Question Albert Lee Pickups

[jamminjim]

Hi all. Dont know if this info has been posted already, I did a search and didn't find the answer I need.

Regarding Stock Albert Lee pickups, what over-the-counter Seymour Duncan pickups are they most like? I'm particularly interested in the bridge pup, but would like to know about them all.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Here's a picture showing the "guts" of my AL.

The stock numbers on the pickups are readable and you could use these to raise your query with Seymour Duncan.

 

[jamminjim]

Thanks Spud

APS-2 and APS-3 ..... wonder if they stand for "Albert Professional Series 2 & 3"? And does APS-2 BP mean "Albert Professional Series w/Base Plate"?

Also would like to know what "IMP-02, 03 & 04" mean.

Wouldn't it be great to be able to buy a set?

 

[Spudmurphy]

You may get more info from the original thread at
http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/22223-lets-take-peek-inside-albert-lee.html

I seem to remember that beej explained the code numbers on the pick ups maybe in a different thread.

Try PM 'ing Beej, refer him to this thread and ask him for some more info?

Spud

 

[DrBob]

Not sure but I think it stands for Alnico Pro. Less sure about the S

 

[jamminjim]

Ahhh... yes... what was I thinking I've been here before....

APS = Alnico Pro Strat

What's in the Al bridge is a Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro™ Flat APS-2, and is commercially available, that's cool.
But the APS-3's in the middle and neck positions are proprietary OEM EBMM designs. Gonna be kind of hard to get those, without buying the whole guitar. I wonder what the spec's are.

 

[Spudmurphy]

RWRP = Reverse wound reverse pole ?

 

[DrBob]

RWRP = Reverse wound reverse pole ?

Basically yes

Reverse Wound Reverse Polarity

 

[DrBob]

Actually it's an interesting point because the stated intent intent of having an RWRP middle pickup on sss guitars is to make positions 2&4 (the in between positions) hum cancelling.
Which is cool but if you've got the EBMM silent circuit do you need that anymore ?
Think I've come up against the end of my technical knowledge here, I think it's time for Dr Beej to help out.

 

[beej]

What's in the Al bridge is a Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro™ Flat APS-2, and is commercially available, that's cool.
But the APS-3's in the middle and neck positions are proprietary OEM EBMM designs. Gonna be kind of hard to get those, without buying the whole guitar. I wonder what the spec's are.

I think they're similar to the APS-2, but a different size bobbin. Can't remember exactly. If you email SD they'll be able to tell you. I'd think the APS-2 set would sound pretty close. (With the plate on the bridge p'up, of course.)

Actually it's an interesting point because the stated intent intent of having an RWRP middle pickup on sss guitars is to make positions 2&4 (the in between positions) hum cancelling.
Which is cool but if you've got the EBMM silent circuit do you need that anymore ?
Think I've come up against the end of my technical knowledge here, I think it's time for Dr Beej to help out.

With RWRP pickups, the noise induced is out of phase relative to standard wound p'ups. So in positions 2 & 4 the noise is subtracted out. The SC works in a similar way- the ground from each pickup is connected to the SC which produces out-of-phase noise. The noise cancels out leaving a less noisy signal.

The SC has two outputs- each 180 degrees out of phase with each other, so it can provide out-of-phase noise for both regular and RWRP pickups. When wired up, in positions 2 & 4 you're now combining signals with little noise, and any residual is canceled out.

Hope that explains it.