-
Hey everyone.
For years I've had this Ibanez AGR73T thin hollow-body that is always the same story - it sounds beautiful, woody, airy and resonant when I pick it up and play unplugged, and then just lifeless, flat and also very quiet once plugged into the amp. The amp is not the problem (nor is my playing, I think), as I also own a Yamaha SA2200 which I do most of my gigging with and it sounds to die for.
The kind of sound that I would like to get close to is just "oldies", Jim Hall, Wes... I realize they used archtops, flatwound strings, that it was a time of different recording techniques and media, that they were masters with brilliantly developed sound... I am not trying to just replicate it all, just to use this guitar more in that context - a clean guitar into an amp and some standards
The pickups are stock Ibanez mini-humbuckers. I have no real idea what that means, but I have managed to find that other people hate them too, so I went looking for some new ones. I am EU based so there isn't a large selection here, but I have managed to find these;
1. Lundgren Minihumbucker
Minihumbucker – Lundgren Pickups
(there's a short sound sample in the link and it sounds nice)
2. DiMarzio DP241 Nickel
DiMarzio DP241 Nickel – Thomann United States
This is a bridge version, but I read that people put these on the neck? What's that all about, is that something that makes sense with other brands too, or is it just a thing here? There is also a neck version too, the DP240. They are slightly cheaper too, and a website called "primesound.org" recommended this bridge pickup as THE jazz pickup (for the neck).
3. Seymour Duncan SM1
Seymour Duncan SM-1 Mini Humbucker N CHR – Thomann United StatesExactly the same price as that Lundgren.
4. Kent Armstrong Vintage Series Firebird
KENT ARMSTRONG(R) "VINTAGE SERIES" FIREBIRD(R) MINI HUMBUCKER GOLD W/ RING - Fred's Guitar Parts
Slightly cheaper then the rest, doesn't say if it's neck or bridge - so does that even matter, or no?
Because of money and time I am looking to avoid customs from US, avoid having to buy several pickups and then testing them and comparing (I already feel like I am in too deep of a rabbit hole here), I would also like to maybe buy just one and replace the neck pickup first, if that's something that's ok to do.
Having said that, there is this...
Seymour Duncan Antiquity II Firebird mini, and it costs almost 300€ just for one!
Seymour Duncan Antiquity II Firebird Humb. – Thomann United States
What's the deal with that price? I can't find almost anything on these pickups online. I know I said money plays a part in all this, but if somehow these were really just so much nicer sounding, I would maybe be prepared to pay a bit more. Maybe. Does anyone know anything about them at all?
Thank you all!
-
04-28-2023 05:24 AM
-
If you're in Europe, there's a few more options to explore.
I've played a friend's Ibanez with mini humbuckers and did not like them at all - if the guitar were mine, they would be long gone.
Bare Knuckle do make a mini humbucker by request
Log into Facebook | Facebook
And The Creamery also have mini humbuckers that you can customize. I had a Alnico V P90 humbucker from them, and liked it a lot - but it was much more a Jimmy Smith / Jim Hall sound than a Wes sound. I'm not sure it's easy to get a Wes sound from a mini humbucker.
Custom Handwound Replacement Vintage and Modern Mini-Humbucker and Firebird(R) style Pickups: Creamery Classic Mini-Humbucker
I've never tried a Lundgren, but heard great things about them.
If you search you can find pickups by US makers like Lolar in European sites. It might not save you money, but it saves you time.
Lollar Mini-Humbucker
Lollar Johnny Smith Neck N BKM – Thomann UK
Lindy Fralin Mini Humbucker Nickel Alnico 5 - Set | Cotton Musical Supply
-
The lollar mini humbucker is wonderful. I had one in a tele, recently replaced it with a Johnny smith but might go back. Three word summary: fat, warm, clear. This was on an alder body short scale (24.75”) tele with 13-52 strings. I’m sure all of those affect the tone but the pickup sounded MUCH nicer than the Seymour Duncan antiquity it replaced, which was thin and harsh by comparison.
-
We built a bunch of guitars with mini-hums so I had a chance to try several. My favorite was the Lollar mini-Paf style (they also make a Firebird style). It had most of the sound and feel of a quality PAF but was a little lighter and brighter. Very nice pickup (and available in both a 70's Gibson format with standard pole pieces and a Firebird style shell with no visible pole pieces.).
-
Ok, thank you very much everyone!
What exactly are those Lollar PAF's branded as on their website, or at resellers? Just the name I mean, so I can find the correct ones.
Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
Thank you!
-
They are listed in the land of HBs on Lollars website:
Humbucker Pickups: Handmade in USA | Lollar Pickups
Just in case, they are US pickups. I believe you were hopeful to find some PUs in the EU.
I have a couple sets of Lollar PUs. Excellent. I did play his filtertron offering. I was not too impressed. It did not have the bite and clarity that I associate with filtertron. (I prefer TV Jones).
Both my HB and my tele sc PUs are excellent. (Of course there is always a debate and preferences).
-
In your post you're mixing up mini-HBs (which are kinda like PAF style humbuckers that have been shrunk) and Firebird pickups (same form factor - but VERY different construction and tone - they sound much more like hot Fender singlecoils rather than traditional humbuckers). Originally Posted by Kunji
Hey everyone.
For years I've had this Ibanez AGR73T thin hollow-body that is always the same story - it sounds beautiful, woody, airy and resonant when I pick it up and play unplugged, and then just lifeless, flat and also very quiet once plugged into the amp. The amp is not the problem (nor is my playing, I think), as I also own a Yamaha SA2200 which I do most of my gigging with and it sounds to die for.
The kind of sound that I would like to get close to is just "oldies", Jim Hall, Wes... I realize they used archtops, flatwound strings, that it was a time of different recording techniques and media, that they were masters with brilliantly developed sound... I am not trying to just replicate it all, just to use this guitar more in that context - a clean guitar into an amp and some standards
The pickups are stock Ibanez mini-humbuckers. I have no real idea what that means, but I have managed to find that other people hate them too, so I went looking for some new ones. I am EU based so there isn't a large selection here, but I have managed to find these;
1. Lundgren Minihumbucker
Minihumbucker – Lundgren Pickups
(there's a short sound sample in the link and it sounds nice)
2. DiMarzio DP241 Nickel
DiMarzio DP241 Nickel – Thomann United States
This is a bridge version, but I read that people put these on the neck? What's that all about, is that something that makes sense with other brands too, or is it just a thing here? There is also a neck version too, the DP240. They are slightly cheaper too, and a website called "primesound.org" recommended this bridge pickup as THE jazz pickup (for the neck).
3. Seymour Duncan SM1
Seymour Duncan SM-1 Mini Humbucker N CHR – Thomann United StatesExactly the same price as that Lundgren.
4. Kent Armstrong Vintage Series Firebird
KENT ARMSTRONG(R) "VINTAGE SERIES" FIREBIRD(R) MINI HUMBUCKER GOLD W/ RING - Fred's Guitar Parts
Slightly cheaper then the rest, doesn't say if it's neck or bridge - so does that even matter, or no?
Because of money and time I am looking to avoid customs from US, avoid having to buy several pickups and then testing them and comparing (I already feel like I am in too deep of a rabbit hole here), I would also like to maybe buy just one and replace the neck pickup first, if that's something that's ok to do.
Having said that, there is this...
Seymour Duncan Antiquity II Firebird mini, and it costs almost 300€ just for one!
Seymour Duncan Antiquity II Firebird Humb. – Thomann United States
What's the deal with that price? I can't find almost anything on these pickups online. I know I said money plays a part in all this, but if somehow these were really just so much nicer sounding, I would maybe be prepared to pay a bit more. Maybe. Does anyone know anything about them at all?
Thank you all!
As a fellow EU citizen, I recommend contacting Q Pickups in Croatia, and telling them what you're looking for - first-rate pickups at very good prices (and no customs taxes), handwound to your wishes; just don't expect fancy packaging (they come in bubble wrap in a plain envelope), or marketing hype...
https://qpickups.com/qshop/
-
It's quite possible I'm mixing it up as I have no clue what Firebird means, or just generally not a lot of knowledge on pickups! Thank you for letting me know about the Q Pickups, I am from a neighboring country so I would really love to try something like that. The prices really do seem great, a set of pickups for the price of just one Lollar... is the quality really there? It's hard to find any videos or sound samples of their mini humbuckers. Thanks! Originally Posted by RomanS
-
I have Mini Humbuckers from Monty's (based in the UK) in a partscaster. These are the best sounding pickups in any of my guitars. Very touch responsive, clear, lively, with a beautiful sound.
I've had quite a few other pickups - regular single coils and humbuckers - from Seymour Duncan, Lollar, Fender, D. Allen, Gibson, Cavalier etc. in other guitars. All good in their own way, but the Monty's are, for me, head and shoulders above anything else.
-
Firebird Pickup | Lollar Pickups ......more like a single coil than a hum....! quite different from a Wes or JH sound... Originally Posted by Kunji
firebird:
S
-
You should try different strings before you start getting into changing pickups.
The biggest thing you could do to get that sound like the old legit jazz players is put on 13 or 14 gauge flat wound strings.
-
re reading the OP perhaps I'm not interpreting this correctly but...change p-up to make a 500$ guitar sound like a $2500 one??? Originally Posted by Kunji
I wish it was that easy..
S
-
I am putting flatwounds on it too Originally Posted by JazzIsGood
But I've had them before and was just as dissatisfied with what came out of the amp - and considering how much I like its sound unplugged and how playable it is otherwise, I think it's not silly to try different pickups too.
-
Nah, I am perfectly aware the Yamaha is a different beast and am keeping my expectations realistic! Originally Posted by SOLR
re reading the OP perhaps I'm not interpreting this correctly but...change p-up to make a 500$ guitar sound like a $2500 one???
I wish it was that easy..
S All I meant to say was that my dissatisfaction with the guitar doesn't stem from my amp, pedals or playing (although there's always so much work to be done here) but rather that the Ibanez really does lack something.
Now, I know it won't just turn into an A-grade guitar with new pickups, but at the same time - why shouldn't I try to get something extra out of it, if I at least like how playable it is and what a nice natural woody resonance it produces when played unplugged.
-
Originally Posted by Kunji
Nah, I am perfectly aware the Yamaha is a different beast and am keeping my expectations realistic! All I meant to say was that my dissatisfaction with the guitar doesn't stem from my amp, pedals or playing (although there's always so much work to be done here) but rather that the Ibanez really does lack something.
Now, I know it won't just turn into an A-grade guitar with new pickups, but at the same time - why shouldn't I try to get something extra out of it, if I at least like how playable it is and what a nice natural woody resonance it produces when played unplugged.
S
-
A no brainer is if price is an issue and you're only playing jazz on this ax, you only need to replace the neck pickup.
I also suggest that you choose your priority for heat level. Hot is darker but punchy and round, vintage is clankier but crisper and clearer.
-
So there should be a few good European Pickup builders Bare Knuckles, Haussel,etc?
Ive found using a bridge Seymour Duncan Vintage Mini hum in the neck position of my Tele, gives me a warmer, darker tone than the std neck version.
Another thing to consider is the actual size contributes to the brighter stereo of these pickups as opposed to their traditional size Humbuckers.
-
Here's another option-
Sell those 2 axes. Finance an L5. Make payments for 5 years. By the time you pay it off it will be worth more than you spent on it. Put flat would 14s on the L5. You will have the sound you want, if you already have the playing skill it's mission accomplished.
Reply With Quote
I found this Ibanez rarity
Today, 03:05 PM in Guitar, Amps & Gizmos