HB-1 pickup variations

leonc

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I've owned a few Guilds with HB-1s and have played a number of others. My favorite is my 1971 S100. It has the original HB-1s. They are very low output, compared to Gibson humbuckers from the era. The neck comes in at 6.9K and the bridge at 6.8K. They have a very bright clear sound. With the original covers on them, they were too microphonic to use at higher volume/gain settings on my amps so I removed the covers. They are still a little microphonic..but in a good way, IMO, as they seem to be richer sounding than many other pickups. I don't know if these are "normal" pickups for that era or of they're just odd-balls but I love them!

I have no where's near the depth of knowledge of many members here; so I'm hoping someone (Hans? GAD?) will be able to jump in here. One thing I've noted is that in some later 70s models, the HB-1s were notably hotter...up in the 9K range. I just wondered if anyone has documented these variations in HB-1s? Are there any general way of telling how the picukups varied from year to year or perhaps model to model?

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GAD

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This is observational data based on the sample of pickups I've seen. To be fair, just because I've never seen one doesn't mean that they don't exist, but every vintage HB1 I've ever encountered has been ~6.8 - ~7.5 k Ohms.

SD-1s I've measured have been in the ~7.5 - ~8.5k Ohms range.

Fender HB1s I've measured have been in the ~8k k Ohms area.

The few NS HB1s I've measured have been around ~7k Ohms.

Remember also that DC Resistance is a terrible way to try and characterize pickups (though we all still do it).
 

Quantum Strummer

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My ‘71 S-100’s pickups (red Sharpie/lipstick dots on the bottom plates) both measure ~7KOhms. They’re very clear, almost jangly, but with good midrange oomph too. They’re also microphonic, but I like that. My ‘73’s p’ups are ~7.35K and sound a little darker, but the guitar is darker acoustically too. Years ago I played an early S-100 (don’t remember the year) with pretty hot pickups: well over 8KOhms. As with the ‘60s anti-hums I imagine the ‘70s HB-1s varied a fair bit.

-Dave-
 
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70's

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I have only seen (not owned) one or two HB-1's in the 8-9K range.

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Plus - you can't always go by resistance alone to determine output. For example, I have a 2009 Gibson SG with BurstBucker 3 pickup in the bridge which reads about 8.5K. But the lowly 7.2K HB-1 in my S-90 has a good 25-30% more output based on side-by-side comparison with new strings, same pickup height, etc. It is much louder and ballsier than the BurstBucker, which is supposed to be one of Gibson's newer PAF clones. By most accounts that I have read, players that have played both SG's and S-100's in the early 70's claim that the S-100's sounded hotter/louder, regardless of resistance readings.
 
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leonc

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Thanks all, I very much appreciate your input (no pun intended ;))

I have only seen (not owned) one or two HB-1's in the 8-9K range.

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Plus - you can't always go by resistance alone to determine output. For example, I have a 2009 Gibson SG with BurstBucker 3 pickup in the bridge which reads about 8.5K. But the lowly 7.2K HB-1 in my S-90 has a good 25-30% more output based on side-by-side comparison with new strings, same pickup height, etc. It is much louder and ballsier than the BurstBucker, which is supposed to be one of Gibson's newer PAF clones. By most accounts that I have read, players that have played both SG's and S-100's in the early 70's claim that the S-100's sounded hotter/louder, regardless of resistance readings.

Based on my experience, I'd agree with you on both counts: 1. the HB-1s "come across" like they're hotter than some Gibsons I've played with Burstbuckers (including a mid-2000s LP I used to own) even though they probably have a lower resistance value. 2. Resistance is not all there is to comparing pickups. Indeed. My theory is that in the case of HB-1s, I think they're not wound as tightly as some other pickups so some of them tend to be more susceptible to booth microphonic and harmonic feedback and this may give you the impression that they're pretty enraged ;).
 

matsickma

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I don't think origional HB1 pup are wax potted which would explain the comment on pickups being microphonic. The Fender HB1 pups were wax potted. Not sure if potting was used on the SD1 pups.

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I have noticed the same variations with my Guild guitars. I have 4 Guilds with original HB-1 pickups and my 1971 M-75 with the red dot HB-1's drive my amps more than the pick ups in either of my 1973's, my Starfire IV or my S100 SC. The tamest would be the pick ups in my 1991 X-170. I wonder if the type of magnets varied as well as the wire and winding method.
Thanks John
 

Quantum Strummer

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Yep, DC resistance is really only useful when comparing different samples of the same pickup. Change anything and it’s apples & oranges time. My ‘71 S-100 has a more alive sound than my ‘71 SG Deluxe despite the pickups being similar resistance-wise and the guitars both being acoustically snappy.

My old Telecaster’s bridge pickup measures 6.2KOhms but puts out a very strong signal. My newer (‘96) Relic Tele has a 9K pickup at the bridge but it’s wound with 43 gauge wire, per some early Broadcasters, and while it has a thicker sound it’s not any louder than the oldie’s p’up.

-Dave-
 
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