Audiofools at SD

[FYL]

SD used to be one of the best large pup manufacturers, they now have the dubious honor to be the first to resort to heavy audiofool marketing hype...

"Just as silver in audio makes music reproduction more convincing and alive, in pickup coils it gives your guitar punchier, jumpier, burstier feel with harmonically dense, dripping tone.
.../...
Also an established enhancement in high-end audio, where cable, vacuum tubes and even entire electronic components are cryogenically treated for improvements in clarity and realism, we achieved similar results for guitar tone by cryogenically treating completed pickups, copper and silver alike. Cryo treatment enhances string definition and boosts the "way huge" potential of your guitar."

http://www.seymourduncan.com/newproducts/zephyr-silver-pickups.php

All requests should now be directed to Hogwash, Manure, Bullshit and Associates, their new PR firm.

[Geezer]

jumpier, burstier feel

What in the world does THAT sound like?? 

boosts the "way huge" potential of your guitar

John Holmes, move over...... 

[G._Hoffman]

Well, to be fair, silver IS a better conductor than copper.  I doubt you would ever be able to hear it, but that much is at least based on some objective bit of reality.  Even if there is some degree of sonic difference, it certainly won't be enough to justify the additional cost!*

I'd still be perfectly happy to put any of their pickups in my guitars, because their workmanship and designs are always good.  I tend to like some of the smaller manufacturers a bit more (Lindy Fralin, Lollar, etc.), but I've used more SD's than anything.


Gabriel


*My favorite Audiofool story is the guys who set up a blind listening test between their favorite $1,000+ speaker cables.  The friend who was running the test decided to play a trick, and in the end the winning cable was the straightened wire coat hangers!

[bluesbear]

Guitar amplification is a low fidelity business. What a waste of money! Personally, I'll stick with GFS pickups for $32 each.
Dave

[stingray_65]

***OPINION ALERT!***

I can't say HOW it may sound,

But subtle differences in how a pup coil is wound, differences in insulation and gauge are all very audibly different.

Using a different conductor in my OPINION would likely reveal a very different tone.

Ray

<<<EDIT>>>

you know with that said, I think it may be better received (by me) if they touted a more technical qualities than resorting to audiophool gibberish.

[G._Hoffman]

The thing is, the folks at SD are pretty market savvy.  I am reasonably certain that they started making them because there was a demand for them.  Not a very big demand, I'm sure (not at those prices!!!), but a demand.


Gabriel

[simonallaway]

you know with that said, I think it may be better received (by me) if they touted a more technical qualities than resorting to audiophool gibberish.

Even with the more technical qualities that they do tout, such as the 5.36% less resistance than copper, or 2.56% lower temperature coefficient...that's all verging on statistically insignificant!

Now of course, if they used a green marker to coat the wire they could charge even more.

[Jim Coash]

This is a variation on the same baloney I had to deal with in the A/V business.  My advice to those who wanted mine regarding "fancy", "expensive", "audiophile" or "state of the art" cables and do-dads was to be sure you could actually hear a difference.  I rarely could and I participated in many A/B tests over the years.  It is also wise to consider that "different" isn't always better.  Yes, good quality interconnects, cables, wire and connectors are important.  They just aren't expensive.  The "blessed by the holy father in Rome" mentality is ridiculous.  Jim

[alerich]

SD used to be one of the best large pup manufacturers

They still are. There are a bajillion different pickup winders out there all trying to set themselves apart from the rest. For that matter, there isn't a musical instrument manufacturer that doesn't hype their product line in some form or fashion. This is nothing new.