Humbucker Help

[morgancolgrave]

I’ve got 4 sets of humbuckers.

Gibson Burstbucker Pro set
Gibson 490T&R
Seymour Duncan Slash Signature set
Ibanez Super 70 set

I want a pair to put in my Gibson LP Standard and my MIJ EPI Lacquer series SG.

Without me fiddling around too much, does anyone have any experience with these pickups/guitars and recommend what setmight suit each axe best?

Thanks!

 

[chadd]

Re: Humbucker Help

I've had half a dozen sets in my Les Paul (including every incarnation of Burstbucker) and I prefer the Slash set to everything else. The BB Pros would likely be way to harsh for me in the SG, but would certainly give you a very different tone from the Les Paul if you decided to go that way. I can't say much about the other two sets as I haven't used them in way too long to recall.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Humbucker Help

Without a doubt the Slash set needs to go into that Les Paul. You'll never be sorry about doing that. I don't like the BB Pro's in the SG style body either, but I think the Super 70's will have a great vibe in it. That's how I'd roll with those sets.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Humbucker Help

^^^^ my thoughts exactly.

 

[morgancolgrave]

Re: Humbucker Help

OK cool. Great to hear some responses.

I take it you guys aren’t enamoured with the the Gibson 490’s?

 

[Gtrjunior]

Humbucker Help

Well, I don’t think there’s any way those Slash pickups won’t be perfect for the LP.
I don’t hate the Gibson pickups but there something in the high end that bugs me. I hear it in all of their bridge pickups.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Humbucker Help

Depends what you want from your guitars. What are you planning on playing with each?

 

[Mark Cearlock]

Re: Humbucker Help

Sgs and bb pros were a no go for me way too bright..
+1 for the slash set in the Lp
Some Sg specials ship with 490t set, and work pretty well.

 

[morgancolgrave]

Re: Humbucker Help

Depends what you want from your guitars. What are you planning on playing with each?

Mostly just classic LP and SG tones, Nothing too heavy. Would like them to be varied enough (i.e not replica pickups in each). definitely would like some useable clean tones though.

 

[EmiAba]

Re: Humbucker Help

I had BB pros in a 2004 Les Paul standard with stock caps and 300k pots. The guitar was ok but the pickups were to shrilly in the highs and there was lack of notes separation (expecially with the bridge pickup on). I tried to give them a chance for a while but after a couple of months I replaced all components in an heartbeat. CTS 500k pots, orange drop caps (.0022) and a C8 paired with A459. No regrets. If I were you I'd want to put the slash set in the Les Paul (sorry but they belong to LP), I'd get rid of the Gibson 490T&R and buy a second hand vintage blues set or a Dimarzio paf (the old DP103) and a SD for the SG. IMHO the Gibson pickups are not so bad but you have to be really lucky to find a guitar that has the right woods to give them the right sound.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Humbucker Help

Mostly just classic LP and SG tones, Nothing too heavy. Would like them to be varied enough (i.e not replica pickups in each). definitely would like some useable clean tones though.

Well, then, something to consider:

1) Super 70s are both identical and have tight tolerances, they're ~7.9k Alnico 8's and the beefiest of the bunch
2) Slash set, neck is like 7% percent underwound per specs... consider Duncan's usual +/-5% or so variation, and they might as well be treated as pretty much the same thing and COULD be identical (check, though, you could end up with a 9.3k and a 7.9k in the most extreme case)
3)BB Pros are, afaik, ~8.2k bridge, 7.7k neck alnico 5's..... again, pretty close, and may actually be closer due to variation
4) 490t&r are close to identical 8.1-8.3ish alnico 2 buckers, main difference is the bridge pickup IS fspaced (!!!)... otherwise might as well treat them as a pair of Slash necks.

So....mix sh*t up. Bridge pickups should be the beefier Super 70s and/or the BB Pro bridge, neck use the 490 neck and a BB Pro neck. Or a Super 70, some people really like em there for some reason though honestly bridge and neck sound damn close and theres a ton of A8 pull if you install both. Imho.

Sell the Slash set, they're inexplicably popular for being 490 clones with a mildly overwound bridge. Its all in the name.
you already have the neck pup's kissing cousin in the 490, and the bridge pup isn't THAT much beefier a wind either,,,and still far punier than the BB Pro or the Super 70

Also....they said they cloned a Gibson pup and Slash's LP aint even a real Gibson, so it's just all marketing BS anyway

 

[Mark Cearlock]

Re: Humbucker Help

Well, then, something to consider:

2) Slash set, neck is like 7% percent underwound per specs... consider Duncan's usual +/-5% or so variation, and they might as well be treated as pretty much the same thing and COULD be identical (check, though, you could end up with a 9.3k and a 7.9k in the most extreme case)

Not Likely

4) 490t&r are close to identical 8.1-8.3ish alnico 2 buckers, main difference is the bridge pickup IS fspaced (!!!)... otherwise might as well treat them as a pair of Slash necks.

Not even close, and bridge is wider but not f spaced.

So....mix sh*t up.

Don't disagree there.

Sell the Slash set, they're inexplicably popular for being 490 clones with a mildly overwound bridge. Its all in the name.


-This is what i have issue with. Slash's and 490's sound absolutely nothing alike. Are you basing this from your own opinion, or have you actually tried both sets in similar guitars?? (if you have, and still think they sound the same, perhaps its time to get a real amp, and leave the 20w modeler for the newbies..)
They both are a2 based humbuckers, thats where the similarities end..

 

[morgancolgrave]

Re: Humbucker Help

Well, then, something to consider:

1) Super 70s are both identical and have tight tolerances, they're ~7.9k Alnico 8's and the beefiest of the bunch
2) Slash set, neck is like 7% percent underwound per specs... consider Duncan's usual +/-5% or so variation, and they might as well be treated as pretty much the same thing and COULD be identical (check, though, you could end up with a 9.3k and a 7.9k in the most extreme case)
3)BB Pros are, afaik, ~8.2k bridge, 7.7k neck alnico 5's..... again, pretty close, and may actually be closer due to variation
4) 490t&r are close to identical 8.1-8.3ish alnico 2 buckers, main difference is the bridge pickup IS fspaced (!!!)... otherwise might as well treat them as a pair of Slash necks.

So....mix sh*t up. Bridge pickups should be the beefier Super 70s and/or the BB Pro bridge, neck use the 490 neck and a BB Pro neck. Or a Super 70, some people really like em there for some reason though honestly bridge and neck sound damn close and theres a ton of A8 pull if you install both. Imho.

Sell the Slash set, they're inexplicably popular for being 490 clones with a mildly overwound bridge. Its all in the name.
you already have the neck pup's kissing cousin in the 490, and the bridge pup isn't THAT much beefier a wind either,,,and still far punier than the BB Pro or the Super 70

Also....they said they cloned a Gibson pup and Slash's LP aint even a real Gibson, so it's just all marketing BS anyway

Yes, I’ve always thought that about the slash & 490’s. Thanks for your thoughts!

I just pulled the burst bucker pros out of my LP and swapped in the Slash set. Very nice sounding a little more present sounding than the BB.

At this stage I have the super 70’s in my SG. I might just try the BB in it to see how they sound. Most easing I’ve done people are saying don’t do it! But can’t hurt to try. The Super 70’s are pretty cool, but there’s something a little unfamiliar about them, I can’t put my finger on it!

 

[Mark Cearlock]

Re: Humbucker Help

At this stage I have the super 70’s in my SG. I might just try the BB in it to see how they sound. Most easing I’ve done people are saying don’t do it! But can’t hurt to try. The Super 70’s are pretty cool, but there’s something a little unfamiliar about them, I can’t put my finger on it![/QUOTE]

I stuck a bb pro set out of a faded lp into a faded sg, and pulled them right back out.. way too bright for that lovely slab of mahogany (a c8/59n set does wonders,however) ..ymmv, and trying different stuff is how we find out what we like

 

[EmiAba]

Re: Humbucker Help

Actually the Derrig LP has a pair of APH1 in it and not the current slash set. To obtain the same sound (the derrig LP is too on the bright side compared with a Gibson LP), the APH2 set has been developed. To my ears they are different sounding pickups compared with 490. anyway, I had the 490R on a 1990 LP standard and it was too dark for my taste. I swapped the magnet with an A5 and it was an improvement. But I still prefer a good 59. Maybe it's only a matter of taste but I was not fully satisfied.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Humbucker Help

Actually the Derrig LP has a pair of APH1 in it and not the current slash set. To obtain the same sound (the derrig LP is too on the bright side compared with a Gibson LP), the APH2 set has been developed. To my ears they are different sounding pickups compared with 490. anyway, I had the 490R on a 1990 LP standard and it was too dark for my taste. I swapped the magnet with an A5 and it was an improvement. But I still prefer a good 59. Maybe it's only a matter of taste but I was not fully satisfied.

Now that you have mentioned the ‘59.
I put a little 59 in my tele recently (I know it’s not quite the same as a full size bucker but...)
I was pleasantly surprised at how full and rich it sounds. Smooth highs with a great midrange. I’m completely happy with that pickup. Even though it’s advertised as a medium output pickup, I feel it has plenty of power. It’s a great pickup.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Humbucker Help

-This is what i have issue with. Slash's and 490's sound absolutely nothing alike. Are you basing this from your own opinion, or have you actually tried both sets in similar guitars?? (if you have, and still think they sound the same, perhaps its time to get a real amp, and leave the 20w modeler for the newbies..)
They both are a2 based humbuckers, thats where the similarities end..

Disclaimer: going by the specs and the mission statement to copy Gibson buckers...

Well, anyway, the changes are in any case highly limited vs. the much hotter winds and/or hotter mags like A8 or big ceramics offered in other aftermarket pickups.

Slash set is 10%-ish overwound A2 PAFs. Probably the biggest change for many is the lack of covers.

Imho people who've been extremely surprised by em are mainly those who wouldn't have given a bridge PAF the time of day if it hadn't been endorsed by somebody they worshipped.

If they're swapping out JBs or Customs or Super/Duncan Distortions or EMGs, hells yeah there'll be a difference... if PAF types? New strings, pickup height readjustment, and expectation placebo effect

 

[morgancolgrave]

Re: Humbucker Help

I put the Slash set in my LP last night. Had a good play through my Marshall 18w & Fender Twin and am quite happy.

Compared to the Burst Buckers they are a bit more present. Not quite as boomy in the neck position and the bridge is definitely an improvement. Just need to work out what to stick in the SG now