Has Gretsch been lying to us for over a decade?

[jmattbassplaya]

What a thread! A couple points I don’t think I’ve seen made…

We have only just re-emerged from the COVID pandemic, and, depending on who you ask or where you live in the world, you may or may not still be living with restrictions. Supply chains took a massive hit. Unless we know specifically when this change happened, you can’t immediately put all the blame on FMIC. The supplier might have changed it without FMIC knowing, they might have changed it with FMIC knowing but it was only meant to be temporary, etc… and this brings me to my second point.

Look at the fine print of any major manufacturer, and you will always see a clause saying they reserve the right to change the parts of the assembly at any time without forewarning. In a perfect world, this would get updated immediately, but things like this go on for months or years all the time with all manufacturers. It might not be right, and we should push for more accurate and transparent knowledge shares when this happens, but it’s the way of the world (especially since COVID).

Im ultimately on the side of the consumer because I am a consumer of musical gear but come on now. By some of the responses in this thread you’d think this was a situation where a hospital gave you the wrong kid after a birth

 

[mrperkolator]

We have only just re-emerged from the COVID pandemic

some of the examples of single coil were pre-covid. I understand the angle you are stating though. But this has been going on longer.

 

[Epdo]

What a thread! A couple points I don’t think I’ve seen made…

We have only just re-emerged from the COVID pandemic, and, depending on who you ask or where you live in the world, you may or may not still be living with restrictions. Supply chains took a massive hit. Unless we know specifically when this change happened, you can’t immediately put all the blame on FMIC. The supplier might have changed it without FMIC knowing, they might have changed it with FMIC knowing but it was only meant to be temporary, etc… and this brings me to my second point.

I bought mine in the summer of 2018. Two bridge pickups, both single coils.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

Interesting - well in that case get out the pitchforks and torches!

 

[sleddogn]

covid dog not hunting, lol

 

[LowEndLobster]

I bought mine in the summer of 2018. Two bridge pickups, both single coils.

Thank you for this info!

 

[Snert]

I have ordered the magnetic paper so I will first hold it up to my head to see how many coils are there.

That only tells you how many magnetic apertures there are. It would show up the same as the Gretsch if it were a stacked humbucker or a sidewinder so the mag paper is not a definitive test. I covered this early in the thread.

 

[mrperkolator]

That only tells you how many magnetic apertures there are. It would show up the same as the Gretsch if it were a stacked humbucker or a sidewinder so the mag paper is not a definitive test. I covered this early in the thread.

I hypothesize that a sidewinder would appear different under the paper. Anyone have a sidewinder handy?

 

[LBS-bass]

some of the examples of single coil were pre-covid. I understand the angle you are stating though. But this has been going on longer.

I haven't bothered to check mine yet. It was purchased maybe two weeks before Covid hit. I have the magnetic paper but since nothing but a single coil field has shown up I am fairly certain mine will show the same pattern. But I guess I'll double check it later today.

 

[LBS-bass]

I hypothesize that a sidewinder would appear different under the paper. Anyone have a sidewinder handy?

Perhaps someone with several instruments could do a quick pattern comparison just so we all know for sure what we're looking at.

 

[LowEndLobster]

I hypothesize that a sidewinder would appear different under the paper. Anyone have a sidewinder handy?

I have one in my Gibson Les Paul Jr. Tribute - It's the Serek Lazen-B90 pickup, which I believe is a sidewinder config of some sort.... but it's loaned out to a friend at the moment hahaha.

 

[Snert]

I hypothesize that a sidewinder would appear different under the paper.

There might be different constructions beyond the Q-Tuners and Zen Blades. But why would you assume that?

Anyone have a sidewinder handy?

Sorry, I don't.

 

[el jeffe bass]

Let me see if I understand the arguments in favor of these being actual humbuckers. Fender/Gretsch went to the expense to secretly designed a hidden double coil pickup, hid it in a mini humbucker case, never said anything about their new amazing pickup then put it in a $300 bass. Wow all of a sudden it makes sense. NOT.

 

[mrperkolator]

There might be different constructions beyond the Q-Tuners and Zen Blades. But why would you assume that?

Well when I was playing with the paper on the guitars I had access to, you can almost see the wrapping. The fields looked like a big 0 for single coils, and 00 for humbuckers. I'd bet that from above, it may look different since the coils are on their sides.

I've been wrong before though, so that's why I said "hypothesize" this time. I'm not sure, I'm just making an educated guess.

 

[Snert]

I'd bet that from above, it may look different since the coils are on their sides.

Where the coils are doesn't change the magnetic aperture. Look at the physical construction of the two examples I gave. QTuner have said that the magnetic aperture of their pickups is very narrow (because it's up through the blade).

 

[mrperkolator]

Where the coils are doesn't change the magnetic aperture. Look at the physical construction of the two examples I gave. QTuner have said that the magnetic aperture of their pickups is very narrow (because it's up through the blade).

right but the fields are on the side. And there's also 2 coils, so I still think you will see a difference from the G2220 pickup.

 

[Snert]

right but the fields are on the side.

No they're not, it goes up through the blade in the centre.

 

[mrperkolator]

No they're not, it goes up through the blade in the centre.

I got pictures of other types of pickups earlier in this thread. It would still be nice to get a picture of a sidewinder for comparison. Even if I'm proven wrong, I'd still like to see it.

 

[Snert]

It would still be nice to get a picture of a sidewinder for comparison.

I posted the Zen earlier. The QTuners are in clear cases.

 

[mrperkolator]

I posted the Zen earlier. The QTuners are in clear cases.

I meant with the magnetic paper. a picture of them with magnetic paper over it.