What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

[ExplorersRock]

This is a question that's been killing me! What seymour duncan humbucker is most like a Gibson Burstbucker 3? The Burstbucker 3 has an alnico 2 magnet with slightly uneven coil windings with an output between 8.3k & 9.0k depending on who you ask. They were originally unpotted but I now think they come potted (also depending on who you ask).

My main reason in asking is that I love the one that came in my Traditional Pro Explorer, but if i'm gonna buy an aftermarket pickup, Gibson's aren't as consistent as Duncans nor are they as responsive from my experience. Not to mention they're more expensive (at those prices, Gibson should buy us dinner first).

This may be a custom build job or even some kind of hybrid/mag-swap deal. I'm all ears!

 

[GilmourD]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

The closest thing I can think of off the top of my head is the '78.

The spec is for two symmetrical coils but apparently they've been found to be mismatched.

However... Also not cheap.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

I can't think of any. The BB3 is a sweet, thick, bright pickup. I think the 78' sounds a bit thinner and clearer. It's not like a Pearly Gates or Seth Lover or 59 so none of the PAFs really sound like it. I hear good things about the Brobucker. I don't know if it also uses the A2 magnet but maybe someone can chime in on whether that one is similar.

 

[SFW]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

Tonally, I'd say the CC. The PG may also be something to look into.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

If you like the BB3 just get a BB3...Duncan has nothing that's really that close.l.even the 78 is only close in specs but in tone it's different.

The used to be unpotted then Gibson started potting them...just be clear on which one you want and pickup a used one...I've seen BB3's for as little as $75.

 

[JeffB]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

Aftermarkets are unpotted. Potted versions go in guitars. I have seen no issues with consistency, other than sllight dfffs in output of a couple K...just like everyone else.

Nothing in the duncan line is remotely close. They are completely different animals. Buy a BB3.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

Nothing like it from SD. But you can try an overwound Fralin Unbucker. I am not sure who came up with the purposefully unequal coils first, Gibson or Fralin, but I started hearing about Unbuckers and Burstbuckers at about the same time. I always thought Gibson stole the idea from Fralin, as I thought I heard of the Fralins first, but I may be wrong.

If buying new pickups, I'd go for the Unbucker hands down over the Gibson. Better made, and I think they even cost less. However, sometimes you can get good deals on used Burstbuckers, so then they might be worth it. And sometimes you can find a used one that has been pulled from a guitar that had stock coil splitting, so it will be four wire. I have one of those, and it's very cool to have that capability without having to modify the pickup.

 

[ExplorersRock]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

Thanks for all the input guys, I appreciate it. The BB3 was kinda of like that perfect formula for what I think of as "everyday tone". It's not specialized for metal, or jazz, or a specific genre, but it plays all things rock great and can do almost anything I want. Great all-around tone with just enough of a kick in the pants to drive an amp. Naturally when I go hotter I grab my Duncan Custom-series equipped guitars, but the BB3 just struck me right. Funny thing is the specs on paper are usually opposite of what I like!

I will say this though... I have it paired with a Gibson 57 Classic in the neck, and while it's a decent pickup, the '59 blows it away IMHO. Off-topic I know, but I had to say.

 

[blueman335]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

I have it paired with a Gibson 57 Classic in the neck, and while it's a decent pickup, the '59 blows it away IMHO. Off-topic I know, but I had to say.

To me, '57's have a rounded high end, and are too dark in the neck. I put an A5 in mine (and my 490R's) and they sound much better.

 

[Multi Angle Vise]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

...I always thought Gibson stole the idea from Fralin, as I thought I heard of the Fralins first, but I may be wrong...

As I understood it (and I also may well be wrong) Burstbuckers started in Japan in the late 90's. The Japanese idea of the ideal PAF replica back then included mismatched coils so Gibson Japan obliged them. I know they were selling Burstbuckers in Japan in 1999 because I saved the ads. As I recall the first Gibson that used burstbuckers was the Tak Matsumoto model, then the Gary Moore model came out a year later with them.

How that relates to the Fralin timeline I don't know.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

We all have our catch phrases around here; one of mine: " I love the Burstbucker 3." It always sounds right to me, even when I'm playing material where a hotter, more aggressive pickup is warranted.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

I'm pretty sure Gibson beat Fralin to the table on the mismatched coil thing by quite a stretch. They started, oh, about the same time Seth Lover introduced the humbucker. Most of the early PAF's were mismatched to some extent.

 

[GilmourD]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

I'm pretty sure Gibson beat Fralin to the table on the mismatched coil thing by quite a stretch. They started, oh, about the same time Seth Lover introduced the humbucker. Most of the early PAF's were mismatched to some extent.

True, but that wasn't by design. :scratchch

 

[LtKojak]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

Most of the early PAF's were mismatched to some extent.

Not most, but ALL PAF coils were different. That's because they were wound carelessly by minimum wage workers that had no idea what they were doing, nor what those coils were used for, nor they cared either.

That's PAF reality check 101.

 

[gripweed]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

I'm pretty sure Gibson beat Fralin to the table on the mismatched coil thing by quite a stretch. They started, oh, about the same time Seth Lover introduced the humbucker. Most of the early PAF's were mismatched to some extent.

I think the whole "mismatched" thing is overblown. There are going to be slight variances on any humbucking pickup.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

Of course there is some mismatch in all of them. My comments were on the practice of doing it by design. I don't know whether Burstbuckers are a take off on Unbuckers, or the other way around.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

Not most, but ALL PAF coils were different. That's because they were wound carelessly by minimum wage workers that had no idea what they were doing, nor what those coils were used for, nor they cared either.

That's PAF reality check 101.

This makes me think about footage of old ladies working on pickups and guitar pedals. They didn't care for what they doing, it was work.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

I think the whole "mismatched" thing is overblown. There are going to be slight variances on any humbucking pickup.

Slight variances are one thing, and you'll find that even with modern production techniques. Here, we're talking about significant mismatches in the windings between the coils, to the extent that the pickup flat-out sounds different because of it -- and not just because the hum rejection is lessened.

 

[chadd]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

It's funny, I threw an old demon with an A8 in place of a BB3 and while the split is miles better with the A8 Demon, it just does not work well for me as a humbucker. I never thought I would ever yank a demon out of a guitar but this may be the case where it happens. I don't think there is anything voiced better for me in a Les Paul right now than the BB3.

 

[dvanburen]

Re: What Duncan is Most Like a Burstbucker 3?

just get a used BB3 if thats what you want and money is a concern. If you must have duncan then get a 59/custom hybrid and buy a $3 A2 mag and pop it in there. Its a hot paf voiced pickup with mismatched coils. But it comes stock with A5 mag