Thoughts on Gibson BBPro pickups . . .
- Thread starter riffsalot
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jmh151
Active member
Re: Thoughts on Gibson BBPro pickups . . .
I find them to be a decent Swiss Army knife of pickups- they can do jazz, classic rock, blues, classic metal and modern metal, all depending on what amp and setup you use, but if you’re focusing on one genre, you’ll want to get something more focused
I find them to be a decent Swiss Army knife of pickups- they can do jazz, classic rock, blues, classic metal and modern metal, all depending on what amp and setup you use, but if you’re focusing on one genre, you’ll want to get something more focused
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Thoughts on Gibson BBPro pickups . . .
They sound like murky Seth’s to me. Same EQ profile but lack clarity. I would just swap them for Seth’s. Clearer and a little more on the top end to work with.
They sound like murky Seth’s to me. Same EQ profile but lack clarity. I would just swap them for Seth’s. Clearer and a little more on the top end to work with.
chadd
New member
EmiAba
Active member
Re: Thoughts on Gibson BBPro pickups . . .
+1
They came stock in my 2004 standard (the guitar in the avatar). The guitar is a bit on the bright side. Too harsh even with 300k pots. Quite impossible to ear separate notes with the bridge pickup. The neck is decent and works well with different values of gain.
+1
They came stock in my 2004 standard (the guitar in the avatar). The guitar is a bit on the bright side. Too harsh even with 300k pots. Quite impossible to ear separate notes with the bridge pickup. The neck is decent and works well with different values of gain.
waltschwarzkopf
New member
Re: Thoughts on Gibson BBPro pickups . . .
I like them, they are well balanced in terms of EQ and volume, although in my guitar the neck is a hair louder (could be the pickup height). I have 500k log pots on the volume and tone, and both pickups can be cleaned up easily by rolling the volume to about 7, they are also very responsive to the tone knob, so Clapton's "Woman tone", slash riffs, gary more are all possible.
Maybe off topic, but I've had BB Pros, 57 classics, 490R/T and 490R/498T in different Gibson Les Pauls. Although the 490R/498T is one of the most hated combinations by many people, they just happen to be my favorite! They are indeed unbalanced in terms of EQ, but that is what makes them so versatile. You can go from warm to trebbly, clean to dirty, and any combination you desire just by changin positions or slightly turning a knob.
I like them, they are well balanced in terms of EQ and volume, although in my guitar the neck is a hair louder (could be the pickup height). I have 500k log pots on the volume and tone, and both pickups can be cleaned up easily by rolling the volume to about 7, they are also very responsive to the tone knob, so Clapton's "Woman tone", slash riffs, gary more are all possible.
Maybe off topic, but I've had BB Pros, 57 classics, 490R/T and 490R/498T in different Gibson Les Pauls. Although the 490R/498T is one of the most hated combinations by many people, they just happen to be my favorite! They are indeed unbalanced in terms of EQ, but that is what makes them so versatile. You can go from warm to trebbly, clean to dirty, and any combination you desire just by changin positions or slightly turning a knob.
Re: Thoughts on Gibson BBPro pickups . . .
I personally have no complaints about the BBP...good even tone, clean, versatile. But if it sounds a little harsh to you, I would first try swapping in a rough cast UOA5 magnet. That should soften the
harshness/brightness slightly without losing the qualities that you already like about it.
I personally have no complaints about the BBP...good even tone, clean, versatile. But if it sounds a little harsh to you, I would first try swapping in a rough cast UOA5 magnet. That should soften the
harshness/brightness slightly without losing the qualities that you already like about it.
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Thoughts on Gibson BBPro pickups . . .
And maybe this is a better explanation. I don't hate them - I really like BB 1, 2, 3's.
I like them better than 490/498's
But still just meh to me. They work, I could play a bunch of stuff with them, but I'd never go out and buy a pair as replacements for anything...
I'd put BB 1/2, or 2/3 in a Les Paul on purpose.
And maybe this is a better explanation. I don't hate them - I really like BB 1, 2, 3's.
I like them better than 490/498's
But still just meh to me. They work, I could play a bunch of stuff with them, but I'd never go out and buy a pair as replacements for anything...
I'd put BB 1/2, or 2/3 in a Les Paul on purpose.
sedawkgrep
New member
Re: Thoughts on Gibson BBPro pickups . . .
In my 2016 standard....I thought they sounded muffled and fairly dull. With work I could make them sound ok, but not really great.
In my 2016 standard....I thought they sounded muffled and fairly dull. With work I could make them sound ok, but not really great.
Re: Thoughts on Gibson BBPro pickups . . .
Some of the best pickups I've ever had ! Probably one of the most versatile sets around, too. I was playing blues, GnR, and Megadeth with them. That's what came in a couple of my Gibsons, I'm such a Duncan head I ended up selling them for Duncan's, but quite often I wish I still had mine. They're so expensive that it'll be hard to justify buying them again but once I can afford it I will be putting a set in my SG Diablo.
Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk
Some of the best pickups I've ever had ! Probably one of the most versatile sets around, too. I was playing blues, GnR, and Megadeth with them. That's what came in a couple of my Gibsons, I'm such a Duncan head I ended up selling them for Duncan's, but quite often I wish I still had mine. They're so expensive that it'll be hard to justify buying them again but once I can afford it I will be putting a set in my SG Diablo.
Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Re: Thoughts on Gibson BBPro pickups . . .
Check the volume pots, there might be a few 300k pots in there that are damping your tone.
Check the volume pots, there might be a few 300k pots in there that are damping your tone.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Ayrton
New member
Re: Thoughts on Gibson BBPro pickups . . .
I was just using A2 as an example. Not my finest literary moment.
I was just using A2 as an example. Not my finest literary moment.
chadd
New member
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Thoughts on Gibson BBPro pickups . . .
Well, I don't love them...but they've remained in my 2004 LP Standard '50's Neck since I got it brand new 15 years ago.
They are a lot like '59's...but "better," IMO. They have the kick of '59's, but with a more biting top end.
They are on the hotter end of "vintage" PAFs. The winds are not too hot, but they have those A5 magnets, which are. They are tight and blocky, but also thin up top (in a good way). They don't do so great in low headroom amps, unless you play the amp relatively cleanly and quietly. The neck one can be really hard to dial in without blocky mud, unless you play through an amp with plenty of headroom.
I keep saying I'm gonna put Seths in that guitar...but I've been saying that for 15 years...and the original pickups remain. I could easily have added Seths at any time...but I haven't. That says something. Not everything, but something. I still say I'm gonna put Seths in...and I still don't.
If the bridge pickup sounds thin, try raising it, and/or backing off the tone knob just a hair.
FWIW, in my guitar (2004), they were called Burstbucker V's. They changed the name to Burstbucker Pros not long after, maybe by the time your guitar was built (2006). They are the same pickups, though; it was nothing but a name change.
Also, they came in #1 and #2 models – neck and bridge – which are not to be confused with "regular" Burstbuckers 1 and 2: alnico 2 powered pickups that preceded the Burstbucker V/Pro.
P.S. I've long though that they would be really good with lower – but not too much lower – powered magnets. Perhaps a demagnetized A5, or an A4. But I've not tried any swaps.
Well, I don't love them...but they've remained in my 2004 LP Standard '50's Neck since I got it brand new 15 years ago.
They are a lot like '59's...but "better," IMO. They have the kick of '59's, but with a more biting top end.
They are on the hotter end of "vintage" PAFs. The winds are not too hot, but they have those A5 magnets, which are. They are tight and blocky, but also thin up top (in a good way). They don't do so great in low headroom amps, unless you play the amp relatively cleanly and quietly. The neck one can be really hard to dial in without blocky mud, unless you play through an amp with plenty of headroom.
I keep saying I'm gonna put Seths in that guitar...but I've been saying that for 15 years...and the original pickups remain. I could easily have added Seths at any time...but I haven't. That says something. Not everything, but something. I still say I'm gonna put Seths in...and I still don't.
If the bridge pickup sounds thin, try raising it, and/or backing off the tone knob just a hair.
FWIW, in my guitar (2004), they were called Burstbucker V's. They changed the name to Burstbucker Pros not long after, maybe by the time your guitar was built (2006). They are the same pickups, though; it was nothing but a name change.
Also, they came in #1 and #2 models – neck and bridge – which are not to be confused with "regular" Burstbuckers 1 and 2: alnico 2 powered pickups that preceded the Burstbucker V/Pro.
P.S. I've long though that they would be really good with lower – but not too much lower – powered magnets. Perhaps a demagnetized A5, or an A4. But I've not tried any swaps.
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