Has Gretsch been lying to us for over a decade?

[Snert]

To expand on my post

Based on the pics provided by another user of the pickup opened (I may end up doing the same), these appear to be true single coils with a TON of winding.

Do you have the pics?

Here's the Nordy Zenblade.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1...BHCB5_soapbar_sidewind_2000x.jpg?v=1534194907

 

[LowEndLobster]

To expand on my post
Do you have the pics?

Here's the Nordy Zenblade.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1...BHCB5_soapbar_sidewind_2000x.jpg?v=1534194907

Check the first page of the thread XD

 

[mrperkolator]

@Snert In your picture you can see the zen's have two coils on either side of the magnet. The picture that @Kev1955 originally posted in threads mentioned by Lobster shows one coil and two magnets. It's sorta the opposite of a sidewinder. Should be 1 magnet 2 coils.

 

[nostatic]

I was even more shocked that they pulled it together so quickly.

The band was in flux, but I gauss they decided to make it happen.

 

[LBS-bass]

The band was in flux, but I gauss they decided to make it happen.

I heard they were a big attraction!

 

[mrperkolator]

I'd have to go TB thread digging, but I believe the older pickups were "designed by TV Jones." Somewhere they switched to "humbuckers." Perhaps the factory in the country of origin decided to get cheaper.... There's some argument on the older pickups for the Jr. Jet.

 

[Snert]

Check the first page of the thread XD

@Snert In your picture you can see the zen's have two coils on either side of the magnet. The picture that @Kev1955 originally posted in threads mentioned by Lobster shows one coil and two magnets. It's sorta the opposite of a sidewinder. Should be 1 magnet 2 coils.

Thanks, I'd missed that somehow. Does look like a SC. If so, why the hell would you market it as a HB?

 

[mrperkolator]

@LowEndLobster Could you do a video just on the paper? you dont have to mention the G2220, but It would be a cool shorter "bass science" video...

 

[LowEndLobster]

Thanks, I'd missed that somehow. Does look like a SC. If so, why the hell would you market it as a HB?

RIGHT?! That's what I'm trying to get to the bottom of. Not only why, but when did this happen? Has it always been this way, or was there a 'changeover' to a different pickup design. Considering that humbuckers are more expensive to manufacture and have certain tonal properties, marketing this bass as an instrument with humbuckers is setting the expectation which they are not delivering.

 

[LowEndLobster]

@LowEndLobster Could you do a video just on the paper? you dont have to mention the G2220, but It would be a cool shorter "bass science" video...

Great idea!

 

[Snert]

Based on the pics provided by another user of the pickup opened (I may end up doing the same), these appear to be true single coils with a TON of winding.

What about a stacked humbucker like some Strat pickups?

Edit: I know it's a bass PU, just the type is more common in Strats and other SC format PU guitars, eg Fender noiseless.

 

[mrperkolator]

What about a stacked humbucker like some Strat pickups?

View attachment 4648534

@Kev1955 Do you still have that old pickup? Can you see if it is stacked? I doubt it, but it may satisfy curious minds

 

[LowEndLobster]

Generally speaking, stacked humbuckers have quite a bit more height compared to their single coil counterparts. These gretsch pickups definitely don't have the height to be a stacked humbucker... but that being said having some 100% definite confirmation on this will be absolutely helpful

 

[Snert]

Generally speaking, stacked humbuckers have quite a bit more height compared to their single coil counterparts. These gretsch pickups definitely don't have the height to be a stacked humbucker... but that being said having some 100% definite confirmation on this will be absolutely helpful

Seen a Jazzmaster pickup? It's a wide, thin winding so two if the same type could easily be stacked in a small vertical height.

 

[mrperkolator]

It'd be nice if they were a standard size. I'd love to replace with Nordy Zen's or a weird direction like Lace Alumatone bars. I dont think zens would fit in the current form factor.

If anyone at Lace or Nordstrand is reading this... there may be an opportunity for a lot of upgrade pickups soon...

 

[Kev1955]

@Kev1955 Do you still have that old pickup? Can you see if it is stacked? I doubt it, but it may satisfy curious minds

I don’t have it, but I looked back then to see if it was stacked, it was not stacked. One big coil with a magnet on each side

 

[generik]

Hey everybody! First time posting.
I swapped the pickups in mine with TVJones Thunderblades but still have the original pickups around. That funky cool magnetic paper is supposed to arrive tomorrow, i'll post my findings then.
BTW, I was kinda surprised during the swap to find that BOTH of the original pickups (BHK, I think) were labeled for the bridge position.

 

[Kev1955]

It'd be nice if they were a standard size. I'd love to replace with Nordy Zen's or a weird direction like Lace Alumatone bars. I dont think zens would fit in the current form factor.

If anyone at Lace or Nordstrand is reading this... there may be an opportunity for a lot of upgrade pickups soon...

I am really happy with the TV Jones Thunderblades!

 

[mrperkolator]

@LowEndLobster I just ordered the paper too. I get mine friday supposedly. I'll post pictures.

 

[skycruiser]

Thank you! You can reuse the paper as well. I'm wondering if that was their 'humbucker logic' - "Hey, there's two magnets! Who cares if they're stuck together and acting as one magnet with a single coil wrapped around em. It's basically a humbucker" hahaha. I'm very curious to see the results here. I already filmed my review (quite scathing due to this discovery, I take corporate misinformation very seriously), but I want to get a good sample size of results from other peoples G2220s.

Aren't magnets usually oriented toward the strings, not parallel to the strings? I thought usually the "North" or "South" point up out of the bass body. These magnets look sideways. Seems like it would do some strange things to how the strings get magnetized.