What makes the pickup bad?

[BowerR64]

Sorry if i seem to be spammig the boards, im just really interested in these things.


I know that a bad sound is what makes them bad but why? they all use a bobbin, windings, poles magnets so what makes one better then the other? What would make a junk stock pickup better? What if i replaced the poles with screws? or filed on them or somthing?

What makes a duncan 59' better then a $12. GFS 59' ? same resistance and has one set of screws and one set of poles. Shielded wires everything looks the same.

 

[danglybanger]

Re: What makes the pickup bad?

probably as with anything, it's the things you can't see that make the difference Duncan pickups are engineered to specifications, and the engineers who make them have experience and know what makes a pickup sound a certain way.

I've got a feeling that cheap pickups don't have that behind them (which accounts for the fact that you can play a dozen epiphone humbuckers and have them all sound different)

That said you will find good stock pickups... by luck. But if you're looking for a certain sound SD is the way to go.

Anyways... I've never heard of anyone modding a pickup aside from rewinding it

 

[Artie]

Re: What makes the pickup bad?

Thats a good question. The Chinese bridge humbucker that came out of my Genny measures 10k, with a ceramic magnet, but its thin and lifeless. It also matters what guitar you mate a pup up with. Not every Duncan I've owned has been a "keeper". Some are gone.

 

[More-Gear-Than-Skill]

Re: What makes the pickup bad?

I'd imagine the quality of the components plays a big part too. Copper wire grade, purity, thickness, conductivity. You can get cheap and nasty, inconsistent stuff. Or get super "space-program" grade stuff. But much more pricey, but reliable and consistently so. Magnets, i'm sure are the same. Maybe the stuff that ends up as fridge magnets are the "under-achievers", the stuff that goes the SD factory, are the MENSA genius members.

Construction methods/secrets. And righteous tone

 

[BowerR64]

Re: What makes the pickup bad?

Thats a good question. The Chinese bridge humbucker that came out of my Genny measures 10k, with a ceramic magnet, but its thin and lifeless. It also matters what guitar you mate a pup up with. Not every Duncan I've owned has been a "keeper". Some are gone.

Why did you mention 10K? I keep seing 10K like its a magical number.

 

[WICKED LESTER]

Re: What makes the pickup bad?

what makes a pup bad??




























when it does NOT have "SEYMOUR DUNCAN" written on it!:laugh2:

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: What makes the pickup bad?

what makes a pup bad??


when it does NOT have "SEYMOUR DUNCAN" written on it!:laugh2:

A lot of Duncans don't even have that.

 

[Artie]

Re: What makes the pickup bad?

Why did you mention 10K? I keep seing 10K like its a magical number.

Heh - well, I mentioned 10k because thats what it measures.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: What makes the pickup bad?

An important lesson is that just because two things LOOK the same doesn't mean they ARE the same.

You first must remember that SD's are made in the USA. Higher wages, PTO, Health Insurance, etc. etc. etc. all of this contributes to higher dollar per hour per employee.

SD is also very strict about what they use being the best tonally, or the most faithful a reproduction.

The wire is vintage correct with the correct gauge, the corrrect copper purity, and the correct insulation.

For example, the Seths and Antiquities have butyrate bobbins which was used in the 50's, and they also have a specific dye color which SD had to buy 200+ years of supply of in order to have the company make them. The Seths and Antiquities also have wooden spacers instead of regular plastic. It is that fanatical attention to deatil that we pay for.

Also their committment to customer service is unparalleled. They opened thir facility up to us in April, and even subsidized our stay. That is what I call customer appreciation.

Luke

 

[BowerR64]

Re: What makes the pickup bad?

An important lesson is that just because two things LOOK the same doesn't mean they ARE the same.

You first must remember that SD's are made in the USA. Higher wages, PTO, Health Insurance, etc. etc. etc. all of this contributes to higher dollar per hour per employee.

SD is also very strict about what they use being the best tonally, or the most faithful a reproduction.

Im american but i dont agree with this. Because they are made in USA their time is more valuable then japan or korea? thats why i wont give 2k for a gibson or a fender. There are other guitars of the same quality for 1/3 the cost.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: What makes the pickup bad?

Im american but i dont agree with this. Because they are made in USA their time is more valuable then japan or korea? thats why i wont give 2k for a gibson or a fender. There are other guitars of the same quality for 1/3 the cost.

Did I say their time is more valuable? No, I said their time is more expensive All our time is limited, we're all dying man.

We have a mimimum wage here in the states of $5.15 where in Korea, China, Indonesia, etc. you work for .50-$1 a day. US citizens DEMAND the highest wages, and all types of benefits, where in those other countries people don't have the advantage of a open work, market or representative governments and they take what they can get, which also translates to lower wages, and worse working conditions. If you want to ship your money out of the states that's fine, hey it's a free country, but don't demand the highest wage for your next job or tons of benefits if you aren't willing to support your neighbors.

I would say there are some very well made guitars overseas, but not of the same quality. If you compare those guitars to Heritages, or Hamers where the human hand is used there is no contest. But that's a different discussion for a different day.

Luke