Gibson Slash Les Paul November Burst Pickups

[bigwhitecloud]

So, recently I decided to change the pickups in my Les Paul. I’ve seen videos on YouTube where the pickups read “Lead Slashbucker” and “Rhythm Slashbucker”.. anyway, to my surprise.. mine say “Custom Bucker A2”.. they’re also unpotted. Did anyone else get a set of these in their Slash Collection Les Paul? I think to some degree, I hit the jackpot… maybe. Haha!

I only changed them because I loved the Dimarzio PAF 59s I put in my last Les Paul. I figured I’d try the Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups. I’m sad to say, I wasn’t impressed. I think I liked the Dimarzios more, and the Mojotone PAF 59 replicas better as well. They’re missing those Bell like overtones.

I think I’m going to put the Custom Buckers back in. They weren’t bad. Just imagined the antiquities would be nicer. Now I’m out $330. I took the covers off.

 

[01GT Eibach]

I think there has been Slash models since 2004 or so. And with that there has been quite a lot of variability in the pickup configurations of those guitars over that timeframe. Additionally, it seems the Slash model -- for some reason -- are also more prone to finding oddities when you look under the hood ... and I don't mean that in a critical or bad way. I have always loved from afar the Slash guitars as I am generally not a fan of the neck profile they typically have, but I still think they are awesome. Can you post some pics along with stating what year your guitar is? And, yes, I vote for putting the stock pickups back in.

 

[Phillycheez402]

I roll with SD APH2s

 

[Peter M]

Just imagined the antiquities would be nicer. Now I’m out $330. I took the covers off.

Tone chasing has a fee.

 

[none2low]

Did anyone else get a set of these in their Slash Collection Les Paul? I think to some degree, I hit the jackpot… maybe. Haha!

They changed the name from Slashbucker to Custom BB AL2 a while back. It's possible you could have some interim variation of that. Great pickups btw (at least the set I have in my Slash 4)

 

[bigwhitecloud]

I think there has been Slash models since 2004 or so. And with that there has been quite a lot of variability in the pickup configurations of those guitars over that timeframe. Additionally, it seems the Slash model -- for some reason -- are also more prone to finding oddities when you look under the hood ... and I don't mean that in a critical or bad way. I have always loved from afar the Slash guitars as I am generally not a fan of the neck profile they typically have, but I still think they are awesome. Can you post some pics along with stating what year your guitar is? And, yes, I vote for putting the stock pickups back in.

I’ll post some up later. It’s a 2022 November Burst. I think I might put the stock ones back in. It almost sounds exactly like the antiquities. Good but almost stale.

 

[bigwhitecloud]

They changed the name from Slashbucker to Custom BB AL2 a while back. It's possible you could have some interim variation of that. Great pickups btw (at least the set I have in my Slash 4)

Are yours unpotted as well?

 

[none2low]

They are either unpotted or very, very lightly potted, but I haven't pulled them to see if there is any wax residue on the baseplates.

 

[bigwhitecloud]

They are either unpotted or very, very lightly potted, but I haven't pulled them to see if there is any wax residue on the baseplates.

Whatever they are, they do sound pretty good. I’ll gonna keep giving the antiquities some time. Worst case scenario, bb back in and see if SD will exchange them

 

[jbash]

The name was changed after Duncan had a (supposedly legal) fit over the term "Slashbucker", and Slash denied all use of them even in pre production (after DeCola indicated he worked on them for over a year with Slash to get them right).

They were re-named shortly after to " Custom Alnico II Burstbucker" or similar. Personally I think they sound better (more edgy and "rock") than the Duncan Slash or Original A2Pro sets I've had. Unfortunately my bridge went single coil on me one day, then died. Dead coil with visible coil wire break and was out of warranty. I've had a difficult time finding something that sounds as good in my guitar (and I've had about 10-ish variations of replacements in and out of the guitar). I still have the neck, and probably will just buy another bridge model from Stratosphere or similar. For now, a set of Duncan 59s with Rewind short A5 mags is the best thing I've found, but it's still not sounding as good as it did before.

If you got ones that are unpotted, I'm sure it was a mistake- remove a polepiece or loosen a baseplate- mine "looked" unpotted at casual glance, but are definitely potted.

 

[bigwhitecloud]

The name was changed after Duncan had a (supposedly legal) fit over the term "Slashbucker", and Slash denied all use of them even in pre production (after DeCola indicated he worked on them for over a year with Slash to get them right).

They were re-named shortly after to " Custom Alnico II Burstbucker" or similar. Personally I think they sound better (more edgy and "rock") than the Duncan Slash or Original A2Pro sets I've had. Unfortunately my bridge went single coil on me one day, then died. Dead coil with visible coil wire break and was out of warranty. I've had a difficult time finding something that sounds as good in my guitar (and I've had about 10-ish variations of replacements in and out of the guitar). I still have the neck, and probably will just buy another bridge model from Stratosphere or similar. For now, a set of Duncan 59s with Rewind short A5 mags is the best thing I've found, but it's still not sounding as good as it did before.

If you got ones that are unpotted, I'm sure it was a mistake- remove a polepiece or loosen a baseplate- mine "looked" unpotted at casual glance, but are definitely potted.

I did look. They’re very slightly potted near the magnet and lower baseplate screws. I think it’s rad. They sound unpotted.. the old pick to the bobbin I find is always a good indicator of how potted they are. To clarify, bobbin. Not screws. I guess what I mean is Microphonic.

You can’t find another Slash Custom Bucker anywhere??

 

[jbash]

You can’t find another Slash Custom Bucker anywhere??

Stratosphere had some the last time I looked. I just made a major move with the family, and right now gear funds are non existent until some savings are built back. Soon .

 

[none2low]

Stratosphere had some the last time I looked. I just made a major move with the family, and right now gear funds are non existent until some savings are built back. Soon .

The good news is there are none currently available on the Stratosphere site.

The bad news is they've all of a sudden dried up on the secondary market. Haven't even been showing up on Ebay lately.

Im kinda regretting not grabbing the set of zebras the Stratosphere had about a month ago now.

 

[Phillycheez402]

The good news is there are none currently available on the Stratosphere site.

The bad news is they've all of a sudden dried up on the secondary market. Haven't even been showing up on Ebay lately.

Im kinda regretting not grabbing the set of zebras the Stratosphere had about a month ago now.

I have a set I'm not using

 

[none2low]

I have a set I'm not using

Zebras?

 

[Phillycheez402]

Zebras?

No

 

[none2low]

No

Bummer

 

[rich85]

So, recently I decided to change the pickups in my Les Paul. I’ve seen videos on YouTube where the pickups read “Lead Slashbucker” and “Rhythm Slashbucker”.. anyway, to my surprise.. mine say “Custom Bucker A2”.. they’re also unpotted. Did anyone else get a set of these in their Slash Collection Les Paul? I think to some degree, I hit the jackpot… maybe. Haha!

I only changed them because I loved the Dimarzio PAF 59s I put in my last Les Paul. I figured I’d try the Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups. I’m sad to say, I wasn’t impressed. I think I liked the Dimarzios more, and the Mojotone PAF 59 replicas better as well. They’re missing those Bell like overtones.

I think I’m going to put the Custom Buckers back in. They weren’t bad. Just imagined the antiquities would be nicer. Now I’m out $330. I took the covers off.

Start paying more attention to magnet types

Going from one pair of medium output A2 PAF pickups (Gibson Burstbucker) to another medium output A2 PAF in the Seth Lovers isn’t a major change

The Dimarzio 59 set have Alnico 5 magnets and offer a very different EQ compared to A2 PAF’s.

This is the best advice I can give on pickups. Getting the exact pickup you like can be difficult or easy but you have to start with basic output and magnet types you like.

I personally like 8.6K Alnico 5 Bridge (Dimarzio 36th, Seymour Duncan Whole Lotta Humbucker, Tonerider Birmingham) with a medium to low output A2 neck. Seth Lover, or just any low output PAF I will swap an A2 into, 7.2 - 7.5k is fine.

Anyway hope that helps a bit.

 

[nkay]

I love the Slashbucker pickups. If you keep an eye on Reverb people take them out of their Slash sig LPs all the time to replace them with the Seymour Duncan AII’s.
I got mine on Reverb and put them in an Explorer. They are one of the best “hot PAF’s” I’ve tried and they have a very pleasing EQ and feel that sounds great with rock and metal. They are definitely more compressed sounding than typical vintage pickups which is why I like them for my purposes.
I thought they sounded unpotted too and I contacted Gibson directly and they said they were potted. But it must be just lightly because they are very lively.

 

[bigwhitecloud]

I’m gonna give these damn SDs another shot. Hypothetically, if I

Start paying more attention to magnet types

Going from one pair of medium output A2 PAF pickups (Gibson Burstbucker) to another medium output A2 PAF in the Seth Lovers isn’t a major change

The Dimarzio 59 set have Alnico 5 magnets and offer a very different EQ compared to A2 PAF’s.

This is the best advice I can give on pickups. Getting the exact pickup you like can be difficult or easy but you have to start with basic output and magnet types you like.

I personally like 8.6K Alnico 5 Bridge (Dimarzio 36th, Seymour Duncan Whole Lotta Humbucker, Tonerider Birmingham) with a medium to low output A2 neck. Seth Lover, or just any low output PAF I will swap an A2 into, 7.2 - 7.5k is fine.

Anyway hope that helps a bit.

It’s not the magnet that bothers me. It’s the lack of overtones. Every time I get a Seymour Duncan, I always tell myself, “maybe it’ll be different this time”. I’m always disappointed. I think it’s the fact that they match their coils as much as possible. I feel matched coils always doing dull as hell. I ordered them, because they claimed to be made exactly like the 50’s PAFs. They don’t tell you anything about matched or unmatched coils. I assumed they weren’t matched. I emailed them after I ordered them. They said they don’t mismatch coils, only in their 59 Hybrid Custom or something. It’s the lack of overtones. I’ve tried A2s, A3s, A4s and A5s… a good PAF in my experience is boomy, open and bell like. These are open but stale. I couldn’t be more bummed on them. The Mojotone 59s aren’t accurate, because their magnets aren’t rough cast.. but they definitely sound like what I read about PAFs. I just gotta stop taking chances with Seymour Duncan. Haha!