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Duncan Designed pickups gone from Squier VM

#21
The DD pickup in my VM P Bass sounds pretty good but the bass lacks low end. I tried raising the pickup below the E string but that didn't seem to make any difference. I also have a FrankenSquier with a Matt Freeman body which sounds much better. I don't what that pickup is.
 
#22
Matvei said:
plus it's supposed to be a vintage -modified- bass.
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Yeah, I'm not sure what's "modified" about them anymore. Even initially, there wasn't much that was "modified". The maple/maple VM Jazz I purchased was pretty much a 70s style replica, but with chrome control knobs (which I hated and un-modified to factory original), the DD pickups, and a satin neck finish. Not exactly breaking the mold there with the modifications.

But now even those mods are gone. Which leaves what?

Maybe they should call them "Vintage Reissue" or something.
 
#23
I'm not sure if the DD pups were in my affinity p/j but they're alright. Sound great in my room but live they're a little boomy. I'd be happy to replace the ones that are in there. In fact, I'm going to. I had a VM before too and they were the sort of the same as the ones in the affinity so that's why I bring up my affinity. I think it would be cool if fender put fender pups in their instruments.
 
#25
"Blindfold" test results are in, and since this is where it started I thought I should share the results:
Pretty much everyone liked both, but slightly more guys liked the VM DD's over the Fralins. I'm not really surprised since I had already A/B'd the two for my self.
The DD's are fine pups, too bad they're gone. We can only hope the replacements are equally good
 
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#26
This is huge news for the "cheaper is better" crowd.

I see a money-making opportunity here. Find a hoard of DD pickups (the very ones that Fender, Schecter, and others have abandoned in favor of better ones). Then rebadge them as "vintage NOS, out of production, get 'em while they last". Folks will no doubt fork over their hard earned bucks to downgrade their guitars.

Sound unethical? No more so than trying to pass off cheap pickups on unsuspecting buyers by plastering the name Duncan designed on the covers.
 
#28
tjh said:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/2013-squier-vm-jazz-no-longer-sd-pickups-1038583/
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This was a thread I had started after getting my new 2013 Squier VM Jazz. I found the "fender pickups" to sound much more muffled and blah. My ex girlfriend had picked up the VM Jazz that looks like the Marcus Miller and those DD pickups sound much brighter, punchier, and clearer than the VM Jazz.

It could have been , as in many cases, just the bass itself that lacked the "tone". It is also likely that the new Fender p'ups in the Squier are the same, just legally not labled the same.

I also have the Squier VM P-Bass (amber/black pick guard) and that has the DD pick ups in it. It is the best sounding P-bass I have owned....and I owned a Custom Shop 59 Relic!
 
#31
twc1313 said:
This was a thread I had started after getting my new 2013 Squier VM Jazz. I found the "fender pickups" to sound much more muffled and blah. My ex girlfriend had picked up the VM Jazz that looks like the Marcus Miller and those DD pickups sound much brighter, punchier, and clearer than the VM Jazz.

It could have been , as in many cases, just the bass itself that lacked the "tone". It is also likely that the new Fender p'ups in the Squier are the same, just legally not labled the same.

I also have the Squier VM P-Bass (amber/black pick guard) and that has the DD pick ups in it. It is the best sounding P-bass I have owned....and I owned a Custom Shop 59 Relic!
Click to expand...
Hmm, that's not good news. Sounds like the Squier VM line got "nerfed"... :hmm:
 
#32
Troph said:
If they were designed by Seymour Duncan, then why is that unethical? How are such customers "unsuspecting"?
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Because players who know something about gear know that Duncan means a certain level of established quality.

They assume they will be getting that same quality when they see the Duncan brand name.

But they don't receive the quality they expected.

Then they are disappointed.

Then they get pissed off.

And when they get pissed off, they take it out on others. Violently.

Then they go to jail.

Don't buy Duncan Designed pickups and go to jail.
 
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#34
Templar said:
Because players who know something about gear know that Duncan means a certain level of established quality.

They assume they will be getting that same quality when they see the Duncan brand name.

But they don't receive the quality they expected.

Then they are disappointed.

Then they get pissed off.

And when they get pissed off, they take it out on others. Violently.

Then they go to jail.

Don't buy Duncan Designed pickups and go to jail.
Click to expand...

You're right, we should have a mass DD pickups burning in front of the Squier offices in Indonesia.
Those pickups are just pure evil!
 
#35
Noot said:
IMO the Duncan Designed pick-ups were really bad. They had no detail, no color, no highs, no articulation, no nothing. They make even new strings sound dead. I changed the DD with a SPB-1 on a Squier VM Precision, and it was a completely different bass.
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According to Duncan the PB101 pickup is essentially an SPB-1. I just modded a CV P-Bass and had the choice of a Fender MIA set out of my 2010 Amer.Std or the DD PB-101s. Looking for more vintage tone, I installed the DD's and cannot complain. It's all subjective.
 
#36
Noot said:
They had no detail, no color, no highs, no articulation, no nothing. They make even new strings sound dead.
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I thought they sounded wonderfully oaked, and had some subtle fruity overtones myself. :ninja:


axebuilder-albums-miscellaneous-picture48140-cork-sniffer.jpg
 
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#37
Root 5 said:
I don't think you're crazy. When Ed Friedland compared a Squier P to his, if I recall correctly, 60s P - I thought the Squier sounded superior!
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But don't forget that the Squiers in Ed's demo were the Classic Vibe series which don't come with the Duncan Designed pickups. They sound good, mind you, but I'm just pointing out that they aren't the DD pups. Also, on the 60's Precision demo, Ed points out that his Fender is sporting a dead set of 10 year old flats and the Squier has whatever stock rounds come with it so that will make a big difference in the tone.
 
#38
BulbousMoses said:
But don't forget that the Squiers in Ed's demo were the Classic Vibe series which don't come with the Duncan Designed pickups. They sound good, mind you, but I'm just pointing out that they aren't the DD pups. Also, on the 60's Precision demo, Ed points out that his Fender is sporting a dead set of 10 year old flats and the Squier has whatever stock rounds come with it so that will make a big difference in the tone.
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If Ed wasn't reviewing a VM series instrument, then you're correct, it wasn't a review of the DD pups.

However, there have been many other reviews of the VM series instruments, and I have never heard reviewers complain about the pickups; usually it's the opposite. I have heard complaints about the neck/fretwork and other aspects.
 
#39
Troph said:
If Ed wasn't reviewing a VM series instrument, then you're correct, it wasn't a review of the DD pups.

However, there have been many other reviews of the VM series instruments, and I have never heard reviewers complain about the pickups; usually it's the opposite. I have heard complaints about the neck/fretwork and other aspects.
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The DD pickups sound lifeless to me and were the only reason I didn't pickup a Jazz VM V, I look forward to playing the Fender designed ones.
 
#40
Just goes to show different tones work for different players. I have a VM P with the DD pickup and it sounds great to me. It's hot and aggressive, lots of bottom and top extension, certainly not dull! I will say though it only really sounds good with DR Sunbeams.
 
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