ispas
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Jun 29, 2005 12:27:34 GMT -5
Post by ispas on Jun 29, 2005 12:27:34 GMT -5
hello, I want to improve my guitar sound and I want to buy some pickups, but I don't know what kind. I want to buy 2 humbuckers, about 60 to 90 $ each. I play mainly Nirvana and things related. I also need two buy some potentiometers for volume and tone. Are they the same? Can I buy two of these: www.music123.com/Gibson-Potentiometer-i97701.music ? I will buy them from music123.com, so if you please look there and give me some tips or some recomandations. Thanks Alexandru
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Jun 29, 2005 12:42:03 GMT -5
Post by RandomHero on Jun 29, 2005 12:42:03 GMT -5
Well, one thing you should know about Nirvana is that Kurt Cobain is famous for using the Fender Mustang, a horrible-sounding piece of crap guitar, with pride. So spending near $100 on pickups for grunge music is a bit of a waste. Secondly, Gibson will charge you three times the value of what you're buying just because it has their logo on it, I highly reccomend www.stew-mac.com for potentiometers and the like. Come back with any more questions.
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ispas
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Jun 29, 2005 12:57:56 GMT -5
Post by ispas on Jun 29, 2005 12:57:56 GMT -5
Thank you for your response. I know that Gibson will charge me for the brand, but I am from Romania, and i don't think you know how much a guitar part costs here... So my only possibility is to buy from US. The prices here a triple if not higher than the prices from music123.com. A Boss ds1 costs $ so... I will look for what pickups are on the mustang as for potentiometers I think maybe i will look in Romania for them. Are the 1-Meg pots worth the money?
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Jun 29, 2005 13:03:34 GMT -5
Post by RandomHero on Jun 29, 2005 13:03:34 GMT -5
Ouch, sorry about that. Well, as far as the pickups on the mustang, your generic ceramic single-coils should fit the bill, and a decent pair of those won't cost you much. If you want a warmer sound you can spring for an AlNiCo set, but it will be extra money. The 1-meg pots aren't a question of money, as much as they are tone, a tone circuit with a 1-meg pot will allow much more treble at the "10" setting, and I'm unsure as to how the volume circuit would be effected. You'll be wanting something in the range of 250K for normal single-coils. Humbuckers, however, will sound better with 500K.
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ispas
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Jun 29, 2005 13:14:15 GMT -5
Post by ispas on Jun 29, 2005 13:14:15 GMT -5
So the 1 meg pots will have more treble at high volume? I like trebles... The part of buying the parts is easy somehow... the part of connecting them is no so easy... do you have some schematics?
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Jun 29, 2005 15:16:10 GMT -5
Post by wolf on Jun 29, 2005 15:16:10 GMT -5
ispas2 drawings you could use are at my website: www.1728.com/guitar.htmThe first one is based on typical Fender Strat wiring but I did not bother to draw in that stupid 5 way switch and instead just drew 3 SPST switches. The second drawing should help you if you have a typical Gibson Les Paul or SG setup. If you are buying pickups I think it would be VERY helpful if you get ones that come with 4 conductor wiring. This will really allow you a great many tone combinations.
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Jun 30, 2005 0:14:53 GMT -5
Post by CheshireCat on Jun 30, 2005 0:14:53 GMT -5
Thank you for your response. I know that Gibson will charge me for the brand, but I am from Romania, and i don't think you know how much a guitar part costs here... So my only possibility is to buy from US. The prices here a triple if not higher than the prices from music123.com. A Boss ds1 costs $ so... I will look for what pickups are on the mustang as for potentiometers I think maybe i will look in Romania for them. Are the 1-Meg pots worth the money? Romanian or not, Gibson and American are not synonymous, nor mutually inclusive. You can get better deals from StewMac or Warmoth, both of whom ship internationally. The reason why you don't want to buy a Gibson pot is that you'd be paying, say, $10USD for a pot that would normally sell for $4USD. No joke. The extra $6USD is simply because Gibson's name is stamped on the casing. Again, no joke. Check with www.warmoth.com or www.stewmac.com (probably your best bet), or even www.allparts.com (worth a shot) and see what deals they have. Also, why a 1M pot? As far as pickups go, perhaps your best bet for grunge and punk versatility would be some P-90's. They can sound grungy or throaty enough to give you that raw edge. You could also do Duncan's minihumbuckers, like the Lil'59, JB Jr., Lil' Screamin' Demon, and so on. Of course, the original Jagstangs had custom pickups in them, which are not in production except in certain guitars, but you pretty much can do whatever you like, like, for instance, Jag pickups, or the other options listed. You can get the Jag pickups from www.warmoth.com for, interestingly enough, $60 each. BTW, what kind of guitar are these new pups going into? Chesh
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Jun 30, 2005 0:58:58 GMT -5
Post by GuyaGuy on Jun 30, 2005 0:58:58 GMT -5
yeah, cobain mostly played single coil pickups, although i believe i've seen him playing HBs occasionally. but he also played everything from a Univox Hi-Flyer copy of a Mosrite to Fender Mustangs, Jaguars, Strats, Epi ET, etc. same goes for Sonic Youth, Mudhoney, etc. they mostly play(ed) singlecoils on less expensive instruments. (btw, CheshireCat, he didn't play the jagstang. he did the collage sketches and it went into production post mortum.)
i'd suggest a moderately hot single coil--either a P-90 like Cheshire suggests or a hot Fender-style SC. let us know what guitar the PUs are going into and we might have some good suggestions!
(btw, RandomHero, i wouldn't call the Mustang a piece of crap--at least not the old ones!)
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Jun 30, 2005 4:59:50 GMT -5
Post by bam on Jun 30, 2005 4:59:50 GMT -5
Mighty Mites will do good, too.
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Jun 30, 2005 8:59:37 GMT -5
Post by CheshireCat on Jun 30, 2005 8:59:37 GMT -5
yeah, cobain mostly played single coil pickups, although i believe i've seen him playing HBs occasionally. but he also played everything from a Univox Hi-Flyer copy of a Mosrite to Fender Mustangs, Jaguars, Strats, Epi ET, etc. same goes for Sonic Youth, Mudhoney, etc. they mostly play(ed) singlecoils on less expensive instruments. (btw, CheshireCat, he didn't play the jagstang. he did the collage sketches and it went into production post mortum.) Well, also keep in mind, some cheapies just scream divinely for whatever reason. Those are usually the ones that make it onto the big stage. Sophomoric intentions like playing crappy instruments just to be iconoclastic, presumably on general punk principle, usually evaporate after they get some success, or even after they leave the garage, because the logistics and harsh realities of playing live and heavy touring set in, and the need for quality, dependable gear becomes critical. Case in point, when The Cure started, Robert had this cheapie that he really dug on, and this was back when the The Cure was going to be a "no image" band - back before the make-up, fabulous clothes, worldwide presence and marketing, and Tim Pope videos. Well, their manager thought that Robert shouldn't be playing some crappy guitar that looked like it came from a pawn shop or thrift store, and went out and got him a Fender Jazzmaster. Not the greatest, but at least it was a proper guitar. Well, Robert conceded that, but then went and had the pickups from his crapocaster installed into the Jazzmaster. His manager was appauled and the rest is history. ;D To appreciate the effects of this, listen to The Cure's first album with such classics as "Killing an Arab", "Boys Don't Cry", and the tone-monster "10:15 Saturday Night" (aka, "The Drip Drip Drip Song"). i'd suggest a moderately hot single coil--either a P-90 like Cheshire suggests or a hot Fender-style SC. let us know what guitar the PUs are going into and we might have some good suggestions! Indeed. (btw, RandomHero, i wouldn't call the Mustang a piece of crap--at least not the old ones!) Very often, too often really, lesser lines or fledgling models of guitars end up getting conscripted into the unfortunate position of "cheapie" for the big names, becoming the "economical alternative" for those who don't want to shell out real money for a guitar. Quite the alchemy indeed, the musical instrument marketing machine. Chesh
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ispas
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Jun 30, 2005 15:09:58 GMT -5
Post by ispas on Jun 30, 2005 15:09:58 GMT -5
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Jun 30, 2005 15:18:53 GMT -5
Post by wolf on Jun 30, 2005 15:18:53 GMT -5
ispas You say you have a Stratocaster copy. To me that means single coils. Both pickups you are planning to buy are humbuckers. Will humbucker-sized pickups fit into your guitar ?
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ispas
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Jun 30, 2005 15:56:36 GMT -5
Post by ispas on Jun 30, 2005 15:56:36 GMT -5
Sorry, now it has two humbuckers... one of them is not working. As I said, i am very pleased with the guitar, except for the electric part. And I have something like 4 pots, two for volume and two for tone, which are not working so toy can imagine my frustration... And I have two switches and if I bring the two of them in the on position no pick will work... i really like it, just a no name guitar that rocks...
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ispas
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Jun 30, 2005 15:58:59 GMT -5
Post by ispas on Jun 30, 2005 15:58:59 GMT -5
Do you think that will be a big difference between a 250k pot and a 500k one? And, a very important question: are the tone and the volume pots the same?
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Jul 1, 2005 0:44:33 GMT -5
Post by GuyaGuy on Jul 1, 2005 0:44:33 GMT -5
ispas, 1.) i don't believe you're really romanian cuz yr english is so damn good. 2.) a pot is a pot. there are no "volume" pots and "tone" pots. what makes it a "tone" pot is simply putting on a capacitor to roll off the treble. 3.) i'd recommend a 500K pot to avoid a muddy sound. Gibson does use 300K frequently but i think HBs are bassy and mid-thick enough without cutting treble. 4.) did you make the guitar yrself? if so, we want pictures! 5.) i'd recommend the SD HB. it's a good solid-sounding classic HB. the breed is more for metal. also, if you don't know it already, check out this source for pu reviews: www.harmonycentral.com/Guitar/Data2/6.) have you looked into ordering from german websites? prices will be higher because of VAT but shipping should be less.
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Jul 1, 2005 1:06:50 GMT -5
Post by GuyaGuy on Jul 1, 2005 1:06:50 GMT -5
CheshireCat: that's funny. i didn't know that about RS's pickups. do you know what "cheapie" they're from? i knew he had a liking for somewhat oddball guitars, like his Coral sitar and the like. of course, at the time, the jazzmaster wasn't exactly everyone's dream guitar--not even the early 60s ones. they were just "old Fenders"! that's why everyone in the punk/indie scene played jaguars, mustangs, duo-sonics, and the like. they couldn't afford new ones starting out and those models mentioned could be had for dirt cheap because they were just out-dated old guitars from the 60s. and as for switching to better gear after hitting it big, kurt cobain at the height of his scuccess apparently had a contract with Fender which basically gave him one Japanese strat per show which was played, banged on, and then smashed to bits on stage. a "Smashocaster," as it were. i'm sure some are hanging as museum pieces somewhere now...
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Jul 1, 2005 1:07:40 GMT -5
Post by Runewalker on Jul 1, 2005 1:07:40 GMT -5
PARTS:A couple of more obscure parts houses but with attractive lines and or prices: www.tubesandmore.com/More oriented to amps, but some good prices on pots, and they have the desirable but obscure push/push pot in addition to Push/pulls. Fast order fulfillment' www.guitarnucleus.com/gnstore/index.htmlFair prices, not overwhelming in bargains. www.has-sound.com/parts.htmFair prices: www.universaljems.com/shop.htmGood prices long wait: www.mouser.comExtream deals, especially on Alpha pots. I just bought 10 1 meg full size Alphas for $.96 each. Have to wade through a large array of electronics stuff, get good at Mouser and you will suddenly have the delusion you know what you are doing. guitarelectronics.zoovy.com/Broad Selection, not so great prices, great section on wiring diagrams. Sort of like Stewmac just more focused on er.... electronics. Somewhere else in the forum I posted a link to a bassist/electronics engineer, who evaluated pots. He trashed CTS and liked Xircon (or Xircor). PUPSA brand not as well know as Duncan, et.al, is GFS sold on Ebay. I have bought and been very pleased with their Alnico pups for clarity, definition and responsiveness. The make some Vintage, Overwound and "Texas" strat combos, but something you might consider for the sound you are wanting --- is GFS's P-90s. These come in the same form factor (size) as humbuckers but are indeed single coil p90 style. You could even go with ceramic if you are going to stick with grunge. One caution about the P90s recommendations in the other parts of the thread --- you would have to rout the body of the strat clone, and the pickgaurd to make conventional p90s fit.
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Jul 1, 2005 1:25:59 GMT -5
Post by GuyaGuy on Jul 1, 2005 1:25:59 GMT -5
+1 on GFS. i've not played em but i hear nothing but good stuff on them.
there's also Mighty Mite--good quality, really nice sounding, and inexpensive!
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ispas
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Jul 3, 2005 1:14:10 GMT -5
Post by ispas on Jul 3, 2005 1:14:10 GMT -5
1. First of all, the first time I red this : "ispas, 1.) i don't believe you're really romanian cuz yr english is so % good." I red it superficially, and i understood that my english is poor )) 2. Anyway, now I know what makes a pot to be a tone one, which is good and I thank you for this... a small step. 3. I will look for 500k pots. 4. As far as the home made guitar subject, I can tell you that is not made by me, but I will buy it, I will post some pictures of it-s present looks I intend to modify it, I like to work with wood, carpeting, and sorts like that. 5. I will look for SD HB today and I will tell you my choice. 6. Please recommend me some german websites. ispas
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Jul 3, 2005 1:39:01 GMT -5
Post by GuyaGuy on Jul 3, 2005 1:39:01 GMT -5
www.musik-produktiv.dethat's probably the main online shop. click on language at bottom. also try britain's www.wdmusicproducts.co.uk/they ship to europe. maybe try ebay, too. you can find stuff on ebay.co.uk, ebay.de or ebay.com used or new and often sellers ship worldwide. if you find other german shops, pickup is either "Pickup" in english or "Tonabnehmer." you'll just have to see what's cheaper--orfering from europe or the US.
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ispas
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Jul 3, 2005 1:45:41 GMT -5
Post by ispas on Jul 3, 2005 1:45:41 GMT -5
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ispas
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Jul 3, 2005 5:31:35 GMT -5
Post by ispas on Jul 3, 2005 5:31:35 GMT -5
Can you tell me what these features means?
D.C. Resistance - Neck Bridge -- Resonant Peak - Neck Bridge --
an also what values are best: higher, lower?
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Jul 3, 2005 8:46:05 GMT -5
Post by bam on Jul 3, 2005 8:46:05 GMT -5
DC resistance is meant as it is (ask your local electrician or physics teacher for more comprehensive explanation); the higher the amount, usually (not in all pups) the hotter the pup will be.
Resonant peak is the resonant frequency at which the pup resonates best. higher values usually gives you chimier tone, while lower values usually hands you growlier tone and sometimes bassy feedback.
I personally like gold lace sensors for SCs. Kinmans are great, but too expensive as other handmade (or half-handmade) pups does, I think.
and oh yeah, don't underestimate the cheapies ! ;D
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Jul 3, 2005 17:26:31 GMT -5
Post by CheshireCat on Jul 3, 2005 17:26:31 GMT -5
Your best bet will be the Duncan Antiquity P-90's. They will give you an excellent, throaty, meaty tone for a single coil, which can rival a humbucker, and you can get all the classic sounds you want as well as dirtying and grunging it up for a more punk sound. Chesh
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Jul 3, 2005 18:11:01 GMT -5
Post by Trey on Jul 3, 2005 18:11:01 GMT -5
Your best bet will be the Duncan Antiquity P-90's. They will give you an excellent, throaty, meaty tone for a single coil, which can rival a humbucker, and you can get all the classic sounds you want as well as dirtying and grunging it up for a more punk sound. Chesh Soapbar P-90s aren't going yo fit in a regular humbucker rout. If he wants to put P-90s in the guitar he will have to use something like the Duncan Phatcats, which are humbucker-sized P-90s... And you should also use 500k pots with P-90s if you decide to use them. Using a 250k pot loses some of the brightness P-90 are known for...
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Jul 3, 2005 21:58:21 GMT -5
Post by CheshireCat on Jul 3, 2005 21:58:21 GMT -5
Your best bet will be the Duncan Antiquity P-90's. They will give you an excellent, throaty, meaty tone for a single coil, which can rival a humbucker, and you can get all the classic sounds you want as well as dirtying and grunging it up for a more punk sound. Chesh Soapbar P-90s aren't going yo fit in a regular humbucker rout. If he wants to put P-90s in the guitar he will have to use something like the Duncan Phatcats, which are humbucker-sized P-90s... And you should also use 500k pots with P-90s if you decide to use them. Using a 250k pot loses some of the brightness P-90 are known for... PhatCats are workable . . . and I should know! ;D Of course, another pickguard would work as well. Chesh
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Jul 4, 2005 1:25:34 GMT -5
Post by GuyaGuy on Jul 4, 2005 1:25:34 GMT -5
yeah, as the others said, unless you want to rout (cut into) yr guitar, you should go with HBs or HB-sized P-90s like:
Seymour Duncan Phat Kat or GFS P-90s
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ispas
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Jul 4, 2005 14:59:06 GMT -5
Post by ispas on Jul 4, 2005 14:59:06 GMT -5
well, I want to thank you all for your advices, I like very much the Duncan Antiquity P-90's, but for now two vintage jaguars will do the job... plus that the vintage jaguar pickup conducts better the trebles, I studied their characteristics and i decided that for the moment are my best option. www.basslines.com/website/tonechart.shtml#specCan i use separate pots for volume and tone for each pickup? I now have this system and it worked just fain, until few weeks ago...
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Jul 5, 2005 0:11:23 GMT -5
Post by GuyaGuy on Jul 5, 2005 0:11:23 GMT -5
hey, ispsa, those jaguar PUs are made for Fender Jaguar guitars and won't fit yours. they're wider than a HB so you'd need to cut a larger hole for them. they're "top-loading," meaning the cover sits on top of the pickguard; so you would need a new pickguard. i just wanted to let you know that you would need to do some work on the guitar to make those fit.
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ispas
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Jul 5, 2005 10:45:23 GMT -5
Post by ispas on Jul 5, 2005 10:45:23 GMT -5
Yes, I know that I have to make some modifications to my guitar. Even if I would have bought some HB's, I would have made them. I want to "install" a jaguar look on it, not very complicated work anyway. Well, now I just to order and wait... 6 weeks ( I will post some pictures of it's present looks. Maybe I will start a new topic: before and after... Stay in touch!
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