newlespauler Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Hi, I would like to hear your experiences with the Burstbucker series of pickups, stock and separately sold, potted and unpotted. I am hearing some disappointments with the ones people get from the stores, no consistent view on this on the web though. I acquired a potted BB2 recently and I think it is great, not sure if I should chase another stock one for a second pup, which will be BB1 or BB3. Never played an unpotted pup either, but as important as that issue about squealing under gain, it should just sound good as the one I got. Thanks all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 If I'm not mistaken, all BB pickups are not wax potted. I have BB 1 and 2 on my R7. Never had a problem with them squealing, but I don't play with any super high gain. I must say though, that when I do play higher gain stuff, I kinda prefer the 498T in my LP Studio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpd36 Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 My 2015 Les Paul Standard has Burstbucker Pros fitted as stock. I have a love-hate relationship with these pickups - I love to hate them. I find they are too bright, especially the bridge pickup. I know I can roll the tone control off a bit, but I did not have to do this with the Burstbuckers fitted to my 2005 Les Paul Standard. Having moaned about these pickups, the bridge pickup in coil-tapped mode sounds phenomenally good! I am thinking about replacing all of the electrics with a more vintage set-up, i.e. 50s wiring, but I'm not sure which pickups to go with. My 2012 SG Standard, with its 490R & 498T pickups, sounds so much better, but that could be down to the guitar's all-mahogany construction, etc - who knows for sure? One thing for sure, the SG sounds much better for recording. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01GT eibach Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 I have a 2010 LP Std Trad Pro which has a BB3 in the bridge and Classic 57 in the neck. These take high and low gain very well. These are also potted on my model LP per the Gibson details I have on my guitar. These are definitely staying stock on my guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlespauler Posted March 18, 2018 Author Share Posted March 18, 2018 Thanks for sharing these, guys and gals. I think all the pickups mentioned here are likely to be potted though. I did some modest research, and got the idea that most stock Burstbuckers are potted other than the earliest Historics from 2002-2003 or so, with still some rare exceptions, like some very ambitiously vintage-correct models Gibson put out. I wonder how the aftermarket Burstbuckers compare to your stock ones - I got a once-was-stock BB2 too. I heard some negative testimonies about the aftermarket ones, and not just about the squealing, but about how they sound in general. Beside that, I have little idea how much gain and loudness it would take for the unpotted BBs to start squealing either, for a second concern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 I was under the impression that burstbuckers fitted at the custom shop are not wax potted and those sold off the shelf are. I find them ever so slightly less clear and articulate than most PAF-a-likes. I do find that setting them way, way, way lower than spec makes them sound much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlespauler Posted March 18, 2018 Author Share Posted March 18, 2018 Interesting point about pickup heights. One way I think one can tell if the pickups are potted or not is that some slight amount of wax comes off with potted pickups when turning the polepiece screws. Not sure if it is a perfect criterion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard McCoy Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 I love the Burstbucker Pros in my 2009 Gibson Les Paul Standard. I mostly use the neck pickup for a clean sound, and the bridge pickup for distortion (using a pedal); the Gibson GA-15RV takes the pickups very well. With their Alnico V magnet (instead of the Alnico II), Burstbucker Pros have a slightly higher output than the Burstbuckers introduced in the early 1990s, allowing you to drive the amp a little harder with a more natural break-up occuring. They are wax potted to allow loud volume pressures with minimal feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 I really like the BB Pros in my 2016 Studio LP. Like them better than the 57s in my SG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derald Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 I have a pair of B.B. in my SGJ. Mine are BB1 in the neck and BB2 in the bridge. They are perfectly balanced tone and volume wise in this guitar. They are absolutely amazing. I have the two conductor versions which were not potted. They came out of someone’s reissue 1960. My understanding is that the two conductor versions are not potted but aftermarket ones are as well as all four conductor versions. The B.B. are beautiful. The tone I get from my cranked Marshall is simply described as sonic bliss. Being unpotted I have had no issues with microphonic squealing, but they do feedback in a beautiful, natural musical way. But only under maximum volume. If I lost these pick ups I would buy a new pair immediately. They are that amazing. The neck pickup is even with the pickup rings and the bridge is pretty close to the strings with the low E side a turn or two closer than the high e. I use 500k vintage taper audio pots and a pair of 0.022/0.015 PIO caps. I wouldn’t change this setup for any reason. If I sold the SG I would pull these pickups and put them in a new guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlespauler Posted March 20, 2018 Author Share Posted March 20, 2018 I have a pair of B.B. in my SGJ. Mine are BB1 in the neck and BB2 in the bridge. They are perfectly balanced tone and volume wise in this guitar. They are absolutely amazing. I have the two conductor versions which were not potted. They came out of someone’s reissue 1960. My understanding is that the two conductor versions are not potted but aftermarket ones are as well as all four conductor versions. The B.B. are beautiful. The tone I get from my cranked Marshall is simply described as sonic bliss. Being unpotted I have had no issues with microphonic squealing, but they do feedback in a beautiful, natural musical way. But only under maximum volume. If I lost these pick ups I would buy a new pair immediately. They are that amazing. The neck pickup is even with the pickup rings and the bridge is pretty close to the strings with the low E side a turn or two closer than the high e. I use 500k vintage taper audio pots and a pair of 0.022/0.015 PIO caps. I wouldn’t change this setup for any reason. If I sold the SG I would pull these pickups and put them in a new guitar. I am impressed by the Burstbucker 2 too, and hoping to be more impressed when I get some unpotted ones, I probably will invest in either 3 or 1, but I might like to have both at some point. I didn't like the 57s, and have been using various Bare Knuckles mostly, which are usually great, but I think Burstbuckers are good and worthy as well. And Gibson pickups got this raw rock'n roll vibe all their own in general. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snorten Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 I had the BB2 Pro N and the BB3 Zebra, which were potted as I guess. They sounded great, however I always found they fit better for crunch than high-gain (had no problems on high-gain either) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derald Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 I had a Les Paul with a BB3 in the bridge and BB1 in the neck. Both sounded wonderful. They were wax potted and four conductor. The bridge was uncovered. When I sold the guitar, I vowed to get a new set of BB for whatever guitar I bought. When I got the SGJ for $400 I pulled the 490s and installed a set of aged BBs I got on eBay that came from a 1960 reissue. I love the sound of them. I sorta forget what the BB3 sounded like in comparison to the BB2, wax potted vs. un-potted, covered vs. aged cover, etc. But unless I played them back to back (which unfortunately I cannot do now) I don't think there was much of a difference. I like the BB2 a little better in this particular guitar I think because it seems a little more 'wild' and uncontrolled. Maybe because its unpotted, or closer to the strings compared to how I had the BB3 in the Les Paul. Maybe its the wood or shape of the wood in the SGJ vs. the Les Paul. Maybe its just my head thinking "these sound amazing!" I don't play "high" gain, unless you consider my Vintage Modern at 10 master, 10 Detail and 5 Body to be high gain (in both HDR and LDR). This gets me AC/DC to 1980's Metallica. These pickups are great for this music style right up to the extremes. Anyways I have two guitars, one with Seth Lovers and one with the BurstBuckers. They actually sound quite similar using the same amp and speakers. But the Burstbuckers just have that tone that I can only describe as "THE TONEZZ", the one in my head, the one that sounds like what a Gibson and Marshall should sound like. If you experiment and buy the BB and turns out its just not your sound, you can recoup almost all your costs by reselling them. Good luck with the never-ending tone search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iluvcrap2000 Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I replaced my stock pcb with aftermarket, and the stock BB's sound amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlespauler Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 I replaced my stock pcb with aftermarket, and the stock BB's sound amazing. You changed PCB for some traditional wiring? Which one did you get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iluvcrap2000 Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 You changed PCB for some traditional wiring? Which one did you get? no changed it for aftermarket PCB, https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-or-Epiphone-Control-Board-for-Les-Paul-Jimmy-Page-Mk-2-Major-Upgrade/272986100801?hash=item3f8f3d5441:g:lj0AAOSwywRaNeko More tonal choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlespauler Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 no changed it for aftermarket PCB, https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-or-Epiphone-Control-Board-for-Les-Paul-Jimmy-Page-Mk-2-Major-Upgrade/272986100801?hash=item3f8f3d5441:g:lj0AAOSwywRaNeko More tonal choices. Interesting, more tonal options and better tone as well? I will likely get some Les Paul electronics soon and good tone is my priority, options a bit less so. People don't seem to think PCBs are the best for the former. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derald Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 I will say the PCB itself is not a tone problem. The pots and caps make a difference in tone. Copper wire vs. PCB tracing is irrelevant, there is no tone difference between the two. The PCB usually has lower quality pots (or 300k pots) and cheap ceramic caps. If you change that out for proper CTS 500k pots and Orange Drop caps, you might notice a tone improvement, you might not. But the PCB itself is not the stumbling block. I've seen PCBs that had nice CTS pots with push pulls for more tone options. Theres a company in California (well, a person) that uses PCB boards with the quick connections (for Epiphone and Gibson) that includes proper CTS 500k pots with tight clearances and quality caps. I used one and it worked very nicely - no soldering! Had a bunch of tone options too. But the company I bought from was expensive ($140+) so I went back to $45 worth of CTS pots and $1.60 Orange Drop caps on my later guitar builds. BTW when I bought PIO caps for my latest SG, I DEFINITELY sounded like Eric Clapton.. Interesting, more tonal options and better tone as well? I will likely get some Les Paul electronics soon and good tone is my priority, options a bit less so. People don't seem to think PCBs are the best for the former. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iluvcrap2000 Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Interesting, more tonal options and better tone as well? I will likely get some Les Paul electronics soon and good tone is my priority, options a bit less so. People don't seem to think PCBs are the best for the former. The PCB's come with CTS measured pots, and orange drop caps, have options for treble bleed and tone pot bypassing. Along with splits instead of Taps. I can hear the differance. Especially the minute tone setting changes. the treble bleed is useful when lowering the volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 I will say the PCB itself is not a tone problem. The pots and caps make a difference in tone. Copper wire vs. PCB tracing is irrelevant, there is no tone difference between the two. Yes there is. When using a circuit board in an audio application you need to account for the capacitance between the traces and the board affecting frequency response within the circuit. Tends to filter mids which, with a single tone control, can be hard to adjust for at the controls. That said, I don't know that you'd hear the difference with a guitar because the signal is at micro volts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlespauler Posted April 10, 2018 Author Share Posted April 10, 2018 Yes there is. When using a circuit board in an audio application you need to account for the capacitance between the traces and the board affecting frequency response within the circuit. Tends to filter mids which, with a single tone control, can be hard to adjust for at the controls. That said, I don't know that you'd hear the difference with a guitar because the signal is at micro volts. Hey, surprised that all the sophistacated electronics talk ended up with nothing necessarily relevant to the topic. I was expecting you to say you hear some difference. Maybe someone else does? Good to know we have an electronics guy around nevertheless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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