I got a set of HB2s

[GAD]

My set of Newark Street HB2s came in! I've already torn one apart and am going to write up my findings. As usual I feel myself going down the rabbit hole which is how my articles never get finished (I have something like 18 unfinished articles on pickups), so I'm going to try and keep this one simple... -ish.

My gut reaction is that they can't possibly be as good, but I'll get into that detail in the article.

As a teaser as to why I think that, here's a pic for you all to obsess and argue about while I write. Vintage HB1 on the left, Newark St. HB2 on the right.

OK maybe one gut reaction before I go to bed (it's 3am). Someone commented in another thread that the Newark St. HB2s sound generic. That wouldn't surprise me because looking at them, they seem to be generic pickups in an HB1-style cover. There's more to it than that, but I need sleep. Or coffee... no, definitely sleep. Probably.

(I may be sleep deprived)

 

[GGJaguar]

I was really hoping that the HB-2s would be a good replacements for my Bluesbird. But not only does that look like a generic PAF-style pickup, it looks like an attempt at a pickup gelatin mold. Or pickups in aspic (not to be confused with Larks' Tongue in Aspic). I've never seen so much wax! Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to the review.

 

[jp]

Unfortunately, GAD, it now seems like I'm dreading your review more than looking forward to it. It's like opening up the hood of a restored '69 Boss 302 Mustang and seeing a Ford Pinto motor inside.

Fingers crossed, tho'. The proof is in the sound. If they really do sound like the originals, then it would allow for so many great renovations of older Guild electrics that have been modded.

 

[DThomasC]

jp, have you tried the HB-1 reissues? I haven't, but it seems likely that they're more like vintage HB-1s than the new HB-2. Maybe I'm missing something...

https://shop.guildguitars.com/product/guild-hb-1-bridge-pickup-nickel/?v=7516fd43adaa

 

[jp]

jp, have you tried the HB-1 reissues? I haven't, but it seems likely that they're more like vintage HB-1s than the new HB-2. Maybe I'm missing something...

https://shop.guildguitars.com/product/guild-hb-1-bridge-pickup-nickel/?v=7516fd43adaa

I have not. I could also be confused here, but it was my understanding that the new HB-2s GAD is referring to in this post are the new Guild standard humbucking-sized version of the HB-1s found in the new Starfire I, whereas the reissue HB-1s produced in Korea are the same size as the originals and come stock in the NS S-100 Polaras.

I was excited that these new HB-2s would sound like the original HB-1s, and they could be used in all the vintage Guilds that people have modified to fit regular-sized humbuckers. Does that make sense, or am I misunderstanding again, which is totally possible?

 

[GAD]

Sorry for the confusion. HB2s are the new "standard sized" HB1s.

I have a set of NS HB1s, too. I'll open those up and put all three side by side.

 

[DThomasC]

I was excited that these new HB-2s would sound like the original HB-1s, and they could be used in all the vintage Guilds that people have modified to fit regular-sized humbuckers. Does that make sense, or am I misunderstanding again, which is totally possible?

My misunderstanding. When you talked about putting them in vintage Guilds, I thought you meant instruments that were already routed for full size HB-1s.

 

[DThomasC]

I have a set of NS HB1s, too. I'll open those up and put all three side by side.

I am interested in how they compare to vintage HB-1s. But, they're not that expensive. If I don't know how they compare it's on me.

 

[jp]

Sorry for the confusion. HB2s are the new "standard sized" HB1s.

I have a set of NS HB1s, too. I'll open those up and put all three side by side.

Ok--that's what I thought. And yes, that sure is a lot of wax for one pickup. Sheesh!

 

[GAD]

The rabbit hole deepens. I opened up a Newark St. HB1 from 2017 so I could put them all side by side. Shown here from left to right are:

Vintage HB1
Newark St. HB1
Newark St. HB2

First, I'm impressed at the detail in the NS HB1 copy. Though the slugs aren't square, the spots for them are, though those square spots are actually only cosmetic as the holes are round. The outer dimensions of the NS HB1 coils are the same as the vintage. The NS HB2 coils are not the same. I will try to get measurements of each coil on each pickup. I seem to remember being unable to do that on the vintage HB1 but I don't remember why. We'll see.

This is also the first time I noticed that the slug coil on the vintage HB1 seems to have less winds than the screw coil. That may not be true since the wire may be different and the center of the coil may be a different size, but there's definitely something going on there, but this is the pickup I tore down for my Blog so I can't exactly confirm that it's as it should be. Once i confirm that I have another NS HB1 (I have a replacement HB2 on the way) I'll go ahead and remove all wax and tape, tear down the two NS pickups and see what I can see.

 

[GGJaguar]

Once i confirm that I have another NS HB1 (I have a replacement HB2 on the way) I'll go ahead and remove all wax and tape, tear down the two NS pickups and see what I can see.

I'll get the popcorn ready!

 

[GAD]

I just remembered that I have a couple sets of 4-wire HB1s from 1994 or so. They measure as follows:

Both coils: 7.05k
Black/Orange Coil: 3.52k
Red/Orange Coil: 3.53k

I measured both in a pair and they were identical down to the second decimal.

I have not opened one of those up so I can't say if they're built the same way as the '70s HB1s.

 

[HumbertoGillan]

I think that they doesn't sound bad at all, i like the fact that the bridge pickup doesn't have that midrange honkiness of standard humbuckers, that's also what i like about HB-1s.

 

[Guildedagain]

I've never seen that much wax in a pickup before, a waste actually, you're supposed to immerse the pickup in reasonably hot wax for a few minutes, and then let it drain.

 

[Default]

The LB-1s are also in a solid block of wax. It must be quicker not to drain them off.