genuine Duncan pickup?

[Mr French]

This is a Duncan WLL Sh-18 and the baseplate looks genuine with the little sticker but I never taken a Duncan cover off so I'm wondering if this is a real Duncan.

Because I don't have experience working with pickups beside installing, I don't know what to look for. The green wax and duct tape screams fake but again I don't know what to look for and I don't see photos like this online.

 

[jbash]

That's whacked.

My WLH set had a ton of wax but not green, and no logos. Historically they never put logos on the bobbins of covered pickups. Waste of money and time. If it is a real Duncan, somebody put the cover and wax on after.

Also the tape under the wax is not from the factory.

More pics. They forge the little stickers too.

 

[Mr French]

That's whacked.

My WLH set had a ton of wax but not green, and no logos. Historically they never put logos on the bobbins of covered pickups. Waste of money and time. If it is a real Duncan, somebody put the cover and wax on after.

Also the tape under the wax is not from the factory.

More pics. They forge the little stickers too.

this is the only other picture I have. I was shocked when I seen that very odd colored wax. Also this is the pickup a buddy wanted to swap the magnet.

 

[ReWind James]

 

[Mr French]

Okay okay... I lied! It was actually a soap on a rope for musicians. I thought I'd share my new invention.

 

[jbash]

Hard to be 100% without a better pic of the sticker, but from what you posted it looks like a legit Duncan- however the cover and potting was done post factory and very poorly.

Slimed is correct.

 

[Mr French]

Hard to be 100% without a better pic of the sticker, but from what you posted it looks like a legit Duncan- however the cover and potting was done post factory and very poorly.

Slimed is correct.

It's already back in the guitar and I was dazed by what I was looking at. Next time I should just video record.

This must of been vacuumed wax but I'm not sure if Duncan does it like that.

 

[ARandall]

Somebody already told you thats not a Duncan waxing.

The logo on the bobbins is only put on for uncovered pickups from the factory, the tape on the bobbins is never used for Duncan wax potting, and the type of wax are all incorrect. So everything about the process in short.

 

[Mr French]

Somebody already told you thats not a Duncan waxing.

The logo on the bobbins is only put on for uncovered pickups from the factory, the tape on the bobbins is never used for Duncan wax potting, and the type of wax are all incorrect. So everything about the process in short.

Sucks for who it belongs to but got to admit it did sound pretty good stock and even with the magnet swap.

I'm going to ask where he bought the set from. I know the knockoffs are being sold on Ebay and I think on Reverb.

 

[freefrog]

I've seen much more terrible things from clumsy tinkerers...

My take is that someone did experiment unrequested microphony with this PU. So a bit of tape was put under the cover. But it didn't suffice so the person used candle wax to "exorcize" the issue (green candles being meant to favor luck).

 

[ReWind James]

Is Duncan really using a 12 hole baseplate, like in the photo above? That generally a sign of cheap junk.

 

[ReWind James]

Is Duncan really using a 12 hole baseplate, like in the photo above? That generally a sign of cheap junk.

Answering myself - yes, it looks like they are now. I didn't think they did that on anything, at least nothing that was supposed to be "like a PAF" but, hey, there ya go. Nevermind.

Guess it's on par with their Custom Shop aging.

Ouch.

 

[jbash]

Answering myself - yes, it looks like they are now. I didn't think they did that on anything, at least nothing that was supposed to be "like a PAF" but, hey, there ya go. Nevermind.

Guess it's on par with their Custom Shop aging.

Ouch.

The whole Lotta uses short leg plates by design (just lke the pearly gates) , so they are not using the long leg PAF style baseplates.

You could probably order it as a "shop floor custom" with long legs and vintage braid for minimal,if any, extra fees.

 

[Mr French]

I've seen much more terrible things from clumsy tinkerers...

My take is that someone did experiment unrequested microphony with this PU. So a bit of tape was put under the cover. But it didn't suffice so the person used candle wax to "exorcize" the issue (green candles being meant to favor luck).

I agree. I think Duncan just quick dips their pickups and after removing the green wax there was little transparent wax left over.

 

[Mr French]

I've seen much more terrible things from clumsy tinkerers...

My take is that someone did experiment unrequested microphony with this PU. So a bit of tape was put under the cover. But it didn't suffice so the person used candle wax to "exorcize" the issue (green candles being meant to favor luck).

I also noticed the soldering for the cover didn't look factory.

 

[Mr French]

Answering myself - yes, it looks like they are now. I didn't think they did that on anything, at least nothing that was supposed to be "like a PAF" but, hey, there ya go. Nevermind.

Guess it's on par with their Custom Shop aging.

Ouch.

So the green wax fooled me but that baseplate looks exactly like your photo.

 

[ReWind James]

So the green wax fooled me but that baseplate looks exactly like your photo.

I guess they use those “universal baseplates” for more models now.

Hope your covers look better than that gold one! …They’d kinda have to, really.

 

[Mr French]

I guess they use those “universal baseplates” for more models now.

Hope your covers look better than that gold one! …They’d kinda have to, really.

Cover is back on. It seemed fine to me but again I'm no expert with pickups or the construction of them.

If it's a fake, I thought it sounded pretty good.

 

[Mr French]

Update: Pickups were purchased on Ebay as a set marked like new for $145. He messaged the seller about that additional wax with pics but has yet to respond lol. I doubt he will anyways.

Pickups still sounded good to the both us.