Minibucker Pickups

[The_Sentry]

From Wiki:

The mini-humbucker is a smaller variation of the full size PAF humbucker pickup (used in electric guitars) created by the Gibson Guitar Corporation. It has a thinner, less powerful sound than the full-size version and is frequently used in jazz guitars, mounted under the fingerboard or on the pickguard. The mini-humbucker equipped Gibson Firebird, for example, produces clearer, brighter tones that are quite unlike typical Gibson sounds, and fit well between single coils and full-sized humbuckers in the tonal spectrum.

Mini-humbuckers were originally featured on Epiphone electric guitars (now manufactured under license for Gibson) and several of Gibson's archtop jazz guitars. Mini-humbuckers were also used on Gibson Firebird guitars, thus giving them a very distinctive tone.

By the 1970s, mini-humbuckers had replaced Gibson's original P-90 single-coil pickups on several of Gibson's budget guitar models, as well as the Les Paul Deluxe: the size and shape meant that it could fit very comfortably into the space occupied by the P-90, so no extra routing was required in the solid body guitars.

I saw a guy with a Goldtop Deluxe a few months ago....I thought it was a sweet sounding guitar.

For those that have used the minis, and have kept 'em or replaced 'em...what's been your experiences with these pickups?

 

[Boleskinehouse]

They sound good through large, powerful amplifiers.

 

[The_Sentry]

They sound good through large, powerful amplifiers.

I can imagine. (Thinking of Pete Townshend).

How did they sound compared to the P-90's you have in your Deluxe now, Bole?

 

[Boleskinehouse]

I can imagine. (Thinking of Pete Townshend).

How did they sound compared to the P-90's you have in your Deluxe now, Bole?

Thin compared to p90s.

 

[The_Sentry]

Thin compared to p90s.

I suppose that sound isn't for everyone. I noticed moff40 (who owns a couple of lefty Deluxes) also converted to some P-90's.

In your fair estimation, though...if someone was one of those vintage tone types who were looking for something low output, would this be the way to go? (I'm also wondering about the Firebird...those minis are really sought after in those..)

 

[Boleskinehouse]

They're too thin and brittle sounding for a vintage tone, IMO... Cleaner too. p90s or a good full sized humbucker will get raunchier and fatter through the same amp... A non-master Marshall for example.

 

[moff40]

I've found the minis are pretty inconsistent. Some are really thin and weak, others are warm and punchy. The minis in the my '74 clownburst sounded good, but were microphonic. I was able to pot them (it wasn't until later that I found out that potting minis may wreck the bobbins), and that stopped the squawking. Still, the neck pup left something to be desired, so I swapped them out for P-90s. The pups in the '77 clownburst were thin and weak, so they got swapped. The minis my GT sounded just killer, but the bridge pup was a little microphonic. I swapped the bridge pup only for the potted one from the '74. I wouldn't DREAM of pulling the minis out of that one.

With all of that said, I'd played guitars with fairly hot pups for years by the time I got the Clownbursts, so they were sort of thin by contrast. I got the GT after playing the Trad with '57 classics in it for a few months, and was starting to get used to (and appreciate) lower-output pups.

 

[krapac]

Never had a problem with my '77 Deluxe fitted with minis, maybe less articulate than P90 but very useful and versatile, from jazz, to blues, fusion, ecc...It's a good and singular choice between more used and listened P90s and humbuckers.

 

[WoodyTone]

I played Lollar minis after playing Lollar P-90s in the Lollar booth at an amp show. The minis sounded "between" P-90s and full-size hums -- actually sounded like mini-buckers rather than some unknown animal, if that makes sense. Been thinking about them ever since.

 

[BoxyBrown22]

Both my Paul's have mini's, they're much more versatile than regular humbuckers! I use a Gibson GA30RVS and with a class A tube am like that you get a chimey yet ballsy tone that I love. I also use a lot of pedals, both make my Whammy track better, my RAT push harder, my Karaoke Party still sounds like shit.... but that's what why bought it.

Everything is defined with minis, the harmonics and notes cut more but you still have more attack and a fatter tone than you do with a single coil.

 

[Grand Pappy]

I have a pair of SD minis in my 76 LP Deluxe.
A 1984 SM-1 in the bridge and a 2000 SM-3 in the neck.
IMHO for the $$$ and versatility they are hard to beat.

 

[Cookie-boy]

I think mini's have a place, whether it's at the down and dirty end of Rock'n'Roll is open to debate. I personally love my Firebird for punchy Blues but really that's as heavy as it gets. The Lizzy boys rocked on a bit but that was still with a sharper edge in my opinion.

 

[EEF13]

I love the vintage type of mini bucker in the neck of my Lp Deluxe. It has a greta lead sound and it is one of the best clean sounding pickups. I like the vintage style mini bucker in the bridge but it wasn't as fat as I would like it. I eventually replaced it with a Duncan sm-2 and that is a greta mini bucker in the bridge.

 

[teeloh]

Both my Paul's have mini's, they're much more versatile than regular humbuckers! I use a Gibson GA30RVS and with a class A tube am like that you get a chimey yet ballsy tone that I love.

Good way of saying it. Chimey.

 

[Minneapolis Slim]

Is the mini less woofy in the neck spot than a P90? I like the P90s in my LP Pro but the neck is a lot darker and woolier than the bridge. Would a mini balance better soundwise?

 

[moff40]

Is the mini less woofy in the neck spot than a P90? I like the P90s in my LP Pro but the neck is a lot darker and woolier than the bridge. Would a mini balance better soundwise?

No. It's been my experience that minis are darker and less sparkly than P-90s, but a little brighter than full-on HBs. P-90s have always sounded to me like a single coil on steroids. So from dark to bright, it's HB > Mini > P-90.

 

[Minneapolis Slim]

Thanks. Back to my original plan, getting a P90 with pole slugs from Vintage Vibe or someone.

 

[moff40]

Thanks. Back to my original plan, getting a P90 with pole slugs from Vintage Vibe or someone.

Pete Biltoff makes some nice pickups. He made me a set of Strat-size P-90s - they sound killer!

 

[troyvod]

I love the minis in my Les Paul and prefer them over P90's, but i also have 2 SG's with P90's so the best of both worlds i guess.

 

[EnglishHooligan]

I have a '77 Deluxe with the original minis on it. I was fortunate enough to get one where all the right parts came together in perfect alignment. Tuning and intonation is perfect, sustain is legendary and the tone blows you away. It is the most playable guitar I own and is coveted by many other players.

The mini humbuckers on it are full of power and give a rich, warm sound. I've owned it for almost 30 years now and it has been used to play anything and everything in all four corners of the globe. She is better than any other guitar I have ever owned. I don't think I will ever come across one as good as she is (and I've been looking for as long as I've had her), but like I said, I clearly got one where the planets, wood and parts aligned perfectly. I've played others, older and newer, Standards and Customs and there have been a few dogs and some great ones, but none like this.

I can understand why some folks would want to swap out the pickups, and I must admit that when I considered purchasing a Deluxe in the first place, I thought "I can always change the pickups if I don't like them", but I never had to. It quickly replaced my '79 Standard (which I still have and have owned since new) as my main stage and studio guitar. It sounds just as fat and creamy as the Standard but it adds a growl and cutting lead sound when pushed.

I still own my original 1978 Marshall 50W master volume head and 2x12 cabinet (from 1972) and I have a Fender Bassman 4x10. It sounds awesome through both amps. I have also had a variety of other amps through the years (eventually selling them and going back to my two favorites), Vox AC30, Fender Twin, Marshall Super Lead, Peavey Bandit etc. and she has sounded great through them all.

The only thing I don't get is, why the original owner sold her. I bought her when a friend who owned a music store called and said he had just got "something you need to come and see" in trade against a new Stratocaster. Takes all kinds I guess.