oooh the mule arrived.

[foster]

I couldn't resist, i know i said i'd wait untill i had a neck bucker but i just had to put it in.






So after a nice easy instillation (surprisingly the easiest pup swap i've done) i tuned it up and plugged it in.


My first thought - sounded alright, can't see what everyone is going on about.


then comparing it to the neck bucker, how the hell do they get these bareknuckles so damn clear? I can chuck lashing of overdrive on and the bugger still rings beautifully! The gibbo pups just tend to mush up.



Looks like i've been converted, now to get a stormy monday for the neck! :D

[Fourth Feline]

I couldn't resist, i know i said i'd wait untill i had a neck bucker but i just had to put it in.






So after a nice easy instillation (surprisingly the easiest pup swap i've done) i tuned it up and plugged it in.


My first thought - sounded alright, can't see what everyone is going on about.


then comparing it to the neck bucker, how the hell do they get these bareknuckles so damn clear? I can chuck lashing of overdrive on and the bugger still rings beautifully! The gibbo pups just tend to mush up.



Looks like i've been converted, now to get a stormy monday for the neck! :D

Good man !

You had me worried for a second there. As Twinfan once said, the difference takes a little getting used to. I found that once you do adjust to the clarity it is like having lifted a blanket off of your amp ! I had Gibson 490R and 498T pickups originally, but the BKP Stormy Mondays and Mules are just in a different league  :D

Welcome to the club  8)

[foster]

i know exactly what you mean about taking a cloth off the amp - its amazing how different they are!

just a quick question, if i want to order a stormy monday which magnet should i get? You see i bought the mule off a mate of mine who didn't need it anymore and as such i don't know what magnet it has (he bought it off someone else too you see).

I didnt see any markings on the pickup to suggest which magnet it had.

[Fourth Feline]

Hello again,

The Mule will be an Alnico IV, and by default the Stormy Monday ships with an Alnico II unless otherwise requested.

I would recommend an Alnico IV for your purposes, otherwise the neck (whilst being clear) - might not have the same 'focus' as your Mule under gain, especially as the neck pickup is under the strings at a point where they oscillate wider and are less 'tight' anyway.

The main difference you will find in the SM as compared to the Mule (even though they have close impedance readings) - is that the Mule has a slight midrange 'hump' - whereas I find the SM has equal emphasis right across the frequency range. The Bass on the SM is also clear, but somehow looser sounding than the Mule, especially with an Alnico II magnet.

If in doubt do ask Tim or his team before ordering - as Tim put me on the right path with which P/U to put in which guitar for my style/ purposes.

These are just my observations based on trying  Alnico II SMs and then Alnico IV Mules in the same guitar (a Les Paul Standard). Having now heard  my SMs in my S.G. and Les paul, I would say they work well in both, but the Mule better in the heavier mahogany body and the SM in the lighter mahogany body. A 'V' is about in the middle as far as weight is concerned.

Happy hunting !

Regards,

Derek.

[Twinfan]

The difference they make once your ears have adjusted is really quite marked.  I've been playing a Sey,our Duncan equipped Ibanez RG for a few days and last night I plugged in my Riff Raff loaded SG for a change.

Whoa!  Major difference in openness and vintage tone!

[JamesHealey]

y'see my ears never had to adjust i just turned mine on and went.. holy moley!.. there was a huge difference from the start..

[foster]

You see whats confusing me is the website says alnico IV magnet, which would be fine and less confusing if on the box it didn't say this:

The mule humbucker is entirely hand-crafted from the finest quality components available. origional plain enamel wire, Alnico II magnet

Though on the side of the box there is a tick next to "4 conductor wire" when in reality its a two conductor wire.


So either the box is right and its an alnico II magnet OR the box isn't the origional box and its really an Alnico IV magnet.

[Philly Q]

You see whats confusing me is the website says alnico IV magnet, which would be fine and less confusing if on the box it didn't say this:

The mule humbucker is entirely hand-crafted from the finest quality components available. origional plain enamel wire, Alnico II magnet

I think some of the box labels were printed up a while ago and may not reflect up-to-date spec - my Riff Raff box says AII but Tim changed the Riff Raff spec to AV.

If you had the original warranty card from the box, it would have written on it the serial number, DC resistance and magnet type.

I like the look of the covered pickup on the V, by the way!  :D

[Twinfan]

I like the look of the covered pickup on the V, by the way!  :D

Totally agree.  Looks WAAAAAAY better...

[Elliot]

I would think that your Mule is probably A2 - if its 2nd hand and the box says A2 in the blurb it probably is an older model.  But without the warranty card or the number to refer to BKP you'll never know.  

Love the covered V pup too!

[Tim]

Apologies, their are obviously some old box labels in circulation.the originals did indeed say AII on the back whereas the new ones clearly say AIV.
The 2 con/4 con side labels refer to the hook up not the magnet.

[foster]

Cheers tim, so would i be better off getting an AIV magnet in the stormy monday or not?