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Post by simes on Jul 6, 2006 2:01:29 GMT -5
Hello vonFrenchie.
I have a question about these PU’s.
On the GFS site the Lil’ Killers come in several versions in terms of output. When sold separately they come in 6K, 10K and 15K, and when sold in the calibrated set it’s 6.5/10/13.6K. Furthermore, when I e-mailed them asking what they’d recommend for a solid though not metal-shredding rock sound, they recommended 6/6/10K.
I’m rather surprised that they recommend such a difference in output between N and B PU’s.
What version are the ones you have? How would you rate the sound in comparison to a regular HB? Or do they sound more like hotter SC’s?
Best regards,
Simes
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Post by ashcatlt on Jul 7, 2006 12:38:34 GMT -5
I've got the 10k version (H27) in the middle of my Behringer Strat copy. I'm quite happy with it, and am saving up to get the full set sooner or later. I'd say it sounds pretty much like a humbucker. Keep in mind this is all subjective. In standard config it is definetely hotter and darker - with a bit more of a "compressed" kind of sound - than the SCs around it.
It actually makes the mid+x positions on the switch (2 and 4) mostly useless, the phase cancellation is not as pronounced as it normally would be. Given appropriate gain settings on my amp I can play through the SCs for a cleaner sound and then switch to the mid position when I really want to kick in the OD.
I recently did a little A-B-C experiment with the thing. I extended the wires out through the jack so I could splice them to the end of a hacked up guitar cable. I recorded through the exact same rig three very similar and dynamic tracks (going from very light picking to all out banging on the strings). I recorded one track of single-coil, one track of the pickup in series with itself (normal), and one track in parallel config.
The results (again, quite subjective, and possibly somewhat biased): The split had a nice SC sound. The parallel sounded quite similar to this, but was noticeably hotter (you could see it on the VU, and hear it in the OD). The series lost a lot of the high-end sparkle and was quite a bit hotter, distorting at much lower levels.
Interestingly, when I was done with this I decided to wire it back up in parallel, so it would play a little nicer with the SCs. I didn't solder it, but rather just twisted the wires and taped it up, stuffed it back in. Now the mid pickup is coming out as quite a bit quieter than the stock SCs. The in between settings (2 and 4 on the switch) have more phase cancelling than you'd expect.
I'm assuming that one of the wires came loose or shorted out during the installation, so it's running as an SC, and it might be the "wrong" coil. It does point out, however, that each individual coil of the Lil Killer has a bit less output than the stock SCs.
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Post by UnklMickey on Jul 7, 2006 13:10:24 GMT -5
hi Ash,
it would be great if you could follow up on this, the next time you open the guitar up.
it would be great to know for certain, if you're comparing the stock SCs to the LK in single or parallel mode.
no doubt, they are using much thinner wire in the LKs.
and you might expect, they still don't have enough room to put as many turns on each coil as you would on a stock SC.
if you lost connection to one coil of the LK, there really isn't a "wrong" coil in terms of string sensing phase.
the difference would be in having the same or different hum polarity.
so it would only be a hum-reduction (or addition) issue.
sounds to me like your Behringer would really benefit from a local series/parallel switch for the LK?
unk
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Post by ashcatlt on Jul 10, 2006 22:49:15 GMT -5
I will definetely keep y'all informed. The guitar sits in my studio, about 10 miles from my house, and I don't get there as often as I'd like. Unk, I think we've discussed what i'm doing with this guitar. 3 Humbuckers, No Pots - Newb ?s
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Post by vonFrenchie on Jul 10, 2006 23:26:21 GMT -5
I personally dont own these. I have a friend who does. I havent heard them yet because it hasnt been wired up. I've been waiting for more than two weeks for that Modded UUSS schematic.
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Post by dunkelfalke on Jul 10, 2006 23:53:58 GMT -5
someone actually plays that crappy behringer strat and even updates it?
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Post by UnklMickey on Jul 11, 2006 10:18:05 GMT -5
a Behringer or similar would be a great vehicle for experimentation.
if you mess it up, what does it cost to replace it?
the value of not having to be too concerned............................priceless.
unk
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Post by ashcatlt on Jul 11, 2006 11:24:12 GMT -5
At the risk of derailing (kind of a pun) this thread, I got the thing with a little amp that has the same basic functionality as a sansamp for the $109.
The guitar actually plays quite well and sounds pretty good. Behringer is making all kinds of stuff that is just way too good for the price tag. On the other hand, I do feel like I can hack it up a little without too much worry. It was the "house guitar" at the late night open jam we had going for a while, and I didn't really have to worry if somebody dropped it or whatever.
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Post by vonFrenchie on Jul 11, 2006 12:04:08 GMT -5
I watched a guy drop a Les Paul (a fancy one not a crappy Epiphone). It was the funniest and saddest thing I've seen happen at the exact same time. He was playing, really well for that matter, and then the strap came off and you could see him hunch over alot. But then he pulled the neck up and the hole strap slid from around his shoulders and the guitar slid out of his hands when he changed his fingering. There was a big whine from his amp and everyone was quiet. It was sad but funny.
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Post by dunkelfalke on Jul 11, 2006 12:33:29 GMT -5
a Behringer or similar would be a great vehicle for experimentation. rather "or similar". there are lots of better strat copies for the money. the behringer strat i owned was the worst guitar i ever played on. upgrading it with real pickups is like that old german joke: q: how can you make a trabant (a rather nasty east german car) worth twice the price? a: put a banana onto the backseat besides, what can go wrong with the wooden parts when you experiment with electronics? anyway, the best thing i ever did was putting some spare single coils in that behringer guitar and selling it on the ebay as an upgraded one. it was my first guitar but even then, as a total beginner, i could tell after just two weeks how crappy the guitar was. behringer amps and effects are ok though.
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Post by vonFrenchie on Jul 11, 2006 12:43:50 GMT -5
Nice one dunkel.
The only Behringer "effect" I have is their 7-Band EQ. It's not really an affect.. but it works well.
You havent seen a crappy guitar like i have. In the middle of playing this guitar (it looked like a P-Bass but had a tele style pickup smack dab in the center) The low E tuner came flyin out of the guitar. Then I knew... it was under someone's voodoo.
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Post by UnklMickey on Jul 11, 2006 13:28:01 GMT -5
...q: how can you make a trabant (a rather nasty east german car) worth twice the price? a: put a banana onto the backseat.... yeah, but that only lasts for a week. after that.......................................ew. unk
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Post by vonFrenchie on Jul 11, 2006 14:41:41 GMT -5
good point
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Post by ashcatlt on Jul 11, 2006 15:34:44 GMT -5
Sorry, I really like the thing. The amp sounds okay, and is quite loud for the size. I love my V-amp (the blue one), but the bass version is sketchy. The sounds are great, but it's difficult to set so I don't get a digital distortion over the top of the amp sound.
As for dropping guitars - on my Rick 330 the strap button closest to the neck is completely stripped out. It's hit the ground more than I care to remember. BTW (different thread, really) anybody got any good ideas how to fix this?
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Post by dunkelfalke on Jul 11, 2006 16:08:14 GMT -5
just sold my x-v-amp :-b
and as of strap buttons, buy a straplock system (i like the warwick one the most, that schaller security lock is not nearly as good mechanically) and use a longer screw.
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Post by vonFrenchie on Jul 11, 2006 16:49:31 GMT -5
Dunlop straplocks all the way
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Post by ashcatlt on Jul 11, 2006 21:26:51 GMT -5
Ironically enough, that's the problem.
The thing used to drop straps. All guitars will do this, especially once the strap itself gets worn in a bit. It just slips loose at the worst moment. Crash!
So i got a "locking" strap. I don't remember the brand, but the idea is you unscrew the strap button, run the screw through a hole in the end of the strap, and screw it back on. This is what caused the button to pull out of the hole, stripping it completely to the point where I can't even go back to normal straps anymore.
Someone told me I could plug the hole with a dowel and some glue and then redrill it, but I don't see lasting very long either.
edit - there's no w in hole...
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Post by vonFrenchie on Jul 11, 2006 21:56:28 GMT -5
I glued the screws into my bass... thats right. Lucky though dunlop straplocks can be used with regular straps and i dont think they will ever change their design enough to make previous models obsolete.
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Post by dunkelfalke on Jul 12, 2006 1:37:56 GMT -5
that's one strange straplock system you have there. try sawdust mixed with wood glue to fill the hole and next time try a better straplock system ;-) dunlops are also ok, the system is pretty much the same as warwick, but warwicks are cheaper.
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Post by vonFrenchie on Jul 12, 2006 12:05:50 GMT -5
I bought 2 sets for ten bucks so I cant complain
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Post by dunkelfalke on Jul 12, 2006 14:57:26 GMT -5
cool, where?
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Post by vonFrenchie on Jul 12, 2006 15:05:05 GMT -5
They were on sale at my local music shop. The manager said that no one was buying strap locks from them so they needed to get rid of them. They are working perfectly and there hasnt been a big change (like the yearly selling of new cars to make room for the newer cars) so I know they werent just getting rid of old stuff.
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Post by dunkelfalke on Jul 12, 2006 15:17:08 GMT -5
i would, for that price. three pairs at least. *sigh*
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