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Duncan TripleShot review

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  • Duncan TripleShot review

    It's not my intention to badmouth the product, but this is my actual experience with it.


    First, a brief recap of events:

    I, like many, pre-ordered some of these as soon as the option was available. Unfortunately, immediately after shipping them out, it was discovered that the factory put in the wrong type of switch and they were recalled. I kept mine and finally found replacement switches for them.


    I'm proud to say that after a slight hiccup (soldering issue on my part) the transplant was a total success. The switches operate as Duncan originally intended: I get Series, Split to Inner Coil, Split to Outer Coil, and Parallel, so Mission Accomplished. I have the equivalent of the ones that Duncan will be shipping out this week (according to the latest news, anyway).



    With that out of the way, here's the review:

    I'll be blunt: unless you're installing these into a guitar that has deep pickup cavities, and/or into a semihollow, and/or into a Humbuckered Strat with a big route (Universal/Swimming Pool), you will have to cut either the pickup lead down considerably or route some wood in order to get the circuit board for the Triple Shot AND the pickup to fit in the cavity. Especially if you have a fairly tall pickup. I'm using an Anderson neck pickup that is almost 3/4" tall from baseplate to bobbin in a guitar roughly the thickness of a Gibson SG, and after fighting with it for 20 minutes, I've come to the conclusion that unless I trim the pickup's lead down to about 1", it's not happening.

    The immediate alternatives of routing out the base of the cavity, trimming the wires to 1" long, or using a different/thinner pickup are in no way viable options for me.

    As well, during the struggle, the 4 wires that connect the switch board to the wire board broke away from the wire board. I'd say it was due to the angle at which the wires enter the board (perpendicular) as well as trying to get it to fit in a shallow cavity under a tall pickup with 9" of coiled up 4-conductor pickup lead.


    I know many Puritans despise PC-style connectors like the EMG quick-connect, but that system would suit the Triple Shots a lot better than the current system IMO.

    Of course the broken wire issue can be remedied - I've already done it on the Bridge ring: strip and separate the 4 wires and twist/solder them directly to the pickup's wires, then to the main points on the board.

    However, the bridge pickup was a Duncan, and therefore shorter, and therefore I had more room to fit the board and the full amount of pickup lead.


    The only other remedy I can think of is to extend the board's wires to the control cavity (which a quick-connect system would promote). However, most solidbody electric guitars do not have enough room in the wire channels to accommodate 2 cables of the 4-conductor diameter, so this is going to be a fight.

    In summary, if you want massive tonal variety out of a guitar with at least 2 humbuckers, a Triple Shot in the neck and the bridge with 2 4-conductor pickups will, in addition to the guitar's standard controls, give you just that.

    It's a great invention and one I consider the next significant revolution in the world of electric guitar. It's as big an innovation as the Humbucking Pickup.

    But you should be forewarned that there are critical design differences between guitars and pickups that might just kill the dream for you unless you're willing to Frankenstein a few things. If you've found the pickups you'll be buried with, then cutting the leads down to 1" shouldn't be an issue.
    For the rest of us who might decide to sell the pickups down the road, it is an issue.



    If you have a pickup such as the Anderson H-1 where the leads are soldered onto the baseplate or are otherwise exposed, you can connect the switchboard wires directly to these solder joints. The pickup's 4 conductors then become the extensions of the switch wires, which means you can thread the cable to the control cavity and connect them to the wire board there.


    Knowing what I know now, having gone through the hassle of the broken ribbon cable and having to Newcenstein the wiring, would I buy them again? Yes, in a New York Minute.
    I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

    The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

    My Blog: http://newcenstein.com

  • #2
    Thanks for the review. I think the system is a great idea, but just not practical for a live situation. the switches appear too small and in an awkward spot to hit on the fly. Can you comment on that?

    If i really wanted those options Id much rather have the switches in the guitar for coil split, series/parallel and phase change. Even so, i only find coil split useful, so the one switch seems fine.
    THIS IS MY POST
    Thanks for reading

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    • #3
      Well, since mine have replacement switches, the actual heads are about half the diameter of the real switches. Even then, I find no issues with working the switches while playing. It's no more work than pulling a push/pull or a mini toggle near the knobs.

      I will say that they're designed by default to have the switches at the bottom (treble side) of the pickup, because pushing both switches towards either coil will split to that coil (i.e. push both towards the neck to activate the inner/body-side coil, push both toward the bridge to activate just the bridge-side coil). If you put the switches on top like I did, then the switch motions are reversed.


      Duncan employee Frank Falbo on the Duncan forum said he was able to coil a full-length pickup lead around the base of the pickup in a rectangular pattern and fit the Triple Shot board in the cavity with no problem, but said he tapes down the lead to keep everything in place. I didn't do that on mine, so I'm going to assume that's where my troubles started.
      I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

      The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

      My Blog: http://newcenstein.com

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      • #4
        Nice real world review. Not my cuppa, but I'm sure a lot of switch-hounds have been interested in these things.
        -------------------------
        Blank yo!

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        • #5
          I have a set of these on order with some black p-rails from wymore.
          I want to install in an SLSMG.

          Do you think the thin body will cause me any problems?
          Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day, set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.

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          • #6
            Haven't seen a P-Rail in person, so I can't say if there's enough clearance under them for the wires.

            I'm sure if you work with the wires you can get everything to fit. I put 2 rings on an NASL, which is similar to the SLS in thickness, and the Duncan in the bridge didn't give me as much trouble as the Anderson in the neck, which was a taller pickup. As well, the Duncan, being at the bridge, had more room to elevate than the Anderson, but it was still a bit of a fight.

            I do recommend wrapping the board in electrical tape to keep the contacts from touching anything like the baseplate or the ground wire in the cavity.


            I just installed one on a SoCal (Dave Murray-style) and aside from a bit of pressure on the ribbon cable (from resting atop the pickguard), it was way smoother than a solidbody install.

            As for the ribbon cable resting on the pickguard, if I was swapping pickups, I'd be concerned, but since the TZ is staying in there, I don't foresee any issues (i.e. stressing the cable and making it break off).
            I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

            The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

            My Blog: http://newcenstein.com

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Grandturk View Post
              Nice real world review. Not my cuppa, but I'm sure a lot of switch-hounds have been interested in these things.
              Apparently these were originally geared towards players who wanted switching options without replacing vintage-spec pots with push/pulls or adding mini-toggles to a vintage guitar (though if you're replacing vintage 2-conductor pickups with 4-conductor, I see no difference in swapping pots). As well, they offer options to those with semi-hollows that may be difficult to swap pots in and out of.


              It's definitely an easier install than push/pulls all around once you get the hang of it, but then, if you've already got the hang of installing push-pulls.....

              Plus, push-pulls are easier to revert back to standard pots.
              I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

              The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

              My Blog: http://newcenstein.com

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              • #8
                However, if you've got a guitar with only 2 knobs, and you want all the options for both hums (H-H or H-S-H), then a TripleShot will be the way to go.
                I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

                The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

                My Blog: http://newcenstein.com

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                • #9
                  Ok, can some make a Triple shot for dummie? i see the three things they do, but how do u like switch them? are they bascially like 3 switches in the tone area? Or is this the one thing i saw where its like a bezel with a little chip in the middle? are the switches on the bezel? i would consider getting one if i knew a little better what it is...
                  I hooked up my accelerator pedal in my car to my brake lights. I hit the gas, people behind me stop, and I'm gone.

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                  • #10
                    NVM! just read about them on seymour duncans site! i just read about them, are they emg compatible? amybe not, but the 81 t and 89? maybe for my gibson explorer?
                    I hooked up my accelerator pedal in my car to my brake lights. I hit the gas, people behind me stop, and I'm gone.

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                    • #11
                      They should work with any pickup that has 4 conductors.

                      This is a good color chart that covers all pickups:

                      http://www.guitarelectronics.com/cat...p_color_codes/
                      I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

                      The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

                      My Blog: http://newcenstein.com

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                      • #12
                        Wait, so now i definetely want to do it! But your saying most likely emg 81/85 will work? also i get what the spilt coil does, and i get what either split or parallel mean, (normal operation) but whats the other one?
                        I hooked up my accelerator pedal in my car to my brake lights. I hit the gas, people behind me stop, and I'm gone.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Jacksonguy666 View Post
                          Wait, so now i definetely want to do it! But your saying most likely emg 81/85 will work? also i get what the spilt coil does, and i get what either split or parallel mean, (normal operation) but whats the other one?
                          81s and 85s don't have 4-conductor wiring - you can't split these. Maybe you can with the 89? Is the 89 the splittable EMG?
                          -------------------------
                          Blank yo!

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                          • #14
                            The 81TW and 89 are splittable, so yes, they'd work.

                            The 4 switching options are:
                            Series (standard humbucking)
                            Parallel (both coils active at once, but like two single coils, which means you get 60 cycle hum)
                            Split to inner coil
                            Split to outer coil

                            I posted a complete updated review on the Duncan forum:
                            http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/s...d.php?t=168389
                            I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

                            The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

                            My Blog: http://newcenstein.com

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Newc View Post
                              Parallel (both coils active at once, but like two single coils, which means you get 60 cycle hum)
                              I thought parallel meant you get a thinner sound, closer to a single coil, but without the 60-cycle hum.
                              I feel my soul go cold... only the dead are smiling.

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