Dannyalcatraz Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 Meet the Ventura Black Label. I ordered this one at the 2016 Dallas Guitar Show- it was the demo model, so I got @$350 off. It arrived @2 weeks ago, but things have been crazy 'round here. So I've only had limited time to noodle around on it. Even so, I can definitely say I made a good purchase. The Ventura is my third Fret-King- links to the other two are at the bottom of this post- and I have to say it may be my favorite of the bunch. I'd happily buy another, but only the Gordon Giltrap Elise strongly appeals out of their current product line. Still, I wouldn't rule out duplicates of the models I already have. (And, of course, the current exchange rate being what it is...) As you can see from the pix below, it looks a bit like someone mated a Strat with an Explorer, so it has angles where you might expect curves. Despite the seeming angularity, though, each "corner" is contoured, so this is a surprisingly comfortable guitar to play. It is 25.5" scale with a bolt-on neck, tremolo, surf blue with a white pickguard. Wilkinson pickups- bridge HB and miniHBs in the middle & neck position; 5 way selector. Controls are Volume, Tone, and Tone (Vari-Coil). Vari-Coil is essentially Fret-King's version of Reverend's Bass Contour- a rotary control that lets you make your pickups sound more like standard singlecoils. As you might expect, all that Wilkinson hardware is pretty good. I'm not a whammy wanker, so I can only say that with my restrained style of tremolo use, it didn't go out of tune. The bridge HB has pretty good classic low/medium output and tone. The miniHBs are just a bit less aggressive still. All in all, it's a good guitar for blues/classic/alt rock styling with the HBs in full throat, and you can definitely get into pretty twangy surf/spy/C&W territory using the Vari-Coil. A note on the miniHBs: I've stated elsewhere that I liked the Wilkinson P90s, but not quite as much as the ones found in Reverends. This guitar provokes a similar comparison because the only other miniHBs in my collection are Reverend's RevTrons. Well RevTrons are modeled on twangy Gretsch Fillertrons, whereas these are based on classic HB tones. So really, there isn't The Ventura continues to impress me. This may be my favorite Fret-King of the 3 I own. The ONE thing I find fault with so far is the placement of the volume knob- As it turns out, the volume knob is just a few mm closer to the neck than on the most similar guitar I own, a Fret-King HSS Stratclone. The consequence of this seemingly minute shift is that I keep knocking the knob, turning down the volume. I've never had a problem striking the knob on any other guitar I own. The more I play this guitar, though, the less frequent these accidents occur. Still, I can't fathom why the shift was made in the first place. http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s593/AJA1967/image.jpg3_zpsycovigk9.jpg http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s593/AJA1967/image.jpg5_zpssr1uwtd4.jpg http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s593/AJA1967/image.jpg4_zpszc6zvzrz.jpg http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s593/AJA1967/image.jpg2_zpsjmxc5zdk.jpg http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s593/AJA1967/image.jpg1_zpsp5lfntys.jpg https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2477714/1 https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2753740/NGD_Spiritus_Fulgetra Quote Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 Beautiful color. IF it floats yer boat, that's all it has to do! Quote Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 Very Very nice Danny! Congrats and I hope you get many years of enjoyment out of that baby. Surf's up dude! +1 I hit the volume knob on my Strats now and then and cut the volume out right in the middle of some hard and fast strumming. I like the volume knob set down just a little further from the E string. Many a Strat Cat loves them right where they are for doing volume swells... Quote Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 Niiiiiiiiiice. Lovely axe. I think I'd really enjoy that, myself. Three P-90's, a reverse headstock, and the addition of an EMG SPC might be the only things that'd tailor it to even better fit myself. But it's very nice just as it is. I think I'd be fine with the volume-knob being right where it is there- good for volume-swells via my little-finger slithering about. I, too, used to be easily thrown off by minute differences between guitars- but somehow, that has lessened by quite a degree over the years. You might find the same in time. Quote Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted July 10, 2016 Author Share Posted July 10, 2016 As I recall, they DID make a 390 version of it. I know they made one with 3 standard HBs, and I believe a HSS and HB/290. So keep your eyes peeled. The knob placement is becoming less of an issue, but I STILL think it would have been better in a more Strat-like position...just a hair further away. Quote Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuJu Kwan Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 Very nice guitar, love the color. Where did you get the blue strap? It would look great on my Lake Placid Blue Strats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted July 11, 2016 Author Share Posted July 11, 2016 That- and a green one I have on another guitar- was made by Henry Heller. 3.5" wide, padded. It comes in an array of colors. I got mine at a local, family-owned music store I've been shopping in since the mid-1980s. Here's that style: http://www.henryhellermusic.com/guitar-straps-leather-capri-padded.html Similar ones are made by Levy's Leathers, Fender, and other companies. Quote Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuJu Kwan Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted July 12, 2016 Author Share Posted July 12, 2016 You're quite welcome! Quote Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipclone 1 Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 Gorgeous! That knob placement thing-I suppose one can get used to it but still-it totally wrecked a tryout of a guitar I had been salivating over for more than a year. Everything else was amazing, but I kept hitting the stupid knob and turning the volume down. Maybe it was made for really small people? no idea. Quote Same old surprises, brand new cliches- Skipsounds on Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted April 10, 2021 Author Share Posted April 10, 2021 OK...an update 4 years later and after taking about 18 months off from playing. I still love this guitar, it"s great for playing surf & classic rock. It still feels good. But the honeymoon is over. Nothing serious, just that I have found one thing I"m considering changing: the pickups. Don"t get me wrong- the stock Wilkinson HB and miniHBs are still very good. I"d buy another one of these no question.* But they"re just a little muddier than the HBs I have in my best guitars, so I want to bring this guitar up to the next level. I"m sure I can find genuine upgrades out there. I know I can go brighter. I know I can go higher output. The crux of the issue- if I do this- is the miniHBs. Because the only miniHBs I"ve played are these Wilkinsons and the RevTrons in my Reverends, I"m unclear as to the bigger picture. The RevTrons sound more like the FillerTrons that inspired them, and I really like them, but those aren"t for sale as new pickups. I"ve heard comparisons between miniHBs from other brands and the (same sized) Firebird pickups, which ( like the RevTrons) seem brighter. Which brings up the wildcard: the Ventura has Fret-King"s Vari-coil control, which is similar in function to Reverend"s Bass Contour knob, in that it alters the sound of humbuckers into a singlecoil like tone. So I"m wondering, if I do this, should I stick with some brand"s miniHB or should I risk trying a Firebird style HB? Are there any of either that stand out to you who have used them? Or are there other miniHB options I haven"t considered? * in fact, I have a couple in my watched list on Reverb, etc. Quote Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 Hey, bud! First, try lowering the pickups- more so on the bass-side than on the treble-side; but also raise the pole-pieces just a little, and again, more so on the bass-side. This can give you a little more definition, clarity, "air"- and less "mud". And- what strings are you using on that guitar? Forgive my forgetfulness, I know we've discussed string brands and types before. And here's an interesting, simple idea that I ran across: Mod Squad: Muddy sounding neck pickup? Simple, super cheap, easily reversed to original stock condition... Now, if pickup-adjustments and strings aren't the answer, let's then look at replacement pickups- and I'd agree, regarding the mini-humbuckers, my first thought was that Firebird-style minis would be an improvement for you over the mini-humbucker types. Both are great classics, but the Firebird pickups are more what you're looking and listening for here. Hearing Johnny Winter break out his famous Firebird and blaze away right up close made quite an impression on me! Stand-out tone with a lot of presence and 'cut', NO mud! Oh- and that Vari-coil wiring? I believe that you'll want to make sure that any replacement-pickups you install be a four-conductor type, that is, have four wires, as opposed to two. If I understand correctly, the Vari-coil is a version of coil-splitting that exchanges the switch for a potentiometer to vary from both coils through a blend of them to one only. Tangentially veering- do you have a Rangemaster Treble Booster type pedal? Or a Tube Screamer style stomp? Either can inherently reduce such "mud". A treble booster that has variable cut-off points of just how much low-end and low-mids you're cutting-off could be very useful. A TS with Drive set low and Level and Tone high can roll-off some of that "mud" and tighten up the sound. Quote Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston Psmith Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 I've always loved the sound of the more compact HB's on the Firebird, and the old-school Epiphone "New Yorker" compact HB's. Duncan also made a set of compact HB's that Hamer used in their Eclipse, and those were very nice, too. Of course, I've always leaned towards the Duncan sound, so . . . Quote "Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King http://www.novparolo.com https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Fraser Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 Based on just a few examples of mini humbuckers I have here, vs all the full size humbuckers, my current opinion is to favor a mini humbucker in every possible application. Just so much clearer, which to my taste is much preferable to the thickness & mud of the full size HB. Quote Scott Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertbluesman Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 Based on just a few examples of mini humbuckers I have here, vs all the full size humbuckers, my current opinion is to favor a mini humbucker in every possible application. Just so much clearer, which to my taste is much preferable to the thickness & mud of the full size HB. I am the opposite, I like the sound of full sized hum-bucking pups, fatter and less treble. I do have one strat style guitar with Fender Noiseless pups. I use a Boss Blues Driver for tone control and boost the strat so it sounds much fatter and more powerful than the standard strat sound, more like my full sized bukkers than single coils. Quote dbm If it sounds good, it is good !! http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=143231&content=music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Fraser Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 I am the opposite, I like the sound of full sized hum-bucking pups, fatter and less treble. I grew up with a Strat (which I've now had for 53 years), then spent years gigging with a SSH Steinberger copy, so single coils are kind of part of my DNA at this point. Quote Scott Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 Or are there other miniHB options I haven"t considered? . Maybe a stacked humbucker that looks and fits in like a single coil. They make them for Tele's and other models that sound pretty nice in demos... Quote Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 If you DO replace that bridge humbucker, the recently reborn Fender "CuNiFe" magnet Wide Range Bridge Humbucker- designed specifically for Fender by no less than Seth Lover himself- might be the PERFECT choice for you for this guitar. (Now- I believe your guitar to have a 'standard' Gibson humbucker sized pickup at the bridge; so, if you do NOT want to have to rout the pickguard and/or wood to accommodate this mythological magnetic beast, don't despair- there's more below... ) The first authentic CuNiFe-magnet-powered Wide Range pickup in more than 40 years delivers rich bell-like humbucking tone with full bass and clear treble. CuNiFe pickups have 'hi-fi' clarity yet never lose their attack and definition no matter how hard they are pushed. A chrome cover with a '3 3' exposed pole piece design and Fender logo completes the vintage-"70s vibe. As popular music roared with the fatter tones of humbuckers at the dawn of the 1970s, Fender hired acclaimed pickup designer Seth Lover to create a distinctly Fender-flavored take on a higher-output dual-coil pickup. The resulting Wide Range pickup used large bobbins and threaded CuNiFe-rod magnets to achieve its distinctively brilliant sound, as heard on that era"s Telecaster® Custom, Thinline and Deluxe guitars. Sought after by musicians of all genres for decades, the original-era real CuNiFe-magnet pickups disappeared when the Telecaster Custom was discontinued in 1979. You might be interested in a standard Gibson/PAF humbucker-sized "Baby '71" Wide Range Humbucker from The Creamery. If your bridge-pickup is connected to that featured Vari-coil control, be sure to get this pickup in a four-conductor (four wires) version, and get the color-code. Quote Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted April 11, 2021 Author Share Posted April 11, 2021 In no particular order: 1) I hadn"t considered adjusting pickup height. May try that before committing to a swap. 2) I could be wrong, but don"t think stacked HBS are the same size as minHBs 3) I definitely have at least two (and several more, probably) TS style ODs. I probably have a Rangemaster-style pedal, but can"t say for sure. 4) I like the Creamery"s stuff- I have a HB and a HB-sized P90 in a Teleclone from Rock Beach, and was blown away by them. They have some interesting miniHB options. Notably, not only do they have Firebird pickups, but they have Firebird style full-sized HBs. That"s the kind of thing I"m talking about with the custom winders- if you can think it, they can probably make it...and probably have before. Quote Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 In no particular order: 1) I hadn"t considered adjusting pickup height. May try that before committing to a swap. Lower the bass-side of the bridge-pickup, more or less doubling the distance between the pickup and the underside of the 6th-String; but then, raise the pole-piece for the 6th-String by about the same (opposite) amount. Then raise the poles for the 5th and 4th Strings similarly; make fine-tune adjustments of their heights to balance out the volume-level between the strings. If you lower the treble-side at all, don't go quite as far, and don't raise the pole-pieces for the three plain/treble-strings quite as drastically, either. Final fine-tune the overall height of each side and the corresponding pole-pieces by ear for string-to-string balance. Usually a quarter-turn at a time of the pole-pieces will do; and have the screw-head slots go perpendicular or at an angle relative to the string, rather than aligning with the string. This should result in less mud and more 'zing' from the wound/bass-strings, while emphasizing the fundamental of the plain/treble-strings for a rounder, warmer tone. Repeat the procedure for the neck and middle pickups, balancing them with one another, and ultimately with the bridge-pickup having just a little more strength in the mix, to compensate for the tauter string-tension near the bridge that results in tighter, lesser string-excursion as they vibrate. 2) I could be wrong, but don"t think stacked HBS are the same size as miniHBs You are not wrong. 3) I definitely have at least two (and several more, probably) TS style ODs. I probably have a Rangemaster-style pedal, but can"t say for sure. Experiment! Those are tried-and-true methods of reducing mud and tightening flub. Do I recall correctly that you might have had a Catalinbread Naga Viper "silicon" treble-booster? I have mixed feelings about Mike Fuller, but the quality and low-noise of his germanium Ranger Treble Booster is undeniable, AND it features five degrees of low-end cut-off, plus a 'full-range' setting. It also has a hefty price, and anyone handy with a soldering-iron might be VERY well served in building a DIY Rangemaster stylee for a very low parts count and price. (If you do go with a Fulltone Ranger, consider that the even pricier OC75 version has a subtly more 'wah-like' character compared to the other model, which may or may not be what you want.) A while back I got the 'non OC75' version, the one that features N.O.S. germanium "Flying Saucer" transistors, as M. Fuller puts it; and it's really very good, quelled my G.A.S. for an ARC Gamut 2, and decidedly NOT "wah like" in the slightest. All six positions are excellent. Besides 9v battery power, it can be run on standard pin-negative external Power-Supplies, too, from 9v up to 18v. 4) I like the Creamery"s stuff- I have a HB and a HB-sized P90 in a Teleclone from Rock Beach, and was blown away by them. They have some interesting miniHB options. Notably, not only do they have Firebird pickups, but they have Firebird style full-sized HBs. That"s the kind of thing I"m talking about with the custom winders- if you can think it, they can probably make it...and probably have before. I really think that if you're going to replace the humbucker at the bridge on this particular guitar, a "Fender Wide Range" based humbucker like the Creamery's "Baby '71" Wide Range Humbucker would really, REALLY suit you and this guitar, and be a great match for a pair of Firebird Mini style pickups in the middle and neck positions. Classic Fender essence in character to dovetail with this guitars design, materials, and construction, with better definition and the elimination of "mud". Quote Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted April 11, 2021 Author Share Posted April 11, 2021 Ugh! I"m going to have to remove the covers first. This is starting to sound like WORK! ð The Catalinbread Naga Viper was on my list, as was the Keeley Germanium Ecstasy, but I know I have neither as yet. Doesn"t mean there isn"t a treble booster in a box somewhere around here, though. Quote Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 Ugh! I"m going to have to remove the covers first. This is starting to sound like WORK! ð Be careful- sometimes, pickup-covers are soldered to ground, epoxied, potting wax can be excessive and stubborn, and may have melted, leaked and spread- go slowly and with care, finding out as much about the pickups construction details as possible beforehand. They'll probably be pretty cut-and-dry simple to deal with, but caution is better than dismay. Quote Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted April 11, 2021 Author Share Posted April 11, 2021 Ugh! I"m going to have to remove the covers first. This is starting to sound like WORK! ð Be careful- sometimes, pickup-covers are soldered to ground, epoxied, potting wax can be excessive and stubborn, and may have melted, leaked and spread- go slowly and with care, finding out as much about the pickups construction details as possible beforehand. They'll probably be pretty cut-and-dry simple to deal with, but caution is better than dismay. You may not realize this, but I come from a long line of 'mechanically challenged' people. I may not know which end of the hammer the Phillips head is on, and I"m wary to find out so I don"t get burned... Of course, if I DO screw up the pickups, then...I"d have to...replace...the pickups? Quote Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 Ugh! I"m going to have to remove the covers first. This is starting to sound like WORK! ð Be careful- sometimes, pickup-covers are soldered to ground, epoxied, potting wax can be excessive and stubborn, and may have melted, leaked and spread- go slowly and with care, finding out as much about the pickups construction details as possible beforehand. They'll probably be pretty cut-and-dry simple to deal with, but caution is better than dismay. You may not realize this, but I come from a long line of 'mechanically challenged' people. I may not know which end of the hammer the Phillips head is on, and I"m wary to find out so I don"t get burned... Of course, if I DO screw up the pickups, then...I"d have to...replace...the pickups? Quote Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted April 11, 2021 Author Share Posted April 11, 2021 The reality is, unfortunately, that it may be next to impossible to find out much about these pups. I don"t even know if Trevor Wilkinson sells these seperately, or if they"re unique to his brand. Hell...I"m not sure the specs for the guitar list which ones these are. All it says is '1 x Fret-King WHHB bridge double coil, 2 x WDG mini double coils, chrome covers' Amazon has these, which may be the same pickup, sans chrome covers: https://www.amazon.com/Wilkinson-Humbucker-Pickups-Copper-Nickel-Electric/dp/B07GSKJCZF And I had to work to find this: https://www.btnmusic.co.uk/product/wilkinson-mini-double-coil-pickup-chrome-neck/ Quote Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 The reality is, unfortunately, that it may be next to impossible to find out much about these pups. I don"t even know if Trevor Wilkinson sells these seperately, or if they"re unique to his brand. Hell...I"m not sure the specs for the guitar list which ones these are. All it says is '1 x Fret-King WHHB bridge double coil, 2 x WDG mini double coils, chrome covers' Amazon has these, which may be the same pickup, sans chrome covers: https://www.amazon.com/Wilkinson-Humbucker-Pickups-Copper-Nickel-Electric/dp/B07GSKJCZF And I had to work to find this: https://www.btnmusic.co.uk/product/wilkinson-mini-double-coil-pickup-chrome-neck/ Y' know what? I bet that guy at the Creamery might know a little about 'em... Though, you don't need to remove the covers to adjust the height of the pickups, or the height of the pole-pieces; 's just screwdriver work, a Phillips head for the pickup-height, and a standard/slotted head for the pole-pieces. And, if they're made of appropriate material, the covers shouldn't be contributing too much to the "mud". I've always felt that coverless humbuckers were less of an improvement in tone and clarity than their reputation would have you believe. Quote Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston Psmith Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 I've always felt that coverless humbuckers were less of an improvement in tone and clarity than their reputation would have you believe. Along time ago, I read an interview with Robert Fripp, where he said that Greg Lake had convinced him (Fripp), to pull the PU covers off of his LP Custom. It didn't seem to make any major difference, from what RF said. OTOH, a nice set of chrome PU covers looks pretty sharp. Quote "Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King http://www.novparolo.com https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted April 11, 2021 Author Share Posted April 11, 2021 The reality is, unfortunately, that it may be next to impossible to find out much about these pups. I don"t even know if Trevor Wilkinson sells these seperately, or if they"re unique to his brand. Hell...I"m not sure the specs for the guitar list which ones these are. All it says is '1 x Fret-King WHHB bridge double coil, 2 x WDG mini double coils, chrome covers' Amazon has these, which may be the same pickup, sans chrome covers: https://www.amazon.com/Wilkinson-Humbucker-Pickups-Copper-Nickel-Electric/dp/B07GSKJCZF And I had to work to find this: https://www.btnmusic.co.uk/product/wilkinson-mini-double-coil-pickup-chrome-neck/ Y' know what? I bet that guy at the Creamery might know a little about 'em... Though, you don't need to remove the covers to adjust the height of the pickups, or the height of the pole-pieces; 's just screwdriver work, a Phillips head for the pickup-height, and a standard/slotted head for the pole-pieces. And, if they're made of appropriate material, the covers shouldn't be contributing too much to the "mud". I've always felt that coverless humbuckers were less of an improvement in tone and clarity than their reputation would have you believe. I doubt the covers are having much of an impact, too. But why do you think The Creamery dude knows Wilkinsons? Quote Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 I wish you guys hadn't talked about covered vs uncovered humbuckers...I have an LP with uncovered 57 humbuckers and I swear it doesn't sound as warm as my two guitars with covered 57's. Now I'm going to have to look into getting a little muddy LOL! Quote Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 I doubt the covers are having much of an impact, too. But why do you think The Creamery dude knows Wilkinsons? The Fret King guitars and the Creamery are both UK, right? (Or am I mixed up on that?) And it seems that the Creamery dude does a lot of custom work and mods, and seems very knowledgeable about and interested in different types of pickups. I wouldn't be surprised if he knew a little about 'em. I still strongly suspect that his standard hb-sized "Baby '71" Wide Range Humbucker would really knock it outta the park for you here. Quote Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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