Hohner G2 Pick up alternatives

Chabenda

[img]http://<a href="http://s1251.photobucket.com/user/Chabenda/media/HohnerG2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh546/Chabenda/HohnerG2.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo HohnerG2.jpg"/></a>[/img]

A while back I bought one of these from Stubbs. I had one of these years ago and remembered it fondly and thought that I would get another one. They are great little guitars and so easy to play. The problem that I have now is that my musical tastes have definitely moved towards country and away from heavier rock. Rhythm tone is king.

I am finding the tone quite muddy and thick and would like advice here. Are all humbuckers designed for long haired, tattooed metal heads with rings in their noses and glazed eyes or do they make them for fat, late middle aged, balding country players with bifocals too?

Does anyone know of a cheap fix (without going to coil tapping - that always sounds so lame to me) or can suggest a humbucker that is going to give me a lighter and more musical tone?

My amp of choice at this stage is my Roland Cube XL40 that does the trick for me in conjunction with a Telecaster. I can't see this changing much in the future as I get progressively lazier and less interested in carting tonnes of equipment to and from gigs.

AlanRatcliffe

Sounds to me like your looking for Filtertron style pickups (but in humbucker size) - think Gretsch tones. TV Jones Classic and/or Classic Plus, Lollar Regals, DiMarzio EJ Customs. The TVJ's you'd need "English mount" (Filtertron size, but bigger pickup rings) or humbucker size (don't have the traditional 'Tron look).

Gretsch have a few HB sized "High Sensitivity" pickups in their Asian guitars too - they look the same as filters, but are regular mudbuckers in design and sound. I hear the latest gen are better, but haven't tried them yet.

Gearhead

Would partly unwinding the existing pups not be a cheaper and faster option? One could even try to completely unwind and partly rewind by hand to get the pups 'scatterwound'?

V8

Man, I dig the feel of my little G2T - but not those stock EMG Selects. I've a coil tap on the bridge, even so, the clean sounds are pretty uninspiring (actually the word kak comes to mind :?) - especially compared to a stock MIJ/MIM Strat. Under a load of gain, they're -imho- usable, but otherwise there's little to commend them. Which seems to be the general opinion of them pups.

I was toying with the idea of sticking some hum cancelling single coils in using a mounting ring like this : http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/allparts-humbucker-to-single-coil-pickup-conversion-ring.

Or maybe a P90/PAF could also work for you? I happened to try one of these (https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=humbuckers&sub=vintage&pickup=the_mule a few days ago in a PRS : And it went from sweet, defined cleans to light drive to high gain with aplomb - Really impressive, if a tad pricey.

AlanRatcliffe

Gearhead wrote: Would partly unwinding the existing pups not be a cheaper and faster option?

The EMG selects are potted with epoxy. ☹

Gearhead

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: The EMG selects {...}

Oh, Selects... My bad, didn't look that up.

If it makes OP any happier, second hand HB are easy to come by, even underwound ones. Yes you want the TVJs in the end but the price can be a bit, eh, sit down first.

Chabenda

Thank you very much for your interest and input. I'll probably look at the TV Jones' Classic.

It's a bummer not being able to use it. I even tried tuning it to G and using it for slide but it still sucked. I have tried it through my old Princeton which generally has a wonderful tone but still no joy. I agree with V8 regarding it being usable with a lot of gain.

Let's see how it works out!

AlanRatcliffe

Chabenda wrote: It's a bummer not being able to use it.

They are pretty cool guitars - basically wooden (maple) Steinbergers. The trems tend to break with extended use though (cheap pot metal), but can be replaced with Steinberger parts.

I even tried tuning it to G and using it for slide but it still sucked.

The zero fret gives it a great low action, but I'd guess way too low for slide.

I have tried it through my old Princeton which generally has a wonderful tone but still no joy.

Try your British amp (Vox & Marshall) sims on your Cube for humbuckers - they tend to add some upper-mid chime and/or grind that are better suited to humbuckers.

Chabenda

Thanks Alan - mine is the hard tail version. I hadn't thought about trying the other sims on the amp for cleans. I'll give it a try.

Somebody really loved this guitar - the paint has worn off the top section of the neck from being played.