Question on "Duncan Designed" pickups

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Alanfc

Alanfc

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hey-

I have a 2002 Schecter 006 Elite with some "Duncan Designed" pickups. I was wondering if anyone knew about the character and quality of these- are they a generic clone of some particular SD model? If so (or if not), does anyone know how to classifiy them? like distortion, high output, brittle, boomy, etc..? How do they compare with some of the great or bad ones that you have used.. ?

thanks
 
I have been seeing them lately. How do they sound in your axe??
 
To me the guitar sounds great! I went from an 80's Kramer with humbucker to this Schecter and the difference in low-end and sustain was significant. I think partly due to the glued in neck. I really don't know squat about pickups. But I haven't played a real Les Paul or Tele in about 20 years (why did I get rid of those !), so I have no reference to high quality sound anymore.
 
Well, in my opinion, if it sounds great to you then that is your reference for high quality sound. If you are happy with you sound that is all that matters.
 
Indeed I am happy with this thing

But I still am halfway shopping for a Tele again. I need to create this sound (thats in my head) that's metal crunch but with that Tele twang. That defintion especially in picking on the lower notes is what I seek. I can't get the twang out of my Schecter but surely I can find a way to get a crunch out of the Tele. That buy is a long way off though...
 
Duncan Designed have several models based on proper Seymoure Duncan pickups. The replicated pickups are the JB, 59 and Distortion. Its most likely that your schechter has the JB clone. I have a Stephen Carpenter signature that had all duncan designed picups but i changed the bridge pickup for a proper Seymoure Duncan JB and the difference is very obvious. They have a much higher output than the Duncan designed pickups. I could only afford to change the bridge pickup at the time but i will be changing all the pickups eventually cos they are totaly out of balance, with the proper Seymoure being much louder than the others.

On the other hand, unless your a tone purist you could leave your Duncan Designed in there no problem since they are half decent for factory stock pickups.
 
I have active Duncan Design pups in my bass, don't care for them.
 
duncan is the top ... talking about those pickups... I own Duncan and the sound like heaven. Not even Dimarzio...perhaps EMG could reach duncan, but, go after prices and you'll see. Try looking PRS pickups...you may like those. But igot to tell you that if I change the ones I have, it would be for another Duncans
Hope I helped ya...
 
McButtsky,Nicolaad,Grinder

thanks for the notes.

I'm finding that the pickups are almost too 'hot', I think 'hot' in a less-than-desirable way. I mean its not the actual level of the output, I love power. But its a bit loose...
I don't know how to describe it, but I find myself turning down the volume on the guitar to tone it down and focus it. Its not the gain/distortion on my amp. I've tested this out by ear and by recording- the gain on the amp isn't the difference. I've been going back& forth between full up and 2/3 up on the guitar volume. Its almost like the output from the pickup is loose and unfocused if I have it all the way up . Does that make sense? I hope I'm not losin my mind. Is there such thing as a clean/tight but powerful pickup? What am I hearing?

any ideas would be greatly appreciated
 
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I think what your trying to explain is that the pickups are trying to perform outside of they're practical range. its like trying to make a 1 litre car go as fast as a V8. This is common among lower grade pickups since the coil windings aren't as tight and the magnets are of lower quality. Proper Seymoure Duncans have more power than the Duncan Designed and are much more precise sounding and string/dynamic responsive. Try just putting a JB in the bridge position and the difference will be like a nasty smack in the chops.
 
Hey thanks McButtsky

basically I've figured out what volume knob positions on my guitar are the best for the type of sound I'm looking for. I painted a little tick mark on my metal volume knob to eye the positions. I do have use for the loose sound I describe too, just not when I'm trying to play details. Now just learning about pickups and sort of passively shopping for a new pickup.

Someone suggested I adjust the pickup downwards away from the strings as temporary solution. I have not tested that yet. Does idea that have potential?

I am focusing on SD's for a replacement. Of the high-grade SD models, which will give me decent power and the finest clarity ? As opposed to just crazy raw high output? I don't care about monster power (I'll just turn up my amp!) My core sound is Marshall metal and heavy mids, no scoopage.

thanks
 
Well my personal choice for pickups varies depending on the sound i want. I have 5 guitars and they all have different pickups so i have a big range of tones. But for a sort of modern metal sound i suggest a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge position and a Seymour Duncan Jazz for the neck position. The JB is a very good all round pickup and can give u classic rock to modern with no problems and the Jazz is probably my favourite neck pickup ever cos it sounds realy deep and smooth. Although u may want to research some EMG's, alot of people snub them off as severe metal only pickups, but the clean sound on EMG's is amazing and the distorted tones are easilly tamed down for other uses. I have an ESP Viper with 81 bridge and 85 neck which is screwed right down to just below the pickup ring mounting so that when both pickups are selected the bridge pickup is the stringest and the neck pickup adds just enough bass to keep arrpegio's and single note work nice and thick sounding. Pickup height can change your sound alot, having them close to the strings makes them brighter and more trebley where as a lower height will give a more subtle sound. My Viper neck pickup sounds very close to a single coil since its mounted so low in the guitar, so screwing your bridge pickup down a bit may well pull the reigns in a bit on your guitar. But wind it down too much and you'll start to loose output volume. Hope this is all helping you :)
 
Oh and for a reference point, my Stephan Carpenter signature has a JB bridge pickup and on my 5150II i have the gain on 6, bass on 6, mids on 5.5, treble on 7.5 and i get a damn near exact same guitar sound as on Thursday's War All The Time.
 
Alanfc said:
McButtsky,Nicolaad,Grinder

thanks for the notes.

I'm finding that the pickups are almost too 'hot', I think 'hot' in a less-than-desirable way. I mean its not the actual level of the output, I love power. But its a bit loose...
Click to expand...


Have you tried lowering the pickups?
 
Grinder-
Thanks; indeed this is my next test.

I must hold off on buying anything new for awhile (arrgh)
 
i have a jackson dx10d it has 2 Duncan Designed HB-103 Humbuckers i love them i had nothing but good things . my friend had a epiphone and he payed like 600 and i payed 400 for mine and mine played beter then his :D
 
I've got an ESP HB-300 with duncan designed PU's. The output and focus isn't very high. If I was reading this post and had no experience with them I'd say that the stock PU's aren't properly "potted" like a good brand name pair but that doesn't seem to be the case. I think that the weaker output is picking up artifacts that you don't usually want in your tone and they're not focusing on the punchy freq. that we usually expect from these types of guitars. Hence the loosness. I've created some really different tones using this "openess" that metal music doesn't usually employ. All because I can afford to experiment with some dimarzios yet.
 
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