Lace Alumitone Bass Bar 4.5 6-String

cwebsterlusk · #1 01-19-2013, 06:55 PM

So I've heard pretty much nothing good about Lace Alumitone pickups, but nothing really from people who play them all the time in live situations. I'm thinking about dropping a set of the 6-string alumitones into my bass, but I want some opinions first. Easy install? Good tone? Hot output? Good wiring?

fjadams · #2 01-19-2013, 07:01 PM

I should get my bass with Alumatones back from the luthier in a week or so. I bought them just from the YouTube demos of them. I'll know more then.

fjadams · #3 02-12-2013, 11:20 PM

Got my bass back with the Alumitones. They are even better than what I heard from the YouTube demos.

Setup: Jag SS, Alumitone "P" & "J", Stellartone 16s on each pickup, Bourns 250k vol pots, LaBella Beatle Bass Tapes.

Using the "P" pickup alone gives big clear bass. Absolutely clear lows like no other pickup I've ever used. No boominess to it. Then as you add treble to it the mids and highs come out. Still crystal clear tones.

Using the "P" & "J" together gives about any sort of tone one could want. Having 16 settings on each pickup gives a lot to choose from.

I've found that I like the sound from having the "P" 4 clicks off of full bass and the "J" 4 clicks off of full treble and a little less bridge than neck gives me the tone I like . And all of it clear and clean.

I wouldn't be embarrassed to recommend these to anybody.

eukatheude · #4 02-13-2013, 06:02 AM

I was curious about these too. What have you heard bad about them?

lofreek · #5 02-13-2013, 09:21 AM

My two cents - the Alumitones overall are fantastic, but like any pickup, you need to hear how they work in a particular bass. Five of my basses have them, three others had them and no longer do. So, while I'm a huge fan of the Alumitones, honest assessments have determined that they are not universal. Again, true of any pickup.

fjadams · #6 02-13-2013, 10:18 AM

So true.

While I think they are one of the best pickups I've used they are not the only ones in the barn.

I have the Alumitones in the Jag SS, TV Jones in the Gretsch, TV Jones Thundertrons in the Epiphone Flying V, Guild humbuckers in the JSII, DiMarzio Rail in the Rogue, the new Gibson ceramics in the SS Tbird.

They all have different sounds but I think the Alumitones have the clearest lows without boominess of any that I have. Probably second in this rating would be the ones in the SS Tbird.

**mjac28** · #7 02-13-2013, 10:25 AM

Could I use them in my Treker five string with active electronics?