Dragonfire Pickups - Why I can no longer support them

[@lordhumungous7908]

So you can't return them if them have been installed? How do you can tell if they are faulty without installing them? Wow.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Yep. That was their policy at the time I made that video. Not sure if they've changed it since. Still haven't heard back from them....

[@lordhumungous7908]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 Completely nuts. I'm happy with my DF Screamers set but what if I got a dud? It's a gamble I took owing to their price but do they want to be taken seriously as pickup supplier?

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

@@lordhumungous7908 Right. Even the cheapest Chinese knock-off pickups you can buy on Amazon have more reasonable return policies. And they're probably made in the same place as the DF pickups.

[@EvangelionEscaflowne]

I was just about to get some but don't support dog shit companies that try to scam like that.

[@flickerman68]

Thank you. This is the type of real info that potential buyers need to weigh in when deciding to purchase products.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

You're very welcome. My thoughts exactly.

[@Razrback]

Dude they are decent pickups there will always be a bad one i have had to send back seymore Duncan's I bought crusaders for my ibanez I love them judge for yourself what do you have to lose 40 dollars lol

[@dangeranger33]

I had bought several of their pickups, was not blow away, but they sounded good and were what I expected. I wanted to try their EMG knockoffs and contacted them to find out if they had any technical data or could tell me if the mids were scooped. They guy got short with me and said "it sounds like you need to just buy EMG's" and wouldn't reply to my emails. I imagine an actual conversation about a return would likely be problematic, lol.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Well at least he has a consistent stance on customer service.

[@Guitarnivore]

I think I commented on one of your other videos about Dragonfire a couple years ago. I'm blocked from their ebay store as well because I tried to get a return on a bridge pickup that was wired wrong and they kept telling me that I wired something wrong. A couple years later I fixed the pickup myself by finding where it was wired in the coil wrong. I sent them a message and explained everything and told them I wasn't looking to get any kind of response from then and that I just wanted them to give a customer the benefit of the doubt sometimes. They don't seem to care. There are far better companies to deal with with just as good, if not better products. I think they're just repackaging import stuff and putting their own name/model on it anyway.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Unfortunately, this is about what I'd expect from them. And you're right, there are better companies to deal with. And they probably are rebranded Chinese manufactured pickups.

[@davidmorales1136]

Glad I stumbled upon your vid! I was about to pull the trigger on these pickups / company and decided to look up reviews. After everything I've seen... my conclusion, you get what you pay for. I know it's not a huge loss for the money spent, just the silly return policy and customer service. Thanks man!

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

My pleasure. Thanks for commenting!

[@strumminronin]

Thanks for the heads up. I have been hankering for some HSS set of actives and I have heard recommendations in their favour. Your feedback (not the squealing, but commentry on their modus operandi) has me convinced. Thanks for the heads up. 🤘

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

My pleasure.

[@blessedheavyelements8544]

I just installed my first set of HSS pickups. Love them and the tone. But, this is a good cautionary tale. Thanks for sharing and Best Regards and Best Wishes!

[@redrocker1055]

I feel you. I used to buy mostly Dimarzio's and I mentioned this fact in a comment on a video Larry Dimarzio posted on KZbin. I said something to the effect that all my guitars have Dimarzio's in them, except for one that had a set of Bare Knuckles. Dude deleted my comment. That was over ten years ago and I haven't been able to get over how childish that was. I just haven't been able give Dimarzio a single cent since. Pickups, I think more than actual guitar brands, generates fierce loyalty. It's pretty dumb business sense to throw that away for something so silly.

[@grapejuice2589]

People r huge babies

[@catboyzee]

Good to know. Thanks for sharing. Quality control and customer service still matters; even with products offered at an affordable price.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I completely agree! I've had better customer service from Fleor, and their pickups are like $15 apiece.

[@stevenpope]

Just ordered a set of 7 string crusaders….. dang… did you ever hear back from them?

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Great question. No, never heard back from them. You'll be fine. Even if they're duds, they'll refund you and then you'll be banished, like me! By the way, I also have a set of the 7 string Crusaders (bought them before they blocked me). Here's the video I did on those: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGevdKSOoLSFqLM

[@stevenpope]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 thanks brother! I know In this video you said the crusaders were good. I’ll check out your other video too. I’m starting to build and tweak my own guitars and have been going typically with Seymour Duncan’s, but if you have less known brand suggestions, especially “mom and pop” style, lemme know!

[@capaya8139]

that was my worries with the neo hex rails. Neodynium magnets are the strongest magnets out there for commercial pickups, theyve been known to be pretty harsh at times and are more used on bass than guitar. so the squeal could be some weird feedback from them

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I guess so...

[@SCALEBEASTS]

Ooouch, I really like the name of this brand and I was excited to try out some of their pickups. Stumbled across this video trying to find out more about what they offer. But hearing that they block people for returns makes me really unwilling to risk their shop, especially with that extreme squealing in the demonstration. Guess I'll look into other pickup brands.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Yeah... It's unfortunate. I liked all their products except for the squealing Neohex Rails. I can't recommend buying from them...

[@Lordbaccus]

those were NOT Wax Potted

[@Kim-yk3zz]

Wow. I bought a pair of cream colored Dragonfire "neck&middle" Strat pickups,along with a Dragonfire "Screamer" bridge in the "double cream" bobbins(before LDM,put out the "cease&desist" patent on them.) That was about 12yrs ago. They still sound beautiful,like the day i installed them. I took a chance in buying them,cause i was going to install Guitar Fetish pickups in her. I still have the maple Strat,with the black "SSH" pickguard,along with the Dragonfire pickups. I dont know if they were winding their own or re-branding them(back then,)but i was completely satisfied with them. Sorry to hear about your "dismay" with Dragonfire. Sounds like alot of things has changed with the brand.

[@franckamec4156]

Dear Mike I agree with you, and I thank you for giving us this insight. Personnaly I will never buy anything from a company who have such a return policy. Cheers brother

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

My pleasure. Thanks for commenting!

[@jtjones73]

I'm curious, it's been a year and a half since you put this video up. Has anything changed? I was looking at Dragonfire but if that is the type of company they are I will stick with Guitarheads pickups.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

This is a great question. I noticed they added a phone number to the website. But I haven't bought anything from them since (I can't even if I wanted to). Nor has anyone reached out to rectify the situation. Which, if they did, I would be glad to take this video down.

[@666vilemass]

Oh damn. I got a set of the crusader pickups almost 2 years ago and they absolutely sounded amazing with my Marshall stack and hm-2 pedal, the classic Swedish "buzzsaw" sound. Thank you for this information on your experience. You just saved me some potentionaly wasted coin

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Yeah, it's too bad. I liked their pickups too. I just won't abide that kind of "customer service" or complete lack thereof.

[@dm364]

for sure I've got their crusader 6 string, and a p bass alnico set. both im happy with. too bad about cust. serv.😐

[@ragingskeptic9753]

I have this same issue with my Seymour Duncan SH 5 Custom / SH1n-'59 pup set. They sound great except for that pup squeal when I mute.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Thanks for commenting. John Kirkland said it's due to wax potting. He also posted a video link on how to wax pot yourself, if you're interested in trying that. See his comment below.

[@ragingskeptic9753]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 The Seymour Duncans are triple wax potted. I think the issue is largely due to the clean booster that I play through. When I back the level down I don't get it, but then that defeats the purpose of the booster.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

@@ragingskeptic9753 I see. That's a real pickle!

[@danieljames5480]

That's unfortunate. Thanks for the heads up. I was about to get a set of quad rails, but absolutely don't want to deal with that kind of "customer service"

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

My pleasure. You made the right decision.

[@dag410]

My dragonfire hot rails are killer! I just order a second set. I will keep your video in mind, thanks for your time.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Thanks for commenting. I hope you don't have any issues!

[@hammerhorde]

This may be way too late for a comment but that squeal sounds just like the trem springs vibrating. Ive got very sensitive pickups on my guitar and I had the back plate off of it the other day. While turning the guitar over I bumped the trem springs and it made that exact sound. The pickups were picking up even the lightest touch on the springs. It didn`t do it with the cover on and there was nothing loose. Check your ground wire under the back cover and make sure it's not laying against one of the springs. It flopping around with vibrations on the springs with certain tones could possibly create that sound.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Yeah, I already double checked the wiring and I always use a rectangular piece of foam behind the trem springs for the very reasons you mentioned. Plus the noise went away when I installed different pickups.

[@gjustg1540]

Yep, my thoughts too. Very high pitched squealing like that usually stops when you press down on the pickup, indicating theres high resonance vibration present. I replace the standard mounting springs with heavier ones every time, and also usually put a block of foam under the pickup to eliminate vibration. I play 100% live at high volume, and I have no feedback on any of my guitars

[@paxonearth]

That's unfortunate. While I don't remember if I've bought pickups from them, I have bought stuff several times from Dragonfire. Taking your story at face value, it seems that blocking folks who have returned items from making future purchases is a crappy way to do business. Makes me want to spend my money elsewhere.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Thank you. And, on top of all that, there was a legitimate reason for the return. This was an issue of function, not an issue of taste.

[@zephyr_924]

Had my headphones in and that neck pup damn near made me go deaf. They sound good being played but I can't believe they have that bad of a squeal when you're just simply stopping your strings.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Yeah, there was definitely something wrong there.

[@TheSpineSplitter1990]

I've bought an EMG 81/85 a few months ago brand new from EMG site, had a local luthier install them for me and they told me the 81 was not working and that it didn't read any voltage through a multimeter. I sent EMG an email and they never got back to me. I had to buy a new EMG 81 from my local luthier and he tested both and still the one I bought from EMG didn't work. My luthier even was kind enough to record the process and send me the video to show them and told me they would back me up..... Months later still no word from EMG.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

That's disappointing to hear. I bought a Black Winter from SD when it came out in 2014 or 2015. I ended up exchanging it for a JB through Seymour Duncan. They were super cool about it.

[@jaceydurland9098]

3:33 That riff is pretty awesome.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

The squeal? Haha. Thanks. It will be on our next album.

[@jaceydurland9098]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 After the squeal. Here: 3:35.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

@@jaceydurland9098 thanks! Yes, that riff will be on our next album!

[@jaceydurland9098]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 Also your guitar tone I really like. It reminds me of Slayer. Do you use a lot of mids?

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

@@jaceydurland9098 THANKS! Slayer has been one of my favorite bands since I was in 7th grade. I usually cut the mids slightly-just under half. Maybe 10-11 o'clock.

[@aerotoxplasmasol7034]

Years back they blocked me too for no reason. All i ever did was buy a few so cal pickguards. I never followed up to know why ..though no matter plenty other sites out there.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Yeah and they're all probably coming from the same place (in China).

[@captainhowdy3104]

I found that some pups need direct body bond I noticed , pot ground has slightly different potential and resistance. I’ve had this same issue w pups

[@malcolmbliss777]

I think that squeal sounds awesome! Seriously. Very “Mind is a Terrible Thing To Taste” sounding.

[@TheDeedeeFiles]

Man sorry to hear about that

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

It's okay. I got my money back. Just wanted to inform my subscribers.

[@fartman1510]

I just ordered a covered screamer bridge due to your recommendation. I just hope I don't encountered the same issues or else im spending my hard earn cash elsewhere. Thank you

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I like the covered Screamers. I hope you get a good set!

[@Hatredy11]

Can someone tell me what size wire strippers to use for these pickups? My 22awg wire strippers are too big.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Can't help you with that one, sorry.

[@ot4kon]

They do that all the time a was blocked because the holes in a pickup were too small and I ask for another set of smaller screws they tell me that I need to force the screw in. Ooook. I use other screws from my box of spare parts. Fine. I thanked them and no deal. But I wanted another pickup later and I was blocked. They do that crap all the time.

[@majinmatt9775]

Hey bud. I had this issue too. It's coming from two different things. First, these pickups aren't wax potted. Secondly the springs in your tremelo system is echoing in the body causing the sound to be heard from your pickups. I returned a lot of stuff from zzounds cause I was getting it through my amp and thought I was getting defective equipment. Took it to a luthier that found and fixed the issue. It sucks cause they expect us to know all this while not giving products that should be isolating the issue.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Hello. Thanks for commenting. According to their website, Dragonfire pickups are wax potted. Though it is possible that this set was not. About the tremolo springs, I use foam behind the springs on all my Floyd Rose equipped guitars to combat this issue. I do believe in this case it was the pickups. I now have a set of Dimarzios in there and the issue is resolved.

[@SirLoin187]

Dude I sold a set of dragonfire pickups on ebay once and the was blocked. The people that run it must be insane!

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I'm not surprised to hear this. How extremely petty!

[@tallbeachyblonde5862]

Just bought some dragon fires, theyre not installed yet but I hope there's no issues.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I hope you get a good set!

[@darkallyrecordings4931]

It sounds like the neo pickups arent wax potted. Also have you tried dampening your tremolo springs?

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

They probably weren't wax potted. And yes, I use foam behind all my guitars with tremolo springs.

[@joehahn8817]

I got a pre-assembled Phat Screamer HSS pickguard from them years ago...not too shabby for the price but they didn't blow me away. Thankfully Epiphone's ProBucker pickups are good enough that I won't need to be buying replacement pickups anymore...😁😁😁

[@Zombie_13x33]

i hope they have seen these types of videos. thank you for sharing. if they are US based you may be able to mess with them legally but i dont know to much about that. i would contact the attorney general and the better business burro, when i was a kid my dad would do this and it usually worked, even to threaten the seller with the idea of it works lol.

[@theanomaly3407]

Have you tried Warman pickups?? The prices are good and I really like the Destroyer I have. I have no affiliation with them ....other than I like them!!

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I've heard of them, but haven't tried them.

[@_mysilentblue2227]

It sucks you had an issue with them. I bought from them twice and I'm going back for a 3rd, I love their products. Screamers & a loaded SSS guard, also 3 different pick guards. Now going back for a set of Vintage buckers & maybe mini-humbuckers.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Yeah, it does. I would have continued buying from them...

[@mritorto1]

So what cheap pickups would use

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Great question. I don't use cheap pickups at all anymore. If I'm swapping out pickups, I'm using SD, DiMarzio or EMG. However, I do find the Duncan Designed HB103 to be a great pickup. I've also found the Jackson stock pickups of recent years to be quite good too.

[@proracing9025]

I will sill get the screamers , covered or not make a difference?

[@johanjotun1647]

interesting thing is i saw this video right after i ordered the same set you had the issue with.... it was discounted. i'm crossing my fingers that the squeelling isnt a failing common to that particular model.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I hope you don't have any issues. If you do, they should accept the return, you'll just be banned, like I was.

[@dennisdewinter2003]

Mike, it's over a year since you posted this video. I'm wondering if you ever received a response from TNT?

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Great question! No, I haven't heard back from them.

[@tobins6800]

Well that sucks. A simple form letter email would go a long way. It does let you know that something is going on and why you might have issues. That squealing sucked. Hard to check to see if they were potted or not without marking them up or otherwise damaging them in some fashion.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I agree. It seems to me like they don't really stick to their own policy. As far as the squealing, the website says their pickups are wax potted. If that's the case, then something else was wrong. Why not offer an exchange? That seems like an easy win/win.

[@tobins6800]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 also remember in this day and age, any and all responses should be considered sharable. So if they reply in some manner, what will the twitterati judge them on? Given that, a simple professionally worded email that was short and to the point, hold on your account(s) while the returns are being investigated, updates will be shared when we know them.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

@@tobins6800 exactly.

[@outlawphil]

That’s too bad, I buy from them occasionally, they are located about 40 minutes away from me but takes a week to get it shipped, that’s neither here nor there. Anyway I know you are not the only one who has had this issue with them and it quickly turns into a nightmare. I wanted to grab the 7 string active humbucker since I would never shell out $300 for the fishman. But now I am tempted to find a good preamp circuit and try winding my own, I will probably end up over spending but at least I would have fun doing it as opposed to dealing with Dragonfire if there is an issue.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Those are all very good points. Thanks for commenting!

[@jamesseverin]

I noticed you have a kellystar! What to buy another one.... Let me know

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I do! Very hard to come by. Had an EBay search going for about four years. Finally found this one last year.

[@jamesseverin]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 Do you have a email? I can send you a couple pics, Its flame trans red(dark) Its in almost mint condition

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

@@jamesseverin black is my thing. Appreciate the offer, but I have the one I want.

[@jamesseverin]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 No problem

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

@@jamesseverin I'm sure you can find a buyer on EBay or Reverb.

[@davenero8243]

This is funny. How would you know if they were squealing if you didn't install them.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Are you referring to their return policy? Yeah, it's pretty stupid.

[@amazingthingsfromaroundthe2057]

the excess feedback you played sounds like the pickups were not waxpotted to me. They sounded really noisy. No wonder you wanted to send them back. Even a Jackson or Ibby factory pickup don't have that kind of excess rackett.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Yeah, that feedback was completely unacceptable. You're right, I've never experienced such noise from any pickup ever, from stock pickups to Chinese invader clones. Dragonfire alone has that dubious honor.

[@jellovator]

I've had this issue too from some of their pickups. They're not wax potted. Most of their pickups are, but I bought a set of hexbuckers and they squealed. After some examination you can tell that they're not wax potted. Instead of returning them I just potted them and solved the problem. I have purchased 3 additional sets of hexbuckers and they were all properly wax potted, so it may just be a quality control issue. I wouldn't stop buying from Dragonfire over it, I just expect that sooner or later I'll get another set that's not potted but it's an easy process and for the price I have no complaints. But yeah that sucks about their returns. Pretty childish.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Good info! Thanks for commenting! Do you know of any good wax potting tutorials you could post a link to?

[@jellovator]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 Absolutely! This is the one I followed: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmeTf4FnaKylnJI

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

@@jellovator awesome! Very helpful. Thanks!

[@lesterrodriguez2884]

It sounds that the first noise you show have to do with the springs of the term!! Try to tape em up or use foam in side them to muffled them.that happens with high output and active pickups on guitars with springs they catch everything.The second noise sounds like the shielding or poor wax job.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

No. Sorry. The tremolo cavity already has foam behind the springs to catch the noise you're referring to. It's not that. It's the second thing you mentioned; poor shielding/wax potting.

[@jamiehardy2291]

Are the Dragonfire Phat Screamers a clone of another pickup set? Like the Crusaders are a clone of Seymour Duncan Invaders. I bought a set of Crusaders and Phat Screamers years ago but forgot what the Phats were a clone of. Never had a problem with either set. Both sound killer...

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I don't know for sure, but I don't think the Phat Screamers are a clone of a specific pickup.

[@beridus]

I've been a very long time customer of theirs. Even back when they use to have another name. I still say their hot deals section is one of the best for cheap pickguards. I literally have a drawer full of strat and tele pickguards I got over the years from them. Lol. That said, I have noticed that people have reported questionable things about their customer service even in the past. So the fact this is going on unfortunately doesn't surprise me. It doesn't take away from the fact that you got blocked. I still think that's a shitty business practice to do something like that.. I have heard of people saying that the owner or customer service guy(?) is the kind of person who will get mad if you're upset about your purchase and disagree with him; Emailing people back and forth arguing. If the business IS run by someone like that who has a god complex kind of attitude then yikes. I've steered towards GFS these days and even just buying artec pickups on their own from ebay sellers. I hope they have gotten better since then. At least their website doesn't look awful anymore lol! Side note, your wall of tone is amazing.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Thanks for the commenting!

[@jomesias]

Maybe the pickups were not wax potted? So they were microphonic. I can only think of that 😪😪

[@samhain6953]

Interesting. I buy from them all the time and when i have issues i send em back. Never blocked. And continue to buy.

[@mritorto1]

have you ever used metal head pickups or irongear or warman pickups

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I've used Guitarheads. Wasn't impressed. Haven't tried Warman or Irongear.

[@boyraisedinhell6307]

Hey I don't know if you have already done this review but there is a 7-string Jackson out and around for 200 bucks I know it sounds rude of me to ask (and you probably don't take request) but I was wondering if you can do a review with it.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I think you're talking about the JS22-7. I had one. I bought it because it was cheap and I didn't if I'd like playing a seven string. Eventually I sold it and upgraded to an X Series Soloist. The one I had was pretty good, but I hesitate to recommend buying anything from the JS line. The quality control is terrible. I would try to buy a used X or Pro model.

[@chriswormell8357]

You sir are a very patient man I think they have a horrible business model. A very good down to earth even giving them the benefit of doubt on all fronts. I was looking for heavy metal pick ups for an old Kramer that I acuired but I think I will look elsewhere. Thank you.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Thank you for the compliments!

[@jazzdrumguy5044]

Interesting. There's a number on their website. I have no dog in the fight. You make good points.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Thanks. There is a number now. There wasn't when I made the video. But honestly, I've moved on. Guitar Madness sells (probably) the exact same pickups without the Dragonfire branding for much, much cheaper and they don't block if you return defective merchandise. I highly recommend them if you're looking for budget pickups.

[@TheSpineSplitter1990]

I've bought from them twice, both good experiences. I've had a set of Screamers installed in a Greco Les Paul and a bridge Screamer for my King V. Very unfortunate, If quality is no longer there. Those pickups are definitely not wax potted. A local luthier could solve this but they shouldn't since Dragonfire claims all their pickups are wax potted. Shitty move on their part though.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I had good experiences too, until I didn't. And they definitely didn't "do right" by me.

[@deanslater5263]

I have Dragon fire actives in a few of my guitars what doesnt have those has Fishman Fluence Classic {Rock, excellent tone}....Dragonfire has gone out of their way to make sure I was happy i had a wiring issue i actually sent them back {pickups} and they sent me the whole rig wired up and the workmanship was top notch...I am not sure if there are problem people as in all work places but as i have said any time I have any problems I email them and they get back to me that day or the very next sorry for your issues but for the price I dont think anyhing else can match the tones you get with these pickups I have their single coil actives in both of my strats and let me tell you, they are heavier sounding than anybodys Humbuckers I have put them up against....sorry you had a problem Mike, but I think this is not the norm.

[@MetalWizard91]

I’ve thought about buy pickups from them. Thank goodness I’m gonna stick with guitarheads megametal pickups 😮

[@LimaTangoZulu]

Thanks for sharing! I was about to buy a neo hex rail, or a hot rail for a custom strat build I’m doing, after hearing this, I most definitely will not. I’ll be using Seymour Duncan’s.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Yeah. You could get lucky with Dragonfire, but if you don't, you're screwed. I know the big names are drastically more expensive, but with that price comes real customer service.

[@LimaTangoZulu]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 That alone makes the extra cost totally worth it. I don't want to end up being out $60 on a humbucker.

[@southboundsuarez9832]

Hey Mike, First I must say that customer service is everything! In my mind word of mouth goes a long way,,, Mistakes and misunderstandings happen. I think you understand this very well and can accept that. I know that I do. It sounds like you have a great attitude . I think that helps when it comes to those times when thinks don't work out. I understand that a vendor or provider has to cover his ass, because there are many personalities out in the general public that truly resemble an ass. So it makes sense to have clear written policies that a business can make themselves less susceptible to those that just take advantage. But I also believe that life isn't always black n white and that it's good business to work with a customer and definitely appreciate a business that goes above and beyond. Those companies that won't hear me out or simply point to their written policy without any consideration will definitely be something I consider before my next purchase and definately if given a choice between two competing products. I will always spend the premium for exemplary service. A big part of great service is having the gift of gabb . Being very personable and engaging in conversation. Not just blabbing on and on about themselves but those that can find a common interest and that sincerely seems to be interested in what you the customer has to say. Especially your experience using their product. Much of recieving good service is also in the way the consumer engages the service provider. Complaining effectively requires that you have good people skills as well. You must be well informed and have done your research well. Know and articulate your problem. It doesn't hurt to know a little bit about the actual company. Have understanding and be objective to their position. Try to explain how your circumstance or problem has extenuating circumstances and why you feel that in all fairness they should Consider a solution that might go beyond their policy. Make your case! But be honest and don't try to be working them for a come up! Have a clear idea of what you believe is fair to resolve the matter and be articulate and polite in presenting your suggestions for solution. It seems that in the case you have here, it isn't as if they totally failed you as far as providing a solution. It would seem as if they went above bar and beyond written policy to resolve the matter 100% The solution to refund you your money is pretty generous these days! This was despite the fact that you opened and used the product, even showing a video proving the fact that you voided the terms of the return policy! Yes, it makes little sense and there are fewer situations or instances that seemingly make sense to buy something, not use it and facilitate a return. That may even seem shady in certain circumstances. There are so many return abuses and outright fraud. In the case of electronic component parts, it is almost always universal that once installed that returns are not to be accepted as per written policy. It is in these situations I am hopeful that consideration is taken on a case by case basis as for reason of my explanation that I outlined above. It seems that they indeed consider your circumstance and situation and refunded you a cash return credit. That is rather outstanding solution these days. At least it would seem to be in the most materialistic way! Definately down and dirty , nip the problem in the butt! So it's hard to argue that you received bad service. Quite contrary in the view of most consumers. Of course it certainly did help that you returned the merchandise in probably excellent condition with orig. packaging and as you mentioned probably with plenty of usable lead length, so that they most likely able to be restock the offending merchandise to be sold again! That's where I begin to question things. The fact that they were not too engaging or really very receptive into learning or researching from your experience. They genuinely are not interested in finding out if there is a problem. Not receptive to what input YOU the ultimate END USER has to share about their product. They have little desire to improve upon what they offer already. They are good with it . Every side has their own story. I can only judge and best guess as to what might appear from your description. I feel that you have presented a good articulate and accurate enough description to give me a good feel for the jibe going on with this pickup vendor. I am thinking as you likely indicated that this is a very small jobber type provider. Probably even home based that has contracted with a foreign offshore supplier. He believes that the pickups are acceptable as-is and will certainly re-sell the product. Perhaps even repackaged as new. He doesn't consider you his demographic and you are one of those pains in the ass he rather not deal with,,, easier to just wash his hands of you and give you a cash return and no longer deal with someone who's standards are of a higher caliber. He is ok with a mediocre product and it's not worth it to have customers that are of a higher demographic than his consumer fanboy offshore budget copycat pups are marketed towards. They are cheap and probably from the same land as all those hit or miss fake Les Pauls and Rolex watches come from.

[@noahherne4626]

Damn..just watching this. I’ve had zero problems with returns or customer service with them. That really sucks

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Well, I guess I'm not surprised to hear that they are inconsistent with their own BS policies. That's good for you!

[@noahherne4626]

Yeah, very unfortunate. I’ve started using other companies anyway. I use tonerider a lot.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

@@noahherne4626 I'll have to check them out. Thanks for the recommendation.

[@stephc4427]

The squeals sound exactly like unpotted pickups. The coils are electrically resonating. Who needs that? One wants control over the music and that points to sub-standard manufacture.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I completely agree.

[@countzero5150]

Honestly I've used them in the past and I just the other day installed a screamer in a 58' explorer bridge. I don't notice any squealing but just upon inspection they don't really look wax potted. But if that's their idea of customer support I guess I'll look elsewhere for pickups. Oh well, I prefer dimarzios anyway.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Like you, I had no issues with the Screamers I bought either. In fact, I thought they sounded better than the X2N. I wanted to buy another set...denied. First time I can remember dealing with a company that blocked customers from buying.

[@countzero5150]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 its an absolutely horrible way to handle customer support and it is a bummer because they sound good. I've never heard of a company ever doing that before but I refuse to support a company that won't even try to communicate with the customer if they have an issue with the product. I mean if they don't want to give you a refund at least they could have shot you an email saying, "Hey, we're really sorry about that. Would you like us to exchange them for something else?"

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

@@countzero5150 And I would have been happy to do an exchange! I get it, they want to make their money, and I'm glad to help. But you gotta give me something that works!

[@othermyke]

Their prices have gone up to the point where I don't feel comfortable taking a risk on some shady customer service practices. I own 2 pairs of crusaders and a pair of screamers. They are good but for what they are charging now I rather throw another 50 bucks in and get a set of entry level ducans where I wouldn't get the run around if I needed to return.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

That's a very good point!

[@BenjaminRoethig]

That's what I'm feeling. I like the A2 buckers I have in my LTD Eclipse. I would put most of their stuff in the upper echelon of import pickups and they were a steal when I got them. He has an ear for great tone. That said, his quirks were tolerable when he was cheaper than GFS. Now he's one of the more expensive import brands and doesn't stand behind what he's selling. Better to either go with a less expensive brand or just move up to higher end pickups

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

@@BenjaminRoethig very good points. After this episode, I just said fuck it and ponied up the money for Duncan's. In the future I'm just going to leave the stock pickups in or upgrade to the name brands just for the consistency and quality control.

[@vicktor_damian6612]

INTERSTING..... Well Brother,, I really Liked Your Dragon Fire Videos .. But After this I've Three Questions in Mind < 1. Which one is The The Best One in your Opinion comparing between COVERED SCREAMER / NEOHEX RAILS /CRUSADER For You Know My Obvious Choice of Genre? 2. is It SAFE if i Get a Pair Of these (your Suggested) to use in My Guitar and What could be the worst? 3. Did You Purchased the Pickups With Mounting Ring? THANKS ALOT For Your Helpful Videos.. #Respect

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Great questions. 1. I'd have to go with the covered Screamers. I thought they sounded a little better than the X2N, which has long been my favorite passive pickup. I cannot recommend the NeoHex Rails. Based on my experience, they were the worst because of the noise they produced. 2. I would not recommend buying from this company. Their return policy is not customer focused. 3. No mounting rings. Thanks for your support!

[@vicktor_damian6612]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 Really Appreciate You Brother.. Thanks Alot.. Keep Uploading Good Stuff

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

@@vicktor_damian6612 thank you!

[@lect0n7]

_[shaking head no]_ That’s not _’pickup squeal’,_ that’s _unwanted microphonic feedback_ which is an effect which takes place if/when the pickup windings (around the poles in your pickups) either are (or become) loose enough for it to vibrate…As a consequence, when the amp vibrates to produce sound waves that we can hear, it also causes the pickup windings to vibrate. (which *can happen* from wear & tear) You don’t see it so much on modern star guitarists because with they end up endorsed by *DiMarzio* (Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, John Petrucci), *Seymour Duncan* (Slash, Dime, Joe Bonamassa), *EMG* (Zakk Wylde, Kerry King, Kirk Hammet), Fender (Stevie Ray Vaughan, John 5, James Burton)

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

You should start a KZbin channel!

[@mattterrell4304]

Very unfortunate, their pickups are good. I have covered screamers in one of my guitars and I love them

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

I agree and I would continue to buy from them if I could...

[@mattterrell4304]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 I get where you're coming from. It's like they screw up and YOU get punished.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

@@mattterrell4304 exactly!

[@lect0n7]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 Well, I’ve been contemplating building a red either Ibanez RG550 or Jem w/ a black pickguard, red Strat style Vol/Tone knobs (w/black numbers) a red DiMarzio D Activator-X Neck w/Black Rails (Neck position), a red DiMarzio Super Distortion S w/ black rails (Middle Position), & a red DiMarzio X2N w/ black rails (Bridge position), I was going to run it with a Standard Stratocaster style 5-Way Switch & each pickup would be wired to it’s own 3-Position mini toggle switch _(Position 1:_ North Coil, _Position 2:_ Both Coils, _Position 3:_ South Coil), black Sperzel Locking tubing machines, a Schaller Sure claw tremolo claw, 3 Green Floyd Rose Noisless Tremolo springs & more stuff too…) the problem being when I began contemplating this guitar, DiMarzio didn’t make the D Activator-X OR the X2N in Red w/ black rails (I’d seen a couple special edition Buckethead Signature X2N’s which were Red…but nothing else from DiMarzio… but DragonFireGuitars.com had them… but now since the last month or two, DiMarzio started making them in red/black… but that project got put back on hold… an Ibanez RG5EX1L (the _L_ at the end denotes _Lefty)_ with a cracked in half headstock (which I have since fixed with Elmers Glue & a harbor freight wood clamp) playing a lefty guitar strung upside-down is an *EXTREMELY DIFFERENT* experience… turns out there’s a lot of things I never considered because I genuinely have wanted to string a lefty guitar upside-down for the Hendrix vibe since I was like 9 or 10 years-old; side-dots *not* being present on the bottom side of the fretboard, the inhibited access to frets over about 17 _(outta 24)_ Regardless, I also ended up with a Black/White Crackle Finish Jackson Soloist w/ all electronics ripped out of it, in that I have an A500K volume pot, a B500k tone pot, a Mighty Mite 5-way pickup switch, a Seymour Duncan SH-13 Dimebucker _(Bridge Position),_ a black Seymour Duncan SHR-1b Hot Rails _(Middle Position)_ & a Seymour Duncan STK-S2n Hot Stack _(Neck Position)._ It’s a *tacky* absolute embodiment of 1980s Shred Heritage & I’m buying tight leather pants for the sole reason of being able to go into music stores & give people *ridiculous* advice which I’ll then follow-up by saying _“…I know what I’m doing…ya see the leather pants, don’t you?!?” And then I’ll play an excerpt of something wicked 1980s like Hear ‘N’ Aide - We’re Stars (which featured players wearing leather pants), Crossroads Duel (Steve Vai - Leather Pants), etc… _ *LMAO*

[@everythingbobbywolfe]

It's best to just purchase directly from Artec or Artek. They are the ones that make all these no name pickups

[@PK08-86]

I got blocked from them just for asking them a few questions.

[@mritorto1]

I am glad I saw this

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Me too. Hopefully it saves you some trouble.

[@taz3672]

I've tried their Quad Rails set and they sucked. I have tried pickups from GFS and Guitarheads and was disappointed. I have always used EMG, Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan pickups since 1990 but I figured that the economy pickups might be good. WRONG! So I am back to using Dimarzio: Super 3 Distortion, Tone Zone, PAF and PAF Pro and Seymour Duncan: JB and 59 pickups. That's it! With those pickups I can cover classic rock, hard rock and thrash metal. Besides, Dimarzio has the best customer service around!

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

After this experience, I stopped experimenting with no-name pickups. There's a few reasons, but the point you made about customer service is up there high on the list.

[@MrBikboi]

That return policy is insanity.

[@Zombie_13x33]

they have zero negative reviews on ebay.. lol. they block you before you can give them a review.

[@gumbomudderx7503]

Not only is that a pretty petty way to operate, but with how many pickups you’ve purchased from them, that’s just bad business! If I had a company I couldn’t imagine biting the hand that feeds like that

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Exactly!

[@ronnieroxx13]

No. They did not say that they thought it was worthy of a return. They said if they thought it was worthy of a return, they might choose to give you a refund or credit.. If they choose to do so. But you actually installed it and used it, which violates the return policy, which is how it was designed. Because as you said, what good is it if it doesn't protect you from faulty equipment?....their loophole (escape clause)

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Do you work for them?

[@wathmas]

That's too bad , I was quite impressed with your demo of the Screamers

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Thanks! And it is too bad. All I wanted was another set of the covered Screamers.

[@amazingthingsfromaroundthe2057]

Thats pretty sheisty of them. So if you buy a set of pickups and open them, install them and find out they don't work properly you are screwed, "at their sole discretion". Im really having doubts that this stuff they sell is nothing more than China pickups. You can find all the exact same pickups on Amazon and Aliexpress. It makes me wonder, sure does. That maybe just one guy at home buys cases from China and sells them as "Dragonfire". It's not like they are a world renowned company with artists using the gear. Where's the factory? No phone number? I mean, just think, if they were hand made or even factory made in USA they would be proud to state those facts. If they were custom made they could even print their own name on them right? If they were made locally they could even do a "boutique" line right? Yea, the more I think about it, the more Im certain those are just cheap China pickups someone is selling as "Dragonfire" brand.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Those are great questions/points. There is a "Dragonfire" logo etched on the back of the pickups, but that doesn't mean much. They could still be made overseas by an OEM company that simply brands them. Whatever the case, I'm banned from buying from them and that's fine with me. Their customer service leaves a lot to be desired.

[@donaldbechtel2136]

if you Google Earth the company you'll find it is out of some guys house 😅

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

That doesn't surprise me at all! Thanks for sharing!!!

[@evanwilliams8908]

It's one thing to not fill more orders for a certain amount of time but it's very suspicious that they block you and won't answer your questions after you demonstrated the product is obviously defective. Their loss. I am not ever buying their pick ups after hearing this.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

EXACTLY! Anti-customer service.

[@ertus306]

Horrible customer service, wouldn t buy anything from them even though they make good pups.

[@Razrback]

I bought the crusaders for my ibanez i fkn love them I had a tech install mine

[@jondavis3582]

i like their tele rail pickups.

[@wyndorphstormcrow8372]

most electronic components can't be returned if you install them, still shitty they blocked you

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

What do you mean by "most electronic components"? Can you be more specific? Also, how would you know if the pickup worked or not without installing it? Why have a return policy at all at that point? Seymour Duncan and Dimarzio both accept customer returns. 21 days for Seymour Duncan and 30 days for Dimarzio.

[@MobileDecay]

As soon as they blocked me the first time I would've been out. I found better shit on Amazon for way less. I bought two sets of pickups from them and they were good but not worth the price when I can get a set of pickups that sound awesome for $17. It sounds like the pickups you got were poorly wax potted if not not wax potted at all.

[@zarlodious1]

I have 8 sets and all are better than all my SD DiMarziio Fishmans and EMG

[@SomethingImpromptu]

Lmao sounds like you were a little too discerning for them to want you as a repeat customer. Especially with the weird return policy worded so that if you so much as open the box they can refuse to accept returns, this whole story makes me think that they actively want to be able to off-load any defective or imperfect units onto people who won’t bother to go through the process of returning them or won’t be dissenting enough to swap out for something better if they recognize the inferiority of one of their worse products. On the one hand, from the perspective of a capitalist, one could understand why (if people will buy their worst products & accept defective goods then they can profit off every single transaction, whereas if the average customer is discerning enough to recognize a bad deal & holding their instrument setup to a high enough standard to bother returning an inadequate part, then they’d lose profits on every defective unit which people refuse to accept, & if people return all of their worst models & trade them for the better ones, then they’ll end up with a pile of shitty pick-ups they can’t sell, so they’re out on the cost of producing those or will have to lower the price enough for some new guitarist to start buying them, but that could mean selling at a loss just to recoup part of the cost of producing them. However… Capitalism sucks; that’s obviously a perverse, toxic incentive (one of many such manifestations of the profit motive), & capitalists have interests diametrically opposed to the interests of workers & consumers… So that’s not an excuse. Obviously that would amount to just screwing consumers to maximize profit rates rather than taking a hit if you produce/try to sell a defective/so-so product. When you’ve reached the point of literally trying to codify & justify this behavior in your return policy, these are clearly just bad business practices. And ultimately, as so many decisions based on maximizing this quarter’s profit margins are, extremely short-sighted… Because if they’d just bother to give people like you, who buy tons of parts/gear for numerous instruments on a professional level, decent customer service & ensure you end up with a product you’re happy with, that would be a source of tremendous advertising & PR for them (the name recognition of having known musicians who use their stuff actually going on interviews & other videos that aspiring guitarists watch & mention that they use & have good experiences with particular brands or their parts is the kind of mass word-of-mouth PR you can’t buy in a crawler ad). Plus, in the long-run if you stuck with them I imagine the sales of pick-ups you’d keep alone would way outweigh whatever they lose from you acknowledging a pick-up was defective or that you’d rather trade one in… And that’s before even considering actual negative PR as a result of videos like these… Overall just a really weird call on their part.

[@gavendelrio9193]

Just installed a humbucker/single hex set in my Warmoth superstrat. Garbage!! Even with noise gate there is a chirp after palm muting. My wiring is correct as I’ve had many pickups in this guitar with no issues. Don’t buy….

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Did they accommodate a return? What was the customer service like? Any improvement on that front?

[@drewgraysonxoxopanda]

Sounds pretty metal tho

[@EpictheEpicest]

Don't worry, why is Dragonfire quality control bad? Because their pickups are the same ones you can buy direct from China on eBay for $15, minus the wax potting. Chances are you got a set that someone forgot to wax pot, but you can do this yourself with $10 in paraffin wax. Save your $$ and don't deal with a shitty import company.

[@kellybates1972]

Why would you stop someone from buying your product for any reason? That's the dumbest business policy I've ever heard.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Excellent point.

[@captainhowdy3104]

Sounds like a butt hurt employee

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Yeah, maybe.

[@michaelbergman1073]

Sound like they are horribley installed incorrectly.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

No, they are properly installed. Correctly. The pickups sound like that because they're garbage.

[@proracing9025]

Dam that does sound bad

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

It is.

[@mrbas5150]

Sounds like Dragonfire is run by very immature , unprofessional people.

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Yes, unfortunately.

[@fartman1510]

Phone number on their website

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

That's new. I assure you it wasn't there at the time I made this video.

[@Raul1971xxx]

Hmm.. They shouldn't bite the hand that give them to eat..

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

Agreed. Guess they don't care too much about customer service...

[@Raul1971xxx]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 That's right.. 👍👍

[@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076]

@@Raul1971xxx thanks for subscribing!

[@Raul1971xxx]

@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 My pleasure. 👍🎵🇪🇸