Have any Epi Nighthawk owners tried the duncans?

M

Member 1963

As anyone who owns a NH knows, there are only 2 aftermarket bridge p/u options due to the slanted bridge p/u. One JB and a PAF style. Has anyone tried either and if so, how did it work out over the stock bridge p/u? I feel the neck and bridge p/u's are the only thing about this guitar that isn't awesome, and i feel the guitar is capable of a lot with the right ones. (mostly concerned with the bridge at the moment) But it's gotta be a considerable difference because while i'm not thrilled with the stock bridge p/u, it's also good enough that i can certainly live with it. So any change must be well worth the $, which i assume is high due to these being a very uncommon p/u that may not be discounted at all from the $120 retail tag. So anyone have experience with the seymours in this axe?
 
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BrenReg

BrenReg

Member
Messages
196
I'm interested in this also. I have a 90s Gibson Nighthawk/3 pickups and I never play it because I'm sick of the pickups. In one of the press releases that Duncan put out about the replacement pups, one of the company reps commented that their custom shop could make any one of their pickups to fit in the Nighthawk, they just don't offer them for retail. So I'm definitely considering this option, rather than having to choose between their two current aftermarket options.

I also found this guy who makes a replacement middle pickup:
http://www.bensoncustom.com/services.html

Right now I'm thinking about converting mine to a 2 pickup version, with a Duncan slanted bridge HB and a Lollar Firebird in the neck.
 
Sweetfinger

Sweetfinger

Gold Supporting Member
Messages
14,408
A luthier who is good at pickup disassembly and modification should be able to fit whatever humbucker you like onto your stock plate if the available options don't excite you.
 
vortexxxx

vortexxxx

Member
Messages
11,421
Curtis Novak's specialty is making hybrid pickups. Meaning he could make your pups sound like a completely different pup.
 
M

Member 1963

I've already considered making my own by simply cutting a plate to shape and reassembling the coils and mags from another P/P. But i'm not going to buy one only to find it weon't work due to the magnets. I may try with one i have already, but it's not a p/u i would want in it. I'd just rather go the easy route. But not having duncan custom make one, as that i'm sure is going to be too much. I never pay a lot for p/u's unless i am close to 100% sure how i'll like it. Otherwise i never have the patience to sell them or i try and they don't sell and waste away in a junk drawer. So i've concluded the best was is just go with one of those duncans. Problem is so few would have tried them that it's unlikely i'll get a response from a user.

Also, thanks for the link BrenReg. I'm pretty happy with the middle p/u, tho if i ever feel the need thats a heck of a cheap option ! The only thing i wonder about is it's the same resistance as the stock one which has me wondering if he just found a source for the stock NH p/u and is selling them while giving the impression they are something different and improved over stock. At $36 it does seem like it would be a cheap asian import which is what the stocker is.
 
M

Member 1963

Thats as cheap as i have seen, thanks. I may consider this, but i need to be as sure as possible i'll like it because if not selling it will be impossible.
 
M

Member 1963

You have a NH? I measured it and i forgot, but i recall it was 13k or 15k, one of those. The JB is 16k, tho to my ear it doesn't sound that hot so i guess it measure higher than it's output would suggest due to thinner wire....less winds per ohm. The 59 is probably out for me because they are generally much lower output than i like and too low to make a good match with the middle when split. But if you see my other thread you'll see i'm not sure a JB is gonna do it for me either.
 
M

Member 1963

problem is, that would be a custom order so it's likely to cost a lot. List is i think $120 on the 2 stock offerings, and combine the fact that a custom order would likely cost list, and a custom order is also likely to list for more to begin with, you may be out $150 or more if you don't like it. I like this guitar so much i'd be willing to pay that much. But NO p/u is a sure thing, at least not to sound better than the stock one to a worthwhile degree.
 
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