Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

[Demanic]

I've got a late 90's Schecter 7 string with a mahogany body and a set neck w/rosewood fretboard. It came with the HB-7 Duncan Designed pickup set. The bridge pickup is supposed to be based on the JB. I would like to get a bit more sizzle and chunk out of it as I tend to play a lot of palm mute style metal. I also occasionally drop the tuning a full step down. Would swapping out the alnico 5 with an alnico 8 be an effective way to achieve this? I have also thought of getting a Nazgul or Pegasus as a replacement, but can't afford it at the moment. Any thoughts on this matter would be appreciated.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

Sure. Or go for the full ceramic.

When I first saw modding, for some reason I didn't think of magnet swapping and instead though "This guy's gonna rewind the pickup?"

 

[Demanic]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

Lol, I don't think that I'm quite that ambitious yet. I've never even swapped out magnets. Exactly how does one do that by the way? I did think of going full ceramic but I think that the A8 might give a little sweeter of a tone. Another thing that I was wondering: what would be the effect of using two different magnets, say one ceramic and one alnico, in the different coils? Once again any thoughts on the matter are appreciated.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

Each coil does not have its own magnet, rather they share a magnet which is placed between them, touching the screws of one coil and the slugs of the other.

 

[jmcorey]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

I would not bother modding a Duncan-designed pickup. I would get a USA Duncan and modify from there if you wish.

 

[dominus]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

I would not bother modding a Duncan-designed pickup. I would get a USA Duncan and modify from there if you wish.

Sounds like a great idea. Spend $80+ on a seven string pickup and then start modifying it, rather than grabbing a $5 magnet.

One of the best sounding Duncan pickups is the Duncan Designed/Performer HB-108b Detonator with an A8.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

I agree, like I said, if I had the cash to spare, I'd get a Pegasus or something. The Duncan Designed is already in the guitar and a magnet is a lot cheaper by itself.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

I realize this, but could each coil be made to have it's own magnet? Or could two narrower magnets be aligned so as to have one under the slug coil while the other is under the screw coil?

 

[Demanic]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

Well, I just ordered a couple of magnets, one A8 and one Ceramic 8. The lengths are 2.44 and 2.6 inches respectively. I'll post an update in the next few weeks after I make the swap.

 

[dominus]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

I realize this, but could each coil be made to have it's own magnet? Or could two narrower magnets be aligned so as to have one under the slug coil while the other is under the screw coil?

You can't have two magnets right next to each other. The only way to have multiple magnets is to have the narrower magnets outside the pole pieces, like an Invader has:

 

[Demanic]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

Now that seems like an interesting idea. Doesn't the Invader have three magnets?

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

Now that seems like an interesting idea. Doesn't the Invader have three magnets?

It does. From what I understand, a popular mod to do to an Invader is to switch the main magnet to one type and the two smaller "spacer magnets" to another type. A8 is a popular choice for the main I believe. I could be wrong though. I don't have much experience with the Invader.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

That would make sense. I have heard of pickup manufacturer by the name of Mojotone who make a pickup with both a ceramic and an A8. Maybe that's how they do it.

 

[dominus]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

The Guitarheads MEGAMETAL humbucker uses 3 ceramics as well.

 

[njstoehr]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

If I am not mistaken, the HB-7 is a seven string PUP modeled after the JB. I would suggest starting with an A8 mag. If that doesn't work try a Ceramic.

 

[speed2dirt]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

Does anyone know where you can buy the smaller spacer magnets?

 

[Demanic]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

I've got one of each ordered. As soon as they come in I'll give 'em a try an let you know how it turns out.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

I made the swap today. One important thing that I learned was to not tighten the screws back too much as it bends the coils out of true (oops!). Other than that the whole operation took me about a half hour. I did as Johnny the Kid suggested and went with the ceramic 8 first, mainly because it was 2.6" long and I figured that it would fit the 7-string pickup better. I have to say that I'm quite pleased with the result. Years ago the friend that I bought the guitar off of had named it "Darth", he being a big "Star Wars" fan and I can now say that it truly lives up to it's name. Also, the magnet I used seemed to be about an 1/8" thicker than the A5 that came out of the pickup originally, so I may now have a Duncan Designed Distortion. I did before and after vids of what it sounds like and will post them if I can figure out how to.
I have saved the A8 mag for my next project: swapping the magnet in the JB that is in my Schecter Blackjack.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

Years ago the friend that I bought the guitar off of had named it "Darth", he being a big "Star Wars" fan and I can now say that it truly lives up to it's name.

If I remember right, the Invader originally started off being called the Darth Vader. The pickup was released right around the same time as Return of the Jedi and the huge black oxidized cap screws reminded Seymour of Darth Vader. When the pickup got really popular, George Lucas sent a cease and desist order to SD and thus the Invader that we have today. So just a little bit of pickup trivia.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Thinking of modding my Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge pickup

Lol, that's something that I'll remember.