Blast from the past: Fuglybucker. Set.

[Demanic]

Well, it appears that I have a set of this old forum pickup design heading my way. I've always been fascinated with the design, especially given that it has two A2 magnets.
Anyone out there from the old days that has any experience with these? If so, please chime in. I've got two possible guitars to put them in. My Shecter Blackjack or my Jackson DXMG.
Thoughts? Observations?

 

[Mincer]

While I never tried one, I know there were a few extensive threads about it back in the day.

 

[El Dunco]

Mine got in the news. Has so much definition in the chords, sounds amazing split. I eventually put in an A8 just because it had a bit of a low-mid hump I wanted smoothed out.

 

[Demanic]

Low mid hump? Does it really use an A2 bar in the south coil?

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

 

[El Dunco]

Low mid hump? Does it really use an A2 bar in the south coil?

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

At like 200-300hz, kind of mudded out with too much volume in less than tight amps. I left the bar alone, only changed the inner mag, that did it. Was considering ceramic 8 but thought it might be too much and didn’t want to lose the amazing string-to-string definition I liked. A2s have always been a touch loose for my liking.

 

[Demanic]

Oh well, I usually run my amps pretty tight.
Sounds like a win.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

 

[GuitarDoc]

I'd forgotten all about that pup. I've got one somewhere in one of my guitars that I don't play anymore. I'll have to look for it. I do remember that it met with mixed emotions from the forum members. So many that helped design it and bought it didn't like it. I don't remember anything about it as far as tone or response, but I do remember that I was one of a few that actually really liked it. I think I put it in the neck position.

 

[El Dunco]

I'd forgotten all about that pup. I've got one somewhere in one of my guitars that I don't play anymore. I'll have to look for it. I do remember that it met with mixed emotions from the forum members. So many that helped design it and bought it didn't like it. I don't remember anything about it as far as tone or response, but I do remember that I was one of a few that actually really liked it. I think I put it in the neck position.

It’s good. I got plenty of good use out of still, still have it.

 

[Mincer]

It sounds like something I need to try some day...I will add that to the list!

 

[GuitarDoc]

I think I might have also changed the magnet in it, but I don't remember, I was doing a LOT of magnet swapping back in those days.

I've thought about that pup a couple of times over the past few years. Now I'm really going to have to dig it up and put it into something that I'm currently playing.

I do remember that quite a few guys that had some input to its design didn't really like the way it looked and wouldn't buy it. I thought it looked really cool, very different (which was a good thing).

 

[El Dunco]

I do remember that quite a few guys that had some input to its design didn't really like the way it looked and wouldn't buy it. I thought it looked really cool, very different (which was a good thing).

I think it looks cool too. In the right guitar, or with the right magnet if that isn’t working out, every note in any chord even under the heaviest amount of distortion is almost supernaturally clear. It’s all over our second album for that.

 

[uOpt]

I think I might have also changed the magnet in it, but I don't remember, I was doing a LOT of magnet swapping back in those days.

I've thought about that pup a couple of times over the past few years. Now I'm really going to have to dig it up and put it into something that I'm currently playing.

I do remember that quite a few guys that had some input to its design didn't really like the way it looked and wouldn't buy it. I thought it looked really cool, very different (which was a good thing).

The problem wasn't the looks. The problem was (is) that they didn't fit standard humbucker rings (they came with their own rings).

 

[Demanic]

The problem wasn't the looks. The problem was (is) that they didn't fit standard humbucker rings (they came with their own rings).

I hear that they fit a standard trembucker ring.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

 

[GuitarDoc]

The problem wasn't the looks. The problem was (is) that they didn't fit standard humbucker rings (they came with their own rings).

Yes, I remember the problem with the size/shape. Did they actually come with rings? If they did they didn't fit even those. I just found mine in a guitar I never play anymore and it is clear that I had to do some filing on the ring to get it to fit...I think it was at the ends of the staples coil.

 

[uOpt]

Yes, I remember the problem with the size/shape. Did they actually come with rings? If they did they didn't fit those. I just found mine in a guitar I never play anymore and it is clear that I had to do some filing on the ring to get it to fit...I think it was the staples coil.

Yeah, my specific problem was that it came with flat rings, and I wanted to mount in a Les Paul that requires a tall ring in the bridge.

In the end I didn't like the sound much and they went into the parts bin.

I should mention that the other forum pickups I participated in were big successes with me, especially phat staples and the strabro90.

 

[GuitarDoc]

I took some time to play around with my guitar with the Fuglybucker in it. It's a solid mahogany modified "V" type guitar with mahogany neck and rosewood board (24.75" scale). The FB has an A8 mag and is in the neck position. In the bridge is a P-Rail (must be the "hot" version because it is pure mud in everything but parallel and rail coil). Let me say that I am a real fan of the P-Rail pup but ONLY the original lower output model with A5. This "hot" version is the most horribly muddy sounding pup I own out of well over 100 pups, probably close to 200.

Now with the FB, it's a whole different story. My tastes have change over the years and I would probably use it in the bridge position now (in fact I'm going to take it out of this guitar today to use in a new build). With the A8 mag it sounds full and rich and very warm but with good tonal balance, not too much midrange. Clear but smooth highs, not shrill at all. Definitely not scooped like a 59. Maybe a bit too full and powerful for the neck, but even at that, every note is clear and defined. Even every note in chords sounds clear and distinct. I was plugged straight into the amp, but when the amp was switched to higher gain it was the same thing...notes were defined and distinct, even with gain. Great sustain. No loss of volume when strings were pulled to any amount possible, obviously due to its rail coil and staples.

Man, I'm loving this pup. I think if I were to keep it in the neck position I'd replace the A8 with a UOA5 or even an A4.

 

[jeremy]

the fuglybucker went a little off the rails. while its cool and does sound really good for some things, theres a reason it was less successful than the other forum pups. was that the last one we did?

 

[GuitarDoc]

I don't remember the forum coming up with a new pup since the FB.

 

[Masta' C]

Yup, that was the last one.

Things have changed a lot over the years in terms of forum dynamics (making every aspect of the process more difficult to accomplish without butts getting hurt) and the SD team isn't as internally motivated to support one-off forum efforts like that anymore.

Plus, if we're being honest, there are way fewer gaps in the product line these days, so less room for innovation without delving into really niche projects that probably wouldn't see a lot of buyers.

I always thought the forum pickup thing was awesome and the Fuglybucker actually pushed the envelope of pickup design in an unexpected direction, but I doubt we'll see anything further from the forum hive mind unless SD prompts us for a suggestion at some point...

 

[Mincer]

Yup, that was the last one.

Things have changed a lot over the years in terms of forum dynamics (making every aspect of the process more difficult to accomplish without butts getting hurt) and the SD team isn't as internally motivated to support one-off forum efforts like that anymore.

Plus, if we're being honest, there are way fewer gaps in the product line these days, so less room for innovation without delving into really niche projects that probably wouldn't see a lot of buyers.

I always thought the forum pickup thing was awesome and the Fuglybucker actually pushed the envelope of pickup design in an unexpected direction, but I doubt we'll see anything further from the forum hive mind unless SD prompts us for a suggestion at some point...

That could happen, but everything's changed since the pandemic (at SD), so these types of things are a bigger hill to climb now. FWIW, I do get regularly asked about how the forum feels about certain things...while I don't answer for everyone, I might point to specific threads.