Alnico V compared to Alnico ll

guitarhobbyist

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Soliciting help from the experts. What are the differences between an Alnico V Gibson Humbucker and an Alnico ll Gibson Humbucker? These would be the Bustbucker series. Thanks.
 
The Burstbucker Pro is AL-V and comes in #1 and #2

These translate to #2 and #3 Burstbuckers with AL-II magnets. 

Other than magnets, the pickups ON GUITARS are 100 percent identical.  Same spacers, hardware, wire.. bobbins, everything.

Sold seperately, BBPro is wax potted, while BB is not wax potted.

Tone wise... The Pro has a bit more "kick" or "bite", but not really that much.  Just a little more sizzle.  I've got em on my 333 and LP and in Vics Tele and in mine too.  They're just a little bit hotter, just a little bit more sizzly (not sparkly, but sizzly... upper upper mids)




 
So CB was giving me input on the Gibson BurstBucker series pick ups. Here is what he had to say:

The BB3 is AlNiCo II

The BBPro#2 is Alnico V

The BB3 is wound the same as the BBPro#2
The BB2 is wound the same as the BBPro#1

The difference is the magnets, at least in current production.  The very first BBPro's were wound with a different thinner coated wire, but this is not available any more for production.  They use it in the custom shop pickups only from what I've been told.  Gibson has their pickup winding done in Elgin Illinois, and the inhouse stuff they do "can" be one offs and such.  Production is more or less uniform... thats for those used in regular guitars and for pickups sold all by themselves.

BB3's are a loud pickup.  Soft highs.


I settled on the Burstbucker 3 in the bridge position and man it sounds awesome now. Before I was mainly using the neck pick up and now I can't bring myself to flip the switch up. It really brought out the sound I knew was in there somewhere. Glad I went with it, thanks again CB!
 
Hey guitarhobbyist, we have been looking for a long time for a CB translator, Thanks for volunteering, keep it up
 
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