Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

[Studioplayer]

For you Les Paul players, what's your opinion(s) on the Burstbucker pickups for 60's and 70's
Rock music in Led Zep and The WHO's styles?

I use these as the stock pups in my 2018 Les Paul and I like them very much. I’m wondering
whether I have them adjusted the best height for this type of music....I'd like to keep this new
Lester in tact as far as original parts.


Studioplayer

 

[Aceman]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

I'd do it in a heartbeat. Wouldn't have any problem whatsoever. Might not be perfect for every Zepp/Who/Stones/Hendrix tune you might do, but overall, great combo.

Used a PG neck in band play g such stuff. Generally similar style pup, worked great.

There are no doubt more specific pickups that would be better for each individually (I.e.; Whole Lotta for Zeppelin, or Mini-buckers for Who). But overall, great choice IMO.

 

[jmh151]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

I used a Les Paul with Burstbucker Pros with a Catalinbread Royal Albert Hall pedal and it nails Led Zep

 

[smitty302]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

I'm not a fan of the burstbuckers. I have several SGs and I really dislike the one that has the burstbuckers 1 and 3. I get more Zep tone's out of the one with 57 classics. The burstbuckers are really weak sounding to me, especially on the high E and B strings.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

They will work fine, as will any P.A.F.-esque pickup. The amp will determine a whole lot for you.

Are you talking about the "actual" Burstbucker 1 and 2, the Alnico 2, sometimes potted and sometimes not potted versions? Or do you mean Burstbucker Pro #1 and #2, the Alnico 5, always-potted versions?

I have had the stock BB Pro #1 and #2 in my LP Standard since new in '04, so I am very familiar with them. (They were actually called BB V's back then, but the name got changed.) They are on the aggressive/pushy end of the P.A.F. spectrum, kind of blocky/tight, and have a lot of bite, but not a lot of midrange smoothness/juiciness. The neck pickup likes high-headroom amps a lot more than low-headroom amps. The bridge is better than the neck IMO; it's a good pickup for crunchy, defined tones. It's hard to get the "juiciness" in the neck tone without also dialing in amp settings that are questionably suitable for the bridge pickup.

The "actual" BB 1 and 2 are lower in output and have a juicier midrange. They can handle lower headroom amps better, without the tone turning into blocked up mud. They are a more dynamic, middy, and looser pickup than the Pro IME.

 

[Studioplayer]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

I have the B.B. alnico II, not the alnico V version. These might be potted, but I'm not sure. I'm currently using an Orange Dark Terror 15-watt to 7 watt. It's known for its midrange more so than Marshall and it would be considered a low headroom type of amp, I'm told.


Studioplayer

 

[Studioplayer]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

This morning I got a trusty screwdriver and tweaked these Burstbucker pickups. I found that after raising the bridge pickup just shy of the pup magnets pulling the strings out of tune, I now have a pretty good Zep, WHO sound happening. The bridge pickup had to go up high enough on the 1st. string side that a US nickel would not easily slide beneath that string and top of the pole screw when fretting at the highest fret........just a slight upwards tweak.


Studioplayer

 

[Discharged]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

raising the bridge pickup just shy of the pup magnets pulling the strings out of tune

FYI, not even the strongest A9 bar magnet will ever produce enough string pull to get the infamous "ghost notes" on a std. HB p'up. The very inherent design just doesn't allow it.

The effect is present in single-coil designs where the polepieces are A5 rod magnets. It doesn't get called "strat-itis" for nothing!

/Peter

 

[Aceman]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

Quality time adjusting pups for overall height and poles is always time well spent....

 

[BRHGM]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

I have them, but I like the 59 set better.

 

[chadd]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

I like them a lot, the 1 is a great neck pickup and the 2 works pretty well for just about anything. They aren't perfect but they're perfectly usable.

 

[blind1]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

I'm a big fan of the BB 1 and 2 pickups. They nail a wide variety of styles quite well.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

The unpotted ones are better IMO, but not by much. I used them to make a special set of a neck BB 1/2 hybrid with an A3 magnet and a bridge 2/3 hybrid with a UOA5 and they are stellar.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

I have the BB 1&2 in my four LP Historics. No plans to change them.

Bill

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

In all my pickup tinkering, one thing I did was compare a real set of 50's PAFs to new pickups. I believe that the A2 unpotted BB 1 & 2 are identical in sound. So, if you're on a PAF quest, Burstbucker 1 & 2 will do it. Duncan Atiquities are also that exact sound, but maybe smoother and more refined than the Gibsons.

 

[Studioplayer]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

In all my pickup tinkering, one thing I did was compare a real set of 50's PAFs to new pickups. I believe that the A2 unpotted BB 1 & 2 are identical in sound. So, if you're on a PAF quest, Burstbucker 1 & 2 will do it. Duncan Atiquities are also that exact sound, but maybe smoother and more refined than the Gibsons.

Generous praise with these words! It seems a number of users really like them I have no plans on swapping these anytime soon. I've been on a search over the past five years or so, for a more vintage sound than '59s, even. I had a pair of ‘59s in a 2000 Les Paul Classic. I used them for a dozen years and three years ago, swapped them for Seths.

These B.B. 1&2 that came with my new Trad are now adjusted to my liking and the next step is to find the right setting on my Orange amp to go with these very good vintage sounding pickups. The neck B.B 1 is really syrupy and Imcan get it as bright as I want when needed. That's important to me and the music I play which can range from Pop to Jazz, and some 70's Rock. The B.B. 2 has just enough power, but not too much to accomplish 70's Rock too. What's not to,like about this set?


Studioplayer

 

[AZ Picker]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

They really are pretty good as most have said here, I have a 2017 Traditional with the same setup and it's the best sounding Les Paul I've had stock (Several 90s Standards and studios, and a couple More recent Traditionals) . You can hit them with a boost pedal or tubescreamer type pedal and they can handle some surprisingly heavy styles, and for the styles you mention you will be just fine. I think in general most Gibson Humbuckers, for better or worse have a little "rough around the edges " quality compared to the equivalent Duncan Model, which always feel a little more refined to me at least. I love both sounds for what it's worth!!!

 

[Dahla]

Re: Burstbucker 1 & 2 For Rock

I had the BB 1 and 2 in my 2017 trad. I was sursprised how good they sounded, they were not what I expected at all. In a good way.

In the end though, I switched them out for CS WLH set. A needed something a little bit tighter in the bass. The BB were a little too flabby at high volume.


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