The Mag - a Q for SD historians.

[hamerfan]

I have an old The Mag pickup in my drawer. My potential buyer do only know these before 1983, when they were labeled The Mag. For a short time after that the label said M-D like on mine, means The Mag made by Debbie Nyquist. At a unkown point the Stag Mag was intoduced which was labeled like MGD according to SD Q&A.
https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/faqs/labels-built-before-2002
When were the Stag Mag introduced and replaced The Mag?

 

[hamerfan]

PS. The potential buyer found in the interwebz pics of a The Mag (non staggered) labeled with a MG-M ???

 

[switchman]

I can't answer your question directly or entirely, but here's links to some old 80's Duncan catalogs to narrow down.

This has a 1988 copyright inside. SH-3 is rebranded the Stag Mag. It's got other new at the time offerings like LiveWires, Alnico II Pro, Invader, and Full Shred. Plus those graphics scream late 80's wow. 1988 catalog

Now this one is older. The date isn't printed but it's latest 1985. The Fender page mentions CBS holding Fender trademarks. CBS sold it in March 1985 when it became FMIC - the Fender Musical Instrument Corp we al know and love today ​ It lists The Mag SH-3 and the SH-7 Seymourizer which became the SH-6n Distortion neck. 1985? catalog​

I hope this helps..

 

[Artie]

I, also, can only offer a bit more history. Unfortunately, I didn't note the date of this ad, but it lists both "The Mag" and the "Seymourizer II."

 

[jeremy]

good sleuthing!

 

[Mincer]

I remember those ads in late 70s Guitar Players (I think).

 

[switchman]

I never saw that looong version of the 70's price list ad with the trash bin at the top. Now that's some blunt marketing :laughing: Wasn't there a version that also said "Duncan Custom (Van Halen)"?

 

[Artie]

I remember those ads in late 70s Guitar Players (I think).

I think that's where it came from.

I just noticed something that I hadn't picked up on before: In that ad, they mention "Quarter Pounders." Now, they're "Quarter Pounds." I wonder if McDonalds lawyers had anything to do with that?

Dbl Creme is mentioned also. Oddly, with "creme" using the French spelling.

 

[switchman]

The don't call it a Quarter Pounder theory sounds good me. The earlier of those two catalogs does show and mention double cream as an option. Weird how some IP rights like that were lax for so long compared to now .

 

[Mincer]

Parts of that ad would make a cool T-shirt.

 

[Masta' C]

"The Mag" was SD's 3rd humbucker design. It first appeared publicly in advertisements in 1979 and was still called "The Mag" in an official SD marketing brochure dated 1982.

I have a NOS 1983-85 era "Stag Mag" sitting here that I believe leans closer to the 1983 side of the range and it's labeled "MGJ". The box lists the 203 Chapala St address, which SD moved to in 1981, I believe, and references "Stratocaster" as a registered trademark of CBS, Inc. As we know, CBS sold Fender in February 1985.

So, I think it's safe to say that "The Mag" likely became the "Stag Mag" in or around 1983, but certainly no later than 1985.

 

[Masta' C]

I, also, can only offer a bit more history. Unfortunately, I didn't note the date of this ad, but it lists both "The Mag" and the "Seymourizer II."

The "Now Humbuckers!" ad was first used in the 1979 Guitar Player magazines.

The ad from October of that year says "Van Halen" next to the Custom model, but the VH reference was gone by the December issue, so the ad you posted was from end of '79, maybe 1980 (haven't seen any 1980 issues to confirm).

As you can see, the Distortion (SH-6) and Seymourizer II (SH-7) models were already on offer by 1979...very cool! Considering how new the Custom (SH-5) was, its' likely the SH-5, SH-6, and SH-7 were all officially released that year.

The next pickup to be released was the Invader (SH-8), which entered production sometime in late-1980/early-1981 and was first featured in the 1981 catalogs.

 

[Artie]

Parts of that ad would make a cool T-shirt.

It would. And thanks Masta' C for that info. (Even though I'm not the OP.)

 

[Mincer]

Look at those prices, too!

 

[hamerfan]

Yes, thank you for the information. This should help the potential buyer.