's really easy to hear. Has more solid and round bass, more true highs, and has the characteristic mids but isn't clogged up by them and rings out cleanly. The easiest thing to hear right off the bat though is the (A5) DDs modern voicing and more fizzy mids - JB plain old doesn't have that, it's organic, therefor different recipes. I don't know what the point would be to calling them the same. I guess we could call the 59 and Jazz the same and the SSL1 and Surfer the same too while we're at it.

 

[Mincer]

So, so far:

Confirmed:
Custom - Custom 5 - Custom Custom
Jazz - A2P

Suspected:
Custom - Full Shred
JB - Distortion - Invader
Jazz - Invader Neck - Full Shred Neck

Anything else?

On the Distortion - JB subject, I have swapped A5 magnets in a couple of Distortions, and while I've never A/B'd them directly to JB's, I'd say they're close. Honestly, the Distortion with its stock oversized ceramic is already close. Dead on? Perhaps not, but even if the wind is not exactly the same, it is un undoubtedly similar at least.

This might be where we ended that whole thread a few years back. A few were absolutely confirmed, and several were suspected, and we couldn't get any kind of confirmation officially.

 

[beaubrummels]

It's only the Jazz and A2P, then the Custom, CC, and C5. JB and Distortion are different. 2 minutes with an A5 in the DD will tell you that. The Full Shred could be a Custom wind, just with a different pole set up, but I've never tried it. Someone could order a shop floor custom double screw C5 and compare the 2.

Why not just put two rows of filisters and a ceramic mag in a full shred and see if it starts sounding closer to a Custom, modulo the difference and extra row of slot heads makes.

 

[beaubrummels]

So, so far:

Confirmed:
Custom - Custom 5 - Custom Custom
Jazz - A2P

Suspected:
Custom - Full Shred
JB - Distortion - Invader
Jazz - Invader Neck - Full Shred Neck

Anything else?

On the Distortion - JB subject, I have swapped A5 magnets in a couple of Distortions, and while I've never A/B'd them directly to JB's, I'd say they're close. Honestly, the Distortion with its stock oversized ceramic is already close. Dead on? Perhaps not, but even if the wind is not exactly the same, it is un undoubtedly similar at least.

Here’s the part that’s makes it all moot: I have two JBs, two customs, two 59 sets, from different eras, and I have all variants of uncovered, nickel cover and gold cover, and even with that the _same_ pickup model can sound different based on either the cover or period/age or was made. So even if they are the _exact_ same wind, you still just have to try stuff to learn which ones work in a particular guitar. Some of the same model that sound great in my SG don’t work in my LP, etc. For example IME gold covered generally sound brighter than uncovered or chrome covered and are beautiful in my LP but sound thin in my SG.

 

[superpete]

years back frank falbo confirmed the jazz neck and the full shred neck were not the same wind

 

[Brian L]

To my old ears the 59b in the neck slot sounds the same as a wlh neck with a smooth A5 in it.

 

[St_Genesius]

The Black Winter looks a little sus to me, too.

 

[Clint 55]

To my old ears the 59b in the neck slot sounds the same as a wlh neck with a smooth A5 in it.

I'm getting to the point where I have so many pickups that they're all starting to sound the same. But yeah no. The wlh has crunchy mids, the 59 is scooped.

 

[Brian L]

Obviously your ears are superior

 

[beaubrummels]

I'm getting to the point where I have so many pickups that they're all starting to sound the same. But yeah no. The wlh has crunchy mids, the 59 is scooped.

WLH with RCA5 (factory) has crunchy mids. With smooth A5, I haven’t tried.