Whitestrat
New member
I got a nice R7BB recently, and the pickups were so-so... The electronics were what they were. Nothing to write home about. Yep, there. I said it. The Gibson Stock Burstbuckers 1 & 2 were nothing to write home about.
So I did what I usually do for these cases. I ordered an RS kit to replace the electronics. This would sort out the controls for me easily.
I went for the Polyproplene caps rather than the usual PIO that people tend to like for vintage tones. These are clearer and more transparent.
They have since arrived, and I'm trying to find some time to throw them in.
However, the pickups are still something I needed to sort out. I already have the vintage tones captured on my chambered standard by Skatterbrane, and those honestly made my R7 sound bad in comparison. So bad to the extent that I shelved my R7 for days until the electronics came, and I had to swap them. But I still needed something in the R7 to redeem it.
So I began the hunt for a nice set of pups. I considered quite a few options. Lollars, Sheptones, WCRs and even thinking of getting a USA Tom Holmes set, since the Japan set was utterly obliterated by Skatterbrane. But I didn't want a standard set of vintage tones again, and was looking for something a little different.
One day I got in touch with Rod Kinkade of Skatterbrane Pickups again, to see if he could recommend something. We spoke about magnets and winds. After much discussion, Rod simply gave up talking to me, and said: "Why not you just leave it to me. I'll shoot for the tone you're after, but leave it to me."
So I did.
My exact description to Rod was:
Now those pickups are on their way, and honestly, I have no friggin' clue what Rod has made for me. I only know they are double black bobbins, with gold screws and gold pole pieces just in case I want to remove the gold covers one day. I've asked him a few times now, and he still refuses to tell me what he did. Only after I've installed them, and if I like them would he tell me what he did.
Oh well... The painful wait begins...
So I did what I usually do for these cases. I ordered an RS kit to replace the electronics. This would sort out the controls for me easily.
I went for the Polyproplene caps rather than the usual PIO that people tend to like for vintage tones. These are clearer and more transparent.
They have since arrived, and I'm trying to find some time to throw them in.
However, the pickups are still something I needed to sort out. I already have the vintage tones captured on my chambered standard by Skatterbrane, and those honestly made my R7 sound bad in comparison. So bad to the extent that I shelved my R7 for days until the electronics came, and I had to swap them. But I still needed something in the R7 to redeem it.
So I began the hunt for a nice set of pups. I considered quite a few options. Lollars, Sheptones, WCRs and even thinking of getting a USA Tom Holmes set, since the Japan set was utterly obliterated by Skatterbrane. But I didn't want a standard set of vintage tones again, and was looking for something a little different.
One day I got in touch with Rod Kinkade of Skatterbrane Pickups again, to see if he could recommend something. We spoke about magnets and winds. After much discussion, Rod simply gave up talking to me, and said: "Why not you just leave it to me. I'll shoot for the tone you're after, but leave it to me."
So I did.
My exact description to Rod was:
Now those pickups are on their way, and honestly, I have no friggin' clue what Rod has made for me. I only know they are double black bobbins, with gold screws and gold pole pieces just in case I want to remove the gold covers one day. I've asked him a few times now, and he still refuses to tell me what he did. Only after I've installed them, and if I like them would he tell me what he did.
Oh well... The painful wait begins...
Last edited:
