ProBuckers... WOW. I never really gave them much of a chance, before.

[DHart]

In all but one of my current 5 Epiphones, I've replaced the ProBucker (or AlNiCo Classic in my ES-339) pickups... thinking that USA-made pickups had to be better. Certainly different, in the case of Firebird, T-Armond, Wolfetone Dr. V pickups.

On the one Epi (an ES-Les Paul) that still has the ProBucker pickups, I removed the covers yesterday.

And now, I have to fully admit that I find the tone of these pickups to be outstanding - every bit the quality of Gibson and other USA-made pickups. And they sound awesome.

As has been reported elsewhere, ProBuckers use Gibson specs all the way, from 18% nickel-silver covers & baseplates, to Elecktrasol wire, sand-cast A2 magnets, same spec screw poles and slugs. And, a blind test reported elsewhere turned up experienced listeners couldn't discern Gibson from Epiphone ProBuckers.

While I'm glad to have Firebird, T-Armond, and Dr. V pickups in four of my Epiphones, because they each have a great tone of their own, I'm just as thrilled to have the uncovered ProBuckers in this Transparent-Black ES-Les Paul.

 

[Raiyn]

They're a good reason to not mod your Epiphone. It used to be that a guy would buy an Epi and replace everything. Now, you largely don't need to.

 

[Darkness]

I still see the Tele.

 

[Noodling Guitars]

In all but one of my current 5 Epiphones, I've replaced the ProBucker (or AlNiCo Classic in my ES-339) pickups... thinking that USA-made pickups had to be better. Certainly different, in the case of Firebird, T-Armond, Wolfetone Dr. V pickups.

On the one Epi (an ES-Les Paul) that still has the ProBucker pickups, I removed the covers yesterday.

And now, I have to fully admit that I find the tone of these pickups to be outstanding - every bit the quality of Gibson and other USA-made pickups. And they sound awesome.

As has been reported elsewhere, ProBuckers use Gibson specs all the way, from 18% nickel-silver covers & baseplates, to Elecktrasol wire, sand-cast A2 magnets, same spec screw poles and slugs. And, a blind test reported elsewhere turned up experienced listeners couldn't discern Gibson from Epiphone ProBuckers.

While I'm glad to have Firebird, T-Armond, and Dr. V pickups in four of my Epiphones, because they each have a great tone of their own, I'm just as thrilled to have the uncovered ProBuckers in this Transparent-Black ES-Les Paul.

I actually saw on a forum somewhere where someone replaced their Gibby pickups with probuckers cause they liked them more! At the end of the day, if the pickups function properly and give you the tone you want, that's all that matters.

OT - how do you get such beautiful shots of your guitars?

 

[BGood]

I actually saw on a forum somewhere where someone replaced their Gibby pickups with probuckers cause they liked them more! At the end of the day, if the pickups function properly and give you the tone you want, that's all that matters.

OT - how do you get such beautiful shots of your guitars?

I'm just about to replace the 490s in my Gibson SG Tribute with a set of Probuckers 2&3.

 

[BlueSquirrel]

What is it that you like better in the Probuckers compared to the 490s?

 

[Noodling Guitars]

For me, I don't like them more or less than other PAF style humbuckers - rather its another flavor to choose from. I like how the Probuckers seem to let through a bit more of the treble frequencies than other similar spec'd humbuckers, which lends well particularly in the neck position.

 

[jam]

question ( almost off topic)
are the producers on ebay real or are they just cheap copies?
I have an old 2014 that has a less that good sounding set of pickups and I would like to replace them "without spending a fortune"

 

[Noodling Guitars]

question ( almost off topic)
are the producers on ebay real or are they just cheap copies?
I have an old 2014 that has a less that good sounding set of pickups and I would like to replace them "without spending a fortune"

I think one thing that we all agree on is that they're not official products.

Whether they're copies, unauthorized items sold by people that got them from the OEM factories, fakes made by people that bought parts (i.e. the Epiphone baseplate) and pieces from different factories and assembled them to sell, or a combination of any of the above, is really anyone's guess. Those sellers are always going to tell you they're real, and it really just boils down to luck (and whether you want to use your money to take the gamble).

You might be better off getting a pair from someone else who's ripped theirs out or look into some other brands like GFS or Guitar Madness or something along those lines (others probably have better suggestions) that offer similar pickups in that price range.

 

[BlueSquirrel]

Or Tonerider, maybe?

Anyway, I remember really enjoying the sound of the Probuckers - especially for blues - when I had an Epiphone Les Paul Standard (too bad that guitar was a little too heavy!). And if you lowered the mids on your amp, you could get closer to Slash's tones, which was cool!

 

[BGood]

What is it that you like better in the Probuckers compared to the 490s?

I have a set of Probuckers 1&2 in another SG and they have it sounding like a SG is supposed to, from almost Tele twang to roaring tones, all with great definition, even more so than the Burstbuckers in my Epi '59. In this one.



The 490s in the Tribute are dark, can't get anything fun out of the 490R, even buried down in the pickguard.

Remains to be seen how the 2&3 will do in the Tribute. Maybe the guitar itself is dark. I've had an Epi Vintage SG that was like that. Whatever pickups I tried in it, it always sounded dark. Too bad because it was beautiful. That one.



What are guitar discussions without images, eh ?

 

[BlueSquirrel]

Indeed ! Your SGs are gorgeous!
Well I hope you'll finally get the sound you are looking for !

 

[Raiyn]

question ( almost off topic)
are the producers on ebay real or are they just cheap copies?
I have an old 2014 that has a less that good sounding set of pickups and I would like to replace them "without spending a fortune"

If it ain't sold by Epiphone (ie on their website), or sold as a takeoff here in the states (even then I'd question it) they're FAKE . I don't care what part of of Asia either.

Giving people way too much credit, you can copy literally everything exactly, it can be physically and operationally identical and that's fine and dandy. However, the moment you put a brand that isn't yours on it becomes counterfeit.

Every pickup maker out there has a version of the P.A.F. but they don't go around calling them a Gibson P.A.F.

​

Before anyone decides to be pedantic: Yes, the acronym P.A.F. is also sometimes written as PAF by laypeople leaving the periods out. However, in 1978 the word "PAF" was registered as a trademark by DiMarzio. This registered trademark should not to be confused with original P.A.F. acronym used to describe the original vintage pickups made by Gibson.​

​

Up until recently, the thought of someone buying replacement Epiphone / Squier branded pickups wasn't even something I took seriously. To a degree, I still don't. I gave away my last set to a guy from England for the cost of postage.

I wouldn't spend ≈ $150-$170 for a set of Epi pickups (off the Epi page) when a guy can get a set of DiMarzio's (straight from them) or Seymour Duncan's starting at ≤ $200 for the set (or less if you catch a sale). I paid Epi money for my DiMarzio's buying direct.

look into some other brands like GFS or Guitar Madness or something along those lines (others probably have better suggestions) that offer similar pickups in that price range.

Agreed, those vendors have been around for years at this point and sell decent product. Unless things have changed, Artec was making the pickups for the discount houses like GFS etc. and doing a decent job.

 

[AJ Richetti]

In all but one of my current 5 Epiphones, I've replaced the ProBucker (or AlNiCo Classic in my ES-339) pickups... thinking that USA-made pickups had to be better. Certainly different, in the case of Firebird, T-Armond, Wolfetone Dr. V pickups.

On the one Epi (an ES-Les Paul) that still has the ProBucker pickups, I removed the covers yesterday.

And now, I have to fully admit that I find the tone of these pickups to be outstanding - every bit the quality of Gibson and other USA-made pickups. And they sound awesome.

As has been reported elsewhere, ProBuckers use Gibson specs all the way, from 18% nickel-silver covers & baseplates, to Elecktrasol wire, sand-cast A2 magnets, same spec screw poles and slugs. And, a blind test reported elsewhere turned up experienced listeners couldn't discern Gibson from Epiphone ProBuckers.

While I'm glad to have Firebird, T-Armond, and Dr. V pickups in four of my Epiphones, because they each have a great tone of their own, I'm just as thrilled to have the uncovered ProBuckers in this Transparent-Black ES-Les Paul.

Many like the Epiphone probuckers much more than the Gibson burst buckers simply because they are better pickupe

 

[Raiyn]

Many like the Epiphone probuckers much more than the Gibson burst buckers simply because they are better pickups

A bold take. I like it!

 

[AJ Richetti]

The EPIPHONE Pro buckers are much better than the Gibson burst buckers many like the Epiphone pro buckers a lot more than the Gibson burst buckers..you can buy the Epiphone pro buckers off the Epiphone website $170.00 that's $85.00 a pickup and well worth the price and some

 

[DHart]

I actually saw on a forum somewhere where someone replaced their Gibby pickups with probuckers cause they liked them more! At the end of the day, if the pickups function properly and give you the tone you want, that's all that matters.

OT - how do you get such beautiful shots of your guitars?

It starts with a high quality camera and then good editing skills in post-processing. (I'm a retired commercial photographer - which gives me some benefit in imaging work.)

 

[DHart]

I'm just about to replace the 490s in my Gibson SG Tribute with a set of Probuckers 2&3.

Not sure why, but the Gibson 490s I had in one of my Gibson Les Pauls never really "clicked" with me. I do like Classic '57s and BurstBuckers are good, too.

 

[DHart]

For me, I don't like them more or less than other PAF style humbuckers - rather its another flavor to choose from. I like how the Probuckers seem to let through a bit more of the treble frequencies than other similar spec'd humbuckers, which lends well particularly in the neck position.

Simply speaking from my own experience... it is important to MY sound that a neck pickup be transparent, clean, clear, detailed, articulate, and a bit sparkly - offering a wide tonal spectrum of tone, not dark nor muffled sounding.

With a tonally-rich, sparkly bright pickup, one can always roll off the tone knob a touch, if need be. But if the rich, full-spectrum of tone and sparkle isn't there to begin with... that's not a neck pickup that I enjoy playing. In that regard, and to that end, I typically remove a humbucker's cover and use volume pots of at least 500k+, and No-Load tone pots. Caps at .015uF. Play wide-open, or roll-back the tone pots, a touch, if desired.

 

[DHart]

The 490s in the Tribute are dark, can't get anything fun out of the 490R, even buried down in the pickguard.

Remains to be seen how the 2&3 will do in the Tribute. Maybe the guitar itself is dark.

Each guitar definitely has a tone signature. Some guitar bodies are wonderfully bright and others are just inherently dark.

I have a Gibson Les Paul Traditional that remains a little bit dark even with a bump up to sparkly, non-wax-potted pickups. With that guitar, to achieve more high-end sparkle (if that is desired) I will need to go with higher resistance pots and a no-load tone pot.

Alternatively, it is possible to brighten a dark sounding pickup by wiring a capacitor in series with the hot lead of the pickup. But that's addressing the pickups's tone signature, not the guitar's. Can't really change the tone character of a guitar body, but you can address that with electronics and pickup changes!