Joe Bonamassa Pickups

[ajeffcote]

I'm sure that this subject has been explored, but I am asking about them because I can't get the search function to, well, function. They have been around for some time and I'm wondering how they sound, how they have been received, tonally speaking, with the forum members who have them. Also wondering if there is a combination of a less expensive set that gets close with a magnet swap because I think I want a set, but I do not have the money. I do have a small stash of magnets with which to play.

[xxxplorer]

Re: Joe Bonamassa Pickups

Just mess with a 59 set or Seth lover set or even a PG set. I don't think JB has a tone that requires a said pickup... but I have heard through the grapevine that Joe still prefers his WCRs. Cherrybuckers. I don't know if it's accurate or not, and again, probably doesn't matter. Dude can make a Class 5 sound huge.

[LtKojak]

Re: Joe Bonamassa Pickups

I'm sure that this subject has been explored, but I am asking about them because I can't get the search function to, well, function. They have been around for some time and I'm wondering how they sound, how they have been received, tonally speaking, with the forum members who have them. Also wondering if there is a combination of a less expensive set that gets close with a magnet swap because I think I want a set, but I do not have the money. I do have a small stash of magnets with which to play.

A2 Jazz neck, A3 APH1b set as close to the strings as possible, then balance the neck p'up to get the "chirp".

That's the closest you can get on a budget, meaning "ballpark parking lot".

And why so many people want things just when they actually have no money for them?

HTH,

[tonaholic]

Re: Joe Bonamassa Pickups

Lt Kojak hit the formula on the head. The neck is an underwound/low output pup that's on the darker side of things with less treble but plenty of clarity. The bridge is a sligthtly hotter wind than his actual pickup and has an A3. The reason it's overwound is to compensate for other guitars variances and balance them out.

I'd wager this set isn't the only way to cop his tone. I think the ideal market is either the collector or the tone seeker who's after a special set of old PAF pickups but doesn't want to spend thousands on real PAFs that might be amazing or terrible. The goal of these was to capture "lightning in a bottle". Honestly, the pearly gates are another "lightning in bottle" set for a LOT less. But for JB on a budget, follow Lt Kojak to emulate this set but most PAF will get you damn close. Remember; some of his Guitars have Duncan's, some Gibsons, some WCR and some even have Dimarzio (Musicman models)

I have a set, and like them quite a bit. They definitely remind me of the ants because of their aged feel. There's some kind of compression/break up in the higher frequencies that aged pickups do that I really enjoy.

[ajeffcote]

Re: Joe Bonamassa Pickups

However much I would like to sound like JB, I have no delusions that I have his talent, or will sound like him with the right pickup. I'm merely looking for a neck pickup that will retain clarity without being bright. Those two parameters seem to go together. If you have one, you have the other. I have a set of Seths (with an A2 neck and UOA5 bridge magnet) that I really like, that sound good in either of the guitars I have tried them in. But they are still brighter than I want.
I should have stated my goals differently. Still don't have the money for a Joe Bonamassa set, but even if I did I don't think I would spend that much for them. But the tone description given for them seems to be a match for what I want to hear from my guitar. A darker neck pickup that retains clarity. A sound which I haven't been able to get with different pots, caps or by simply rolling back.
Thank you for the advice.

[xxxplorer]

Re: Joe Bonamassa Pickups

Pearly gates comes to mind there. I have had really good luck with a 59 bridge in the neck with A2 as well.

I also did not mean to imply you didn't have the skill, I just meant Joe's tone to me isn't that signature. He's great and does get a great tone, but something like that can be found with lots of different stuff I think.

Dark yet clear is essentially what I go for too.

[MultiCaster]

Re: Joe Bonamassa Pickups

Why would the APH1b would be the choice for the bridge in a budget Bonamassa set? Is the wire the same in the Jazz A2 neck and APH1b with A3, compared to the Bonamassa set?

I see that the Bonamassa set normally has 8.1k to 8.2k for bridge and 7.7k neck. Is there another Duncan that would have the same wire but be closer to 8.2k for the bridge?

Do you know which wire these have?

[Jeffrec]

Re: Joe Bonamassa Pickups

My friend has a set of Bonamassa's and they sound nice. They're very similar to the Antiquities in my LP. Ants are cheaper. That's the route I'd take. The Bonamassa's are essentially Ant's that are tweaked to sound more like the PAF's in Joe's LP.

[MultiCaster]

Re: Joe Bonamassa Pickups

Great to hear this. Thanks!

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: Joe Bonamassa Pickups

When I get mine fitted (not till I'm home at Christmas), I'll let you know.