Lace Alumitone Pickups?

[Gibson 1964]

Re: Lace Alumitone Pickups?

I did not have any lack of sustain. But there is also a pretty drastic difference between the alumitone and the alumitone deathbucker. I really liked the clean tones.

 

[DreX]

Re: Lace Alumitone Pickups?

I have the single coil sized versions. They seem like more of a "dare" than a solid product, like I dare you to make a low impedance pickup with only TWO winds, lo and behold it can be done, but the consequences are the tone control is totally screwy (similar to, but even worse than Lace Sensors), and the output characteristic causes what sounds like a lack of sustain, even when overdriven. The frequency response is unique, it has a better balance of low, mids and highs than most passive high impedance pickups, some say this makes it good for signal processing, or cleans, if you're into that particular sound. For me, the steeper dropoff of output and the unusable tone were deal breakers.

 

[jtougas]

Re: Lace Alumitone Pickups?

So, how about the Bass VI application and reaction to strings with more mass?

 

[DreX]

Re: Lace Alumitone Pickups?

A compressor pedal would remedy the volume drop, but of course it's going to sound less natural (passive-like), and compression does.

I can't see any reason why the thicker strings would react differently with Alumitones versus stock pickups, because the Alumitone is still based on coil inductance all the same. The bigger string is going to cause more displacement in the magentic flux field, just the same as it would with stock pickups.

I'd avoid Alumitones in a Bass VI for the same reasons I avoid them in a regular scale guitar. If it were me, I'd explore active pickups for the Bass VI, if anyone makes them, for the same reason actives are popular with bass guitar. There's some nice activity in those upper frequency ranges with bass guitar that gets lost with passive pickups.

 

[Gibson 1964]

Re: Lace Alumitone Pickups?

I have the single coil sized versions. They seem like more of a "dare" than a solid product, like I dare you to make a low impedance pickup with only TWO winds, lo and behold it can be done, but the consequences are the tone control is totally screwy (similar to, but even worse than Lace Sensors), and the output characteristic causes what sounds like a lack of sustain, even when overdriven. The frequency response is unique, it has a better balance of low, mids and highs than most passive high impedance pickups, some say this makes it good for signal processing, or cleans, if you're into that particular sound. For me, the steeper dropoff of output and the unusable tone were deal breakers.

IME the humbucker sized versions had significantly less of that effect and the deathbuckers even less so. A buffer or a clean boost set to unity did help immensely with all those issues, particularly with the single coil sized ones. The deathbuckers have more windings than the standard. I would try them with the bass VI

 

[Demanic]

Re: Lace Alumitone Pickups?

I put a set of Deathbuckers in an Epi Korina Explorer a while back. I think that they sound great clean and even better under gain. Never found them to lack sustain, quite the opposite in fact, though I do think that they just bring out the best qualities of the guitar that they are put into. If it has a lot of natural sustain and good tone, the Deathbuckers will allow it all to shine through.

 

[B2D]

Re: Lace Alumitone Pickups?

Necrothread: I snagged a deal on (what looks to be) a body loaded with Alumitones, so I wanted to ask some questions before they got here.

With regards to the percieved lack of sustain: has anyone tried 'em with a compressor pedal? Also, how well do you think they'd work in a Bass VI type guitar?

I've got good amount of experience with the Alumitones - never had a problem with the sustain but you have to get them close to the strings in order to get it. Try 4mm and work from there and make sure your wiring is good - lots of people don't pay attention to the schematics and end up wiring them in split mode instead of standard.

Given the extended highs and lows of the Alumitone series, I'd say they'd work OK in a Bass VI but you might also want to look at their Alumitone Bass Bars too.

 

[B2D]

Re: Lace Alumitone Pickups?

I have the single coil sized versions. They seem like more of a "dare" than a solid product, like I dare you to make a low impedance pickup with only TWO winds, lo and behold it can be done, but the consequences are the tone control is totally screwy (similar to, but even worse than Lace Sensors), and the output characteristic causes what sounds like a lack of sustain, even when overdriven. The frequency response is unique, it has a better balance of low, mids and highs than most passive high impedance pickups, some say this makes it good for signal processing, or cleans, if you're into that particular sound. For me, the steeper dropoff of output and the unusable tone were deal breakers.

RE: the tone and output - were you using Audio taper pots? They don't react well to log taper.

They're also designed around 250k pots, thought you can use 500ks for extra brilliance of course.

 

[B2D]

Re: Lace Alumitone Pickups?

Also check this out... it looks like they're making the Alumitone humbuckers and deathbuckers with faux PAF style covers in case you like the sound but not the look.

http://www.lacemusic.com/Deceptor.php