Duncan Designed - Funny how things work

[stevesmith1987]

I have this Gibson Les Paul Studio Platinum. I bought the thing cause it looks awesome, but I could never get it to sound the way I wanted. At first I swapped the magnets for A2 to A5 to Ceramic, little to no change. Then I found out Gibson uses/used 300 k pots, so I changed those out, it helped but it still had no crunch, I even changed the magnets around again.

I had no money for replacement pups and I had a Duncan Designed HB-102 (i think) laying around, so I said screw it, it fit inside the Gibson cover so I decided to give it a shot and now I think it sounds great.

So someday I may end up springing for the JB (the model i've read its based on) but for now, I really dig the sound.

[Edgecrusher]

Welcome to the forum

Cool looking axe. Dont sell the Duncan Designed pups short. They are actually pretty decent sounding pieces. Glad your diggin it now its a sweet guitar.

[stevesmith1987]

I saw alot of bad reviews of DD pups, in fact I didn't like them in the guitar I pulled them out of. So clearly this pickup sounds better in a Les Paul than a thinner Schecter guitar.

[CTN]

I have an A8 loaded HB103 in my strat and it smokes. Nice and hot, thick and still crunchy. It's really a fantastic complement to my strat's natural sound.

[DonP]

Most people are pickup snobs and they don't use their ears.

[Aceman]

I would never discount Duncan Designed. It is tough to get accurate info/descriptions though. Duncan isn't exactly forthcoming or clear about them.

[LtKojak]

I would never discount Duncan Designed. It is tough to get accurate info/descriptions though. Duncan isn't exactly forthcoming or clear about them.

Just ask me!

[detheldred]

Cool! Save up for a JB for the bridge and a '59 for the neck though.

[dominus]

The HB-102 is like a slightly hotter JB. If you replace it, you may not like it. If a pickup works, LEAVE it. You could spend tons of time and money trying to chase a sound.

That said, the HB-108 with an A8 is one of the best sounding pickups around.

[DonP]

The HB-102 is like a slightly hotter JB. If you replace it, you may not like it. If a pickup works, LEAVE it. You could spend tons of time and money trying to chase a sound.

I compared an HB102B to a TB4 in very similar guitars and couldn't tell the difference. I sold the TB4.

[Aceman]

I'm still going to get a 103 neck for my Silverburst Caddy.

[ItsaBass]

Who cares about the pickup! That guitar is awesome.

[Kramer Guy]

I have the Detonator in my ESP LTD M-15 and it's a beast.

[LtKojak]

I'm still going to get a 103 neck for my Silverburst Caddy.

I have an HB103N/HB102N hybrid modded with an A4 mag, 1018 slugs, 1022 polepiece screws and nickelsilver baseplate and nickel or gold cover, 4 conductor. With these mods, the p'up should come as close to an american Duncan as possible.

The closest Duncan hybrid to this is the '59n/JazzN.

Have in mind the polepiece spread is 50mm, not 49.2mm like american p'ups.

PM me if you're interested.

[GuitarDoc]

Now, that's a Gibson I could own. Studios are probably the best Gibson value going. I especially like how they do their frets without the stupid plastic binding extending them. Frets should go all the way to the edge of the neck like this.

Even that case is hot.

Very cool!!!

[stevesmith1987]

Now, that's a Gibson I could own. Studios are probably the best Gibson value going. I especially like how they do their frets without the stupid plastic binding extending them. Frets should go all the way to the edge of the neck like this.

Even that case is hot.

Very cool!!!

Yeah the guy at the shop that sold it to me said he almost likes the case more than the guitar haha.

[JPH118]

I have an Ibanez SZ720, kinda Gibson/PRS-style (mahogany w/maple, set neck, double cut), with some Duncan Designed HBs (don't know the models), and ya know what? For $400, it sounds really good!!!

[80's_Metal]

I've got twin Duncan Designs in my Explorer and I don't think it could sound any better... squalling high gain and super harmonics.... I really really like these pups.

[stevesmith1987]

I've got twin Duncan Designs in my Explorer and I don't think it could sound any better... squalling high gain and super harmonics.... I really really like these pups.

Yeah thats the thing, to stock Gibby pup had no harmonic response whatsoever. I have another DD for the neck I might try when I get time.

[Diego]

I've got a HB103 with a A8 magnet in my Ibanez. It's a wrecking ball.