Lookie what I found! HB1 w/Hex poles

GAD

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Stumbled upon this little gem on eBay. Only other ones I've ever seen are in Grots super-cool '70s S200 which I can't seem to find a picture of. Pickup is in the mail and I should have it next week.

Anyone else have a guitar with these pickups in it?

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Nuuska

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This is great - I learn new words or expressions almost weekly - thank you guys!!!

Gad - is that steelwool debris round them poles?
 

GAD

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This is great - I learn new words or expressions almost weekly - thank you guys!!!

Gad - is that steelwool debris round them poles?

Wouldn't surprise me. I'll know more when I get it in-hand.
 

The Guilds of Grot

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Stumbled upon this little gem on eBay. Only other ones I've ever seen are in Grots super-cool '70s S200 which I can't seem to find a picture of. Pickup is in the mail and I should have it next week.

Anyone else have a guitar with these pickups in it?

I got a set of gold ones!

100_6364-AC.jpg
 

GAD

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SFIV1967

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@GAD: But why would those hex polepieces be so short they are not showing up on the bottom? I know that there were HB-1 pickups with hex polepieces but why so short in that case? How are they fixed on the bottom side?
Ralf
 

GAD

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@GAD: But why would those hex polepieces be so short they are not showing up on the bottom? I know that there were HB-1 pickups with hex polepieces but why so short in that case? How are they fixed on the bottom side?
Ralf

Certainly the shape and material content of the poles will affect the overall behavior of the pickup and I've read all sorts of stuff about them adding bass, or treble, or both, or making the pickup have a sharper attack, or <insert unverified claim here>, etc.

It wouldn't surprise me if the real answer is "because they look bad-***/cool/metal". :adoration: The only place I've seen them used is on high-output pickups from various vendors, but I don't have any actual answers or data to give you a real answer. At least, not yet.
 

SFIV1967

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Yes, but looking look "bad-***/cool/metal" doesn't answer why the screws would be so short not even to come out on the bottom plate... Well, maybe they didn't find longer screws at that time...Who knows...
Ralf
 

GAD

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Yes, but looking look "bad-***/cool/metal" doesn't answer why the screws would be so short not even to come out on the bottom plate... Well, maybe they didn't find longer screws at that time...Who knows...
Ralf

So long as they touch the magnet and have some room for adjustment I'd imagine it doesn't matter all that much. Looking around online I've found other hex-pole pickups that seem to also be short. Note that this is also a 13k pickup:

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GAD

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Of course we shouldn't forget about the good old Super Distortion which doesn't even have holes in the back.

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Zelja

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That 15.48K written on the back can only logically refer to the DC resistance of the pickup. If so it suggests that a thinner wire & more turns was used in these pickups. What's a standard HB-1 - around 7K, maybe some going towards 8K.

Of the hex screws are chunkier than the standard ones that would cause an increase in inductance compared to standard, which would increase output, maybe not significant enough to hear though. The effect on inductance is the reason why TV Jones use those big screw heads on their pickups and why some single coils especially have a metal base plate. It's the same reason why say the TV Supertrons have more output than the Filtertrons - same winding but the Supertron has the blade pole pieces instead of screws - more metal & lot more inductance as a result.
 

Quantum Strummer

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Hmmm, are the threads compatible with standard HB-1 polepieces? (I'd guess "yes.") If the magnets are standard too I bet that pickup will be mid-heavy and dark.

The pickups in my '71 S-100 are just over (neck) and just under (bridge) 7K. With my '73 S-100 they're both ~7.35K.

-Dave-
 
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Nuuska

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Two dumb questions.

Do the polepieces have to touch the magnet or baseplate? I know the flux easily jumps gaps - loosing some compared to touching.

Assume the increasing inductance cuts brightness, too ?
 

walrus

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I think I'll sit this one out with Rich. You guys are impressive, though, I wish I could keep up.

walrus
 
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