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These pups were in a box of parts purchased in Jan. 1982. All the other Duncans are zebra or black and didn't have braided leads.

Don't know...But one's a JB and the others a 59N. lol

They must have originally had pickup covers, because they're double cremes.


Originally Posted by YJM_RocksThey must have originally had pickup covers, because they're double cremes.

Nope. I took them out of the plastic boxes myself. The foam in the box was starting to deteriorate. I just never got around to installing them.


Originally Posted by YJM_RocksDon't know...But one's a JB and the others a 59N. lol

now how do u figure?


Originally Posted by YJM_RocksDon't know...But one's a JB and the others a 59N. lol

I should have known I couldn't slip anything by you guys.

Just send those to me here in Galesburg, IL. I can tell you exactly what year they are, might take a couple months, but if you wanna know.... Rock ON!
P.S. but seriously, if you ever decide to sell those. PLEASE let me know ~


Originally Posted by KacJust send those to me here in Galesburg, IL. I can tell you exactly what year they are, might take a couple months, but if you wanna know.... Rock ON!
P.S. but seriously, if you ever decide to sell those. PLEASE let me know ~

Will do Kac. I was thinking of installing them in a DC Standard or my funky old Koa Kramer aluminun neck. I've just haven't seen many with braded shields before and wanted see if anyone knows about them before I do.


Originally Posted by YJM_RocksThey must have originally had pickup covers, because they're double cremes.

If these pickups are indeed from the early 80's, then they could be pre-Dimarzio trademark lawsuit era. I'm not sure what year Dimarzio put a trademark on their double creams but the early SD pickups were never available with covers.

THEIR double creams?! (splutters into his whisky)

if they're genuine, they gotta be the oldest duncans i've seen yet! is there any chance of measuring the DC resistance for us? that'll tell us a lot more

tom

sorry man, just out of interest - how many of the other duncans had the label written in red? i've got an identification issue of my own at the moment hehe

tom

Otay,

DC resistance on my cheapo multimeter is 7.62k for the 59N and 16.25k for the JB. All the labels on the Duncans (about 10) are the same purpleish red. Even the ones with black insulated leads. Does this help date the creams? I thought Duncans stayed with a consistant DC resistance throughout the years.

There are a bunch of pups from various makers in the parts drawers. Some have braided and some have insulated leads. The earliest dated one is a Gibson HB from Oct 13 1978.


Originally Posted by YJM_RocksThey must have originally had pickup covers, because they're double cremes.

Actually, I think they predate the trademark which makes them early 80's at the latest I believe. The 2 conductor wire on the JB is an indicator at least.

all i know is i'd gladly take that double creme jb off your hands! nice find!

-Mike


Originally Posted by XSSIVEall i know is i'd gladly take that double creme jb off your hands! nice find!

-Mike

I don't know about a find. More like dumb luck. My dad bought a bunch of parts in 82 at an auction and gave them to me about 7 years ago. I very rarely change any parts on my guitars, but I'm not thrilled with the stock DC Standard pups. At least I have a bunch to try. Most of my favorite guitars have P90s or Fender style single coils. I use Duncan singles with a sticker marked IR on the bottom from 87 in several of my strats.

that's funny, and good luck. it's kinda how i got my marshall half stack which is a '79 50w jmp and matching '79 basket weave 4x12 cab and a fender bassman 2x12 cab...my father bought them at an auction for my older brother back in the 80s and he handed them down to me.

-Mike

I don't know that there is a way to accurately date those pickups but they appear to be fairly early versions. I'd hang on to them.

The wire SD winds with has a 5% variance so a 16k pickup can vary from 15.2k to 16.8k. As a general rule of thumb you need at least 500k variance to even start to hear a difference between two identicle pickups and the human body can't really tell a difference until about 10% variance. Lifting 25 pounds will feel the same as 26 pounds but 25 pounds will feel lighter than 28. A 16.25k JB will sound the same as a 16.6k JB.

I've never seen a JB with braided sheilding. I don't know if it was ordered that way or if the earlier models only came that way and that might be a clue to dating them, along with the DC bobbins. Pre-1982 still makes them over 23 years old though and lots of folks like the tone of old magnets. I'd hang on to them if they were mine.