So the older Seymor Duncans sound better....

[TOStudent]

But how hard are they to get?
Or should I look at the Suhr, Andersen & Motor City type pick ups?

Or how much difference is there?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Qweklain]

But how hard are they to get?
Or should I look at the Suhr, Andersen & Motor City type pick ups?

Or how much difference is there?

Thanks in advance.

The older ones CAN sound better depending on who wired them. Also I would go with BKP or WCR pickups personally.

 

[jonny toetags]

I've tried many pickups and Duncans and Suhrs have been my favorite, both in quality/tone/price.

My biggest disappointment were Bareknuckles I tried. For 300$ new, I expected a lot more.

 

[guitarslinger]

comes down to individual pickup and guitar for me.

I've had stellar, and not so stellar results from:

Dimarzio
Duncan
Suhr


I've had nothing but perfection from:

TV Jones
MotorCity

 

[RockStarNick]

It comes down to wire, technique, # of winds, and age.

An older pickup will sound mellower. And variation in # of wires can produce a different sounding pickup.

I don't think that a blanket statement like "older duncans sound better" is 100% accurate.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

It comes down to wire, technique, # of winds, and age.

An older pickup will sound mellower. And variation in # of wires can produce a different sounding pickup.

I don't think that a blanket statement like "older duncans sound better" is 100% accurate.

+1 I've owned lots of duncans new and old, ones wound by MJ and not. I think what people are hearing with the older ones is just the magnets mellowing. I can say that Duncans tend to be pretty damned consistent, pretty impressive really given the nature of pickup construction.

 

[EXPcustom]

Now to totally through a tangent and drive the price of pre 2007 pickups through the roof.

They have to use lead free solder on all SD pickups to comply with export regulations.

Lead free solder has a higher melting point, more whiskers and just plain sucks.

So there you go, also toss your amps that were made with lead free solder you can send them to me for disposal at no additional charge.

 

[thegame]

On a related note, I use older EMGs from the 80s. They do sound a little better than new ones. Less buzzy, more full bodied. They physically weigh more than the new clip on ones.

 

[EXPcustom]

On a related note, I use older EMGs from the 80s. They do sound a little better than new ones. Less buzzy, more full bodied. They physically weigh more than the new clip on ones.

I agree with this statement. I had always wondered when a vintage EMG market will hit Ebay.

I prefer the older ones with the tan colored epoxy type coating on the bottom.

 

[TOStudent]

I've tried many pickups and Duncans and Suhrs have been my favorite, both in quality/tone/price.

My biggest disappointment were Bareknuckles I tried. For 300$ new, I expected a lot more.

cough! cough! (spits drink on pc screen)
how much did you say? (300 bones)

 

[Jordon]

Now to totally through a tangent and drive the price of pre 2007 pickups through the roof.

They have to use lead free solder on all SD pickups to comply with export regulations.

Lead free solder has a higher melting point, more whiskers and just plain sucks.

So there you go, also toss your amps that were made with lead free solder you can send them to me for disposal at no additional charge.

It only sucks if you do not know how to work with it. "More whiskers" is an invalid statement. It is more susceptible to whiskers, but will not automatically have them. It has a lot to do with the temperature that the soldered joint is exposed to after manufacturing.

 

[jonny toetags]

I've tried many pickups and Duncans and Suhrs have been my favorite, both in quality/tone/price.

My biggest disappointment were Bareknuckles I tried. For 300$ new, I expected a lot more.

cough! cough! (spits drink on pc screen)
how much did you say? (300 bones)

That's the price new over here w/ tax (at a local shop)....EACH!
I couldn't find used ones