Original Bill Lawrance Pickups??

[slayer]

Anyone using the OBL pickups in their guitars? I am interested in buying a new 500 for the bridge of one of my guitars, but don`t know the differences in sounds of the 500Regular-500Lead and 500 Extra Lead? I don`t want an icepick sound, wichever one has the best chunk with good bass and treble, I can`t stand too many mids. Thanks-Jack.

[LRGman]

Re: Original Bill Lawrance Pickups??

I have one-whatever came in the 93-94 era bolt ons is the one you don't want


I love it and the reason why is it is really bright and tightens up my bass heavy recto- So if you know what this is its not for you- I am going to change strings and adjust the truss this weekend and I will pop it out, but the other one I have is not marked-

Its mid heavy in comparison to a emg-85 and a duncan JB- I really don't think its heavily mid like the tone zone-but it would be mid heavy in comparison to itself cause the lows aren't there

[necrotechno]

Re: Original Bill Lawrance Pickups??

Check out the discussion forum on Bill's site. His designs are more about brightening (sharpening, honing, defining, whatever you want to call it) the single-coil and P-90 sounds, and recently even discontinued products that were maybe too close to the more rounded PAF sounds. I don't want to deter anyone from buying his pickups, because I love them myself, but I will tell you that they're not right for everybody.

[sambencuda]

Re: Original Bill Lawrance Pickups??

Jack, I've bought a few L500-XL's in the past year or so for a few projects and if you like EMG's, it's a good pickup for you. It's as close to an EMG that a passive can get IMO.

[RacerX]

Re: Original Bill Lawrence Pickups??

Jack, I got an extra one I was gonna sell. If you want I can send it to ya for shipping only to see if you like it. It's a Wacjman L500XL; if you don't know what that means, check the past BL threads!

[toejam]

Re: Original Bill Lawrance Pickups??

[ QUOTE ]
I have one-whatever came in the 93-94 era bolt ons is the one you don't want


[/ QUOTE ]The ones that came in Jacksons are NOT the real Bill Lawrence pickups anyway. They're imitations made by his old partner. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[slayer]

Re: Original Bill Lawrance Pickups??

Thanks guys. Hey X, i am too lazy to look for the thread man, could you explain that a little further? I will take it for Shipping for sure [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] I deffinately don`t want the fake BL pikcups. only the real deal. X is yours the OBL or the Partners? Thanks-Jack.

[guitar08man]

Re: Original Bill Lawrance Pickups??

i put the 500xl in my les paul and it kicks serious ass.

[RacerX]

Re: Original Bill Lawrence Pickups??

A couple of you guys are still confused on this issue. Check this thread:

http://www.jcfonline.com/ubbthreads/...;Number=332730

[LRGman]

Re: Original Bill Lawrence Pickups??

I am totally confused- My thought was that Stew-mac was making bogus lawrence pickups- So are you saying Jackson put counterfit pickups in their guitars?

[j2379]

Re: Original Bill Lawrence Pickups??

LRG...yes that is correct, the Jackson ones are NOT THE BL pickups.
Jack i couldnt agree more with scuda....L500XL as close to a EMG81 in a passive. I really like the 500L its slightly tamer in output but more full sounding, better chunk IMO.

[slayer]

Re: Original Bill Lawrence Pickups??

ya, the 500L may be better for me as I am a heavy Rythym player. Man, which one to try first [img]/images/graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img] Jack.

[necrotechno]

Re: Original Bill Lawrence Pickups??

Check out the Q-Filter on Bill's site. You can wire it to a pot and roll off the inductance, all the way to the L500-C level if you want to (basically meaning, L500-XL plus Q-Filter equals every L500 model). Or you can wire it to a switch and cut back the inductance to a specific level.

[peedenmark7]

Re: Original Bill Lawrence Pickups??

true 'late 80's OBLS sound different than the L500 lawrences, I do like them but theyre much brighter at least to me..., plus you likely will need to look in europe for them because they are scarce in the states unless you part out some of your late 80's hamer for them.

If you are thinking lawrence my recommendation is find yourself a late '70s to mid 80's L500.
they are a good tone morphing pickup....
these pickups can be very bright in some guitars, but the articulation,transparency and attack is incredible,
"IN THE RIGHT GUITAR"
I use them exclusively in my old hamers,theyre bright and tight in mahogany with my '70s marshalls.,
in maple look out , you better play clean cause every mistake you make shines through.
I especially loved them in early '80s basswood bodied kramers, they brought those guitars to life in a way the schallers could never do.
I even used the L500XL's in them and they sounded great, especially in softer wood bodied models...
BUT there is lots to consider, your amp will play a major role in your final tone.

I am sure you know there are 2 different companies fighting over and making the "lawrence L500"
bill [willie stich] is the genious behind this pickup, he and his EX-partner have been at war for years over the name , rights etc.
the L500's with red wire sheath [bills ex makes]as seen with frequency on ebay and the stew mac catalog, are sh!t. STEER CLEAR they are so microphonic its sick.

I will have to say even willies L500 no longer sounds the same because he no longer pots the pickup in epoxy... theyre very close but not 100%.
I recently built a custom warmoth explorer for a friend and had bill send me a pair of his zebra L500's . I like them , my buddy doesnt , its a flame maple neck , ebony board mahogany explorer with sick flame top.. in my '70s marshall the guitar smokes like an old hamer, in his '85 marshall it sounds so so..

if you can live with a double cream pickup [as oldschool double black or zebra coil lawrences are scarce]
check ebay, L500's are up all the time..
the real ones will have a chromed outer casing and silver wire sheath.
jack I hope that helps, its hard to talk pickups without getting long winded and asking a million questions.
gimme a call and we can get nuts talking hamer!

[slayer]

Re: Original Bill Lawrence Pickups??

John, email me with your pnone # at [email protected] Thanks-Jack.