Questions about Epi humbucker changes circa 2010

[eclecticsynergy]

I know Epi redesigned their humbuckers in 2010. Hoping the experts & aficionados here can give me a little information about the specifics. Here's what I'm wondering:

 

When in 2010 did they upgrade to the newer style humbuckers? Was it the beginning of the year, or the beginning of the 2011 model year (and was that in late 2010)? Do all 2010s have the improved pickups?

 

Was it a switch from Chinese to Korean manufacture? or just an improvement in the design specs and/or a different factory in China?

 

Is there significant individual variability among the newer ones, or are they all pretty much identical? I understand that they're computer wound, but how much variation is there in the wire?

 

Are the newer ones typically less heavily encrusted with wax under their covers than the old ones? Would a magnet swap be more trouble than it's worth?

 

 

A little background- I have two korina 2010s, a Firebird Studio and a 1958 Explorer. The Firebird sounds clearer and livelier, while the Explorer is darker in tone and a bit duller, far less responsive to nuance. I'm wondering whether the Explorer might have the old style pickups, or whether the difference is due only to the wood. Both have multi-piece bodies with veneer tops and backs. The Explorer is heavier by over a pound, and has a VERY thick finish; it almost looks like it could've been dipped instead of sprayed. I also have a 2013 Firebird Studio in Pelham blue which sounds very much like my Korina one, its wood is perhaps a bit less lively but the tone is similar. I get DCR reading of the pickups which are close for the Firebirds and a hair lower on the Exporer, but still in the same ballpark.

 

DCRs neck/bridge:

2013 Firebird, 8.92K/13.98K

2010 Firebird, 8.63K/14.0K

2010 Explorer, 8.54K/13.6K

 

Are these readings within normal variations among the newer type humbuckers? And would earlier models have different markings that I could identify by looking at the backside? I've been thinking that I might be able to clean up the sound of the darker ones by swapping out the magnets for something with a crisper response, but have been warned that the older ones are encased in so much wax that a mag swap would be difficult, and that their windings are poor enough that they might not sound much better even with different magnets.

 

So, what's most important to me is learning if the humbuckers in my Explorer could be pre-2010 style "mudbuckers", and deciding whether it's worth trying a mag swap or better just to replace the pickups.

 

Any advice and opinions would be very welcome. Thanks.