• Crave1
  • Crave1
  • Bronze Member
  • Offline
  • From: Cheshire, England
  • Registered: 2012-03-27
  • Posts: 45

Topic: Epi Pro Bucker (2012) Vs Gibson Burstbucker V (2002)

Game over..........

The clue is in the ads.

".....inspired by Gibson's legendary Burstbuckers"

The key word is "inspired" (I'm inspired by Joe and plenty of other guitarists but I will always sound like me).

My mate brought around his new Epi LP Standard Pro - I slung a new set of 010's on for him (hey, it's Christmas) and set it up. The guitar plays pretty good as is (i'd have one for live duties) but I was interested in the sonic comparrison so I got my mate to do a back to back test with my Gibby 02 LP Standard.

On it's own, the Epi with Pro Buckers will stand it's ground with pretty much anything but set the cousin up against the Daddy and quite honestly the confidence the 02 gave my mate just improved his playing and tone so much.

Bottom line, the Burstbucker tone has a life of it's own and jumps out of the speakers, the Probucker is better than the usual Epi fare and is ok tonewise, it's just a tad flat and uninspiring.

Now, on to my post Christmas experiment - ditching the over powering high output V2 pickup out of the bridge of my 84 Ibanez Destroyer DT555 (The "Phill Collen" effort) and flying in an IronGear Blues Engine (Alnico IV) with an Orange Drop .022 cap.

I'll see if I can get some comparrision audio/pictures  together for before and afters

Cheers

Have a great New Year everybody

Crave1's Website

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Epi Pro Bucker (2012) Vs Gibson Burstbucker V (2002)

I was wondering about those pickups.  I've learned over the years it might be wire and magnets but its all in the process or the people who are doing the process weather it is a killer pickup or an average run of the mill.  The high end price on most pickups is too much, but 9 times out of 10 you have peace of mind that they are going to sound good.  The 84 Destroyer sounds like a cool project I look forward to seeing some clips.

AD3THREE's Website

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Epi Pro Bucker (2012) Vs Gibson Burstbucker V (2002)

Uninspiring corporate pickups are wound by a machine. A tensioner keeps the same amount of tension of the wire, while a traverse makes the wire go on evenly. Easy to replicate, and nothing stands out about the sound.

Better sounding pickups vary in winding pattern, and don't go on as even. Tension can also vary. Those two aspects can give each pickup its own personality.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool