Suhr Thornbucker 2 and Duncan 78

sandmannn69

sandmannn69

Experienced
I've got a Suhr Modern guitar with a Suhr SSH+ in the bridge that I'd like to replace with a lower output humbucker. I've noticed some folks seem to
like the Suhr Thornbucker+ or the newer Thornbucker 2 in place of the SSH. It looks like the Thornbucker 2 is almost identical in spec. to the Duncan 78,
which I happened to have laying around. Does anyone have any experience with the Thornbucker 2?
 
I have the Thornbucker 2 in my Standard and it's my favorite pickup out of the three I own.
It's lower output than the SSH+ in my Modern.
It sounds slightly higher output than the Thornbucker + in my PT model.
It's just a great sounding pickup that sounds great with all of my presets from clean to chunky Mesa tones.

I have no experience with the Duncan 78. Pete Thorn posted a youtube video chasing Van Halen tones comparing several pickups including the Thornbucker 2 and the 78 I believe.
 
Fro68 said:
I have the Thornbucker 2 in my Standard and it's my favorite pickup out of the three I own.
It's lower output than the SSH+ in my Modern.
It sounds slightly higher output than the Thornbucker + in my PT model.
It's just a great sounding pickup that sounds great with all of my presets from clean to chunky Mesa tones.

I have no experience with the Duncan 78. Pete Thorn posted a youtube video chasing Van Halen tones comparing several pickups including the Thornbucker 2 and the 78 I believe.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads up, I watched that video again-the 78 and the thornbucker A2 sounded identical.

As for the SSH+, I lowered it to 1/8" from strings and really improved the clarity(that was missing).
 
I have Thornbuckers in two of my guitars one regular and the other is a +. The TB + is in a hard tail while the standard is in a trem. I looked at removing the TB + and installing te II the only significant difference I could find was the TB II has Alnico II mag same as the SD 78, the windings are almost identical. I opted to play with pup height and that fixed the complaint I had with the TB+ pup being a little to brash.
 
I like the TB+ I have. It's similar to the Gibson Classic + I have in my Les Paul but seems to have better 'bark'. The overdriven tones are tight sounding and there's a little chirp or bark that sort of sounds like Bonamassa, maybe because he used Burstbuckers ? The thing I really like about it is they dynamics. You play it hard and it sounds more overdriven.

I have a Duncan JB in my HSS Charvel and it's sort of Plain Jane to me. It's very hot, like my EVH Frankie and my very old Duncan Distortion. But it doesn't have any qualities that stand out to me. Where the EVH Frankie feels very special and the Duncan Distortion kicks ass on every preset. I was thinking of a '78 or TB2 to replace the JB (which replaced a Super Distortion.) I'm also considering a Wolfie or a Suhr Aldridge. I love the EVH Frankie but it doesn't do split coils well and I'm worried that the lighter wood in the Frankie replica contributes to the EVH Frankie p/u's magic. I'm pretty sure the Duncan Dist. would kick ass in it. I hate not knowing what it's gonna sound like before buying a p/u replacement. For the HSS, I want a hot pick up to pair with the low gain single in the neck. I like to ride the vol. knob to go from clean to mean in that guitar.
 
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