In love with SM-1, disapointed with SH-55

[hermetico]

I've retrofitted an Epiphone Firebird of a friend of mine and, I've thrown there a couple of SM-1 (Firebird-style mini-humbuckers) in neck and middle positions and, a Seth Lover in Bridge position.

The SM-1's are just amazing. What an incredible sweet tone!.
They have the good things from single coils and humbuckers and no drawbacks!.
I wish I had experienced a nice mini-humbucker before!.
They are beefy (an have a HUGE output level) but, with all the chime and bells of single coils, without going piercing, weak and noisy.
Paired together, Neck + Middle SM-1 deliver incredible nice Jazz-like tones, very fenderish, sweet, belly, chimmey...

The SH-55 doen't works well with those two SM-1, because it's output level is clearly lower and, because this is an unpotted pickup which produces feedback really early, as soon as you switch on any light overdrive and even a Wah.
I will check a Bareknuckle's Riff Raff in bridge position that, I hope will do the trick.

To me, the discovering of the mini-humbuckers leaved me with the mouth wide open.
Great job with those SM-1 !!!.

[ArtieToo]

Re: In love with SM-1, disapointed with SH-55

Nice mini-review of the mini-hums.

Thats one of the pup series I haven't tried yet. One more thing to try.

[crusty philtrum]

Re: In love with SM-1, disapointed with SH-55

How do you think they'd perform in a Strat ? (either two or three of them with no other pickups)

[jeremy]

Re: In love with SM-1, disapointed with SH-55

they sound great in a strat. im kinda surprised that the seth is lower output than the sm1. bridge model sh55?

[LtKojak]

Re: In love with SM-1, disapointed with SH-55

I' kinda surprised that the seth is lower output than the sm1. bridge model sh55?

I'm not surprised. There IS an output mismatch from the SM1b and the SethB. Those minis are hot little devils, despite their low DC readings, you know?

An A8 in the SethB would put things in prospective, both tone- and output-wise.

HTH,

[hermetico]

Re: In love with SM-1, disapointed with SH-55

I'm not surprised. There IS an output mismatch from the SM1b and the SethB. Those minis are hot little devils, despite their low DC readings, you know?

An A8 in the SethB would put things in prospective, both tone- and output-wise.

HTH,

Thanks, Pepe, taking note!.

[LtKojak]

Re: In love with SM-1, disapointed with SH-55

Thanks, Pepe, taking note!.

De nada, hombre!

[jeremy]

Re: In love with SM-1, disapointed with SH-55

oh i know they are snotty little things. the fb style minis are bad ass, i have a few. just surprised the seth is that much wimpier. dont have a guitar with one at the moment, only neck models.

[hermetico]

Re: In love with SM-1, disapointed with SH-55

oh i know they are snotty little things. the fb style minis are bad ass, i have a few. just surprised the seth is that much wimpier. dont have a guitar with one at the moment, only neck models.

I was surprised as well. In fact, I had to down a lot the height of minis to balance the output with the Seth Lover, which can give to the minis more highs than needed.
But, If our Leutenant says that the medicine is an A8 mag in the Seth, that's what I will take.

[jeremy]

Re: In love with SM-1, disapointed with SH-55

the a8 will make a huge difference. itll change the tone too obviously but it will be much stronger

[LtKojak]

Re: In love with SM-1, disapointed with SH-55

the a8 will make a huge difference. itll change the tone too obviously but it will be much stronger

That's the beauty of the A8 in a Seth: it keeps the vibe we all know and love, just gets HUGE! Gets from James Taylor to Pavarotti by altering the picking and using the volume control. Try it to believe it!

HTH,

[hermetico]

Re: In love with SM-1, disapointed with SH-55

All this sounds really promissing.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: In love with SM-1, disapointed with SH-55

Heck yeah. I love the SM-1n in my tele. It's one of the most perfect sounding neck pickups, and the only reason I never paid them much attention before was because I never owned a Firebird, and was never blown away by Gibson's versions. I didn't try one till I played the Fender 52 Hot Rod Tele, and then I had to have one in my tele. Now, I kind of want to do what Crusty's talking about......a Strat with triple Firebird minis.

I think the reason they seem loud is because they're so punchy and clear. I think Alnico 5 humbuckers are a better match with them. Right now, I have a C/59 hybrid. My next move will be a Whole Lotta Humbucker bridge. This is in a humbucker/mini hum configured tele.