Mudbucker ...not

[eb2]

OK, sleuths.  Any idea of what this is?  Not an old Gibson for sure.  Is this the new SG thing?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1966-1969-EB-0-EB-2-EB-3-Pickup-Original-Chrome-Cover-/370568242788?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item564796a664

[Dave W]

It sure looks like the same construction as the current SG Bass, but it's odd that the coils are visible. Where are the tops of the bobbins?

Definitely not a mudbucker. Certainly not original equipment on a late 60s EB-0.

Another view of the current pickup, from another thread:

[exiledarchangel]

Yup, it's the new "tbplus-whom-clothes-are-covered-in-mud" thingie.

[gearHed289]

Clear plastic bobbins?

[Dave W]

Clear plastic bobbins?

Could be. I can see what might be an outline outside the coil edges.

[eb2]

I can only recall a couple of the SG pups coming up on ebay, and I was thinking that was what this one was.  What do these things go for?  I think two hundo is a bit much, but it seems that legit mudbuckers are almost always north of a hundred these days.

[Dave W]

I can't recall seeing even one of these on eBay before. Does seem high. Maybe someone needs it enough to pay the price, more than I would pay though.

[SGD Lutherie]

It sure looks like the same construction as the current SG Bass, but it's odd that the coils are visible. Where are the tops of the bobbins?

Definitely not a mudbucker. Certainly not original equipment on a late 60s EB-0.

Another view of the current pickup, from another thread:

Hey that's my hand! lol  Yes, this is the current SG bass pickup.

This is a REALLY stupid design. The pole pieces are fake.

Here's all the things wrong with it; they used mini guitar humbucker bobbins... OK not too bad I guess. They have steel blades in them that are shaped like an inverted T. In my opinion the blades are in upside-down, because this way they don't extend past the top of the pickup, and are too far from the strings, because of the aluminum fake pole piece screw holder. Ad that brings up to that thing. They used a big chunk of aluminum, probably thinking since it's not magnetic, it's OK. But adding a conductor over the coils, especially aluminum, will cause eddy currents to form and suck the life out of the tone of the pickup.

Here's some more photos:

Here's the top without the aluminum thing.


You can see the ceramic magnets on the bottom of the blades here. You can also see the T part and hot far under the coils it goes.


I got this to rebuild for a customer, and to also make a new bridge pickup.

So I rewound the coils and machined a steel keeper bar for the pole pieces and made a small sidewinder using neodymium magnets. So it's like a junior mudbucker, but without the mud. The customer wanted a bright clear tone.

The problem with the original was it wasn't a mudbucker, and wasn't all that clear sounding.

I didn't get the cover, but here's a vintage mudbucker cover I used to check fit. It fit the SG pickup, so I know the spacing is the same.


The new neo bridge pickup.

[Basvarken]

Thanks for the detailed information.
That is a pretty cool project David!


But so far haven't read any complaints about the new mockbucker on the SG basses. From what I've read it sounds more focussed than the old mudbucker.

[Aussie Mark]

But so far haven't read any complaints about the new mockbucker on the SG basses. From what I've read it sounds more focussed than the old mudbucker.

I've now done close to 100 gigs on my SG and I think the neck pup is fantastic.  Much more tonal range than the old mudbuckers.

[SGD Lutherie]

Certainly the old mudbucker is a one trick pony. But I have also heard the new ones are muddy sounding. I just think they could have done something better. My sidewinder will sound like a single coil.

[Basvarken]

    I don't think a single coil sound is what people are looking for when they buy an SG / EB 

[SGD Lutherie]

    I don't think a single coil sound is what people are looking for when they buy an SG / EB 

But the original is a sidewinder, which is a hum canceling single coil.    The customer wanted a very bright pickup.

[Dave W]

Thanks for the exploded view, David. Explains a lot about the construction, at least.

I don't understand what you mean about the original sidewinders. The original EB/EB-1 brown cover pickup was a sidewinder and was a single coil. Of course it sounded nothing like what we usually think of when someone says single coil sound. But I don't think it wasn't hum cancelling.

[Pilgrim]

My first thought when Dave said the aluminum element would create a muddied sound was - why not replace it with steel? Kinda like one big blade.....