Fralin Unbucker Humbucking Sound in a McCarty

[danipman]

Hi,


Leaning towards a Fralin Unbucker, probably a 7.5K for the Neck in my McCarty.

I really dont like the stocks at all and had a CE with a vintage bass, which wasnt bad, but for chords it was mud. I dont think I'm an Alnico 2 kind of guy, at least in HBs.

I hear how good the Unbucker SC sound is, but how about the Humbucking sound? I have hear a few comments on it being "middy" which I'd like to avoid.

I'm thinking about ording it with an Alnico 5 mag, to scoop the mids out a bit


Any Suggestions for a scoopy bridge PAF? I have a pair of actual 61 PAF's and find themto be sweet as can be, a great match for my Mark IIC+.


I think the sound I am looking for is close the Peter Green's on "Then Play On" Madge Jams.


Clear, Chimey, Jangly and not MID dominated and not HOT

Can anyone comment?


Thanks

Dan

 

[twoheadedboy]

Re: Fralin Unbucker Humbucking Sound in a McCarty

I think what you're looking for is something chimy and lively like a '59, but with less bass. Fralin stuff (esp. unbuckers) has a reputation for being very clear and chimey, so it's probably excellent for what you want.

 

[danipman]

Re: Fralin Unbucker Humbucking Sound in a McCarty

I think what you're looking for is something chimy and lively like a '59, but with less bass. Fralin stuff (esp. unbuckers) has a reputation for being very clear and chimey, so it's probably excellent for what you want.

No, I like the bass, I just want avoid a mid spike and also something clean. With McCarty I have to turn the preamp volume down to 4or 5 to get a clean sound.

Thanks

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Fralin Unbucker Humbucking Sound in a McCarty

I like the regular 7.5K Fralin better myself. It's very clear and bright. One of the best neck humbuckers I've ever used. The Unbucker is a very cool pickup if you're looking for alot of space to the mids, but if you want to go that route I think the 8K Unbucker might be a better choice...it's just a little stronger sounding than the 7.5K Unbucker. However, I prefer the 7.5K standard Fralin Humbucker to either the 7.5K Unbucker or the 8K Unbucker. Like I said, the 7.5K standard Fralin Humbucker is plenty clear and bright already.

Lew

 

[danipman]

Re: Fralin Unbucker Humbucking Sound in a McCarty

Lew,

Thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Couple questions (if you dont mind):

Does the Unbucker when in HB mode sound HB-ish or SC-ish? Where do you think the overall tone ends up?

Can the Unbucker in HB mode support the bottom end as well and another PAF?

Thanks


Dan

 

[twoheadedboy]

Re: Fralin Unbucker Humbucking Sound in a McCarty

No, I like the bass, I just want avoid a mid spike and also something clean. With McCarty I have to turn the preamp volume down to 4or 5 to get a clean sound.

Thanks

I only mentioned the '59 because it seems to have the type of character you are looking for in a neck HB (bright, chimy, open midrange). It just has a lot of low kick to it in the neck position. Maybe that would be an option for you. I think you'd love the Fralin 7.5k Unbucker in the neck though.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Fralin Unbucker Humbucking Sound in a McCarty

Lew,

Thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Couple questions (if you dont mind):

Does the Unbucker when in HB mode sound HB-ish or SC-ish? Where do you think the overall tone ends up?

Can the Unbucker in HB mode support the bottom end as well and another PAF?

Thanks


Dan

The Unbucker still sounds like and has the personality of a paf humbucker. It's wound sort of like the Pearly Gates or the Antiquitys in that the coils are unbalanced...one coil is wound hotter than the other and that gives the mids a little bit more of an "open" or "transparent" quality. The Unbuckers have even more of a difference between the two coils than the PG or Antiquity do though. For example, if you got an 8K Unbucker you might find something like 4.5K for one coil and 3.5K for the other, and when you split the coils for a single coil tone you'd choose the 4.5K coil. That's the real plus of the Unbucker: you get a "better" single coil tone when the Unbucker is split than you would from most humbuckers. The Unbuckers use alnico 4 magnets and have plenty of low end...it's the midrange that is reduced a bit and that's where the added clarity of the Unbucker comes from.

Lew

 

[danipman]

Re: Fralin Unbucker Humbucking Sound in a McCarty

Lew

Thanks again.

One more question:

How would you contrast Alnico 4 vs Alnico 5.

Definately like Alnico 5 vs Alnico 2 in HB and Like a generally sharper sounds.

Does AL4 sound closer to AL2 or AL5?
I'm sure I could get the UB in AL5 if I ask.

Thanks again

Dan

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Fralin Unbucker Humbucking Sound in a McCarty

Lew

Thanks again.

One more question:

How would you contrast Alnico 4 vs Alnico 5.

Definately like Alnico 5 vs Alnico 2 in HB and Like a generally sharper sounds.

Does AL4 sound closer to AL2 or AL5?
I'm sure I could get the UB in AL5 if I ask.

Thanks again

Dan

I think alnico 4 sounds more like alnico 5 than alnico 2, but alnico 5 with more mids and more clarity...more detail, better note separtion and a more articulate tone from alnico 4. I like it, but some find alnico 4 to be less warm sounding than alnico 2 or 5, especially in a humbucker. Lew