What pups?

Hammeron

My Epiphone Goth Explorer { Korean build, '93 } has humbuckers that are - one side white, one black.
It seems that these might not be the stock pups, if not, what are they? There are no names on them. Any ideas?

singemonkey

peterleroux

Hammeron wrote: My Epiphone Goth Explorer { Korean build, '93 } has humbuckers that are - one side white, one black.

'zebra' pickups are pretty common, most makers have them as an option. Is there anything written on the back of the pickup? The colour of the wires _might_ give a clue as to manufacturer

AlanRatcliffe

Early '90s, the factory would have been Samick and the pickups are likely Mighty Mite or Artec.

Chocklit_Thunda

peterleroux wrote:
Hammeron wrote: My Epiphone Goth Explorer { Korean build, '93 } has humbuckers that are - one side white, one black.
'zebra' pickups are pretty common, most makers have them as an option. Is there anything written on the back of the pickup? The colour of the wires _might_ give a clue as to manufacturer

won't be stock on a Goth explorer... Those came with open double black bobbins if i remember correctly.

@Hammeron If you could post pics of the pickups and wire colours and stuff and also maybe measure the DC resistance... That could help determine what you have in there

Hammeron

OK, here's the thing.
I was mid-set {and having a ball } at Emalyth on sunday. My V went out and the re-tune gave me some trouble. So, instead of messing about, I swapped to the Epi, and everyone commented that the epi sounded way better. I'd felt that before.
Now, the V has EMG/HZ's.
Could it be that the Zebra pups are better than the EMG's in my situation?
P.S. I am reluctant to mess about with the Epi to get shots of the wiring and pup backs etc.
Here are some front pics:

Chocklit_Thunda

Ok well both coils of the humbucker have slugs like my Cort which has Mighty Mite pickups. Mine are double black, double slugsand I think Alnico 5 mags.

Is your Goth the one with just the single Roman 12 (XII) inlay at the 12th fret? Because from what I've seen those stock pickups are double black with a slug and a screw coil...

As for wire colours, is yours rear routed? Because if it is then you can just open the control cavity and check which colour wires go where. You may need to open your switch as well to see which colours are connected there. But yeah if the epi sounds good then I rate you don't mess with the setup ?

Malkav

Hammeron wrote: Could it be that the Zebra pups are better than the EMG's in my situation?

To be honest EMGs would probably suit your style more, but EMG-HZs aren't "real" EMGs they're the companies sort of cheaper passive version, similar to how Duncan Design pickups are technically Seymour Duncan but not really.

When it comes to pickups like EMG-HZs, Mighty Mites and Artec I kinda consider them all to be on the same level of meh, they get the job done but the levels of sensitivity, definition and response you get from a really good pickup and further more when that pickup is matched well to the guitar it's in tonally the results are just blissful.

singemonkey

Chad Adam Browne wrote:
Hammeron wrote: Could it be that the Zebra pups are better than the EMG's in my situation?
To be honest EMGs would probably suit your style more, but EMG-HZs aren't "real" EMGs they're the companies sort of cheaper passive version, similar to how Duncan Design pickups are technically Seymour Duncan but not really.

When it comes to pickups like EMG-HZs, Mighty Mites and Artec I kinda consider them all to be on the same level of meh, they get the job done but the levels of sensitivity, definition and response you get from a really good pickup and further more when that pickup is matched well to the guitar it's in tonally the results are just blissful.

This. Budget stock pickups are great for getting your guitar to make a sound through the amplifier, but not much else. Ultimately your pickups do more for the tone of your guitar than the rest of the guitar. It's worth getting some decent, cheap replacements - toneriders for example.

Hammeron

singemonkey wrote:
Chad Adam Browne wrote:
Hammeron wrote: Could it be that the Zebra pups are better than the EMG's in my situation?
To be honest EMGs would probably suit your style more, but EMG-HZs aren't "real" EMGs they're the companies sort of cheaper passive version, similar to how Duncan Design pickups are technically Seymour Duncan but not really.

When it comes to pickups like EMG-HZs, Mighty Mites and Artec I kinda consider them all to be on the same level of meh, they get the job done but the levels of sensitivity, definition and response you get from a really good pickup and further more when that pickup is matched well to the guitar it's in tonally the results are just blissful.
This. Budget stock pickups are great for getting your guitar to make a sound through the amplifier, but not much else. Ultimately your pickups do more for the tone of your guitar than the rest of the guitar. It's worth getting some decent, cheap replacements - toneriders for example.

Right, now we are getting there.
Singe, with what model Toneriders would you go for my bent?
And if you couldn't pick them up on the site, where would you go?
Ta.

singemonkey

I dunno which ones are best suited for metal. Higher impedance, I reckon. Generators? Don't know how people rate them. Otherwise look for 2nd hand Dimarzios or SDs suited for metal. Must be plenty of discussions and reviews available.