Bill Lawrence XXL 500

[jmh151]

So I picked up a used 1993 Jackson Soloist today that had a stock Bill Lawrence bridge and 2 Jackson stacked singles. The Lawrence sounded killer, and different than the Bill and Becky XL 500 (or L-500 XL- whatever you want to call it). I figured it was probably the guitar itself that sounded killer.

So I take the guitar home, and immediately dismantle every and begin a setup. I unscrew the bridge pickup, and it is stamped "Bill Lawrence USA". Not only that, it has a green circular sticker that says XXL on it....

Anyone that knows the background knows that Dimebag had what he claimed was a Lawrence L-500 XXL in his Cowboys from Hell guitar. When he claimed he couldn't get those pickups anymore, he had Seymour Duncan build him the Dimebucker- an improvement or copy of this pickup.

I haven't heard the Dimebucker, but this pickup is completely killer, much different than the Bill and Becky L-500 XL. It can be icepicky, which leads me to believe it may sound liek aDimebucker though I've never played a Dimebucker.

I'll try to post pics, but the blades are thinner than the Bill and Beckys, and it has a much deeper epoxy potting.

Anyway, the myth about an L-500 XXL is true, it did exist, I have one, and it was made by the Bill Lawrence USA company, not Bill and Becky. I'll post pics ove rthe weekend.

 

[jmh151]

Re: Bill Lawrence XXL 500

Well I found this video on the Bill Lawrence USA site- where Dime says he got his XL-500's from Stew Mac- who sold the "fake" Bill Lawrence pickups

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mvBqUq2Xr2o&search=pantera

 

[Artie]

Re: Bill Lawrence XXL 500

Heh - that might go some distance to help explain why he wasn't satisfied with them and went to Seymour for replacements.

 

[ParameterMan]

Re: Bill Lawrence XXL 500

Well, don't forget that Bill designed the "other guy's" pickups too. They just don't seem to have any quality control. There's always chance of getting a sweet one.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Bill Lawrence XXL 500

According to Bill and this is straight from the mans mouth when I asked. He made several a pickup for Dime through the years. There was experimental pickups that was made for him while he was w/ Washburn. These included the XXL, XL+, and the XXL+. So yes there were some XXL's made through out the years and Bill had said that he use to wind them for whoever back then, but choses not to now because he doesn't like the way they sound. Those of you that have gotten the chance to talk to Bill or the Mrs., you'll know real quick that if Bill doesn't like the way it sounds, you have no chance of it ever getting to your hands directly from them. This is also why it takes a long time for Bill to put out new offerings. His design and testing regimen is extremely specific and won't release anything until it has is stamp of approval. Not something you see all that much from a very small companies like Bill Lawrence Wilde Pickups.

 

[jmh151]

Re: Bill Lawrence XXL 500

Well, don't forget that Bill designed the "other guy's" pickups too. They just don't seem to have any quality control. There's always chance of getting a sweet one.

I totally agree. I've heard of plenty of bad ones from Bill lawrence USA. But comparing the Bill and Becky to the Lawrence USA XXL, the Lawrence USA XXL is Dimebag's tone.

I spoke to Becky when I bought my XL500 years ago. Very nice people there, but this Lawrence USA XXL is what I was looking for

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Bill Lawrence XXL 500

What year was your guitar made? Do you have any idea?

 

[jmh151]

Re: Bill Lawrence XXL 500

What year was your guitar made? Do you have any idea?

1993. It even had the original Jackson inspection and hang tags in the case.

The Jackson stacked singles, well, suck. I've got to replace them with something, maybe lil'59's or Hotrails