Special thanks to Zhangbucker (D.P.)

[The_Sentry]

Yeah...I know...I'm breaking my sabbatical here, but this is worth mentioning.

A few months back I got into a pretty lively debate with a few winders over a series of issues...including nice pickups in cheap guitars, "show me don't tell me", and a whole assortment of other stuff.

(I'm sure Skatterbrane still snarls every time he sees mah name! er...just sayin'. )



anyways....there's this one guy....and it's Dave Plummer from Zhangbucker. He saw my thread, probably thought I was a jackass (and yeah...he's probably right about that)..and just for giggles....sent me a pickup.

Just to try out...no strings attached..."here, it's yours".

So...this was months ago....I didn't think anything would come of it (even though this is MLP, it's still the internet). But....lo and behold a few weeks back there's a package...from Zhangbucker...with a double creme A2 pickup handwould at 9.1 k ohms resistance.

Well...I'll admit...I was shocked....I really was. I emailed him, and told him "Dude...I thought you were kidding!"

He just wanted to shut me up, I suppose...prove a skeptic wrong.

Well....I'll say this much about the pickup.

It's great. It's more than great! If you're one of those guys who likes the Gibson '57 Classic plus (which is the closest thing I can compare it to..) oh man...you'll love this pickup! Good midrange punch, very fat...very warm, very creamy smooth...it's like a thick milkshake with a kick of somethin' extra in there. Very responsive, too. I tried it out in 4 different guitars, and each time it took on a bit of a different personality. In the end I ended up putting it in my pawn shop Halo guitar matched against a Gibson BB pro in the neck (and the middle position has a really nice quality....it's not quite a honk but it's still very nice...and I'm wondering if it's because I'm not using a Les Paul specifically and it's a question of mixing and matching magnets.)

Well...I liked the pickup so much....I sent off the money for it. It was worth it...and I know for a fact that wasn't meant so much as a present as to prove a skeptic wrong.

Welll...dude....I can't show this (and TBH I'm apathetic about putting that much effort into it since feedback is minimal)....but I can tell you this.

Thanks. For proving me wrong.

And for those who are looking for some badass handwounds....Well, if the other pickups he offers are like this one....well...hey...there's certainly worse ways to go.

Thanks again, Dave. I'll be linin' it up this week as far as that guitar goes...that really was a nice pickup.

 

[Deguello]

very cool post..

Do you suppose I can start talking smack about Tokai and they will send me a LS-150?


Also, Glad to see you are back, Sen.

 

[Quill]

Wow ... that's great! I have the impression that Dave Plummer kind of "picked up" the mantle from Tim White, in a manner of speaking, but I'm just guessing, could be totally off my rocker on that one. Not that there was any connection between the two - more the mystique of the mystery winder, and a somewhat similar approach. Anyway he's a winder I'm interested in, too, and it's great to hear your cool story, and your report on the tone. Lots and lots and lots of very good things said about the Zhangbuckers.

 

[The_Sentry]

very cool post..

Do you suppose I can start talking smack about Tokai and they will send me a LS-150?


Also, Glad to see you are back, Sen.

Well, that's the strange thing...I wasn't really talking smack. I was sort of in a strange mindframe that day, I suppose.

I think it was over the premise that unless someone has a bloody R9 in their aresenal, they shouldn't bother with boutique pickups. (and who knows, maybe they're right.) Something about that argument or that viewpoint still rubs me the wrong way I suppose. Maybe it always will. Oh Well....

Funny thing...it didn't go into one of my expensive guitars. It still sounds fantastic.

Anyways....

If you're considering a handwound pickup, don't forget about this guy. I'm up to 3 different makes now (WB, Wolfetone, and Zhangbucker) and there is something special and unique about all 3. If you're got the money, and the inclination to wait (because no, this stuff isn't off the shelf)...then something like this might be for you.

I guess when I get back (after the New Year)...I'll post up a clip (Unless that Daylighter with the WB's gets in first...then yeah, I'll post clips of that.)

Sorry to get off topic.

Merry Christmas MLP......and short of something being shot on vid by me between now and next year....I'll see you next year.

 

[PINKBITS]

Good on ya Sent . Certainly sounds like a nice pickup. I have never heard of this guy before.

 

[Deguello]

thank for the heads-up..I just checked out a vid on youtube for these pickups

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiaHHsiyDXE]YouTube - Edwards LP with Zhangbucker PUs presented by Germer-Guitars[/ame]

sounds good to me...I cant find where to get info on them yet , but I am still looking

 

[refin]

SoundClick artist: refin - One man band doing songwriting,demos,and just having fun.

Woodbucker neck,Slugbucker bridge.

 

[Tone Seeker]

SoundClick artist: refin - One man band doing songwriting,demos,and just having fun.

Woodbucker neck,Slugbucker bridge.

Steve, are you still running these in your '55 refin?

Terry.

 

[refin]

Steve, are you still running these in your '55 refin?

Terry.

Yep.

 

[The_Sentry]

Well, hell...if I'm gonna talk about it, I might as well show something while I'm at it.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejpntslp8d4]YouTube - Zhangbucker Bridge pickup test[/ame]

 

[Zhangliqun]

Sentry, there's one area where you and I agreed from the get-go, and that is you DO NOT have to have a $4k guitar to put a boutique pickup in it. The cynics may say that's because I want to sell more pu's. They're half-right, I do want to sell more pu's, but it has nothing to do with my philosophy for buying great pickups for cheap guitars -- provided there's something about that cheap guitar that speaks to you. I was of this mind long before I started winding. (Why not get a great sound while keeping and extra $3k in your pocket?)

True, it wasn't a Christmas present, but it also wasn't to shut you up either. My intent was instead to convert you, and it appears to have worked even beyond my expectations.

If I'm not out of line, anyone wanting to contact me about pu's, hit me at zhangbucker@yahoo.com.

 

[captain tightpants]

Certainly justifies to my mind spending a few dollars on a good Epi or other cheaper guitar with a good set of pickups if said guitar does something for you. Certainly did the trick with my beloved Dot with a Seth Lover and '57 Classic neck pickup!

Kudos to both Sents and Zhangliqun

 

[Zhangliqun]

Wow ... that's great! I have the impression that Dave Plummer kind of "picked up" the mantle from Tim White, in a manner of speaking, but I'm just guessing, could be totally off my rocker on that one. Not that there was any connection between the two - more the mystique of the mystery winder, and a somewhat similar approach. Anyway he's a winder I'm interested in, too, and it's great to hear your cool story, and your report on the tone. Lots and lots and lots of very good things said about the Zhangbuckers.

You're not entirely off the mark. I was winding before I'd ever tried a Tim, but when I did get one and opened it up, I saw a pattern that I'm convinced couldn't have been done any other way but wrapping the wire on entirely by hand. (I've never talked to Tim about it and have never otherwise verified this, but it would explain why his waiting list was 2 years by the time he packed it in.)

Anyway, while I've never been able to duplicate the pattern I saw, Tim inspired my Pure Handwound line of humbuckers. (FWIW Sentry's pu is a Pure Handwound.)

 

[The_Sentry]

Sentry, there's one area where you and I agreed from the get-go, and that is you DO NOT have to have a $4k guitar to put a boutique pickup in it. The cynics may say that's because I want to sell more pu's. They're half-right, I do want to sell more pu's, but it has nothing to do with my philosophy for buying great pickups for cheap guitars -- provided there's something about that cheap guitar that speaks to you. I was of this mind long before I started winding. (Why not get a great sound while keeping and extra $3k in your pocket?)

True, it wasn't a Christmas present, but it also wasn't to shut you up either. My intent was instead to convert you, and it appears to have worked even beyond my expectations.

If I'm not out of line, anyone wanting to contact me about pu's, hit me at zhangbucker@yahoo.com.

Well, Zhang...I did state in that thread I'd put my money where my mouth is...what gets me about this pickup...it's so...smooth. Really smooth. And warm.

It does make me state "this is a great pickup"...now granted, variety is the spice of life...but for the demanding connoisseur this is definitely a dish worth checking out!

Thanks again for the pup!

 

[refin]

Not only do the Woodbucker and Slugbucker sound good individually,they match very well in the middle position.......very important to me.

 

[JLH]

SENTRY, I am looking for something that compares to a WB Habenero, whats your take on this

 

[The_Sentry]

IT's a totally different pickup. Different magnet, different wind, different winder.

Variety is the spice of life.

The only thing I can really compare the Zhang to is a '57 Classic Plus. Same magnet...but the Zhang's a bit smoother...

PS: I like the Firewaters...a lot. I'm probably gonna order more pickups from Will if he's willing. (But if I do, it'll be yet another completely different set. I don't have any interest in having half a dozen guitars that all sound exactly alike.)

 

[siore]

thank for the heads-up..I just checked out a vid on youtube for these pickups

YouTube - Edwards LP with Zhangbucker PUs presented by Germer-Guitars

sounds good to me...I cant find where to get info on them yet , but I am still looking

That's the neck pickup sounds I'm looking for. Creamy neck tones, but still with the right amount of bite. Wonder if the woodbucker gives you that in a middy sounding guitar, or if it's meant to be dropped into a bright guitar to begin with.

 

[tazzboy]

So what magnets and wire was used to make the your Zhangbucker Pickups.

 

[The_Sentry]

So what magnets and wire was used to make the your Zhangbucker Pickups.

Shoot Zhangliqun a PM for the your Zhangbucker pickups....


EDIT:

OK, I realize Winter NAMM is coming up. Great. Fantastic. Wonderful.

I will state this straight up...I'm not going to give out any more information other than what has been provided in my testimonials and tone demos. If anyone is looking for specific information in terms of winding, techniques used during winding, where the components came from...any of that....at that point you probably need to contact the winder.

Now, if this makes me come off sounding like a dick....all apologies....but there's a difference between a customer and a mouthpiece for a company or any winder. I buy the stuff because I like it....period. I've offered my tone demos...and that's more than enough.

If you're seriously interesting in the Zhangbucker, get a hold of Zhangliqun. If you're interested in WB, contact them through their website.

Thanks...

(PS: I won't respond to any more PM's. Let's keep it on the boards...)