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Seymour Duncan SMB- 4A Three Coil - how does It look?

Undisclosed Recepient

Undisclosed Recepient

Sep 23, 2014
59
18
#1
Hello Everyone!!!


I need help! The pick up - Seymour Duncan SMB- 4A Three Coil - does anyone have a picture of it, how does it look from the "inside"?

I ordered a pickup from a local dealer, said I need it to have 3 coils, and what I got is this:
20150303_112513.jpg
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or this:
View image: 20150303 112513

I hope You can see the picture, if not, there is a link to similar photo here (its not my pickup:)

Invalid Link Removed

For me its a little confusing, since it should have THREE COILS, not TWO, like on this picture, which provides SD:

Link Removed

Can someone, please, explain it to me, how is that possible that I DO have a Three Coil SD, according to my dealer?

I very aprreciate all the help I can get, Thank You.
 
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#2
What you received is the regular Seymour Duncan SMB-4a not the SMB-4a three coils.
The problem stems from the fact that both pickups have the same name SMB-4a which is confusing in the first place. Anyways, I would recommend you deal with your retailer to get this corrected. Short of that I believe Seymour has an exchange policy and I would contact them too. Check SD site to see the two pickups both are listed and have pictures.

I own the SMB-4a (two coils - the one you got by error) and it is a beautiful sounding pickup. I did an extensive round of Stingray pickup testing and it was the winner. It bested an actual Stingray Classic pickup! Getting a manufacturer's pickup bested by an aftermarket product is not particularly rare, that happens to Fender all the time. Also to be noted, pickups are really subjective so I suspect manufacturer shoot for a crowd pleaser meanwhile as an individual we shoot for the opposite; what our ears like - a singular taste.
 
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#3
Thank You very much Laurent!

I've had a very good experience with this pickup myself - maybe a little to much hum for one to matter. Thats why I wanted to order a Three Coil mode.
Any chance on giving Your dealer a good clue of how to order a good version of that pickup? And how to really recognise a Three Coil itself?

Finally, does anyone have a real photo of it, please?

Thank You for any further responce.
 
#4
Show them the pictures on the site. You can also contact SD for advice. These guys are pretty helpful.
There are two different pages (top and second one)
Music Man - Seymour Duncan

Note that not all basses can accommodate the three coil pickup because it's deeper. Hum can be driven by strings, they have to conduct. I get more hum with strings that are non conductive.
 
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#5
Yeah, thats exactly what I did, I ve sent that data ( the image of "three coil") to my dealer, and he said that a sertain SD employee wrote him, that the pick up will be three coils. Now I am trying to contact SD as well as this employee, Im curious what answer I will get.
 
#9
The 3 coil is only going to have less hum in single coil mode. That's the purpose of the 3rd coil.

If you never run single coil mode or don't have your current pickup wired to do single coil you're not going to really gain anything.
 
#11
Hi! I need the schematic wiring for an 3 coil MM5 pickup Original 1997 on a 3 way blade switch. Who can help me?
Seymour Duncan say that the 3 way preamp is not good for an 3 coil MM Pickup. What 3 band preamp is good
for an original 3 coil pickup? John East? Nordstrand? Bartolini?
Thank you
Andrew
 

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