New (to me) Seymour Duncan DS-100

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My ES130 is nitro over poly, & it doesn't feel much different to the ES100 I briefly had. My Bacchus BST64V feels to me very similar to a Custom Shop Strat - same sort of soft nitro.
 
Yeah, most lower-end Japanese guitars that say nitro are nitro over poly, eg the Edwards Lacquer Taste models and the Fender Japan VSP models. Fender US's bog-standard vintage models are also nitro over poly. According to the Stratocaster Chronicles book, they did this to prevent the nitro sinking into the wood (this was in the 80s, well before the relicing craze).

The Duncan that you link to is not like any I've seen. It doesn't have the "Traditional" sticker on the headstock, which indicates that it is a DS-200, but it's got different pickups, tuners, string tree, bridge and neck plate. It looks like a partsocaster to me, probably a good playing guitar, but not something I would pay a huge sum for.

The neck on my DS-185 is very thin, not something I was expecting on a 50s style strat. I'm used to it now, though I normally prefer a chunkier neck. My DS-100's neck is sort of a medium thickness (sorry, I'm crap at descriping neck shapes).
 
Here's the RW Duncan I'd be going for:

http://www.digimart.net/inst_detail.do?instrument_id=DS00647016

Here's one of the Custom Pro's (1-piece body, Honduras Rosewood, super-strat style):

http://www.digimart.net/inst_detail.do?instrument_id=DS00661735
 
Yeah it seems to be tough to tell about finish sometimes. If I'm going really high end though I kind of want nitro over bare wood. It's funny cause I was under the impression the traditionals were straight poly.

Some of these ones coming up on rinkya recently are just sick deals in my opinion. Any one looking for a top flight strat would be well to pick one up. I'd argue you couldn't find a real fender any where near that kind of quality for those prices.

One thing though...personally I would try to find one with original pickups as they used a custom over wound SD pickup...the "beefed up". I don't know if they are available else where.
 
youami said:
Here's the RW Duncan I'd be going for:

http://www.digimart.net/inst_detail.do?instrument_id=DS00647016
That looks extremely nice!

youami said:
Here's one of the Custom Pro's (1-piece body, Honduras Rosewood, super-strat style):

http://www.digimart.net/inst_detail.do?instrument_id=DS00661735
This one has the same bridge as that possible DS-200R in the link I posted. Bacchus also use a bridge like this on the newer G-Player type Strats.
Could be legit?
 
I think the custom models were pretty rare. I would think that one is legit for sure. You can never really tell what these companies came up with..so many models. I've seen a couple of SD Jaguars come up as well. Gorgeous looking versions but the one thing that bugged me was they didn't have the traditional Jag bridge. I believe they fell under the custom designation as well.
 
Hi again,

I gutted out on that strange custom DS-200R. I'll have to wait a bit to see what's happening with the auctions.

Just wanted to clarify about the neck sizes/profiles:
Youami said his DS-185 has a very thin neck, so to me this would mean the finger board is narrow? The profile though, could still be fat, if you know what I mean?

I would guess that the DSs should have Fender width boards - 1.650 or 1.625 inch (41.9mm or 41.4mm) which is what I want. I do like a bit of depth to the profile though, so it fills your hand a bit.

Here's a couple of DS-100s:

http://page18.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/w39992829
Looks nice, but not a lot of info or pics, maybe a bit pricey, but it is a rosewood board.

http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e89710506
Very nice price, and lots of extra pics from the seller here:
http://photos.yahoo.co.jp/ph/annama.../vwp?.dir=/dfba&.dnm=4126.jpg&.src=ph&.view=t

The neck profile looks pretty chunky for a Strat (nice). Although it's a maple neck/board which is not my preference, maybe it's better to try out a cheaper Strat for the first time, as it is only an idea in my head that I want rosewood, I have no actual experience to tell me that it will sound better to me than a maple one.

You guys seem to prefer the maple ones, aren't they a bit sticky to play as well?
 
Yep, both my Duncan's are around 42mm at the nut. They are both quite evenly rounded in profile, C shape I guess. The 185 is very thin though, not what I would call chunky at all. The 100 is chunkier, but not what I would call super-chunky. Anyway, take all this with a grain of salt, my reference points are a Fender Japan ST54-VSP that I owned which had a great, chunky V-neck and various other Fender Japan TX models that had medium size necks. Overall, the DS-100 is similar to the TX models, the DS-185 is just super slim. I was really dissapointed with the 185 neck initially, but am now used to it. The guitar overall has much more of a quality feel and sound than any other Strat I've owned.

The DS-100 that you link to has got a good bit of flame on the neck, looks cool. Unbeatable Strat for the money (my DS-100 cost me around 50,000 Yen). I don't really have a preference between maple and rosewood.

OMG, I just found this on Digimart...

http://www.digimart.net/inst_detail.do?instrument_id=DS00669602

What a kick-*** looking Strat! Very reasonable price too (though out of my league . :cry: ).
 
Have you guys got any ideas on what model this one is:
http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h131397542

The multi ply pick guard is bothering me, but he says the pickups were changed to Fender Texas Specials, so maybe the whole pick guard assembly was changed.

The DS-200 (and Youami's DS-185, which is a DS-200 anyway) and above seems to only have a single ply white guard on the ash/maple Strats.

Cheers!
 
Here is a nice one on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nice-vintage-Seymour-Duncan-Strat_W0QQitemZ180378379446QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item29ff63a4b6&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1205|293%3A6|294%3A50
 
JVsearch said:
Have you guys got any ideas on what model this one is:
http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h131397542

Looks like a DS-200 with a changed pickguard to me. Looks sweet, good price too (owing to the large burn in the finish I guess). The only problem I can see is re-sale value if you didn't like it, unless you market it as a fire sale relic or something.
 
btmish said:
Here is a nice one on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nice-vintage-Seymour-Duncan-Strat_W0QQitemZ180378379446QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item29ff63a4b6&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1205|293%3A6|294%3A50

Yep, that is nice, but no shipping outside USA, but that's ok because I would prefer the full vintage spec. It looks like a mixture of two models: DS-280 Pro with a Custom Pro pickguard, electronics and tuners. That raises a question - was a DS-280 body routed out to take the humbucker? Or is it a custom order/some sort of "inbetweenie" (*)?

Thanks for posting it up though! :)

* This term was pinched from an Ian Dury song.
 
youami said:
JVsearch said:
Have you guys got any ideas on what model this one is:
http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h131397542

Looks like a DS-200 with a changed pickguard to me. Looks sweet, good price too (owing to the large burn in the finish I guess). The only problem I can see is re-sale value if you didn't like it, unless you market it as a fire sale relic or something.

I might go for it, shame about the pickups - I'd prefer to live with the standard SD set-up for a few months and then change stuff later if I wanted to.
 
I was eyeballing that one two. I agree that it could be just a complete pick guard and pickup swap.

Usually that kind of quality ash appears on the pro models. I'm not saying that's what it is..but it wouldn't surprise me if it's like mine...a 250 or even a 280. In which case that is just a sick deal. The only bummer would be the pickup thing. If it is the high model I'm pretty sure the "beefed up" SD's were unique to the pro models and not available else where.

And the funny thing is the MORE I see that burn mark the more I REALLY like it! LOL....like a cool battle scar.

Hell even for a 200 with swapped pickups I'd say that is still worth the money.
 
soundcreation said:
I was eyeballing that one two. I agree that it could be just a complete pick guard and pickup swap.

Usually that kind of quality ash appears on the pro models. I'm not saying that's what it is..but it wouldn't surprise me if it's like mine...a 250 or even a 280. In which case that is just a sick deal. The only bummer would be the pickup thing. If it is the high model I'm pretty sure the "beefed up" SD's were unique to the pro models and not available else where.

And the funny thing is the MORE I see that burn mark the more I REALLY like it! LOL....like a cool battle scar.

Hell even for a 200 with swapped pickups I'd say that is still worth the money.

Yeah, I don't mind the burns (one on head stock as well). I forgot to bid, but luckily it's back up.

Did you have a look at the one in that ebay link? I contacted the guy and he was ok with shipping it to me. So thanks again to btmish for finding it, I'm thinking seriously about it. Wouldn't be too hard to go back to vintage style pickguard and pickup arrangement later on if I wanted to.
 
JVsearch said:
youami said:
JVsearch said:
Have you guys got any ideas on what model this one is:
http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h131397542

Looks like a DS-200 with a changed pickguard to me. Looks sweet, good price too (owing to the large burn in the finish I guess). The only problem I can see is re-sale value if you didn't like it, unless you market it as a fire sale relic or something.

I might go for it, shame about the pickups - I'd prefer to live with the standard SD set-up for a few months and then change stuff later if I wanted to.

I only just had a look at the Google translation...who the hell swaps out Duncan Alnico IIs (or Antiquities if it is DS-250) for Texas Specials?!??

I also noticed a sentence in the translation simply saying "warpage of neck". I wouldn't get this one without getting someone here to do a proper translation first.
 
JVsearch said:
soundcreation said:
I was eyeballing that one two. I agree that it could be just a complete pick guard and pickup swap.

Usually that kind of quality ash appears on the pro models. I'm not saying that's what it is..but it wouldn't surprise me if it's like mine...a 250 or even a 280. In which case that is just a sick deal. The only bummer would be the pickup thing. If it is the high model I'm pretty sure the "beefed up" SD's were unique to the pro models and not available else where.

And the funny thing is the MORE I see that burn mark the more I REALLY like it! LOL....like a cool battle scar.

Hell even for a 200 with swapped pickups I'd say that is still worth the money.

Yeah, I don't mind the burns (one on head stock as well). I forgot to bid, but luckily it's back up.

Did you have a look at the one in that ebay link? I contacted the guy and he was ok with shipping it to me. So thanks again to btmish for finding it, I'm thinking seriously about it. Wouldn't be too hard to go back to vintage style pickguard and pickup arrangement later on if I wanted to.

Yeah the ebay one is nice too. And that also seems like a very good price for a 200. The humbucker is a bit strange though. I'd maybe ask to see a shot of the insides to see if the routing job was decent. I suppose it could have been a factory model with a humbucker but it would be the first I've seen. I don't think the tuners are stock inspite of what he says and coil tap? I think it's been heavily modded and that's probably a reason for the cheaper price.

Personally I would prefer the burnt one. Closer to stock and I just have this feeling it's a higher model than a 200. It really reminds me of my 250..with the paint job and thickness of the finish. But yeah questions might be in order for the seller as youami said. The neck condition,.. Where are the original pickups etc. Thing is, though,....if it's a 250 and he doesn't know it then it might be better to just keep quiet. And again....even if it's a 200...it's still a sweet looking 200. The black pick guard looks wicked.

There are just a lot of questions with these guitars and sometimes it is a bit of a gamble.
 

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