Suggestion for a new duncan line-

[DeanSweden]

Now THAT would be really awesome! It wouldn't cost them anything and they could even make huge profit.

They definitely need to add more alnico 8 pickups to their product line and come up with some new neck pickups for shredders. I mean, the great majority including most big names (Vai, Satch, Petrucci, Gilbert,...) uses DiMarzio pickups for their fast and technical soloing because they seem to be simply better for those purposes. Come on Seymour, can it really be that hard to create a new neck pickup that can keep up with the top line DiMarzios?

if you think about it, DiMarzio has a pretty narrow selection of magnets as well.

[misterwhizzy]

Let's give credit where it's due, though. What other companies have the Liberator and the Coil Packs and the Blackouts and the Gus G. system? I think these guys are innovating and bringing new items to market all the time.

And I think it's hard to look at this from an outside perspective. How many customers are there saying, "You know, I've looked through the entire line of SD humbuckers, and nothing suits me."? It took me until several months trolling then several months as a member before I figured out what a good portion of the line was all about.

There may be a fine line between lots of options and too many options, or the market may be shifting towards selling more active pickups. Without sales numbers, I don't think we really know, and I think we're an insanely picky bunch when it comes to pickups and tone in general. So the polls we conduct around here may be from a concentrated segment of the market that may or may not exist outside of this community.

[Chuck_Norris]

if you think about it, DiMarzio has a pretty narrow selection of magnets as well.

Right, but I was talking about neck pickups in general, not about specific magnet options. Btw, I was looking for a new neck pickup myself and lots of people here told me that only DiMarzio delivers for what I need so I ordered one of their pickups. For the very first time! And I'm sure I'm not the first one here to do so.

Blackouts are really cool and I might get some if I go the active route, Coil Pack is redundant imo, and the Gus G. system is pure marketing.

[Edgecrusher]

There may be a fine line between lots of options and too many options, or the market may be shifting towards selling more active pickups. Without sales numbers, I don't think we really know, and I think we're an insanely picky bunch when it comes to pickups and tone in general. So the polls we conduct around here may be from a concentrated segment of the market that may or may not exist outside of this community.

This is more what ive been wondering. Would it dilute the SD line up to have so many pickups and options available? I know many around here think the more options the better but it doesnt always work that way for your average consumer. Especially if you wind up with many pickups covering the same territory.

Your right this forum does represent a tiny microcosm of population and by far inst representative of guitar players at large.

[blueman335]

There may be a fine line between lots of options and too many options, or the market may be shifting towards selling more active pickups.

I don't see that from my perspective. The majority of guys aren't going to give up the superior tones of their passives. What I do see is a big rise in popularity in P-90's; more guitars come with them now, and many manufacturers are making HB-sized P-90's.

[WGTP]

2 ideas. A specially reinforced version to facilitate magnet changing with less possiblility of messing up the wires and special screws for repeated tightening and loosening.

Special limited edition versions of popular swaps. C8, JB2, JB/Dist. w/small ceramic, etc.

[grey]

the thing is, when you're not an American, you're screwed. its very, VERY difficult to get a shop floor custom pickup here. so... please, offer the JB and custom with an a8 (JB with an a2 too, please), and the '59 with an a3 and a4. it costs them virtually nohting to make. Just do a limited edition first; lets say, first batch of 1000 pieces, and then see how fast that goes.

...just that.

[orpheo]

The poll doesn't have the right options. It's not wether or not seymour duncan as a company is doing fine that's stating the obvious. It's more a thing how far they're willing to go to accomodate (foreign!) players! There is a demand for the custom 8 (and JB8 to a lesser degree, which is a crying shame since that pickup is great in it's own right: a clearer, less gritty superdistortion, but thats a whole different discussion). To go just by the forum demand, one can say: the demand is HUGE. There are at least 20 guys who have one or want one or even have more than one custom8, and I know of 10 guys who have contacted me directly in order to get a custom 8.

People don't know what they want until you show them what they really want. I mean to say that the custom5 also was 'just' a forummod and became a regular pickup. just a magswap done indoors, and sell it like a 'regular' pickup. what's the harm in that? Can't think of one.

If it happens to sell virtually nothing, they can lower production to, lets say, 10 units a week or month or whatever they consider a low production.

The magswapkit is a good idea for us tinkers, but for the regular player it's too much of a hassle. But.... Duncan also carries those pots and stuff for the tinkerer, which involved a lot more research and thus more costs.

I think that things like this will only emphasize the great focus Duncan has towards its users.

I am hoping to get a response from Frank Falbo or Evan, but that might be too far a stretch...?

[Ayrton]

Would it not be easier to just allow direct sales for non production pups? If the EU distributor does not want to mess with shop floor customs, then why not sell direct?

More hassle than it is worth maybe?

[frankfalbo]

People don't know what they want until you show them what they really want.

Possibly the smartest statement in the whole thread.

[ItsaBass]

I voted meh. Too much fanfare, when all they have to do is start offering mag options as a standard practice.

There's no reason mag options should have an upcharge IMO. SFC price just because someone at SD has to pick up and install an A2 instead of an A5? Meh. I understand why that is in practice; it causes a change in the status quo of the production line. But in theory, it is silly to me to have to pay list price plus an upcharge just because you want a different magnet. I think they should just make magnet variations part of the standard production line, the same way one can choose between black, zebra, nickel, gold, etc.

[darthphineas]

Right, but I was talking about neck pickups in general, not about specific magnet options. Btw, I was looking for a new neck pickup myself and lots of people here told me that only DiMarzio delivers for what I need so I ordered one of their pickups. For the very first time! And I'm sure I'm not the first one here to do so.

agreed. I've also been hitting some walls with Duncans and got my first replacement DiMarzio not long ago. plus, my conversations with and questions for DiMarzio has met with far less resistance.

[Funkfingers]

SD is a business. Any product line has to generate more money than it costs to set up and run. The scale of demand is unlikely to warrant the outlay.

As has already been pointed out, customers who know that they require a standard production coil wind with a non-standard choice of magnet can already order that.

Those with the curiosity to loosen a few screws and do their own magnets swaps are already catered for.

Where is the market?

[Myaccount876]

SD is a business. Any product line has to generate more money than it costs to set up and run. The scale of demand is unlikely to warrant the outlay.

As has already been pointed out, customers who know that they require a standard production coil wind with a non-standard choice of magnet can already order that.

Those with the curiosity to loosen a few screws and do their own magnets swaps are already catered for.

Where is the market?

I voted for them to do it, but you made an excellent point. There really isn't much of a market except for us on the forums. I actually never knew about magnet swapping until I joined the forum. I have since done it once out of curiosity and it was too easy. I plan on doing it again as I have an OCD that I MUST mod the living crap out of every piece of gear I own.

[LtKojak]

I have an OCD that I MUST mod the living crap out of every piece of gear I own.

It's called the "Fix-it-until-it-breaks-then-fix-it-until-it-works" syndrom.

And it's really a *biatch*, as when you finally have a great playing, great sounding and perfectly working instrument, is when you're most unhappy.

Treatable but not curable.

HTH,

[metalmachine]

Seymour should let mj create 3 production pups. A low,medium and high output model

[youngthrasher9]

How (or why?) in the heck did this thread get revived?

[Tony]

I voted meh. Too much fanfare, when all they have to do is start offering mag options as a standard practice.

There's no reason mag options should have an upcharge IMO. SFC price just because someone at SD has to pick up and install an A2 instead of an A5? Meh. I understand why that is in practice; it causes a change in the status quo of the production line. But in theory, it is silly to me to have to pay list price plus an upcharge just because you want a different magnet. I think they should just make magnet variations part of the standard production line, the same way one can choose between black, zebra, nickel, gold, etc.

I agree.