Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

U

UTGrad

New member
My Epi G400 has covered Classic Pros neck and bridge. I’ve got a set of pickups from an Epi LP Traditional II that aren’t being used. The LP set is a Classic Pro neck and Pro Bucker 3 bridge open zebra coils.

Would it be an “upgrade” to put the LP set in the G400? Also I wonder how a zebra coil set will look on a cherry 1966 style SG.

34da8734acb5d8870c369d76550eb5e6.jpg



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Re: Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

It'll definitely be different, but it won't be much of an upgrade. You'll go from cheap PAF set A to cheap PAF set B. If you want an upgrade on the cheap; Iron Gear, GFS, or used DMZ or SD pickups will work pretty nice.
 
Re: Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

Chistopher said:
It'll definitely be different, but it won't be much of an upgrade. You'll go from cheap PAF set A to cheap PAF set B. If you want an upgrade on the cheap; Iron Gear, GFS, or used DMZ or SD pickups will work pretty nice.
Click to expand...

I’ve seen some reviews that the Pro Bucker is actually a pretty good PAF. I’m going to get Seymour Duncan’s eventually but not yet.


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Re: Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

The Probuckers use premium materials. They're just as good as Seymour Duncan sets from a quality standpoint. It would be strictly a matter of preference.

You'd want to at least check the DC resistance of the existing pickups and find out what magnets they have, in order to get a ball park of where you're at, and what you'd be replacing them with. The Probuckers supposedly all use AlNiCo 2, while the Classic Pro uses AlNiCo 5. Another option, rather than swap the pickups, you could swap the magnets. I'm personally not convinced there's a huge difference between AlNiCo 2, 3 and 4, but there is a definite difference between those three and AlNiCo 5, which shifts more emphasis to the pick attack.
 
Re: Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

The old Epi pickups on my 2013 Epi LP Std I didnt like at all. I allways wanted to get idr of them. On the other hand the probuckers are great IMHO. I had them in my 2nd Epi (plus top pro, which I later sold) and didnt reason to change.
Then a friend od mine had another LP with those, we compared them to his Gibson SG with Gibson 59 pus, and they can hold the fight.
I decided to buy a set on ebay (with the corresponding electronics) for my first LP and had them in now. That guitar has had the original pus, which were awfull. A set od Seth Lovers which were an improvement but lacked balls to my taste. A SH-16b + SH-18n which were MAGIC, but felt too expensive for that guitar. Now the probuckers, which feel perfect, 95% of the tone with the Duncans and feeling in the right price point. I will use the duncans for another guitar I have.

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Re: Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

Gibson doesn't make 59s. It's either SD 59s or Gibson 57 Classics you are referring to.
 
Re: Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

I’m eventually going to do a 59 neck and either a Whole Lotta Humbucker bridge or an Alternative Custom 8 bridge.

What are y’all thoughts between a WLH bridge vs a Alternative 8 bridge?


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Re: Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

There's no "Alternative Custom 8" pup. There is an Alt 8, or a Custom 8. Either of those would be great in an SG.

IMO the Probuckers are an improvement over the Classic Pros. The Probuckers are actually a very good sounding PAF type pup. As good as SD? No, but for the price they are darn good. I've got a set that came in my Epi LP Traditional Pro and they are staying there.

Whether the zebras will look good in your SG is certainly a personal choice. I personally like the look of chrome covers in your guitar. It's not hard to put covers on your zebras if you want the covered look.
 
Re: Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

PicoRiveraTele said:
How are they not as good?
Click to expand...
Well, I, for one, I agree with this.

Having had both sets in the same guitar, an Epi ES-339, the Alnico Pro set, stock, didn't performed as well as an A2-moded '59s. It didn't sound "bad" per se; on the contrary; although my main beef with'em was that elusive "hollaback" feeling when put through its paces, so was not a tone problem but a behaviour one. I hope this explanation makes sense for the most of you.

Anyhoo, after I changed the screws, slugs and keeper bar with some used to make "boutique" p'ups, the then A3/A2-modded Alnico Pro set was practically indistiguishable from the A3/A2-moded '59 set which, BTW, still is being used into the forementioned guitar, which became my #1 for my Smooth Jazz project.

/Peter
 
Re: Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

Chistopher said:
Gibson doesn't make 59s. It's either SD 59s or Gibson 57 Classics you are referring to.
Click to expand...

I had after market Gibson pickups that had 59 on the label. I know it's actually something else, but there was definitely something that could be misconstrude. I can't for the life of me remember what they were actually supposed to be.
 
Re: Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

I been buying lots of cheaper Epiphones and upgrading the PUPs the last year or two. IMHO, the probuckers are fine. Playing live, I doubt anybody could tell the difference. The studio pros can most likely hear a big difference. I change the PUPs because its my hobby and I am retired and its fun for me. That being said, I just installed an Alternate 8 in the bridge of one of my guitars, and 1 word HUGE. Tons of harmonics and for me at least, gives me a pretty good Lynch tone.Working on Mr Scary, and all the harmonics coming out are really nice. I put the Screamin Demon in the neck, and my initial impression is good for that as well.
 
Re: Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

Chistopher said:
Gibson doesn't make 59s. It's either SD 59s or Gibson 57 Classics you are referring to.
Click to expand...
Gibson does make 59s. Specifically, they were called "59 tribute" and came with some guitars from 2014 onwards:
http://www.gibson.com/news-lifestyl...magic-of-59-and-the-59-tribute-humbucker.aspx

However, I was wrong, the pickups on my friend's SG were not the Gibson 59s, but the Gibson 61s, which happen to be almost the same thing, with different magnet, if I recall. They are also from the burstbucker family, with reversed coils.
By the way, I also had an Gibson LP with the 57 and the 57+. Good sounding, but slightly harsh on the bridge. I swaped them for a SD WLH set, which sound more open and with a rounded and nicer top end.

All of them good sounding pickups, except for the original Epiphone Alnico 2 Pro. Those old Epi pickups were bad. Rest of them: Epi Probuckers, Gibson 57s and 61s and SD Seth Lovers, WLHs and Hybrid Custom/59, vary from good to excellent. All of them quite enjoyable, even though I had my preferences.
 
Re: Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

Burstbuckers with the overwound coil on the other coil were called Custombuckers. Knowing Gibson, they might have made two or three sets with that name.
 
Re: Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

Discharged said:
Well, I, for one, I agree with this.

Having had both sets in the same guitar, an Epi ES-339, the Alnico Pro set, stock, didn't performed as well as an A2-moded '59s. It didn't sound "bad" per se; on the contrary; although my main beef with'em was that elusive "hollaback" feeling when put through its paces, so was not a tone problem but a behaviour one. I hope this explanation makes sense for the most of you.

Anyhoo, after I changed the screws, slugs and keeper bar with some used to make "boutique" p'ups, the then A3/A2-modded Alnico Pro set was practically indistiguishable from the A3/A2-moded '59 set which, BTW, still is being used into the forementioned guitar, which became my #1 for my Smooth Jazz project.

/Peter
Click to expand...

What’s the “hollaback” effect?


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Re: Swap Alnico Classic Pros with Pro Bucker?

Discharged said:
Well, I, for one, I agree with this.

Having had both sets in the same guitar, an Epi ES-339, the Alnico Pro set, stock, didn't performed as well as an A2-moded '59s. It didn't sound "bad" per se; on the contrary; although my main beef with'em was that elusive "hollaback" feeling when put through its paces, so was not a tone problem but a behaviour one. I hope this explanation makes sense for the most of you.

Anyhoo, after I changed the screws, slugs and keeper bar with some used to make "boutique" p'ups, the then A3/A2-modded Alnico Pro set was practically indistiguishable from the A3/A2-moded '59 set which, BTW, still is being used into the forementioned guitar, which became my #1 for my Smooth Jazz project.

/Peter
Click to expand...

What’s the “hollaback” effect? I thought you were referring to the tone sounding like a hip hop artist lol.


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