If You Want Cheap But Good Humbuckers

Dave_Mc

ToneControl said:

From my experiment, my favourites are:

The ST-90SA Swamp Ash DLX. A bit heavy, but plays like a Mex strat (after fettling and smoothing the frets) for little over £100.
I put a Lace sensor set on one

TE70 Rosewood tele, a bit heavy

CST-24 - these are great PRS clones, again need fret fettling, I have tried a few pickups in these
CST-24 HB version. middly neck pickup though

Amarok baritone - needed fret tweaking. Amazing passive-but-active EMG retro actives, but needed new pots, Thomann provided them.
A few flaws, but a very good guitar

SC550 plus with covered EMG retro actives - as good as a USA Gibson to be honest.  Fret polish and normal setup needed.
The pickups not as bright as on the Amarok, I would buy uncovered if I had to replace it.

All were B-stock, I got discounts for the ones with flaws


Then recently I got the Fusion III HSH in the 25% sale. Not B-stock
It had a basic fault - some frets were completely unfinished.
I asked them to pay for local repair, but they insisted on me returning it for a refund, I insisted on replacement, this one was ok, but needed fettling.
Hence here now replaceing pickups. 

Wow you've tried a fair few! (Also there's one of the PRS clones currently in Thomann's 70th Anniversary sale for £170... unfortunately it's not my preferred colour I think!  )

I've had the Cabronita tele, SG custom (3 pickups) and SG Jr, and my sister got the Fusion HH hardtail Tele. I don't think the Cabronita Tele needed any fretwork at all, the SG Jr was a little scratchy but playing for a few minutes fixed them, and the SG Custom wasn't too bad but benefitted from a polish* and my sister's Fusion Tele could also do with a polish which I haven't got as far as doing yet (but it's still totally playable without one, just a little scratchy).

I've said before, but I actually think the Roswell stock pickups aren't that bad- if they weren't sold as a set! I agree, the neck pickup is way too middy/warm while the bridge is too bright. If they were paired with a different other pickup they'd be decent for stock pickups. As it is, they don't work super-well as a set.

 *I need to go easier on that, I only got round to doing it the other day and when I was done my wrist was absolutely killing me! Luckily it more or less got better after running it under cold water for a few minutes, and was basically completely fine about a day later, but I was worried at the time I'd done some serious damage...  Mental note, don't do it all at once with no break, because you don't notice you're sore until you stop...

ToneControl

Dave_Mc said:

Wow you've tried a fair few! (Also there's one of the PRS clones currently in Thomann's 70th Anniversary sale for £170... unfortunately it's not my preferred colour I think!  )

I've had the Cabronita tele, SG custom (3 pickups) and SG Jr, and my sister got the Fusion HH hardtail Tele. I don't think the Cabronita Tele needed any fretwork at all, the SG Jr was a little scratchy but playing for a few minutes fixed them, and the SG Custom wasn't too bad but benefitted from a polish* and my sister's Fusion Tele could also do with a polish which I haven't got as far as doing yet (but it's still totally playable without one, just a little scratchy).

I've said before, but I actually think the Roswell stock pickups aren't that bad- if they weren't sold as a set! I agree, the neck pickup is way too middy/warm while the bridge is too bright. If they were paired with a different other pickup they'd be decent for stock pickups. As it is, they don't work super-well as a set.

 *I need to go easier on that, I only got round to doing it the other day and when I was done my wrist was absolutely killing me! Luckily it more or less got better after running it under cold water for a few minutes, and was basically completely fine about a day later, but I was worried at the time I'd done some serious damage...  Mental note, don't do it all at once with no break, because you don't notice you're sore until you stop...

this one?
Harley Benton CST-24 Amber Stripes – Thomann UK

Dave_Mc

ToneControl said:

Dave_Mc said:

Wow you've tried a fair few! (Also there's one of the PRS clones currently in Thomann's 70th Anniversary sale for £170... unfortunately it's not my preferred colour I think!  )

I've had the Cabronita tele, SG custom (3 pickups) and SG Jr, and my sister got the Fusion HH hardtail Tele. I don't think the Cabronita Tele needed any fretwork at all, the SG Jr was a little scratchy but playing for a few minutes fixed them, and the SG Custom wasn't too bad but benefitted from a polish* and my sister's Fusion Tele could also do with a polish which I haven't got as far as doing yet (but it's still totally playable without one, just a little scratchy).

I've said before, but I actually think the Roswell stock pickups aren't that bad- if they weren't sold as a set! I agree, the neck pickup is way too middy/warm while the bridge is too bright. If they were paired with a different other pickup they'd be decent for stock pickups. As it is, they don't work super-well as a set.

 *I need to go easier on that, I only got round to doing it the other day and when I was done my wrist was absolutely killing me! Luckily it more or less got better after running it under cold water for a few minutes, and was basically completely fine about a day later, but I was worried at the time I'd done some serious damage...  Mental note, don't do it all at once with no break, because you don't notice you're sore until you stop...

this one?
Harley Benton CST-24 Amber Stripes – Thomann UK

Yep that's the one. Don't get me wrong, that's a very nice colour, it's just there are even nicer ones! The Blue/Purple/Green/Black burst ones are a wee bit less standard and more different from anything I already have.

ToneControl

Dave_Mc said:

ToneControl said:

Dave_Mc said:

Wow you've tried a fair few! (Also there's one of the PRS clones currently in Thomann's 70th Anniversary sale for £170... unfortunately it's not my preferred colour I think!  )

I've had the Cabronita tele, SG custom (3 pickups) and SG Jr, and my sister got the Fusion HH hardtail Tele. I don't think the Cabronita Tele needed any fretwork at all, the SG Jr was a little scratchy but playing for a few minutes fixed them, and the SG Custom wasn't too bad but benefitted from a polish* and my sister's Fusion Tele could also do with a polish which I haven't got as far as doing yet (but it's still totally playable without one, just a little scratchy).

I've said before, but I actually think the Roswell stock pickups aren't that bad- if they weren't sold as a set! I agree, the neck pickup is way too middy/warm while the bridge is too bright. If they were paired with a different other pickup they'd be decent for stock pickups. As it is, they don't work super-well as a set.

 *I need to go easier on that, I only got round to doing it the other day and when I was done my wrist was absolutely killing me! Luckily it more or less got better after running it under cold water for a few minutes, and was basically completely fine about a day later, but I was worried at the time I'd done some serious damage...  Mental note, don't do it all at once with no break, because you don't notice you're sore until you stop...

this one?
Harley Benton CST-24 Amber Stripes – Thomann UK

Yep that's the one. Don't get me wrong, that's a very nice colour, it's just there are even nicer ones! The Blue/Purple/Green/Black burst ones are a wee bit less standard and more different from anything I already have.

I got a paradise flame one, it turned up a very different colour, I got a slight refund for that. I put some "Hot Rod pickups" into it (now eternal guitars) Racer and HFT, from someone who used to be on the forum
also a charcoal flame Hollow as mentioned
and a P90 black flame one
and a Black cherry flame one that I put B-sized P90s into.

Dave_Mc

ToneControl said:

I got a paradise flame one, it turned up a very different colour, I got a slight refund for that. I put some "Hot Rod pickups" into it (now eternal guitars) Racer and HFT, from someone who used to be on the forum
also a charcoal flame Hollow as mentioned
and a P90 black flame one
and a Black cherry flame one that I put B-sized P90s into.

Oh wow, those are some very nice ones! That's very interesting about the paradise flame one not being the right colour- there are four or five variations on "more or less sunburst" available and if you can't go by the colour on the screen...

Being ultra-picky I'd probably prefer 22 frets as well... they all seem to be 24, even the semi-hollow and P90 ones.

ToneControl

Dave_Mc said:

ToneControl said:

I got a paradise flame one, it turned up a very different colour, I got a slight refund for that. I put some "Hot Rod pickups" into it (now eternal guitars) Racer and HFT, from someone who used to be on the forum
also a charcoal flame Hollow as mentioned
and a P90 black flame one
and a Black cherry flame one that I put B-sized P90s into.

Oh wow, those are some very nice ones! That's very interesting about the paradise flame one not being the right colour- there are four or five variations on "more or less sunburst" available and if you can't go by the colour on the screen...

Being ultra-picky I'd probably prefer 22 frets as well... they all seem to be 24, even the semi-hollow and P90 ones.

makes a nice change to have 24, they all play very well up there

Dave_Mc

ToneControl said:

Dave_Mc said:

ToneControl said:

I got a paradise flame one, it turned up a very different colour, I got a slight refund for that. I put some "Hot Rod pickups" into it (now eternal guitars) Racer and HFT, from someone who used to be on the forum
also a charcoal flame Hollow as mentioned
and a P90 black flame one
and a Black cherry flame one that I put B-sized P90s into.

Oh wow, those are some very nice ones! That's very interesting about the paradise flame one not being the right colour- there are four or five variations on "more or less sunburst" available and if you can't go by the colour on the screen...

Being ultra-picky I'd probably prefer 22 frets as well... they all seem to be 24, even the semi-hollow and P90 ones.

makes a nice change to have 24, they all play very well up there

LOL I sometimes get a bit confused with 24 frets and also I think the neck pickup sounds a little better with 22. I don't really have anything massively against 24, but I prefer 22 and it'd be nice to have the option. Granted, they're very good value, especially the one on offer, and I'm probably expecting too much considering what they cost!

ToneControl

Dave_Mc said:

ToneControl said:

Dave_Mc said:

ToneControl said:

I got a paradise flame one, it turned up a very different colour, I got a slight refund for that. I put some "Hot Rod pickups" into it (now eternal guitars) Racer and HFT, from someone who used to be on the forum
also a charcoal flame Hollow as mentioned
and a P90 black flame one
and a Black cherry flame one that I put B-sized P90s into.

Oh wow, those are some very nice ones! That's very interesting about the paradise flame one not being the right colour- there are four or five variations on "more or less sunburst" available and if you can't go by the colour on the screen...

Being ultra-picky I'd probably prefer 22 frets as well... they all seem to be 24, even the semi-hollow and P90 ones.

makes a nice change to have 24, they all play very well up there

LOL I sometimes get a bit confused with 24 frets and also I think the neck pickup sounds a little better with 22. I don't really have anything massively against 24, but I prefer 22 and it'd be nice to have the option. Granted, they're very good value, especially the one on offer, and I'm probably expecting too much considering what they cost!

I put a big fat bridge HB on one, the HFT mentioned above, does great Santana up in the dusty end

Dave_Mc

ToneControl said:

I put a big fat bridge HB on one, the HFT mentioned above, does great Santana up in the dusty end

LOL Awesome, I've never tried those Eternal pickups, but I would guess they're great 

barnsleyboy

I have been absolutely astounded by the Fleor Alnico 5 HB pickups off Amazon. £36 for a set. 4-conductor and they split really well. IMHO easily as good as my SD blues set at a fraction of the price. I have Toneriders and Irongear which are also great, but the Fleor might definitely have the edge. Definitely worth a punt.

thomasw88

barnsleyboy said:

I have been absolutely astounded by the Fleor Alnico 5 HB pickups off Amazon. £36 for a set. 4-conductor and they split really well. IMHO easily as good as my SD blues set at a fraction of the price. I have Toneriders and Irongear which are also great, but the Fleor might definitely have the edge. Definitely worth a punt.

Cheers for that.  Just ordered a set of their p90 soapbar pickups.  For a Harley Benton which I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on but it’s a decent guitar.



ive used vanson on several guitars, very nice pickups indeed.  Entwistle and warman were also good for the money as well.  

barnsleyboy

I'd be interested to know how you get on with the P90's. I've got a set of Irongear Platinum 90's  which are good, but at the budget Fleor price, I'd be tempted to chance a set!

The Harleys are superb guitars for the money. I've got 4 and could easily add to that. All have been modded/ upgraded to varying degrees.

thomasw88

put the Fleor P90's into my Harley Benton.  They're pretty decent actually.  Neck pickup is really nice.  Bridge is decent as well.   The only thing was these only had one wire and a braided cable for earth.  bit of a pain getting them soldered to ground (probably my incompetence) but they're in now.   the screws were too short for the Harley though so used the obnes that were in.