Replacing that Fat Bastard!

[-CB-]

Well, I went and ordered a Gibson BB#3 today.

Its gonna replace the Fat Bastard.

The FB just cannot keep up with the P90.  After talking to Rio Grande, they pretty much confirmed it, and added that the regular bastard is brighter, but even less powerful.

So... the BB#3 is known quantity, a good one at that, and I'm very happy with it in the BFG-LP.  Vic got a BB#2 in his, and that worked out well too.  Toss up #2 or #3... I decided #3 "just because".

And that means the FB goes for sale here.....

 

[Ted]

I had the BB Pro in my Faded 2005 Paul and they were quite good, but a bit too dark for me. I then replaced them with Bareknuckle VHII's and rewired with Vitamin Q's and whilst it improved clarity still didn't really like the guitar so I sold it.

 

[-CB-]

I'm not sure what G is doing with BB Pros.  The ones I stuck in my ES-333 are rather bright and "kicky", have good bite.  But, folks on the LPF say they're too bright, or too dark, or "just right".  That suggests some product variability, and it could be "wrong magnets" or any of a number of issues.  The folks in Elgin who make them are none too bright (I've dealt with them.... monkey-boys all...).

My LP-Std has Gibson Tak Matsumoto pickups in it.  It was supposed to have BB Pro zebra coils.  When they did the promo pictures at Nashville - they built the guitars with BB-Tak #1 and #2 (as they called).  Thats because the creme/black coils are reversed, and thats what Gibson had on hand "that looked the same" as the ones they were going to build.  When the BB-Pro reversed zebra pickups were ready (they're made in Elgin, Illinois) and production was made, they accidentally put some BB Tak pickups into about 200 guitars.  Of those, about 40-60 snuck out of Nashville to dealers, and the rest were reworked at Nashville.  I've got one of the escapees!  And it sounds GREAT!

The BB#2 and BB#3 are nice.  I dont see a whole lot of difference in them, except perhaps the #3 is just a hair darker.

Generally, I like the Gibson HB's, mostly because they are a very "known item" and you've got a decent line to choose from.