Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: leerocker on January 12, 2010, 07:11:51 PM
-
hi guys , i have a 2008 gibson es-335 and it has lollar imperial low wind humbuckers in it , these were in it when i bought it and to be honest im not keen on it, however my 1966 345 with original pickups sounds great , any recommendations on what bareknuckle i should be putting in my 335, i have mules in mind!
-
Hiya , and welcome to the forum !
It will depend on the style of music you are aiming for, but in the lower output pickups, I had best results in my 335 copy with Alnico IV magneted Stormy Mondays, for sweet and clear - and Mississipi Queens ( Humbucker sized P90 type pickups, but fatter sounding ) for lovely chewy and confident tones. I liked my Stormy Mondays with Alnico II magnets for ultimate sweetness, but changed to AIV magnets for a clearer / tighter bass. The swap from II to IV sacrificed a little roundness and sweetness on the top strings - but for me, worth it. The Mules I like very much, and have then in a Les Paul Standard. They have a subtle emphasis in the mid range - and therefore ( for me ) fitted the Les Paul construction / character better.
For Rock but still 'vintage' voicing - The Riff Raffs are usually recommended ; and are very Rock'n'Roll - from Chuck Berry to (of course ) Angus Young - and beyond. I do not own Riff Raffs, but have heard them being used - and If I wasn't such a mellow player , would have used Riff Raffs for sure.
You might find some interesting examples in the 'Players' sub section.
Happy Hunting ! :)
-
Hi, welcome to the forum :D
I'm partly guessing here, but I believe Riff Raffs are the BKP "equivalent" of "Patent Received" humbuckers from the mid/late 60s onwards.
I find the Riff Raffs a little "tighter" sounding than Mules which are the "equivalent" of "PAF". I used to have a semi years ago, a 335-type which I used in a blues-rock combo. If I still had that, I'd be putting Riff Raffs in it.
I understand that Stormy Mondays are also good bets for a semi, but I've no experience of them.
EDIT: I was going to say "there's a guy called Fourth Feline..." and lo, he's typing the same time as me :D
-
:lol: Yes Andy, they have just woken me up and given me my Ovaltine - so I thought I'd pop in .
-
hi cheers for the replies! im mainly playing rock punk indie etc. not heavy metal stuff, i want to eventually retire the 345 to the house and not on stage! so i want something thats gonna hold up with a bit of gain, riff raffs may be the answer then! i have already ordered some mules but they may go in my gibson r7 goldtop
-
hi cheers for the replies! im mainly playing rock punk indie etc. not heavy metal stuff, i want to eventually retire the 345 to the house and not on stage! so i want something thats gonna hold up with a bit of gain, riff raffs may be the answer then! i have already ordered some mules but they may go in my gibson r7 goldtop
In that case ( considering the easier job of wiring them into the Les Paul first ) I would slap the Mules in your succulent R9 Goldtop - and in the unlikely event that you don't think it is a Marriage made in heaven, then move them to the Semi.
I know it's easy to spend other people's money, but If I had both guitars , I would genuinely desire Riff Raffs for the 335 - and the contrasting late 50's P.A.F. sweetness and more elegant 'kick' of the Mules specifically as heard in a Les Paul. Incidentally, I have done a lot of changing pickups round in my own 335-alike , and can confirm that it is worthwhile, but a real test of patience - and a thief of time. :lol:
Your needs ( just ) eliminate the Stormies and the fat juicy 'swagger' of the Mississipi Queens.
-
cheers fourth feline im gonna have a think now! at the end of the day i want my guitars to sound great and i dony moind spending a couple of hundred quid on riff raffs if it means i only have to pull the 335 apart once! ive cleared off all the guitars i dont use on evil bay and just sticking to 4 or 5 now! i also have a 54 black beauty with p-90s ive ordered a bkp 92 for the bridge to give it a bit more oomph, the alnico 5 p-90 will prob stay in the neck for the moment!
-
sounds like you want a little more juice - i'd steer clear of stormy mondays
-
i had stormy mondays in a burny 335 copy i had a while back from what i remember they were ok but i need something just a tad wilder!
-
I think from what's been said the Riff Raff bridge is going to do it for you.
But for the neck pickup, don't rule out mixing and matching - I haven't tried a Riff Raff neck, but it has an A5 magnet and I gather it's fairly bright and defined. Personally I'd want something a bit warmer, with an A4 or A2 magnet, a Mule or Stormy Monday. I like the sweet sound of the neck '57 Classic (A2) in my ES-339 and wouldn't want to lose it.
Just a thought! :D
-
If you are looking for something different, I have original Gibson Dirty Fingers humbuckers in a 335 Studio. The only guitar I have owned for any length of time that I have never modified. The sound of a thermonuclear blast in a red package.
IIRC, Crawlers will get closest to that sound.
-
hi guys , i have a 2008 gibson es-335 and it has lollar imperial low wind humbuckers in it , these were in it when i bought it and to be honest im not keen on it, however my 1966 345 with original pickups sounds great , any recommendations on what bareknuckle i should be putting in my 335, i have mules in mind!
What's up with the Lollars?
I've had Stormies which are great but it sounds like you want a little more kick....
-
I'd go for Riff Raffs. But I'd ask for an AIV magnet in the neck pickup.
-
Hi Leerocker , :)
I see on Pistottiamp's 'pickups for my Les Paul ' thread, that you have installed the Mules in the Goldtop today . Do let us know how you find them, for ( as you may gather ) - there is a lot of 'Mule love' around here ! I remember replacing the stock pickups in my Les Paul Standard with them , and being very happy with the difference ! :)
-
I'd go for Riff Raffs. But I'd ask for an AIV magnet in the neck pickup.
That sounds like an great idea ! 8) :D
-
yes i put the mules in the les paul. the bridge pickup seems like its a lot lower than than the neck pickup output wise,. and i have the bridge one as close as i can to the strings and the neck one low as it can go!! the classic 57 ib the r7 wsnt this low in output im sure?? any ideas on this feline???
-
yes i put the mules in the les paul. the bridge pickup seems like its a lot lower than than the neck pickup output wise,. and i have the bridge one as close as i can to the strings and the neck one low as it can go!! the classic 57 ib the r7 wsnt this low in output im sure?? any ideas on this feline???
That does sound at odds with what I found. fIrstly ( and forgive me if this sounds a bit patronising ) re-check that the pickups are installed in the right slots. The first thing that comes to mind, being that the bridge P.U. is in the neck position . Installing eagerly, makes us all prone to error.
To further ensure that the labels are on the right pickups from the factory, disconnect the wires from the pots - and confirm that the D.C. resistance of the bridge pickup is higher than the neck.
For clarification, my own Mules sound balanced with each pickup 2mm from the underside of the strings ( high and low 'E' strings ) when fretted at the 22nd fret. Beyond that , I would contact Tim at B.K.P for further recommended action, in case it involves a return to factory for inspection.
Good luck !
-
ill double check that when i get home but im pretty sure i double checked the labels before i installed them! but you never know! , i put the bkp 92 in the r4 and a vast improvement over the stock gibson one
-
yep checked the labels and bridge is bridge and neck is neck!