Just, from an academic standpoint, what's @Quantum Strummer stand to gain from making any of this up?
Pickups like the old Guild HB-1?
- Thread starter mad dog
- Start date
Just, from an academic standpoint, what's @Quantum Strummer stand to gain from making any of this up?
fronobulax
Bassist, GAD and the Hot Mess Mods
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Do I need to close this? The disagreement seems to be getting personal.
Quantum Strummer
Senior Member
Maybe, though there's nothing personal here on my part.
Here's my last comment on Maxon's Dry pickups, from a Note doc on my iPad dated May 2017 (when I was in the midst of my Japanese guitar phase). It's related to some of what I've said in this thread. The bracketed comments are those I made to myself at the time.
-Dave-
Nah, I'm enjoying the info and the saltiness is amusing, if anything. I think we all like the same stuff here, anyway (the main reason it's amusing).
Jun Takano talks about the magnet only once, when they decide to change his specifiaction, and never reveals the real characteristics ... Alnico III, Alnico V
"... Ushimaru-san firmly grasped the sound I wanted and we resolved to change the specifications of the magnet ...
Regarding the wire he talks about it twice, and does not reveal the characteristics either (PE or something else) he only says that it was the US-made wire
"... Another proposal came from Ushimaru-san.
There was a small amount of US-made wire that was a sample (for prototyping). Right away we went to making a third prototype ... "
"... The result came out to be extremely close to what I wanted.
Santana ended up trying it out and wanted a set so a few days later I sent them off. "
The second time:
"... I was able to improve the bobbins at the time of the Mint Collection ramp-up but that was the end.
Some time after the new bobbin was introduced the specifications were changed for the worse. The stock of wire ran out and they switched to plain urethane wire but I never had any report of this.
After that rich tone was completely lost, it never came back. "
Jun Takano does not reveal the real features and secrets of Dry-Z. But he sure knows them, and he sure knows what tone he wanted.
One thing is sure, the tone of these pickups is special. At least for most of us.
For the rest: there's a lot of speculation without any evidence on the forums.
"... Ushimaru-san firmly grasped the sound I wanted and we resolved to change the specifications of the magnet ...
Regarding the wire he talks about it twice, and does not reveal the characteristics either (PE or something else) he only says that it was the US-made wire
"... Another proposal came from Ushimaru-san.
There was a small amount of US-made wire that was a sample (for prototyping). Right away we went to making a third prototype ... "
"... The result came out to be extremely close to what I wanted.
Santana ended up trying it out and wanted a set so a few days later I sent them off. "
The second time:
"... I was able to improve the bobbins at the time of the Mint Collection ramp-up but that was the end.
Some time after the new bobbin was introduced the specifications were changed for the worse. The stock of wire ran out and they switched to plain urethane wire but I never had any report of this.
After that rich tone was completely lost, it never came back. "
Jun Takano does not reveal the real features and secrets of Dry-Z. But he sure knows them, and he sure knows what tone he wanted.
One thing is sure, the tone of these pickups is special. At least for most of us.
For the rest: there's a lot of speculation without any evidence on the forums.
DThomasC
Senior Member
So where'd all these quotes come from?
Just here
in 3 parts:
Dry-Z : From the blog of Jun Takano
A translation of a blog entry by Jun Takano of K&T pickups on the development of the DRY-Z pickup at Fujigen for the Greco guitar line manufactured for Kanda Shokai.
japaneseguitars.blogspot.com
.jpg)
Dry-Z : From the blog of Jun Takano Part 2
A translation of a blog entry by Jun Takano of K&T pickups on the development of the DRY-Z pickup at Fujigen for the Greco guitar line manufactured for Kanda Shokai.
japaneseguitars.blogspot.com
DRY-Z Part 3: From the blog of Jun Takano
A blog about vintage and new Tokai, Bacchus, Greco, Navigator, Burny, Orville Japanese guitars including Gibson Les Paul and Fender copies.
japaneseguitars.blogspot.com
Originals:
『Z-DRY part.2』
その頃私は、大手プロモーターのスタッフとかなり親密な付き合いがあり、その彼もギターを弾いていたので外タレのギターに関して色々相談される事も少なくなかった。無論…
ameblo.jp
『Z-DRY part.3』
贅を尽くしたこのピックアップ、この当時輸入ピックアップの人気機種ディマジオより工場の原価が高額で、低価格帯に搭載するのは無理だったが高額機種にはこぞって採用さ…
ameblo.jp
Quantum Strummer
Senior Member
To find my Notes sources start by searching electric city maxon pickup. Put electric city in quotes. The stuff I cut & pasted came from various threads, and there was other pertinent stuff I didn't select.
-Dave-
DThomasC
Senior Member
After reviewing the case, I see no reason to go to trial.
hansmoust
Enlightened Member
Hello Frono,
Maybe you should move the thread to the 'Tech Shop' section. There's hardly anything in this thread that justifies it to be in the 'Solid Body / Chambered' section!
Sincerely,
Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
mavuser
Enlightened Member
almost as special as your blogs that u read on the internet
Jun Takano is the one who created Greco Dry-Z pickups.
The blogs you are talking about are original ARCHIVES from HIS Blog on K&T pickups site ( And a translation of his blog ):
As far as I know, when it comes to HIS pickups , there is no better source than this.
For the rest:
I really like the quality of the HB1s. I think it's one of the best pickups in the world, no problems ... I currently have two S-100s from the 70's and also a few HB1s in my spares ... I also think it is underrated compared to its quality and the sound it produces ...
But I am open for the rest of the world production, especially that of the 70's and early 80's, and especially that made in Japan at that time.
It's quite strange for me to see some very protective reactions here, for no reason.
I can understand that a Guild lover can have doubts about the quality of the guitars and the material coming from Japan ... But, sometimes it's better to be open to the rest of the world.
I don't think anybody here has been denigrating MIJ guitars/pickups. In fact, I think a lot of us are big fans. There might be some difference among us for how much reverence/mystique we afford the builders and their components, but we all seem to love them from a strictly utility value perspective. And yeah, HB-1s are probably my all-time favorite humbuckers, but I've really liked some of the Grecos I've played and whatever is in the Argus is very similar. All bright, articulate, dymanic, responsive pickups. I think all of us here HATE muddy sounding humbuckers and that's gotta account for 95% of all the humbuckers ever made.
Zelja
Senior Member
A friend of mine bought a Japanese 80s Pearl Les Paul copy, you know from the drum makers. I didn't even know that Pearl made guitars! The pickups were uncovered and had the hex screws that you see on some overwound pickups you see that are generally used for heavier music. Much to my surprise these pickups were really great for clean - airy & jangly as well, not overwound at all. Really nice pickups. Have no idea who made them.
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Zelja
Senior Member
^^^^
From memory, those hex HB-1s are overwound though aren't they? 15k DC resistance or something? How do they sound compared to standard HB-1s?
From memory, those hex HB-1s are overwound though aren't they? 15k DC resistance or something? How do they sound compared to standard HB-1s?
- Joined
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I have the box its in marked at 16k. I have not installed it anything, but Grot has a crazy cool '70s S200 with them in it so he may be able to speak to the sound. Actually he has a video in this thread: https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/kurts-1970s-s200.200306/
I had a chrome one that was around 8k and sounded like a normal HB-1.
DThomasC
Senior Member
I have a chrome one that's in the 8k neighborhood. I haven't tried it at all, so can't comment on the sound. One thing that is different from other HB-1's is that it's potted with what seems like epoxy or possibly some kind of urethane.
Pretty sure that's my old one -- I sold it here a few years ago. I did have it in a guitar for a while and it sounded pretty normal (good)