gibson burstbuckers

[blueman335]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

View attachment 71610

You really need to change you avatar pic to Billy G. Does Billy have PG's in all of his guitars? Any of his guitars (not counting the original the Duncans were patterned after)? You should know fanboy. There are rumors whispered here and there that other guitarists using other PU's have, on rare occasion, achieved tones as good or better than Billy, but I don't believe that.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

I put a set of alnico 4 magnets into my burstbucker 2 and 3 pickups.

As a result, your Les Paul does not sound better than mine.

The alnico 4 made a world of a difference. Feels like I paid $200 instead of the $7 I used to buy the magnets.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

Is someone going to have to apologize for stating an opinion on this forum in EVERY thread someone posts from now on?

 

[Mincer]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

(shhh, but I never dug Billy's tone at all)

 

[blueman335]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

(shhh, but I never dug Billy's tone at all)

I like some of his tones and some of his playing, but he's certainly not the standard to hold players to in either of those matters.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

Wait, so, just to clarify:

1. Burstbuckers should be avoided if your hands are made of stone or lead. However, if your band is made of bronze statues there is still some debate whether or not the BB will be right for you.
2. Pearly Gates humbuckers should never be used in a LP since the Seth's are available.

That's what I learned from this thread!

If I could throw my hat in the ring I'd say... well, I can't split Seth's and they don't sound as good in some LP's as WLH humbuckers so I would pass on the Seth's 9 times out of 10 personally. I love Seth's, great tone but not versatile enough for me.

 

[blueman335]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

I feel like I need to make another apology and retraction.

 

[esandes]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

What BBs do you have, exactly?

I prefer the Gibson Ceramic Set over the Burstbuckers....but there are different Burstbuckers out there, do you know which one you have?

If its in a Les Paul I think the Pearly Gates Set is the best out there...very biased towards them but that would be my suggestion Some forum members really like the Whole Lotta Humbucker sets, I haven't tried them yet but they have great reviews here.

If you are talking about the Burstbucker Pros, then I agree. The alnico 5 mags are a bit too strong in my opinion. '57 Classics are easier to tame IME (though I don't absolutely love them either).

If you want to make those pickups lower in output so they don't drive the amp as hard, try putting alnico 3 or alnico 2 magnets in them. I have not actually tried those magnets in those pickups; my suggestion comes from general experience swapping mags. A lot of times, replacing an alnico 5 magnet with an alnico 2 or 3 is just the ticket for slightly taming an overly hot P.A.F.-type humbucker.

That said, if you have a high wattage/high headroom amp with good, sensitive EQ controls, you can make the Burstbucker Pros sound really nice. The extra headroom handles the output well, while the good EQ controls can replace some of the anemic midrange, make the pickup less clattery on the high end, and less boomy on the low end.

i did some research on the stock pickups and they are apparently burstbuckers 1 and 2. not sure which one is in what position. i have a PG in the bridge of an old strat and i love the sound. i've come to appreciate A2 buckers in the bridge. for the neck i'd think an a5 magnet HB would be best. i'd contemplate a '78 and jazz. first i will just lower the positions of the stockers. they came from the factory a hair from the strings.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

the sets go 1/2 2/3

higher number meaning hotter wind

 

[LtKojak]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

i did some research on the stock pickups and they are apparently burstbuckers 1 and 2

Apparently? You didn't look?

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

i did some research on the stock pickups and they are apparently burstbuckers 1 and 2. not sure which one is in what position. i have a PG in the bridge of an old strat and i love the sound. i've come to appreciate A2 buckers in the bridge. for the neck i'd think an a5 magnet HB would be best. i'd contemplate a '78 and jazz. first i will just lower the positions of the stockers. they came from the factory a hair from the strings.

Just pull the pickups and look at the stickers underneath. FWIW, the stickers on the bottoms of Burstbucker Pros (the pickups formerly known as Burstbucker V's) say no. 1 on the neck pickup and no. 2 on the bridge pickup. This does not mean they are BB#1 and #2; they are in fact BB Pro (or BB V if old enough) #1 and #2.

There are five Burstbucker models in two groups. BB #1, #2, and #3 have A2 magnets. The other group has A5's: BB Pro #1 and #2 (A.K.A. BB Pro neck and bridge). Whether the A2 or A5 models, the higher the number, the more coil windings the model has. Thus, the lower number in a pair is intended to be the neck pickup. Another difference is that BB Pros are always potted. Plain BBs are wax potted if they originally came in a Gibson guitar, but unpotted if they were originally purchased separately from a guitar (i.e. in a Gibson pickup box). Most BBs that you find on the used market were pulled from Gibson guitars as opposed to purchased separately, so they are the potted versions.

BB Pros (or the same pickups by their original name: BB V's) were the main pickups used in production line Les Paul Standards for much of the aughts and into the teens, and maybe still today (I don't bother keeping up with Gibson any more, so I don't know). Plain BBs were more likely to appear in short run or non-Standard model variations and Custom/Art/Historic guitars.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

the sets go 1/2 2/3

higher number meaning hotter wind

There have also been some guitars over the years that came stock with a #1 and #3 set, as well as 1/2/3 in some three-pickup guitars. But never to my knowledge a higher number in a more neckward position. It doesn't mean they can't work that way in some applications, just that that's not how they were intended to be used.

 

[JimmyO]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

So much of this depends on the guitar and amp setup. I have an Epiphone that came stock with burstbucker 2 neck and 3 bridge. I found the neck a bit muddy and the bridge a bit harsh so put a pearly gates set in and couldn't be happier. The guy I sold the BBs to really liked them in his guitar.

I have a les Paul that had a JB and 59 and now has WLHs that sound fantastic. I have a Gibson with classic 57s that are supposed to sound so so, but in that guitar they really work so haven't changed them.

Sorry this is a bit long winded but you won't really know until you try the pickups in your guitar through your amp. My advice would be to make use of the Seymour Duncan return policy, start with a set you think may be most suitable eg some Pearly's or Seths. Do some before vs after recording and if you don't like what you hear then exchange for the next set until you find the right ones for that guitar, or you may find the burstbucker so aren't so bad after all. If you do end up trying some new pickups it would be great to hear your findings.

 

[Aceman]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

BB 1-2 set is pretty darn good. I wouldn't change them unless I had a specific need.

And well said Jimmy….

 

[blueman335]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

BB 1-2 set is pretty darn good. I wouldn't change them unless I had a specific need.

+1. Very good set, and I prefer it over the more common BB 2-3. I wouldn't take either set out of a guitar, unless they really happened to conflict with the guitar's wood.

 

[esandes]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

Apparently? You didn't look?

frankly i don't care whatever they are. they could be wound by larry dimarzio himself for all i care. if lowering them doesn't help the boominess then i'll replace them when i have a chance.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

frankly i don't care

Ok. So, why posting to ask you for help if you don't care anyway?

Thank you for wasting the time of everybody that cared to help you.

And in my case, don't worry, it won't happen again. No emoticon.

 

[Lampy H]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

I have a 1/2 set in one of my explorers, and they're definitely middier than the 59/C Hybrid I have in another guitar. I've thought about swapping the magnets in them to get them closer to the Duncan, that way I can switch guitars without needing to touch my amp.

 

[blueman335]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

I have a 1/2 set in one of my explorers, and they're definitely middier than the 59/C Hybrid I have in another guitar. I've thought about swapping the magnets in them to get them closer to the Duncan, that way I can switch guitars without needing to touch my amp.

If you're going to do that, UOA5's would keep the A2 flavor & texture, but wouldn't have quite so much midrange.

 

[Drunken Bowling]

Re: gibson burstbuckers

BB Pros didn't sound bad in a chambered LP Standard. Too "in your face" in regular lps.

BBIII sounded AWFUL.