Oil City Pickups: some old friends coming back

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OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9978
in Made in the UK tFB Trader
I've been 'resting' some designs in my range from general sale on my site for a few months. Partly for time reasons ... I'm getting busier and busier, and the more styles I make the less time I get out of the workshop :-)
But ... 
The Buccaneer is back.  My tried and tested Wide Range replacement ... with a few new twists. 

Now known as the Buccaneer II, I've incorporated my own 'mixed magnet' formula that has proved so successful on other pickups ... where treble and bass strings are handled by different grades of alnico to 'tune the pickup's response across the strings.
Coming back too is the Brass Knuckle humbucker ... 
Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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Comments

  • earwighoneyearwighoney Frets: 3488
    Looks great and I'm pleased to see the Brass Knuckle will be back.  I was tempted to order one a while back and may be inclined to do so again. 

    Apologies for the question but how would you describe a the Wide Range HB to a more conventional PAF?  Do WR HB's sound good for particular applications more so than others? 
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9978
    tFB Trader
    Looks great and I'm pleased to see the Brass Knuckle will be back.  I was tempted to order one a while back and may be inclined to do so again. 

    Apologies for the question but how would you describe a the Wide Range HB to a more conventional PAF?  Do WR HB's sound good for particular applications more so than others? 
    The Wide Range sounds far more like two single coil pickups playing together than a PAF. That is, they are fat, with a biting top end and a big, piano bass. They are really quite high output, but don't have much natural compression like a PAF. They tend to suit styles that are not super high gain ... as they can be a bit OTT with so many frequencies available. Good for blues, jangly pop and indie styles ... but not a metal players 'go to' choice.
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14320
    Do WR HB's sound good for particular applications more so than others? 
    In my opinion, the very best application for a WR type humbucker is the neck position of a Telecaster. It offers up a Fender/Gibson hybrid tone in much the same way that a Firebird or Gibson small humbucker does. 

    Buccaneer II ... treble and bass strings are handled by different grades of alnico to 'tune the pickup's response across the strings.
    Bar magnets, threaded rods or a mixture of both?
    Be seeing you.
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9978
    tFB Trader
    Do WR HB's sound good for particular applications more so than others? 
    In my opinion, the very best application for a WR type humbucker is the neck position of a Telecaster. It offers up a Fender/Gibson hybrid tone in much the same way that a Firebird or Gibson small humbucker does. 

    Buccaneer II ... treble and bass strings are handled by different grades of alnico to 'tune the pickup's response across the strings.
    Bar magnets, threaded rods or a mixture of both?
    Fixed alnico rod (with dummy slots). All threaded magnet, Wide Range pickups use laser thread-cut alnico these days, as CuNiFe is no longer available. These threaded alnico magnets are available from china at a rather high price ... but given the number of times people ever consider adjusting their pole pieces this seems a bit daft. 
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • KeefyKeefy Frets: 2272
    I would have been interested in these a few of months ago but I've since put some Creamery WRHBs in my FSR 72 Tele Deluxe RI (which I'm very happy with). Can't find them on the Oil City website yet...
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9978
    tFB Trader
    Keefy said:
    I would have been interested in these a few of months ago but I've since put some Creamery WRHBs in my FSR 72 Tele Deluxe RI (which I'm very happy with). Can't find them on the Oil City website yet...
    Will put em up on the site later ... and Jamie at the Creamery's WRs are very good ... just a slightly different flavour.
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • earwighoneyearwighoney Frets: 3488
    TheGuitarWeasel said: 
    The Wide Range sounds far more like two single coil pickups playing together than a PAF. That is, they are fat, with a biting top end and a big, piano bass. They are really quite high output, but don't have much natural compression like a PAF. They tend to suit styles that are not super high gain ... as they can be a bit OTT with so many frequencies available. Good for blues, jangly pop and indie styles ... but not a metal players 'go to' choice.
    Thanks for the info Ash.  
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  • Tadragh1Tadragh1 Frets: 70
    Keefy said:
    I would have been interested in these a few of months ago but I've since put some Creamery WRHBs in my FSR 72 Tele Deluxe RI (which I'm very happy with). Can't find them on the Oil City website yet...
    Will put em up on the site later ...
    I am resurrecting this thread from the dead to ask about the Buccaneers. Are you still making them, Ash?
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  • 4string4string Frets: 33
    tFB Trader
    Chief Bottle Washer @ Oil City Pickups.
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9978
    tFB Trader
    Yes I still do still make the Buccaneer ... though as it is time consuming to hand craft, it's not up on the site and only available to special order   If you are interested please PM me 
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • Tadragh1Tadragh1 Frets: 70
    PM'd.
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