|
Post by vonFrenchie on Dec 9, 2006 2:35:05 GMT -5
Has anyone tried the lace alumitone pickups? My guitar is getting pretty heavy and I've heard good things but not much about the actual tone (or should i say alumitone) Can anyone speak out of experience about these pickups?
|
|
|
Post by ChrisK on Dec 10, 2006 16:56:43 GMT -5
See my post here; guitarnuts2.proboards45.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=wiring&thread=1146358477&page=1In this test, in this guitar, in this wiring scheme, they weren't as special and different sounding as were the DiMarzios. That doesn't mean that they're not good. Lace now have both a wide humbucker version as well as a P-90 size version. They cost aboot $100 each and $170 for the set of the 3 single coil ones. I paid $160'ish from aamps.com two years ago for the set of 3 single coil ones and the custom pickguard (these won't fit regular Strat type pickup apertures in pickguards). Search the FDP Forum for reviews on these. "Smark" has done a very wide test of single coil Strat pickups. Also, harmonycentral.com of course.
|
|
|
Post by vonFrenchie on Dec 12, 2006 17:04:21 GMT -5
I'm actually looking at the humbucker sized alumitone. I don't have any guitars with single coil pickups.
|
|
|
Post by ChrisK on Dec 12, 2006 19:47:14 GMT -5
Well, humbucker sized vs single coil sized doesn't greatly matter.
The single coil sized ones are most similar to the Duncan vintage Rails in magnetic aperture and the humbucker sized ones are most similar to the Fender Wide-Range humbucker (go check one out with a magnetic polarity tester, there are only 6 poles total) in magnetic aperture. In both of these, each coil senses only three strings. These wiring structures are identical to the P-Bass pickup (aside from series vs parallel coupling).
In essence, while they are both humbucking of sorts in the use of two opposite direction single turn primary loops (the actual aluminum mechanical structure of the pickup with the two magnets embedded therein), these are both coupled to a step-up transformer to develop an output voltage compatible with guitar amps (shielding is).
My point is that these do not have the dual row pole piece structure (and harmonic complexity) of a traditional side by side coil humbucker. While it may look like a traditional humbucker, it ain't one. A judicious choice of parameters for the step-up transformers enable Lace to tailor the response for a humbucker or P-90 sound IMHO.
To get some ides of the tonal differences in magnetic aperature sensing, play any of the Fender '69 or '72 Tele reissues with the Wide-Range humbucker.
|
|