Active Humbucker
Active Humbucker
Why Gibson Humbucker Guitar Strings Are The Best!
This is a new line of electric guitar string from the Gibson Guitar co. called Gibson Gear, Elgin, Illinois U.S.A. It's new to me...
I've written articles calling the Gibson electric guitar string "the best" actually; they're my favorite electric guitar strings. Like I've said before, "I've used most of the major string brands and I play all the time. Also, I know it's been said time and again "that guitar strings have so much in common that there's no discernable difference between the various brands of strings". I can understand this sentiment, yet I've come to understand a few things regarding the manufacturing and the elements involved making the string do what it does.
Things like, cover to core ratio, (the gauge or diameter of the wire used for the strings). If you were to put a thicker core the string would seem to have a stiff feel, where if you'd use a thinner core wire the string would be feel loose and seem to bend more easily. Too much in either direction, and the string doesn't work for anyone. The same for the alloys or types or metal used to make the string effects the sound and feel.
I was a die-hard steel wrapped string guy since the early eighties starting with Bill Laurence steel wrap guitar strings; I switched to The Gibson "Live Wires" and fell in love with the punch and (feel and sound) consistency not so much the gauge. Later, when the "Vintage Re-Issue" nickel wrapped string came out, I tried those and found that they felt smooth on my fingers and, the strings tended to have a different response and sound which I thought was interesting. I guess the nickel wrap with the plain steel strings made me feel like my solos kicked in the high places. And, I switched to those. You know, I liked the way those strings sounded. There was a nice decay and not too much spike compared to a shorter decay and higher spike like I felt with NPS ("Brite Wires"), yet there was a problem. The nickel cover was a very soft one so I'd encounter fret wear immediately. And, the string would lose tone.
The GIBSON HUMBUCKER strings are made to be more alive or easier for the pick-up to respond to. The package says, "The only guitar string optimized for the humbucking pickup, Gibson Humbucking guitar strings utilize a special composite core wire and a specially formulated wrap wire. This design offers a unique magnetic formulation to make the most of dual-coil high-output pickups". They sure write purdy.
I don't use high-output pickups; I use the Gibson '57 Classic" and "Classic Plus" pickups on my Gibson "Explorer" (called my Frankenfiddle). These strings felt good and the tone had a good blend and consistency between the wrapped and plain strings. I just put the strings on my guitars, the "Explorer" and 56 "Les Paul "Jr. (different pickups) forgot about it until I was on stage and rocking. I've been using the "Brite Wires" for the last few years Gibson has discontinued the steel wrap ("Live Wires") because I couldn't afford to change my strings every single show for a good while there. Which made the "Vintage Re-issue" a no go. Since then I've never wanted to play strings that have no sound after the show. Too much hassle. And, the "Brite Wires" sound, was a good sound, everything was there. Nothing jumped out to me and I found myself just "playing guitar".
So here I am, playing a show and noticed the tone. Plus, my fingers felt different smacking those wires. The rest of the night was fun and "in the moment". The next week I called Gil Pini at Gibson Gear in Elgin to ask him what was up with these "bad boys" and he hipped me to the extra iron in those "kickin' rockers".
I don't have any "insider details" concerning the "Gibson Humbucker" electric guitar strings. I know they are sealed for protection from oxidization for the elements as all their (Gibson Gear) strings are. These are my immediate reflections as an experienced performing musician, guitarist, and still.... A fan!! Keep up the fantastic work, guys. You ROCK!!!!
When I find out more about the "Gibson Humbucker" electric guitar strings I'll let you know.
Peace, and find your MUSE,
Michael Tafoya
p.s. I'm not affiliated with Gibson Guitar I'm a fan and customer.
About the Author
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Hey, would mixing these 2 humbuckers be good for my guitar?
a Seymour Duncan Blackout Active Humbucker & an EMG-81 (X or regular what ever u think) Active Humbucker, i play nothing but metal...& i was wandering wuld this be a good thing to mix these 2 together? where wuld i put them?
yes, you can. Since they are both Active Pickups. Not exactly sure how that will work out with the electronics, but it is possible. I just saw this guy on youtube post a video with this type of set up. Check him out here is his ID: ivonnamfhm
I was wondering the exact same thing, but i would rather buy one guitar with blackouts and one with EMG's to get the best of both worlds.
Active Humbucker
GuitarHeads Active Humbucker Pickup Demo by Dean Cascione
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EMG 89 Active Humbucker Pickup with Coil Tap $119 The EMG-89 is truly two pickups in one; single and dual-coil with two separate outputs. With the single flip of a switch you can change from the crunch of a humbucker to the clarity of a single-coil. Using alnico magnets, the single-coil mode is like that of the EMG-SA, and the humbucking is patterned after the EMG-85. The tone modes can be selected with the included push-pull volume control switch or with a mini-toggle. |
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EMG 60 Active Humbucker Pickup $99 By combining ceramic magnets with a narrow aperture, the EMG-60 has increased sensitivity and high-frequency response. The 60 features the attack of a single-coil with the power and the punch of a humbucking pickup. In the mid-to-high frequency range, EMG gave the harmonics a boost. There's more high end in the EMG-60 than you would expect from any humbucking pickup. With a distinctive tone for soloing, the 60 works equally well for singing leads or for melody chording. |
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EMG 60X Active Humbucker Pickup $109 The EMG 60-X provides increased headroom giving the voicing an organic and open tone while still maintaining the clarity and response that EMG's are renowned for. The 60-X packs plenty of output with a balance of tones that is classic-thick. |
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EMG 85 Active Humbucker Pickup $99 The remarkable EMG-85 has a smooth and full-bodied attack with a rich background of high-mid harmonics for outstanding lead voicing. Its wide-spread alnico magnets give it a full midrange with a bottom end that's clear and powerful. Through string bends, double note bends, vibrato, or long harmonic sustain the output remains solidly true. At high output, the distortion quality is powerfully live for expressive lead phrasing. |
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EMG 81-X Active Humbucker Pickup $109 The EMG 81-X provides increased headroom giving the voicing an organic and open tone while still maintaining the clarity and response that EMG's are renowned for. Utilizing powerful ceramic magnets and close aperture coils and powered by a newly designed preamp, the 81-X shines with detailed intensity, incredible amounts of high end cut and fluid sustain. |
What Goes Into Making An Electric Guitar?
The idea of this article on making your own electric guitar is to give you a real, practical idea of the magnitude of the job and the skills, tools and raw materials needed to make your own electric guitar. The original electric guitar was a railway sleeper with strings. The designer, Les Paul, finally marketed his invention with a guitar shape because he felt that was what people expected of an electric guitar, not because any particular shape was really necessary to make music. One thing you need to get straight on now is you will not save money by making your own guitar. If you want a cheap electric guitar, there's one with your name on it at your nearest music store.
So if you fancy yourself as a designer, you could try making an electric guitar to your own specifications but you will need certain materials to work with. The first thing you will need is a love of working with wood. The second is an arsenal of power tools like drills, routers, saws, and fiddly bits of hardware. Your environment is also crucial. You will need a workspace which is not too hot or cold or wet or dry!
When you design your home made electric guitar, you will need to know how long your neck is going to be and how far apart your frets will be. You will also have a choice of the basic shape of the head of your guitar - the part that holds the tuning pegs.
You probably already know that a pickup near the neck gives a deeper sound than a pickup close to the bridge. The placement and configuration of the pickups on an electric guitar is a science in itself.
Solid body electric guitars are usually made from maple, ash, mahogany, alder, basswood or nut because they possess proven sound qualities for guitar manufacturing. You will need to buy your wood from a sawmill in lengths rather larger than needed for guitar making, and you will need to cut the wood down to size before making your guitar. You will also need hardware like machine heads, pick guards, fret wire, bridge and whammy bar mechanism. You will also need hardware if you use a bolt-on neck.
For the electronic parts of your electric guitar, you will need pickups - single coil or humbucker, shielding to cut down hum and associated knobs, nuts and grommets.
The first job in making your own electric guitar is making a template of your instrument from plywood. The template is your exact pattern for your finished guitar, and needs to be crafted with care. If you find yourself cutting corners at this stage you may as well stop this project and continue with the home brewing you started two winters ago.
To finish off this short essay, I should mention that there exists another solution for people wanting to make their own electric guitar - the electric guitar kit. As an example, the Yamaha EG-112PF Electric Guitar Kit contains: EGP112 Electric Guitar 2 Single coil pickups 1 Humbucking pickup Vintage vibrato system 5 position pickup switch Tremolo bar Master Volume and Master Tone controls Maple neck Chrome closed tuning hardware Bolt-on neck construction Rosewood fingerboard Basswood body No coil split Scale length: 25-1/2" (648 mm) Nut width: 1-5/8" (41mm) Radius: 13-3/4 (350 mm) Frets: 22 Color: Black with white pick guard Guitar cable included GA10 Amplifier 7 watts of power 5" speaker Volume, Tone Bass, Distortion / Clean controls Headphone jack Dimensions: 10.4" (w) x 10.0" (h) x 6.4" (d) Complete Starter Kit Electronic tuner - YT120 Special Yamaha gig bag Extra set of strings Picks Strap with Yamaha logo String winder Capo Guitar method book. I found it on Amazon while looking through 1,320,000 results for a Google search on "electric guitar kits"! Best of luck!
About the Author
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Active Humbucker