Bluesbird Pickups

Joined
Oct 23, 2006
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Im curious is anyone uses different pickups in there Bluesbird. I find Alnico 5 magnets like the '59 model pretty harsh in the Bluesbird w/ the chambered body. I use Alnico 2 Duncans in mine (APH1 neck, SH-11 bridge). These sound AMAZING in this guitar. With this set-up I can get all of the stock BB sounds & much more. The bridge will growl harder than any Les Paul (stock BB lacks this sound and was the ONE thing a Les Paul could do well) but with fantastic single coil sounds (4-wire PUPS with push/pull pots). Im just curious if anyone else has tryed anything else and what there experiance has been.
 

Darryl Hattenhauer

Venerated Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2006
Messages
11,083
Reaction score
317
Location
Phoenix, AZ, USA
Seescandy,

I hear the stock BB puke-ups the same way.(Seem More Drunken). I haven't heard a set up like yours, but it sounds like something I's like to hear.,
 
G

Guest

Unregistered
User deleted by their request
Hi there, I found the same problem with the SD ´59 in my BB. Now I use a Seth Lover SH 55 in the neck pos. and a Gibson 57 Classic in the bridge pos.
These Alnico 2 pups seem to suit the BB better.
 

guildzilla

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
2,108
Reaction score
1
Location
Worthington, Ohio
The Seymour Duncan P-90 pickups (Hot P90 Soapbar at neck and Custom P-90 Soapbar) on my 2000 Blues 90 are currently my all-time favorite pickups.

I was initially biased against them because I didn't like the cream color at first. But the first time I plugged it in, I was startled by the quality of tone and the range of sounds available.
 

Squawk

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2005
Messages
757
Reaction score
0
guildzilla said:
The Seymour Duncan P-90 pickups (Hot P90 Soapbar at neck and Custom P-90 Soapbar) on my 2000 Blues 90 are currently my all-time favorite pickups.

I was initially biased against them because I didn't like the cream color at first. But the first time I plugged it in, I was startled by the quality of tone and the range of sounds available.

I like different pickups on different guitars for diffrrent reasons, but I do agree the P90s on my Blues 90 are awesome.
 

Darryl Hattenhauer

Venerated Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2006
Messages
11,083
Reaction score
317
Location
Phoenix, AZ, USA
Skwaque,

Since a blues 90 has slightly different dimensions than a bluesbird, does a blues 90 feel different when you lift it, hold it, and play it?
 

Squawk

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2005
Messages
757
Reaction score
0
Darryl -

Lifting and holding it seem the same, but playing a blues 90 is very different. It has a chunkier neck than the bluesbird and feels very different. And they sound very different. BTW, I never measured or compared, but it seems to me that the bodies are identical in dimensions - but I could be wrong.
 

Darryl Hattenhauer

Venerated Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2006
Messages
11,083
Reaction score
317
Location
Phoenix, AZ, USA
Squawk,

If the neck is bigger, then maybe the center of gravity is closer to the neck, and the Blues 90 might sit in my lap better. For me, a Bluesbird headstock rises up while the end pin area sinks toward the floor. Is the head stock the same on them?
 

Darryl Hattenhauer

Venerated Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2006
Messages
11,083
Reaction score
317
Location
Phoenix, AZ, USA
Squawker,

Re your blues 90, could you please tell me the distance (along the center seam) between the bottom edge of your stop bar and the bottom end of the guitar?
 

Squawk

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2005
Messages
757
Reaction score
0
Darryl Hattenhauer said:
Squawker,

Re your blues 90, could you please tell me the distance (along the center seam) between the bottom edge of your stop bar and the bottom end of the guitar?

I took a little time to do some comparisons for you:

1. The distance between the edge of the stopbar and the bottom is exactly the same for both - 5-15/16"

2. The width of the fingerboard - measured at the 22nd fret - is also exactly the same - 2-1/4" I did this measurement because the chunkier neck of the Blues 90 gices an illusion that the fingerboard is narrower - but it isn't.

3. The bodies are the same size and can be interchanged in their respective OHSCs (which are made by different manufacturers and arched different).

4. The headstocks of both guitars are exactly the same - but there is a noticeable difference in the balance - better (for you) with the blues 90 as the bottom doesn't sink to the floor as much as on the Bluesbird - I assume this is because neck is probably a little heavier.

I do not have access to any kind of scale that can accurately compare the overall weight of each guitar.

If you want me to do any other comparisons, just ask.
 

Darryl Hattenhauer

Venerated Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2006
Messages
11,083
Reaction score
317
Location
Phoenix, AZ, USA
Squawker,

You are now half owner of the new Squawk-Frau universal bigsby.

With very few changes to the existing bigsby, they could make them so you could change back and forth between stopbar to bigsby with no additional holes. The bigsby would attach through the bolt holes of the stopbar. With such a solid attachment, the end pin wouldn't require screws around it. There could be slight ly different models for Bluesbirds, Less Pauls, Epiphonies, Gwretches, etc.

Wanna bring Coastie in on it? He could fashion these out of toilets and beer cans.
 

Squawk

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2005
Messages
757
Reaction score
0
D -

Problem is that your Bigsby idea will aggravate your imbalance problem further (as well as the imbalance of the Bluesbird).
 

Swearengen

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
20
Reaction score
0
seeholmes said:
Im curious is anyone uses different pickups in there Bluesbird. I find Alnico 5 magnets like the '59 model pretty harsh in the Bluesbird w/ the chambered body. I use Alnico 2 Duncans in mine (APH1 neck, SH-11 bridge). These sound AMAZING in this guitar. With this set-up I can get all of the stock BB sounds & much more. The bridge will growl harder than any Les Paul (stock BB lacks this sound and was the ONE thing a Les Paul could do well) but with fantastic single coil sounds (4-wire PUPS with push/pull pots). Im just curious if anyone else has tryed anything else and what there experiance has been.

Can't imagine how anyone could hear a stock BB as "harsh". Anything but, to my ear. "Sickly sweet" I'd buy.

Are you sure those are stock the 59s?
 

Bluesbird75

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2006
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
BB PICK UPS

Gday mate, i went for a radical change and put open coil JB bridge and Jazz neck. Sounds like the hottest LP but can still coax the stock bb tones. The bridge is always a little hotter though with more mids.
 
Joined
Oct 23, 2006
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Swearengen: I am sure the '59s are stock. To my ear the '59s are SLIGHTLY harsh. (Especially the bridge) I have a '59 in the bridge of my Dean USA Hardtail and it sounds perfect... for that guitar. If you here APH1's in a Bluesbird with pull up pots for the coil tap my guess is you would never look back :) The best way I can describe it is added warmth and took the edge off the bridge on the highs. I also use pure nickel Snake Oil Brand strings (.011s) that Im very smitten with at the moment. I play mostly Blues on this beast...
 

LeBlaze

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Location
Attleboro, MA.
Bluesbird pickups

I would like to add my three cents worth to this topic.
The tone of the P90 in a humbucker package is available from Kent Armstrong, who's fine pickups were used by Guild in some guitars. You can get them in gold or chrome (nickel)
I put one in a '74 M75 in the bridge position, and it sounds wonderful. I would think the Bluesbird would sound pretty good too.

Here's a picture BEFORE the change.
[IMG:640:480]http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/LeBlaze/M70_01.jpg[/img]
It now has a DeArmond Goldtone in the neck, compliments the P90 very nicely; great versatility!
 
Top