Oily Towers: the latest from Oil City pickups

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    Jetfire said:
    @Funkfingers tell the class about them covers, they are lovely!
    Bog standard "blind" nickel-plated humbucker covers. No need for polepiece screw holes because the Firebird-inspired pickup design has no adjustable polepieces.

    I love the sound of a nice, old Gibson Firebird but I would be afraid of decapitating one onstage. Hence, the Smith S2.
    Be seeing you.
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  • hotpickupshotpickups Frets: 1813
    Funny it's kind of odd not seeing pole pieces but I kind of like it at the same time. Love to know what they sound like. PAF like?
    Link to my trading feedback:  http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/59452/
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9980
    edited June 2018 tFB Trader
    Funny it's kind of odd not seeing pole pieces but I kind of like it at the same time. Love to know what they sound like. PAF like?
    They sound like a PAF blended with a punchy Telecaster ... sort of chewy in the mids, with lots of bite. They really don't sound like anything other than a Firebird. To my mind the Firebird pickup is one of Gibson's lost gems: they have never done an accurate re issue of it strangely .... just silly ceramic magnet and high output look alikes. And you can't see pole screws because there aren't any, the two magnets sit on their side down the centre of the (tiny) bobbins, unlike a mini humbucker that has a single conventional bar magnet under the bobbins. That twin magnet thing is what gives the pickup it's bite.
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    edited June 2018
    Love to know what they sound like. PAF like?
    In the nicest possible way, I hope not. 

    TheGuitarWeasel said:
    The Firebird pickup is one of Gibson's lost gems: they have never done an accurate re issue of it .... just silly ceramic magnet and high output look alikes. 
    The received wisdom amongst many guitarists is that a Gibson solid body electric guitar should sound and look a certain way. The Firebird never conformed to expectations on either count. It exists in its own niche. 

    TheGuitarWeasel said:
    the two magnets sit on their side, down the centre of the (tiny) bobbins ... That twin magnet thing is what gives the pickup its bite.
    The Skylark single coil pickup, used on the Melody Maker, is of similar construction. Makes you wonder what two Skylark pickups, connected in series and in phase, would sound like. 

    Be seeing you.
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9980
    tFB Trader
    Love to know what they sound like. PAF like?
    In the nicest possible way, I hope not. 

    TheGuitarWeasel said:
    The Firebird pickup is one of Gibson's lost gems: they have never done an accurate re issue of it .... just silly ceramic magnet and high output look alikes. 
    The received wisdom amongst many guitarists is that a Gibson solid body electric guitar should sound and look a certain way. The Firebird never conformed to expectations on either count. It exists in its own niche. 

    TheGuitarWeasel said:
    the two magnets sit on their side, down the centre of the (tiny) bobbins ... That twin magnet thing is what gives the pickup its bite.
    The Skylark single coil pickup, used on the Melody Maker, is of similar construction. Makes you wonder what two Skylark pickups, connected in series and in phase, would sound like. 

    the kicker would be how narrow two Skylark pickups would be sandwiched side by side. The other sound factor in the Firebird is the narrower coil spacing due to the narrow cover and mini bobbins. This leads to the coils 'reading' a shorter span of string than a PAF for example, which again gives preference to treble and upper mids with the Firebird.
    I have tried Winterizers and Winterizer II (HB sized) in lots of guitars, and they essentially keep the Firebird character in pretty much all of them. They are lovely in an SG, Flying V and in the Epi Firebird copy, as well as being great in a Strat (three of them with a five way selector sounds awesome) and in the neck position of Telecasters.  
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    edited June 2018
    the kicker would be how narrow two Skylark pickups would be sandwiched side by side. 
    Sorry. I had in mind how two Skylark single coils would sound, in series, in their normal positions on a two pickup Gibson Melody Maker or a vintage Epiphone Olympic.
    Be seeing you.
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  • hotpickupshotpickups Frets: 1813
    Funny it's kind of odd not seeing pole pieces but I kind of like it at the same time. Love to know what they sound like. PAF like?
    They sound like a PAF blended with a punchy Telecaster ... sort of chewy in the mids, with lots of bite. They really don't sound like anything other than a Firebird. To my mind the Firebird pickup is one of Gibson's lost gems: they have never done an accurate re issue of it strangely .... just silly ceramic magnet and high output look alikes. And you can't see pole screws because there aren't any, the two magnets sit on their side down the centre of the (tiny) bobbins, unlike a mini humbucker that has a single conventional bar magnet under the bobbins. That twin magnet thing is what gives the pickup it's bite.
    Can they be coil tapped I.e. 2 or 4 wire?
    Link to my trading feedback:  http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/59452/
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9980
    tFB Trader
    Funny it's kind of odd not seeing pole pieces but I kind of like it at the same time. Love to know what they sound like. PAF like?
    They sound like a PAF blended with a punchy Telecaster ... sort of chewy in the mids, with lots of bite. They really don't sound like anything other than a Firebird. To my mind the Firebird pickup is one of Gibson's lost gems: they have never done an accurate re issue of it strangely .... just silly ceramic magnet and high output look alikes. And you can't see pole screws because there aren't any, the two magnets sit on their side down the centre of the (tiny) bobbins, unlike a mini humbucker that has a single conventional bar magnet under the bobbins. That twin magnet thing is what gives the pickup it's bite.
    Can they be coil tapped I.e. 2 or 4 wire?
    Of course they can be coil split like any humbucker ... but there is little point, the two coils together add up to about the same output as a moderately overwound Strat pickup ... one coil alone is therefore sub 4k and weedy in the extreme. You get a pretty close to single coil sound with both coils on and the pickup is silent ... why would you need to coil split?
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • hotpickupshotpickups Frets: 1813
    Funny it's kind of odd not seeing pole pieces but I kind of like it at the same time. Love to know what they sound like. PAF like?
    They sound like a PAF blended with a punchy Telecaster ... sort of chewy in the mids, with lots of bite. They really don't sound like anything other than a Firebird. To my mind the Firebird pickup is one of Gibson's lost gems: they have never done an accurate re issue of it strangely .... just silly ceramic magnet and high output look alikes. And you can't see pole screws because there aren't any, the two magnets sit on their side down the centre of the (tiny) bobbins, unlike a mini humbucker that has a single conventional bar magnet under the bobbins. That twin magnet thing is what gives the pickup it's bite.
    Can they be coil tapped I.e. 2 or 4 wire?
    Of course they can be coil split like any humbucker ... but there is little point, the two coils together add up to about the same output as a moderately overwound Strat pickup ... one coil alone is therefore sub 4k and weedy in the extreme. You get a pretty close to single coil sound with both coils on and the pickup is silent ... why would you need to coil split?
    Maybe not for me then :)
    Link to my trading feedback:  http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/59452/
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  • @TheGuitarWeasel ;There've been a few mentions on here about the Hardman pickup. Could you explain any differences between the Hardman and the Liquidator, or are they pretty close sound wise? I'm particularly thinking about the neck pickup.
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9980
    tFB Trader
    @TheGuitarWeasel ;There've been a few mentions on here about the Hardman pickup. Could you explain any differences between the Hardman and the Liquidator, or are they pretty close sound wise? I'm particularly thinking about the neck pickup.
    Hardman has conventional sized pole magnets and is an overwound conventional Tele neck pickup. The Liquidator has 1/4 inch pole magnets for a more powerful bass response. Both are suitable for a variety of music styles, but the Hardman is perhaps more suited to blues ... and the Liquidator to hard rock etc.
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • Cheers for that :-)
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  • Sorry to bug you @TheGuitarWeasel , but is a tapped Tele neck pickup possible? I'm thinking a Californian with an extra bit of beef...
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9980
    tFB Trader
    The Californian uses Strat diameter wire (rather than the finer wire usually used on Tele neck pickups) therefore when wound to about 6k (usual Strat level) there is no room to wind more for a tapped design. It's possible to make a vintage Tele neck pickup with extra winds to be similar to my Thames Delta on low power, and my HardMan on full power ... but the size of the coil is the limiting factor with Tele neck designs.
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • pmbombpmbomb Frets: 1169
    Hi

    I have an 07 Les Paul BFG which has a Zebra Burstbucker 3 in the bridge.

    And I have a set of your Tubesnakes, bought a little while ago but still in the wrapping - order 10037.

    How different would it sound in the bridge compared to the BB3?

    (I realise they're black not zebra - not bothered about that).

    ta.


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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9980
    tFB Trader

    A little Oil City Pickup p-rn for you ...
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • KalimnaKalimna Frets: 1534
    Regardless of how they sound, they look like perfect pickups for a Stonewolf model :)

    Adam
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9980
    edited September 2018 tFB Trader
    Kalimna said:
    Regardless of how they sound, they look like perfect pickups for a Stonewolf model

    Adam
    They are actually going in a Carillion ... but I'm in negotiation about designing more bobbins in wood and possibly some fancy resins with the UK manufacturer who built those bobbins :-) I already make ... as far as I'm aware ... the only clear bobbin 7 string pickups in the world ... and Stone Wolf will be announcing a model shortly that will feature my new 'Graduated Magnetic Field Technology' neodymium humbucking pickups. These supply the optimum magnetic power for each string individually ... avoiding the string pull issues that have plagued other neo designs. They also have virtually no gaps or voids in the pickup internals ... so are far more feedback resistant than a conventional pickup. 
    I believe you may be able to hear them at The London Guitar Show ... 
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • KalimnaKalimna Frets: 1534
    Excellent stuff :) 
    I think I may have to drop an email to Stonewolf in the near future.... Fabulous guitars, fabulous pickups.

    Cheers,
    Adam
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9980
    tFB Trader
    Kalimna said:
    Excellent stuff :) 
    I think I may have to drop an email to Stonewolf in the near future.... Fabulous guitars, fabulous pickups.

    Cheers,
    Adam
    Mark will be bringing his creations to the Birmingham show in February ... and we'll be there too ... practically opposite him!

    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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