Irongear

[Pete B]

Anyone had any experience with these pickups Iron gear?

Thinking of getting Bluesengine for an old columbus lp that needs some love.

[jonnyg]

I can't speak for the Blues Engine, or any of the HB's, but I put a set of IronGear Pig Irons in a Squier Strat and the difference was amazing. They were so good that I later put a set in my MIM Classic 50's Strat and there was definitely an improvement, much sweeter/less harsh. Hard to believe that a set of PUP's at £50.00 (from axetec) could be so good but they are.

[rockinrob]

I can't speak for the Blues Engine, or any of the HB's, but I put a set of IronGear Pig Irons in a Squier Strat and the difference was amazing. They were so good that I later put a set in my MIM Classic 50's Strat and there was definitely an improvement, much sweeter/less harsh. Hard to believe that a set of PUP's at £50.00 (from axetec) could be so good but they are.

Anybody in the US have any experience with iron gear. Like what the shipping is, etc.?

[jonnyg]

Anybody in the US have any experience with iron gear. Like what the shipping is, etc.?

Axetec are the main dealer for IronGear in the UK > http://www.axetec.co.uk/index.htm

I've bought quite a bit of stuff from them and they've been very reliable for me (they don't sell just pickups). They ship pretty much world wide and it's easy to see shipping charges on their site as all you have to do is add items to the basket and it will show up on the page (you don't actually have to buy them to see). I had a quick look, and shipping to the US for a set of 3 Strat pickups or a pair of HB's would currently be around $20.00. There may be a US dealer of course.

[Tenthmed]

I've put Irongear pickups in three Epi Les Pauls over the last few years. I put a pair of Hot Slags in two, and a Hot Slag in the bridge and an Alchemist 90 humbucker sized P90 in the neck position of the other.

Considering the stupidly cheap price of these pickups I can't recommend them highly enough. As replacements for standard Epi pickups the difference is huge in my opinion, so much clearer and more defined, they also make it far easier to roll off gain with the volume knob. I used to have a Gibson LP Standard with a Bare Knuckle Mississippi Queen P90 in the neck and to my ear the Alchemist 90 doesn't sound inferior.

I wouldn't recommend chucking out Gibson pickups to put these in, but with Epi ones I say go for it. As has already been mentioned, Axetec are great to deal with and their other gear is excellent quality as well. I replace old-style non-locking bridges, volume and tone pots, and caps with Axetec ones on any Epi I buy.

As for the Bluesengines, I can't really comment on them except to say if I were thinking of getting some, I would just go for it. Thats what I did with the Hot Slags and was very pleasantly suprised.