Starfire III, LB 1 or Dynasonics?

[Default]

I have a pair of gretsch dynas, and the springs are coated with silicone, done by the guy I bought them from. Not supposed to be great copies.

 

[Walter Broes]

I have a pair of gretsch dynas. Not supposed to be great copies.

The most annoying thing about the current Gretsch ones is that the bobbins won't stay put in the shells, they just fall out. Old ones do that too sometimes, but not nearly as bad.

Otherwise, I think they get a little too much of a bad rap - the make a great neck pickup for a hollowbody, but they're a little skinny sounding for a lead pickup, or for good balance. Like I said elsewhere, I used to have one that I got rewound to 12K, and it sounded pretty close to an old one and balanced great with the stock neck.
The shells are a little cheap - they look a little off, and the plating will bubble and flake after some use/sweat.

 

[jp]

I have a pair of gretsch dynas, and the springs are coated with silicone, done by the guy I bought them from. Not supposed to be great copies.

The ones I have were NOS that I bought years ago, but I've never installed them in anything yet. Eager to hear how they sound.

The most annoying thing about the current Gretsch ones is that the bobbins won't stay put in the shells, they just fall out. Old ones do that too sometimes, but not nearly as bad.

Otherwise, I think they get a little too much of a bad rap - the make a great neck pickup for a hollowbody, but they're a little skinny sounding for a lead pickup, or for good balance. Like I said elsewhere, I used to have one that I got rewound to 12K, and it sounded pretty close to an old one and balanced great with the stock neck.
The shells are a little cheap - they look a little off, and the plating will bubble and flake after some use/sweat.

I've found this also to be true. The bobbins are held in the shells with a couple of splotches of hot glue, and they've already fallen out. The existing shells/chrome rings feel really thin and chinsy. I've got a set of "close-fit" aftermarkets chrome shells that I plan to modify to try these out in my NS M-75 Aristocrat.

 

[Maguchi]

I have a number of guitars to cover different ground, mostly for recording. My initial idea was something lighter than my Jet that could cover similar ground (mostly overdubbed jangly stuff or dirty lead) but with its own voice

From what you describe, Dynasonics hands down. To my ear LB-1s are a little too vanilla.

Dynasonics x 1000. And I even like the new ones.