Gibson Pickups

Re: Gibson Pickups

My Burstbuckers were half of sticker price, in the display case -- no haggling required. I normally buy pretty standard Duncans at (I guess) the going rate, and it seems reasonable to me. But I love the pickups that I play all the time. I something happened to my Burstbuckers, or my JB's, or my '59A2's, and I had to pay twice the original price to replace them, I'd do it.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

Yes I understand I am paying for that name. But honestly it is too expensive I can actually get 2 Duncans, dimarzios ( at least many of them)for the price of one Gibson pickup. I have not played a gibson pickup to be very honest, but looking at how many people at least on this forum change their stock Gibson Pickups honestly makes me think it is way overprized.

It's not that they're overprriced nor that they suck. Gibson pickups to me have a very vintage sound to them. That's ok if you're going for that sound, but for thrash metal, vintage isn't always best. I prefer SD Distortions or JB's (keep going back and forth, have thought about doing a ceramic JB), because they just have that extra punch that I need, but for jazz or blues, I will use a gibby pup any day of the week.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

All you yanks moaning - that's nothing - $80 for a pickup when converted to pounds is a pittance. Try buying gibson pickups where i live - equates to $125 per pickup!

I suppose i shouldn't moan - i get to buy Bareknuckles at their cheapest price!!
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

I hate burstbuckers to death. No burstbucker I tried ever sounded good, in any guitar. The 490/498 set, the 500/496 set, those are great! the 57/57+ set is also a nice set, but only when bought second hand and after some mag swapping. The 490/498 set with the uoa5 was exactly what a guitar of mine needed. a bit dirty, a bit sweet, and nice medium output. I do think they are overpriced in some countries if you buy them new, but some guys just get major wood from the name gibson.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

No matter what pickups I buy. I pay much more than what you guys pay. I understand the there are Import duties and various taxes to be paid. But when I seen some Gibson Pickups for sale at the Guitar shop, they were way much more than the Duncans and Dimarzios. So I decided to see what they were online in US Online Stores just to give me rough idea. Of what they cost.
and this is what I found,

http://www.themusiczoo.com/category/2530/Gibson-Pickups/
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/humbucker-pickups


And that does not seem little more than Duncans. Maybe I have not looked properly.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

I dont need to buy any more pickups as of now Just concentrating more on playing better. A cost of a Duncan here like a 59 or JB is around 120 to 130$. Prices vary ( some times quite a bit) I think depending on when they were imported so you can get them a little cheaper or may cost more. But the price of the Gibson pickups begins from 200$ +. I can By a Bareknuckles for the same price at the same shop. WOW .
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

Ebay is the way to go for Gibby pups. I just got a brand new 500T last month for $83. I know its not very popular on here but I love the 500T in a dark sounding all mahogany guitar. Brightens it up nicely for low tuned stuff. Also the 490R with an A5 magnet is an amazing neck pickup.
 
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Re: Gibson Pickups

Love the 500t !!!

If you don't mind "stock pickups" with single-wire hookups, used Gibson pups tend to be $50 - 60 on ebay (490, 498, 496, 500t).
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

Yes I understand I am paying for that name. But honestly it is too expensive I can actually get 2 Duncans, dimarzios ( at least many of them)for the price of one Gibson pickup. I have not played a gibson pickup to be very honest, but looking at how many people at least on this forum change their stock Gibson Pickups honestly makes me think it is way overprized.
I like Gibson pickups, or some of them anyway. As good as the Duncan's are, IMO, it doesn't ever really quite sound like a Les Paul w/o the gibson pups. Maybe its that "scratchy" quality that lead some people to change them out.
Having said all that, I just bought a pair of APH-1s to replace the microphonic pups in my LP because of the price! For due diligence, I did go to guitar center and played a new Studio (490R/498T), a traditional (57C/BB3), and a standard (BBpro/BBpro). I liked the burstbuckers, and if price was no matter, I'd probably have gotten some (any but the 490R/498T), but I got two nicked covered A2pros for the price of one gibby.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

By the way... just a quick internet search...

Duncan '59 double-black and Zebra NEW are $72.99
Duncan '59 nickel NEW is $75

Gibson 490t zebra NEW is $79.95
Gibson 490t nickel NEW is $85
Gibson 490t double-black is $85

So, while Gibson is more expensive, in this example it is less that $10 - 15


No, no, no. Don't muddy this up with facts. You aren't being a good internet music forum member. You must hate on Gibson and lie about them, claim their QC is crap when it isn't, and just generally use ignorance and misinformation to malign them in every way you can. Now shut up, and drink the Kool Aid.

Oh yes, and while maligning Gibson for their awful pickup prices, which are $5-$10 more, you must also buy the latest "boutique" PAF copy that some joker makes in his basement, pay $325-$800 for those, and claim how fantastic they sound, how they were 'worth it', and praise them with vague, meaningless superlatives that will have every Sheeple on The Fraud Page running out to get some.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

No, no, no. Don't muddy this up with facts. You aren't being a good internet music forum member. You must hate on Gibson and lie about them, claim their QC is crap when it isn't, and just generally use ignorance and misinformation to malign them in every way you can. Now shut up, and drink the Kool Aid.

Oh yes, and while maligning Gibson for their awful pickup prices, which are $5-$10 more, you must also buy the latest "boutique" PAF copy that some joker makes in his basement, pay $325-$800 for those, and claim how fantastic they sound, how they were 'worth it', and praise them with vague, meaningless superlatives that will have every Sheeple on The Fraud Page running out to get some.

Bwahahahaha! I love a good rant. Thank you, sir.

Oh, and +1.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

It doesn't necessarily have to be unjustified. They might just have to spend more money in making them.

Like for lawyers, disgruntled employee defense, wood trafficing, making fancy pages and videos explaining why plastic and plywood are better fingerboards and the like :)

And let's not forget the resources used in designing, tooling, and manufacturing such memorable models as the Reverse V, Zoot Suit SG, V2, ...
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

Sometimes you can only get what you really want from a particular brand. IMO there is no other pup exactly like a Dirty Fingers. You can only get it made by Gibson. I love that pup for what it does and don't regret the cost. I also love the Gibson firebird mini hums. But I haven't tried Seymour's...maybe his are even better.

But all other pups, I find my needs met with Duncans.

+1 I love the Burstbucker 3, one of my favorite pickups out there! Willing to pay for it! Duncans are more responsive IMO, so if they ever make a Burst-Duncan-Bucker, I AM BUYING!!!
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

Shop around. Prices can vary wildly for just about any pickups. I just ordered a set of Fender Fat 50's for Stratocaster. They cost me $120 on Amazon.com with free shipping. In my shopping, I saw the exact same set at $135, $150, and even as high as $199. And if you want to go to eBay, you can buy a set from the good 'ol "Stratosphere" (reliablefender) that were pulled out of a 2012 American Standard and don't come with any warranty or packaging for $145.
 
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Re: Gibson Pickups

+1 I love the Burstbucker 3, one of my favorite pickups out there! Willing to pay for it! Duncans are more responsive IMO, so if they ever make a Burst-Duncan-Bucker, I AM BUYING!!!

That's what I am hoping for in the Forum Pickup. A four-wire double screw neck pickup with unequally wound coils, maybe 6K and 3K.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

Sometimes you can only get what you really want from a particular brand. IMO there is no other pup exactly like a Dirty Fingers. You can only get it made by Gibson. I love that pup for what it does and don't regret the cost. I also love the Gibson firebird mini hums. But I haven't tried Seymour's...maybe his are even better.

But all other pups, I find my needs met with Duncans.
I've a 500T and love it for what it does, though I do find it to be a bit one dimensional. The 500T and Dirty Fingers are both ceramics with comparable output, how do they differ?
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

I've a 500T and love it for what it does, though I do find it to be a bit one dimensional. The 500T and Dirty Fingers are both ceramics with comparable output, how do they differ?

The Dirty Fingers has 12 screw poles vs the 500's 6 slugs/6 screws. Beyond that, I have absolutely no idea. I've owned a DF but it was near on 10 years ago and never had another opportunity to play one. I'm sure there are comparison clips on youtube or soundcloud or something, if you're that serious.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

yeah, gibson has great QC. sure :) and a fairy takes away your teeth to give you a buck and God exists.
 
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