Sample Pickups for Testing

[adam]

I picked up a sample single coil and humbucker while I was in China. I asked our contact to source some pickup upgrades (better quality) that we could offer under the PBG Brand.

The samples look like the stock Chinese pups that come with our kits, but I'm assured that they are superior (in materials and manufacture). Actually, they do have much better quality wires, at least on the single coil.

If anyone with experience and tools to make a technical assessment of pickups has an interest in trying either (or both) of these out, let me know. All I ask for is an objective report on their performance, quality, sound, etc.

[FredA]

I was looking for replacement pickups for my Star Wars Strat junior, and Adam offered to send me these sample pickups to try!
It's a perfect fit as I needed a single coil and a humbucker!

I received these today and have done a first physical comparison between stock pups and these sample pups.
Note that on the photos below stock pups are always on the right and sample on the left.

Let's start by the humbuckers:

(Sample at the top of pic and std at bottom)







The sample pup feels a tad heavier, but not much. But the coils seems to be 'fuller' and have more turns than the standard pickup.

Also the pickup looks more like a proper humbucker with screws and slugs, and the white plastic looks nicer, slightly glossy instead of being flat.

[FredA]

Now with the single coil:





(Standard pup on top on this pic)


(Standard pup on top on this pic)

The sample pup definitely appears to be of better quality. More coils, cloth wires instead of cheap wire, and better feel overall.

[wazkelly]

Looks interesting Fred. Is there an additional magnet for the replacement single coil or is that how it is?

Have you run a multi meter over both sets see any differences.

[FredA]

I measured resistance and got:

Single coil
std kit: 5.4k
Sample: 5.8k

Humbucker:
Std kit: 8.8k
Sample: 6.8k

The single coil is what I was expecting, but the humbuckers surprised me as it seems that the sample one may actually have less coils... unless it's thinner and better wire...

I don't have any ways of measuring inductance so my test doesn't really mean much I guess...

[FredA]

@wazkelly: the one with the extra magnet is the one that came with the kit.

I've measured resistance now. Not too sure what else I can measure with only a multimeter...

[WeirdBits]

The standard kit single coil has a single ceramic bar magnet underneath the slugs (a bit like a humbucker coil), whereas the sample SC pup appears to have the more proper/traditonal individual magnetised slugs (and cloth wire).

I'm a bit surprised the 'upgrade' humbucker still isn't 4-wire, then again it depends on how much of an upgrade it actually is.

[wazkelly]

Thanks Fred.

From those measurements the new single coil probably has more output but the drop on the Humbucker is strange but not necessarily a problem as I believe "Henries' are the truer indication of output. This Seymour Duncan link provides a few more clues.... http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/th...why-it-matters

You would hope to expect the newer set are more evenly matched without to much drop in output when going from one to the other.

[Andy40]

The standard kit single coil has a single ceramic bar magnet underneath the slugs (a bit like a humbucker coil), whereas the sample SC pup appears to have the more proper/traditonal individual magnetised slugs (and cloth wire).

I'm a bit surprised the 'upgrade' humbucker still isn't 4-wire, then again it depends on how much of an upgrade it actually is.

I thought so as well Weirdy...does anyone know whether the slugs are Alnico and what grade?

[Fuzzbeard]

They definitely look like they are built better. Is it still a ceramic magnet in the humbucker? and it is a shame the humbucker isn't a 4 wire.