tried the Dragonfire AlNiCo Classics

[FluffChop]

I have a Les Paul Standard with a Seth Lover and a Custom 8 which I was liking in theory only. I had a set of Dragonfire pickups from http://www.guitarpartsonline.com/ which I'd bought a while back and not tried. So I thought lets put 'em in and if I don't like them who cares.

They're 8k/16k A5 magnet humbuckers with gold covers. Dragonfire Vintage buckers $39.95 a pair.

Well I thought they sounded really classic, like real Classic Rock Les Paul tone through a JMP50. The neck was rich in harmonic content, had edge to it and was warm. I measured the coils before I installed and they were each wound to different specs like a Burst Bucker is. Neck sounded much more alive and soulful than the Seth.

The bridge was just so classic rock also. The Custom 8 is a bit empty and cold sounding, even though it has bottom and some harmonics it's a cold sounding pickup. This bridge wound to 16k was warm and rounded with good mids and through high gain fairly compressed. With a crunchy sort of gain it was really much more open sounding.

After a few weeks this arvo I thought maybe I'd try a magnet swap on the Seymours. I put in a couple of rough cast unoriented AlNiCo 5's into the Seth Lover and the Custom. I reinstalled the pickups and compared. The same basic character of those two pickups is still there. The sterility of the Seymours compared to the Dragonfires is really obvious to me.I've tried a lot of Seymours and they all seem to lack something rather than deliver something. I don't think they are worth the money to play hit and miss with when I've actually never gotten a result I've been happy with. It's like when I compared my WCR Filmore set. They had this classic tone to them that Seymours just don't have.

 

[smorgdonkey]

Re: tried the Dragonfire AlNiCo Classics

If the Seth Lover that you have really sounds like you are describing, there is something else wrong with it - or another factor is at play. Sterile is just not a word that would describe anything about the Seymour Duncan Seth Lover...and the Dragonfire sounding more alive and soulful doesn't compute either.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: tried the Dragonfire AlNiCo Classics

If you really liked the Dragonfires, then why the thumbs down in your subject?

 

[dr. ad]

Re: tried the Dragonfire AlNiCo Classics

let me know if you want to sell that seth
:deal:

 

[75lespaul]

Re: tried the Dragonfire AlNiCo Classics

I had a pair of the Dragonfire Distortions that to me, sounded as good as the Super D. The big problem with Dragonfire is resale value is horrible, and they're kind of strange looking with just slugs and no screws or hex bolts, not to mention not being able to adjust them.

 

[Barron1]

Re: tried the Dragonfire AlNiCo Classics

I had a pair of the Dragonfire Distortions that to me, sounded as good as the Super D. The big problem with Dragonfire is resale value is horrible, and they're kind of strange looking with just slugs and no screws or hex bolts, not to mention not being able to adjust them.

I wondered about those Dragonfire screamers

 

[IanBallard]

Re: tried the Dragonfire AlNiCo Classics

I had a pair of the Dragonfire Distortions that to me, sounded as good as the Super D. The big problem with Dragonfire is resale value is horrible, and they're kind of strange looking with just slugs and no screws or hex bolts, not to mention not being able to adjust them.

My son's plywood Kramer wannabe with a generic ceramic pickup (with only slugs) blew me away when I plugged it in. Goes to show, all the gimmicks and sales pitches in the world, don't mean anything when it comes time to play an instrument.

For me, I'm very curious about Bill Lawrence pups in my guitar. Not only because the man is a genius and his take on the pickup industry is a breath of fresh air amidst a lot of horsepucky, but they are affordable.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: tried the Dragonfire AlNiCo Classics

I have looked up the product codes of many of these "custom" lines on ebay and the majority of them trace back to this Chinese company that makes OEM's. http://www.proline7.com/index/index.asp?module=proline&mtype=pickups I have been in touch with the sales department from this company and they are very nice people. The individual price for one of their pickups is $6, so most of these ebay merchants are making 3X or 4X profits. The only catch with Daehung is they like to supply in large lots, so it isn't feasible to order in small amounts. Although if they did open a direct sales portal you can bet that the world would beat down their doors to buy their products!

I did a magnet swap last month on a GFS and I saw ARTEC on their coils, so at the least GFS is using the same materials as ARTEC. Artec also has a number of pickups with the same cosmetics and the same specs as Daehung. Although the GFS pickups have visual similarities to both Artec and Daehung their specs are slightly different. I'm thinking Sky, Daehung, Artec, GFS, Gotoh and about a dozen others probably share the same designs and production facilities.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: tried the Dragonfire AlNiCo Classics

Many moons ago I've done a wine tending course.

In the beginning couldn't taste the difference between a $ 10.00 and $ 100.00 bottle. It took some time until I could enjoy the experience. I think this analogy might work in this case.

If you're not able to hear and enjoy the tonal subtleties present in those Duncans, and something that cheap fufill your needs, the most logical step is to change'em. No doubt about it. Never let price guide your ears. Only YOU can determine what GOOD sounds like.

HTH,

 

[Gplayerzzz]

Re: tried the Dragonfire AlNiCo Classics

From what I understand, Artec supplys the pickups to GFS, Guitarforce, etc. And those companys wind them.

 

[Barron1]

Re: tried the Dragonfire AlNiCo Classics

Would it be possible to take one of those Dragonfire humbuckers and buy separate screws to install them into them?