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Post by Scott on Mar 23, 2011 23:52:51 GMT -7
Trivia on my Lollar selection...
I ended up selecting a Low wind in the Neck, and Standard wind in the Bridge.
So the DC resistance of the Low Wound Imperial Neck is 7.0k. And the Regular wound Bridge measures 8.4k.
Alnico 5 magnets that are degaussed to a specific level are used in both sets, helping to contribute to their vintage type PAF sound.
Both sets are wax potted helping to keep microphonic squeal to a minimum. Word on the street is Jason does not “over-pott” his pickups. Some feel too much potting can deaden a pickup's sound.
Hearing about this makes me wonder how Jason's potting, compares to Gibson's potting on my BurstBucker Pro's??
So my neck should sound close to this: (Low Wound, 7.0k)
Neck only, clean: www.lollarguitars.com/humbucker-pickups/LowWinds/low-wind-black-paul-copy-neck.mp3
Neck only, dirty: www.lollarguitars.com/humbucker-pickups/LowWinds/LWDT0001.mp3
And my bridge should sound close to this: (Regular wound, 8.4k)
Bridge only, Clean: www.lollarguitars.com/humbucker-pickups/Imperials/335-imperial-bridgeEDIT.mp3
Bridge only, Dirty: www.lollarguitars.com/humbucker-pickups/Imperials/335DT003EDIT.mp3
I hope they play well together, and that my solid mahogany guitar likes um! [/COLOR] [/quote] Ordered mine last week (same set up) - got the tracking # today. Looking forward to hearing what the new pups (going for the split config) and Ricks tone kit has to add to my hollowbody ;D I think we did good...
I was considering a high wind bridge, but in the end, I bet a regular wind would be hot enough, and a better match for a low wind bridge.
Make us some sweet ones Jason!!
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Post by Scott on Mar 27, 2011 6:24:25 GMT -7
Ordered mine last week (same set up) - got the tracking # today. Looking forward to hearing what the new pups (going for the split config) and Ricks tone kit has to add to my hollowbody ;D Just for the record, I just spotted this page today... www.lollarguitars.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=technical-infoLooking here, it's easy to get the impression both the Low and regular are using Alnico 5 magnets. www.lollarguitars.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=humbucker-pickupsJust wanted to be sure us Low Wind Neck guys knew we actually had Alnico 2's in there... So "z" Steve, we are both are going to be running Alnico 2 Neck, and Alnico 5 Bridge.
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Post by "Z" Steve on Mar 27, 2011 12:02:37 GMT -7
My pickups arrive Monday, I have an appt with my tech Tuesday at 10am, and I hope to have it by Friday. It should be a tonally wicked weekend!
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Post by Scott on Mar 30, 2011 13:13:32 GMT -7
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Post by "Z" Steve on Mar 30, 2011 13:33:23 GMT -7
Dropped my guitar off yesterday & picking it up Friday morning. Looking forward to it!
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Post by Scott on Mar 30, 2011 20:21:12 GMT -7
I bet... Be sure to post a report. Are you doing 50's wiring, or Modern?
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Post by Hohn on Mar 31, 2011 12:09:48 GMT -7
I vote 50s. I don't have experience with modern, but 50s works well for me-- makes it easy to actually use the tonal range of the controls.
JMO
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Post by "Z" Steve on Mar 31, 2011 12:42:46 GMT -7
The guitar has one volume and one tone so it is limited to what you can do so I don't know what you'd tag it. But I added Ricks Tone Mod to it as well as a push/pull to split the pickups so it should be as multi functional as it can get I need - for now.
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Post by Scott on Mar 31, 2011 13:06:41 GMT -7
Just got back, guitar has been turned in, and claim ticket in hand... It's in the pro's hands now: www.jthomasdavis.com/home.htmlThe dude in the picture, ' Steve' will be handeling the wiring end of things for me. Didn't see your posts boys, but I ended up ordering modern wiring. I figured the push/pull volume coil taps, along with the push/pull tone series/parallel switching was about all I could handle. I was scared that along with the 50's wiring, it might make it seem just too foreign to me. ;D So in recap:Callaham bridge is getting slotted, and installed.New chrome humbucker rings made for flat top Les Paul are going in...My 2 new Lollar pickups...New Switchcraft jack, and new Switchcraft 3 position toggle switch is going in...(My old 3-way would miss-fire quite often. Had to go!) And last my new Custom Wiring as written above, with it's 4 new push pull pots.500K Pots & (2) Mojotone Vitamin T (Oil Filled) .022uF @ 600V Caps. Then I get one of their outstanding guitar setups done... It has numerous steps, and they take it seriously there too. Read in there 'Online Workshop' section: A Set Up Can Make All the DifferenceMan-O. I guess when I go to see the luthier, I put him to work!! I have never had a single coil guitar, nor humbuckers that could be run in single coil mode. Should be fun to get er back.
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Post by ch1naski on Apr 1, 2011 16:09:25 GMT -7
OMG, I got a standard matched set of Imperials on my Custom PRS, and I will never go back to stock pickups again. I'm even thinking of trying a set of Lollar P-90's in my 67 SG Special. (the originals have a strange resistance mismatch, the neck is a little over 8 and the bridge is in the low 7 area, resistance-wise.)
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Post by Scott on Apr 7, 2011 14:44:01 GMT -7
Update! Guitar luthier just called and confirmed work on my Les Paul has begun, and will continue into Friday! Having my new working toggle switch will be... Sweet. Having my guitar set up by a Pro, insuring everything is set correctly... Darn sweet too. My new Callaham bridge, slotted and installed by a Pro... Sweeter! My new Coil Splitting-Series/Parallel switching Lollar Imperials... Sweetest!! He let me know they have a small machine for pulling bridge studs out straight, and also made me aware that they have already installed and slotted other Callaham bridge'essss. They expect all to go well. ;D
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Post by dei305 on Apr 7, 2011 19:11:49 GMT -7
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Post by Scott on Apr 14, 2011 8:06:36 GMT -7
Just called my Guitar luthier for an update... Looks like ALL work including final setup should be done this afternoon. If so, I will pick it up today!
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Post by Ryan (shorty) on Apr 14, 2011 9:57:15 GMT -7
It's been a long wait. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
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Post by Scott on Apr 14, 2011 9:59:47 GMT -7
Thanks... Me too!
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Post by Scott on Apr 15, 2011 14:02:51 GMT -7
She's back! She's back! When I picked it up, they told me they all thought it was a wonderful sounding guitar. Gotta love that... I gave it a quick play on their amp, only to verify that the controls work as expected. It sounded fantastic... Different for sure, but I was on a strange amp too. My initial impressions: Operating my Humbucker in Single Coil Mode, didn't have any annoying hummmmm. I was expecting to hear more. (I have never owned a single coil guitar.) The guitar does ring out notes a long time... Outstanding sustain. Giving the new bridge some credit there. A few more pictures. Lollar Imperials installed: All (4) 500K pots pulled out: All 4 pushed in: Close-up of my newly installed Callaham bridge: One shot of the back, just because it's purdy! Full shot: Got er home, and plugged into my Dr. Z Maz 18 Jr. with my 2x10 and 1x12 Cabs both on. The low wind neck I would describe as warm and clear. Not harsh or too bright. My tone controls are working fine for me too. When I run the Neck in single coil mode, it's not as loud... but still plenty usable, and also sounds wonderful. Even when I don't have my 3 position toggle switch in the center position, to enable single mode humbucking... (When both volumes are pulled out) They still are quiet! Nice. Standard Wind Bridge: Quite a bit more attitude than the neck, but still not too hot for me. Still has great warmth, crystal clear highs, and well balanced. All the sustain you could want. Single coil mode also sounded very useable to me. When switching either the Bridge or Neck pickup, into being wired with itself in parallel, rather than Series... Their also is a slight volume drop. Not as much as switching into single coil mode, but still there. I expected this too. It will change your tone, and also sounds great, just different... I have seen others posts about Lollar Imperials that say they are 3D sounding, or Hi-Fi'ish. (I know where they are coming from) I do feel like I hear the woodyness of my guitar more too. Glad I did the pickup swap, and love that I now have the flexibility to be able to run in standard 'Les Paul Mode', Single coil Mode, or Humbucking with series/parallel switching. 4 lead pickups rule! ;D
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Post by Scott on Apr 17, 2011 2:22:51 GMT -7
Final report would have to be I love them. 24 more hours under my belt, and here is what is on my mind. 1 - When I crank both the Low Wind Neck, and the Regular wound Bridge, then flip back and forth between the two, their volume is very close to each other... If I had to pick, I'd say the Low Wound Neck is a tad louder. It has much more rich base than the Bridge pickup. I am thinking the Low Wind Neck, and Regular Wound Bridge is a good match! Probably better than (2) Low Wound?? The Bridge likes a wee hotter pickup to create the same volume level. 2 - I love the Coil split more and more. Also glad I suck to modern wiring, rather than 50's... It's easy for me to balance out various pickup configurations, using the (2) volume, and (2) tone controls. If I was trying to do it all with the 50's Master Volume deal, I think it would be harder. One of my favorite configs is having both pickups in single coil mode, with my toggle switch in the center position, so they are humbucking with each other. Getting some fine tones that way... 3 - This bridge does add sustain. No question about it. The low end of my guitar seems real articulate now. Still not sure if that was more due to the new bridge, or the Lollar Imperials?? Either way, my low end is cleaned up, and real tight sounding.
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Apr 17, 2011 5:50:30 GMT -7
Scott, a friend of mine has an axe just like that (with a stock bridge). It is one toneful instrument. I can only imagine what yours with the mods sounds like. Congrats.
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Post by markT on Apr 17, 2011 6:16:23 GMT -7
Glad you like it. Congrats
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Post by Scott on Apr 17, 2011 8:13:56 GMT -7
Thanks guys... I would love to take this guitar to Z Fest, and let a much more skilled guitarist than myself give it a whirl. Especially if he's fine with the 60's Slim Taper neck on this guitar. I would enjoy sitting back and just listening to what my baby sounds like in anothers skilled hands.
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Post by Scott on Apr 18, 2011 13:43:47 GMT -7
More observations worth noting... On the subject of responsiveness. At my level of playing ability, hammer-ons could be heard, but not as loud and pronounced as I would have liked. Especially when using the little finger. Just didn't seem to have the finger strength. Snap to now, and if my amp is turned up even a 'little loud', hammer-ons are darn near free baby! ;D If you fret a string, with even baby strength anywhere on the neck, glorious sound comes out. This is a new ability for me, and I give this upgrade some direct credit. Also, thinking that Jason lightly potting these pickups is probably a good move. With the level of responsiveness I now am getting, I believe unwanted feedback 'could' be an issue if they were un-potted?? These babies seem to take me right to the edge, without being too wild, if that makes any sense. One more... My ear is getting more educated to the sound of Alnico 2 magnets, -vs- Alnico 5 magnets. If you ever have been fortunate enough to play a guitar with both types installed at the same time, you can tell them apart by their sound... Having my Alnico 5 BurstBucker Pro's just de-installed, it's easy to hear that my Alnico 5 bridge is much closer in sound to them, than my Alnico 2 neck. I think I know that 'Alnico 5 magnet' sound in my head now. Glad I have one of each installed to cover more sonic ground. They both have their place, and both sound good. I have to say, love the richness of the low wound Alnico 2 neck pickup. It's simply warm and wonderful... It truly is an amazing pickup! Fine job Lollar.
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