$1,000 Electronics in a $300 Jackson

[Cygnus X1]

Hooked up a really cool deal with a truly passionate boutique pickup craftsman,
Dave Stephens:

http://www.sdpickups.com/

He needed someone to build an amp for him, and I wanted some pickups.

I had NO IDEA just how great a REALLY good pickup could sound!
Closest available guitar was one of my frequent players, a Jap Jackson DKMGT so I put two of his humbuckers in there.
He recommends highest quality pots, so I used three of my 1953 Stackpole 500K's (those are 200 bucks each), and a true 50's Bumblebee tone cap.

He reports he is thrilled with the amp (a modded Cyg-7), and I have two more of his pickups to put in my LP copy.

So...I have been busy.
Along with working on another Cygnus, a 2x6L6 version.

Can't wait to try his VL3 and PF Star pickups!

[micha]

There's volumepots worth 200 bucks? wtf...

[Cygnus X1]

There's volumepots worth 200 bucks? wtf...

Yes, I couldn't believe it either.
Google 50's Stackpole pots and see what comes up.

[Cygnus X1]

On the other two Stephens Design pups,
Stephens Design VL3 and PF Star:

What an AWESOME combination!
Carefully installed them in an LP knockoff (hey, it's not too bad, better than the Aria Pro I used to have....)

The VL3 sounded really thin at first until I dialed it in to the guitar, adjusting the polepieces and blending it
to the volume of the PF Star.

Used 50's style wiring, independent volumes, .015 PIO in the bridge and .027 BB in the neck.
CTS and Stackpole 500K pots.

I had a grand time dialing in my own Cyg-7 (combo, but plugged into a slant 4x12).
I did NOT have a good first impression due to the downright muddiness of the old (Puke) Epiphone pickups.
Now she is warmed up, quiet as a church mouse, and indescribable for natural tone.

I had to look twice at my gains...they were both at "7" and the guitar was singing.
I love that sound!

[Grim]

Hey Cygnus, would you happen to have any clips of one of your amps? I'd be interested it hearing one.

[Cygnus X1]

Uh, somewhere.

Crappy, but let me hunt around.
I'm a better builder than player!

[wanthairspray]

Surely a Dimarzio or CTS pot would be just as good as one of these $200 pots? Surely? How are 50 year old pots better than modern made ones?

I nearly got some pups from Stephens, but went with Brian Gunsher (bgpickups) in the end. I was warned of a few months waiting time, however, it's been 6 months and I don't have my pups yet...

[Cygnus X1]

Dave usually delivers in two weeks.
Check Ebay.

Yeah, the prices on vintage pots, parts, and some tubes is absolutely nuts.
I like Alpha for new pots.
I bought a bunch of old amps from PA's and organs from a guy here in Columbia that was cleaning house, so I picked up a lot of those.
One Hammond had Mullard 12AX7's in it, tested strong.
He kind of hinted he wanted those (look up THOSE prices)!
I tried them out and wasn't THAT impressed so I gave them back to him.
Whatever floats yer boat I suppose.

But the pups are worth the money charged.
Good stuff.

[Grim]

Uh, somewhere.

Crappy, but let me hunt around.
I'm a better builder than player!

Please, don't go out of your way. Merely curious.

[Cygnus X1]

Please, don't go out of your way. Merely curious.

OK!

But remember you asked for it....

Here's all of my clips:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=814050&content=music

[RacerX]

Alrighty then!

[Cygnus X1]