Bluesbird Now Has Vintage HB1s

[GAD]

First just the teaser pic:

 

[bluesypicky]

Re: Teaser Pic

I have to go change now.. happy?!!! :evil:
:lol:

 

[GAD]

Re: Teaser Pic

I have to go change now.. happy?!!! :evil:
:lol:

'little bit - yeah.

 

[GAD]

So the HB1s are in. For the record they measure at 6.86 k-Ohms and 7.78 k-Ohms [edit - that's a typo s/b 6.78]. I had to clean the solder and old wire from the terminals. Soldering in the cavity was a pain too because Fender wrapped wires around terminals so I couldn't just heat and pull, I had to heat and untie while the solder was liquid. What a pain.

So in this case, "drop in" isn't quite accurate. The vintage HB1s do fit in the rings, the screw holes match up, and the *almost* fit in the pickup routes. The routes were about 1/4 mm too small. I widened them just that much to get them in.

The problem is, I need to widen the routes even more because the adjustment screws don't do anything. The pickups are so firmly stuck in the holes that I need a hammer to adjust them. Relax, I used a soft fret hammer.

Additionally, the neck pickup ring really is too wide to fit between the pickup and the neck. It fits, but it took some serious effort to cram it in there. That should be shaved down a bit too but I'm afraid I'll break it since it's thin plastic.

The pickups that were in there were SD Seth Lovers. Those pickups didn't suck at all, so the improvement isn't as dramatic as if they had been lesser pickups. Still the HB1s have more character than the Seth Lovers. Problem is I can't get the HB1s low enough for my liking, which means I'll need to widen the holes a bit more.

I toyed with the idea of replacing the pots or at least replacing a tone pot with a push/pull to take advantage of the phase possibilities allowed with the Bridge PU, but I did not. I did replace the stock caps with a set from RS that I had around.

Here's a pic of it all strung up:

I think if I can get more adjustment out of the pickups I'll be pretty seriously happy with this guitar. It sounds different than any guitar I own. I attribute that to a combination of the chambered body and the vintage HB1s. Not too shabby.

 

[dapmdave]

WOW! :shock: That looks great.

They seem pretty hot, at 6.86 and 7.78. Mine are both 6.30 k Ohms. Which one is the bridge pickup?

Dave

 

[GAD]

WOW! :shock: That looks great.

They seem pretty hot, at 6.86 and 7.78. Mine are both 6.30 k Ohms. Which one is the bridge pickup?

Dave

The hotter one is in the bridge, luckily where it was designed to go.

[edit - whoops! That's a typo - pickups are 6.86 and 6.78.]

I have to say that I thought I'd be bothered by the rusted screws, but they fit right in.

 

[kakerlak]

First of all, very pretty guitar!

Secondly, if I had one of these, I'd definitely do the HB-1 retrofit; it's what should have been in there in the first place. I mean, it's a Guild, isn't it? Never understood why they decided against the HB1s in the BBs and reissue S-100s when they were still putting them in the SFs and all the X models.

Thirdly, I thought those came w/ JBs or '59s in them from factory. The Seths are about as good as you can get for a nice, lively Gibson humbucker. If you don't have a home lined up for them, I might be interested in them for use in an '82 SG that's always been a little dull sounding or (if they're the 4 wire versions) an '89 PRS suffering from the same symptom.

 

[mad dog]

Doesn't hurt that it's such a handsome instrument. Really pretty guitar.
MD

 

[GAD]

First of all, very pretty guitar!

Secondly, if I had one of these, I'd definitely do the HB-1 retrofit; it's what should have been in there in the first place. I mean, it's a Guild, isn't it? Never understood why they decided against the HB1s in the BBs and reissue S-100s when they were still putting them in the SFs and all the X models.

Thirdly, I thought those came w/ JBs or '59s in them from factory. The Seths are about as good as you can get for a nice, lively Gibson humbucker. If you don't have a home lined up for them, I might be interested in them for use in an '82 SG that's always been a little dull sounding or (if they're the 4 wire versions) an '89 PRS suffering from the same symptom.

The "HB1s" that are in the reissues aren't vintage HB1s. They look the same, but that's about it.

You are correct about it usually having JB/59s. I knew this one had the Seth Lovers when I bought it. I'm keeping them for now. They're 2-wire if that helps.

 

[dapmdave]

WOW! :shock: That looks great.

They seem pretty hot, at 6.86 and 7.78. Mine are both 6.30 k Ohms. Which one is the bridge pickup?

Dave

The hotter one is in the bridge, luckily where it was designed to go.

[edit - whoops! That's a typo - pickups are 6.86 and 6.78.]

I have to say that I thought I'd be bothered by the rusted screws, but they fit right in.

Thanks for clearing that up, GAD. I don't feel so inadequate anymore!

Dave

 

[kakerlak]

The "HB1s" that are in the reissues aren't vintage HB1s. They look the same, but that's about it.

You are correct about it usually having JB/59s. I knew this one had the Seth Lovers when I bought it. I'm keeping them for now. They're 2-wire if that helps.

Well, maybe you can consider the current ones as placeholders for future "real" HB1s. I don't think I've ever played the Fender HB1s before. The newest Guild I own is '94 and I think those are still the Guild version. I think the newest Guild I've played was a new SF-II/III that Guitar Center had on the wall for a couple years back in the day, but I think it was a '96-'97 model and probably right at the end of the Guildcontrolled production.

I think the 4 wire Seths are a fairly new offering, at least I know they were 2 wire only when they were introduced. Hi-dollar boutiques aside, the SD SLs really are sweet pickups; very clear and vibrant and I'd consider them an upgrade in any sort of Gibson, barring something 45+ years old. But, for a Guild, I'd want the Guild pickups. They're every bit as lively and clear as the SLs, but they've got their own voice and that's how the Guild ought to talk.

 

[GAD]

Well, maybe you can consider the current ones as placeholders for future "real" HB1s. I don't think I've ever played the Fender HB1s before. The newest Guild I own is '94 and I think those are still the Guild version. I think the newest Guild I've played was a new SF-II/III that Guitar Center had on the wall for a couple years back in the day, but I think it was a '96-'97 model and probably right at the end of the Guildcontrolled production.

The ones pictures above are vintage. They've been in my safe for over a year waiting for a guitar. I bought them on Ebay for my S300, but just couldn't alter it since it's mint and has been for 30+ years.

I was saying that if you buy a, say, 1999 Guild, it won't have Vintage HB1s even though they look like them. My '97 SFIII had SD-Built HB1s. Much better than the Fenders, but still not vintage. There are lots of threads here where a bunch of us have argued endlessly about HB1s, when they stopped making/using the originals, when SD made them and on and on. We're all waiting for Hans to publish the second book for the definitive answer though.

I think the 4 wire Seths are a fairly new offering, at least I know they were 2 wire only when they were introduced. Hi-dollar boutiques aside, the SD SLs really are sweet pickups; very clear and vibrant and I'd consider them an upgrade in any sort of Gibson, barring something 45+ years old. But, for a Guild, I'd want the Guild pickups. They're every bit as lively and clear as the SLs, but they've got their own voice and that's how the Guild ought to talk.

Yeah, I have to say I was pretty impressed with them in the BB. It was almost a shame to take them out. Almost.

 

[GAD]

So I've been playing this thing for a couple of days now. I really love the HB1s. I need to widen the pickup holes, which will be a PITA, so who knows if I ever will. I've got it sounding pretty great, but I'm pretty sure it would sound even better with the pickups lowered more.

Though it's a factory second, and it's a Corona Guild, it's every bit the quality guitar I'd expect a Guild to be. What started as a pretty unpleasant experience has turned into a damn nice guitar.

 

[Thunderface]

Though it's a factory second, and it's a Corona Guild, it's every bit the quality guitar I'd expect a Guild to be. What started as a pretty unpleasant experience has turned into a damn nice guitar.

It's not only a good guitar, but it now has a good story attached to it. That alone doesn't make it more valuable to anyone esle, but it does make it more valuable to you. Way to go GAD.

 

[GAD]

Though it's a factory second, and it's a Corona Guild, it's every bit the quality guitar I'd expect a Guild to be. What started as a pretty unpleasant experience has turned into a damn nice guitar.

It's not only a good guitar, but it now has a good story attached to it. That alone doesn't make it more valuable to anyone esle, but it does make it more valuable to you. Way to go GAD.

Yeah, you know I'm starting to really dig this guitar, which is why I'm afraid to widen the pickup routes.

 

[GAD]

So I pulled it apart and routed out about 1/4mm from each corner and now the pickups drop right in. I had to shave 2/100th of an inch from the pickup ring, and now everything works as it should.

With the pickups lower they sound MUCH better. MAN it's been too long that I've been without HB1s. This thing is a rock machine now.

Now all I have to do is put in the push/pull for a phase switch. I have the bridge pickup wired backwards, and I dig it, but I'd rather have the versatility if its available.

Man, these HB1s have got me eying that HB1 S300 on Ebay. 8)