Lace Alumitone Humbuckers

[kris]

Has anyone played these interesting humbuckers?
It seems like they would work well with jazz guitar.

[GuyBoden]

Too bright for my ears, but here is the previous thread:
Lace Alumitone fusion Jazz 251, experience anybody?

Wow - I'm sorry I didn't chime in earlier. I just looked at the boxes from my Alumibuckers and they're 251s! I called Lace when I decided to try a set and discussed my needs with Gabriel. I wanted to set up my Tele 7 to be my default guitar for most gigs. Although I play one of my archtops for my weekly jazz gig, I use the Tele for all other jazz, blues, and commercial dates plus anything else that comes along. Gabriel recommended these but suggested that I have them "wound" (or however the elves make these) like the custom ones they make for George Benson but for a 7. He sent me links to sound clips of various versions and I agreed with him that these are great for my needs. They made up a set for me and I've been playing them for almost a year now.

They're dead silent, very clean, and more versatile than any pickups I ever had before. With the tone pot at about 60%, the neck p'up is mellow and jazzy. With the tone pot full on, the neck is a bit more woody and acoustic-y - and with both active, the sound is even more so (and very useful). The bridge unit reminds me of the stock bridge HB on my old LP Custom - it's fine for rock, but I don't use it much.

I did try the neck unit in my Ibanez AF207 while I was replacing the stock DiMarzio, and it sounded about the same in the archtop as it does in the Tele. The AF207 is laminated, so I don't know if a solid top would make a difference in the amplified sound. I was installing a new Benedetto B7 in the AF, so it was a convenient time to try this as well. The Lace sounded great, but I'd already bought the B7 so I went ahead and installed it. And after solving the wiring difficulties I described in an earlier thread because the diagrams from Duncan are wrong, I love the B7 too.

Here's a clip of the neck alumitone 'bucker with the tone pot full on. I was playing through a small tube head into my close mic'ed RE Bass 10.

[Marty Grass]

The have a lot of presence and are bright. They weigh next to nothing.

Because of their brightness, they are unforgiving of any slip up in technique. Their is a nakedness in its tone.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I put a set on my Tele 2+ years ago and love them. Mine are 251 fusions built to Benson’s specs after I discussed my wants and needs with Gabe at Lace. It’s not widely known, but Benson apparently also loves Alumitones and has them in a few guitars. His seem to me to be a bit warmer in tone than the original 251 fusion spec. The bridge alone can get close to a SC sound. But in the neck position with the tone pot in the middle, it’s a jazz HB for sure.

They’re very versatile and cover the range from thunk to sparkle. They’re silent on stages that have so much electrical interference that standard humbuckers are noisy. This is my “all purpose” guitar. With Alumitones, it does everything from straight ahead jazz to screaming blues amazingly well. I love them!



Here’s a clip through my SBUS and a small 12” cab I built. This was at a recent Philly Guitar Show, and I was helping my friend Bruce Kaminsky (the designer and builder of Kydd basses) demo them at his booth.

[DawgBone]

I put a set on my Tele 2+ years ago and love them. Mine are 251 fusions built to Benson’s specs after I discussed my wants and needs with Gabe at Lace. It’s not widely known, but Benson apparently also loves Alumitones and has them in a few guitars. His seem to me to be a bit warmer in tone than the original 251 fusion spec. The bridge alone can get close to a SC sound. But in the neck position with the tone pot in the middle, it’s a jazz HB for sure.

They’re very versatile and cover the range from thunk to sparkle. They’re silent on stages that have so much electrical interference that standard humbuckers are noisy. This is my “all purpose” guitar. With Alumitones, it does everything from straight ahead jazz to screaming blues amazingly well. I love them!



Here’s a clip through my SBUS and a small 12” cab I built. This was at a recent Philly Guitar Show, and I was helping my friend Bruce Kaminsky (the designer and builder of Kydd basses) demo them at his booth.

Those pickups have always interested me especially since they are popular among pedal steel players. My hesitation has always been tied to the edge of breakup tones. The demos I've heard seem like they can get shrill easily. Someone else mentioned they are bright, and that was my impression as well so when I was pickup shopping I looked elsewhere. Wouldn't mind giving them a try but if they are super revealing of flaws in technique it might not pair with a Twin very well. Just speculating....

[SimplyTH]

I had the deathbucker (the high output version) and they sounded great, maybe my favorite high out humbuckers I ever played. Very clear while having some serious growl to them. They were pretty hard to play anything besides high gain stuff with though.

[stevo58]

I use one in my Emmons pedal steel. It’s the cat’s meow. Seems to me they would make great jazz pickups, but what do I know.