Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

Hey, didn't some bonehead from Gibson get on YouTube and rant about other companies making products similar to their products? Isn't this sorta the same thing? How did that go?!

Well, technically, they did invent the humbucker, didn't they?

 

[ErikH]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

Well, technically, they did invent the humbucker, didn't they?

Technically, Seth Lover did, while working at Gibson.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2896491

 

[crafty]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

The original Jubilee came out in '87, while Slash started using them in mid-'88, and the JCM Slash came out in 1996. They're cool amps, but I can't say that I sound all that Slash-like, even when playing an LP through one. Unfortunately a Strat will be even farther away from that tone, but probably still cool. Back in the mid-2000s I had a Charvel 25th Anniversary Reissue, and while the stock SD '78 sounded great it didn't sound anything like Slash.

If you're after that tone, I can't recommend that 2525H Mini / Studio Jubilee highly enough. I've had one for 2 1/2 years and it became my #1 amp once I got tubes sorted (the stock ones are pretty bad). Prior to that my #1 was a black tolex '88 Jubilee 2555. The 2555X reissue sounds pretty much identical, but these 100W Jubilees are heavy and STUPID loud. The original ones are also getting to be insanely expensive; I picked my 2555 up for $550 in 2001 before anyone really wanted them. If you're playing by yourself in a smallish room, the Mini gets 80-90% of that tone / mojo without rearranging small objects. In fact they're so close I really can't tell my 2525 & 2555 apart unless I'm swapping cables between the two.

Yeah, since then I've definitely grown up or at least learned enough about how music is actually recorded and produced that a. I don't necessarily WANT to sound like Slash and b. I will never be that talented. The APH in the Strat is long gone and my regular LP with PAF Classics has the sound for me. I actually installed the APH in the LP for a minute and didn't like it, so I sold it.

I have a Blackstar amp that I use now, which satisfies most of my tube tone desire, but one of these days I'll pick up a Marshall. The new EL84 powered amps they've come out with are really nice. I'll have to check out the 2525H Mini sometime, it might be a nice addition to the farm. Thanks!

 

[David Garner]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

This strikes me as Tiger Woods switching from Titleist to Nike clubs. When something works, leave it alone.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

This strikes me as Tiger Woods switching from Titleist to Nike clubs. When something works, leave it alone.

I am sure he can make anything 'work'. It is most likely about the $$, and nothing else.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

I doubt the care, research and iteration that went into the A2P Slash models went into the SlashBucker. Wouldn’t surprise me if the SlashBucker turned out to be a 498/490 set with a mag swap or something. His quote is telling: “these models ‘reflect’ what I play live and in the studio.” Right. But they are not what he plays live and in the studio.

 

[gsammo79]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

I had the chance to play a slashbucker set that a buddy of mine picked up on reverb for $140. He had them installed in his LP special straight into his jcm 800 halfstack.

The bridge read 8.9k prior to being installed. Perfect softened, highend. Lows are strong enough for muscled- up root 6 powerchords. In my opinion, it's a really good set of pickups. The neck pickup wasnt as impressive as the bridge, but still very usable.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

I'd love a comparison between those and his previous (and still current?) signature models.

 

[orpheo]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

Technically, Seth Lover did, while working at Gibson.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2896491

Not correct.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2119584A/en

Knoblaugh created the FIRST humbucker; stacked, no less.

I wrote an amazing blog post about it, for the SD blog, but due to censorship (I still have the email thread proving that, by the way), the blog post was never published. Shame. Took me almost 25 hours to research and write it...

 

[Peteshreds]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

I'm of the mind that Gibson pickups are mostly hype. I may be biased as a metal player, but I see nothing special about the bulk of Gibson's pickup lineup. I have a (somewhat) rare '03 Gibson X-plorer Pro with a 496R/500T combo that hasn't steered me wrong, but they're also not the end-all, be-all that Gibson likes to market their products as. I have had trouble finding any other Gibson that doesn't get the lifeless (imo) pickups ripped out in favor of aftermarket options.

 

[chadd]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

I'm of the mind that Gibson pickups are mostly hype. I may be biased as a metal player, but I see nothing special about the bulk of Gibson's pickup lineup. I have a (somewhat) rare '03 Gibson X-plorer Pro with a 496R/500T combo that hasn't steered me wrong, but they're also not the end-all, be-all that Gibson likes to market their products as. I have had trouble finding any other Gibson that doesn't get the lifeless (imo) pickups ripped out in favor of aftermarket options.

Their pickups are generally designed for blues or rock, the genres that most of their customers play. Any pickup designed with a more aggressive style in mind will be superior to most metal players.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

I am sure there must have been a discussion about Gibson not wanting to use Slash's current sig pickups. Maybe they cost too much? Maybe they couldn't come to an agreement on a good price. Maybe Gibson wanted a crack at it in house? We can just speculate now.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

im sure it comes down to branding/visibility/money slash is still a big name even if he isnt cranking out new music all the time so if gibson can have a gibson slash guitar with gibson pups im sure itll be a win for them

 

[chadd]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

I am sure there must have been a discussion about Gibson not wanting to use Slash's current sig pickups. Maybe they cost too much? Maybe they couldn't come to an agreement on a good price. Maybe Gibson wanted a crack at it in house? We can just speculate now.

I think cost is the most likely reason, isn't it always the root source of most decisions to change something in the industry. Especially given the lower price point of the new models, relative to past models.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

Not correct.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2119584A/en

Knoblaugh created the FIRST humbucker; stacked, no less.

I wrote an amazing blog post about it, for the SD blog, but due to censorship (I still have the email thread proving that, by the way), the blog post was never published. Shame. Took me almost 25 hours to research and write it...

Learn something new every day. Never know about that one.

 

[Peteshreds]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

Their pickups are generally designed for blues or rock, the genres that most of their customers play. Any pickup designed with a more aggressive style in mind will be superior to most metal players.

Can't argue with that.

 

[Wound_Up]

Re: Slash's new signatures - Gibson SlashBucker

Maybe it is just my perception, but modern Gibson pickups don't inspire awe in many players eyes. Perhaps, because their guitars are sold to a variety of players, and will be used in a variety of styles of music, that they make pickups that would have tonal qualities that work in as wide a spectrum of musical situations as possible. In other words be all things to all people, which doesn't work. I've owned three Les Pauls and all have ended up with aftermarket pups. I think many guys with specific tone in mind, end up moving on from the stock pickups at some point, as we see the secondary market is certainly selling a lot of pickups. They aren't being bought by guys happy with their guitars tone.

When you look at Gibson Signature Les Pauls, how many can we name that ended up with aftermarket pickups? Billy Gibbons first run of Pearly Gates had SD's. The Slash models, both Gibson and Epiphone. Did the various Gibson Joe Bonamassa models have his SD custom shops in them? I don't think Gibson can be all things to all players, and perhaps partnerships with companies like SD could make their guitars more popular, certainly closer to a players needs and expectations right out of the box. Imagine if the player in a speed metal band, guy in a modern country band, and a guy in a jazzy blues sort of band could each order a Les Paul Standard with the correct pickups for their needs. I think people would embrace that

And yet there are hundreds and likely thousands of artists who still have stock pickups in their Gibsons. As well, the pickups in 1959 were all things for all people and they're so loved. So why can't any others be? Well, they can and they are. To think otherwise is illogical at best.

Edit: sorry. I didn't mean to dig this up from last year. I didn't realize it wasnt a recent post until after I replied.