9380 Members
50 Forums
26839 Topics
293692 Posts
Max Online: 390 @ 10/02/12 01:42 PM
|
|
|
#286281 - 15/07/11 07:29 AM
Hi, anyone tried Ironstone pickups?
|
Megi
Old Timer
Registered: 08/07/11
Posts: 1271
Loc: Lincolnshire
|
Hi everyone, I'm just a recent joiner of the forum. But wanting to ask if anyone here has any experience with Ironstone pickups: Ironstone pickups . The price seems almost ridiculously cheap to me, but then it's easy to make subjective claims about the sound/quality of pickups, so I wonder if they are really any good. Probably worth a punt given the price, but does anyone already have some in a guitar? Cheers!
_________________________
Graham, jazz guitar nut!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#286284 - 15/07/11 10:22 AM
Re: Hi, anyone tried Ironstone pickups?
[Re: stickyfiddle]
|
Megi
Old Timer
Registered: 08/07/11
Posts: 1271
Loc: Lincolnshire
|
That's pretty much what I thought too, but who knows, maybe they really are a bargain. Wish I had a strat to put a set in, but I do need one strat type single coil for a guitar build I'm embarking on, so I might just buy a set anyway. I agree they just can't be made over here though at the price.
_________________________
Graham, jazz guitar nut!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#286495 - 24/07/11 11:50 AM
Re: Hi, anyone tried Ironstone pickups?
[Re: The Tiggs]
|
Megi
Old Timer
Registered: 08/07/11
Posts: 1271
Loc: Lincolnshire
|
Let us know how you get on - at that price they might be just the thing to beef up my pacifica.
_________________________
Graham, jazz guitar nut!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#286594 - 27/07/11 01:00 PM
Re: Hi, anyone tried Ironstone pickups?
[Re: The Tiggs]
|
Megi
Old Timer
Registered: 08/07/11
Posts: 1271
Loc: Lincolnshire
|
Those Voltage pick ups should be excellent at that price - let us know / hear them when you have fitted them.
I think the whole pickup market is over-priced for what is a coil of wire round a magnet - hardly hi-tech is it?
_________________________
Graham, jazz guitar nut!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#286608 - 28/07/11 06:18 AM
Re: Hi, anyone tried Ironstone pickups?
[Re: Adesmitty]
|
Oldjono
Professional Forumite!
Registered: 15/09/09
Posts: 852
Loc: Dorset
|
A hand wound pick up will usually be inherently different from a machine wound one. That's what seems to be the main focus on boutique or high-end pups.
It's like the argument between Ceramic and Alnico magnets. Ceramic bar magnets are usually fitted to budget Guitars like Squier and far eastern manufactured ones. However, Mexican built Fenders also have Ceramic magnets in them and to a novice player they would not really know the difference.
The other issue with pups is the resistance factors. On a budget guitar they usually just plonk two or three of the same pups into a guitar aside from the actual width 50s for the neck and 52s for the bridge etc. As a rule, the three pups on a Strat style guitar are all resistance different too. The pups resistance is lower for the neck, slightly higher for the middle and higher for the bridge say for example 5.4 x 5.8 x 6.5. Whilst there are no rules the differences are because of the string vibrations. With Ceramic magnet fitted pups the resistances can be higher because the steel poles act as the conductor from the string to the bar magnet on the bottom of the pup, as opposed to the poles that are Alnico magnet type themselves. Also there is a big divide between those who prefer staggered poles and flat level poles.
Ceramic magnets are supposed to produce a higher output and a more toppy tone whereas the Alnico type produce a softer more rounded tone.
Are high-end pups inherently better than the budget variety? Give David Gilmore any Strat and he will sound like he does regardless of the guitar, because half of his tone is the way he plays it.
The old adage is... Ya pays ya money...
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#286655 - 30/07/11 02:12 AM
Re: Hi, anyone tried Ironstone pickups?
[Re: Oldjono]
|
Megi
Old Timer
Registered: 08/07/11
Posts: 1271
Loc: Lincolnshire
|
Cheers OJ - I think you have some similar thoughts to mine. Yes, a handwound pickup is different, but does that necessarily equate to better? Well, it may well do for many people, but beauty is in the eye/ear of the beholder, so it would seem to me that it is perfectly possible to actually prefer the sound of a machine-wound pickup.
Another example is the ceramic magnets you mention - some people might actually like the sharper, toppier sound they give (maybe for some types of blues? who knows) - fair enough I would say.
I don't suppose Gilmore uses budget pickups on his Guitars, but I do agree with your point - probably at least half (or more I would think) of his tone is in his fingers, so I'm sure that's true.
I got a Voltage pickup set on Ebay for a very good price for hand-wound, British made (I won't say what) but they now seem to have removed the ads - so that avenue is closed (a shame, I was thinking of getting another set in for a future project) They still have them through their website though. So anyway, now I'm looking at the Ironstones again with interest, especially after Adesmitty's positive review above.
Edited by Megi (30/07/11 02:13 AM)
_________________________
Graham, jazz guitar nut!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Moderator: stickyfiddle
|
|
FREE Pre Sale
Personalised Setup worth £55
On every guitar sold (Since
1995)
Click on the Images For Further
Details
Acoustic Guitar Setup
Electric Guitar Setup
I have also created a page to help
explain, in basic terms, why a guitar sold by me will:
Play Better
Sound Better
Feel Better
Look Better
Stay In Tune - Longer Whether buying a guitar or otherwise, I hope you find the
information of value.
|
|
|
|
