I have a US Lakland Hollowbody with the Bartolini pickups. I love the bass, specifically how it looks and feels, but the pickups have never done it for me. IMO, they lack...well, they just kind of lack...everything. Just kind of, bleh. I'm also not a fan of the wiring, as it's not really possible to blend anything in a useful way.
Anyway, I would like to replace the pups, but due to their unique shape, there aren't many drop-in options. I know about the Darkstar years, and the switch to Chisonics. Threads on those comparisons abound. My questions are a little different.
First, are all those bases (Barts, Darks, Chi's) routed the same way, or are the pickup cavities shaped differently for each version? Would I be able to find a set of Darkstars and just drop them in, or would it require custom routing?
Second, does anyone have experience with any other pickup options in a Lakland HB? Perhaps a custom built pickup, or a rewound version of something that already fits? Or maybe a pickup so amazing it's worth the routing work to install it.
Any help would be appreciated. And I'm probably gonna be moving the Bartolini's...that will be for a different thread though ;-)
Anyway, I would like to replace the pups, but due to their unique shape, there aren't many drop-in options. I know about the Darkstar years, and the switch to Chisonics. Threads on those comparisons abound. My questions are a little different.
First, are all those bases (Barts, Darks, Chi's) routed the same way, or are the pickup cavities shaped differently for each version? Would I be able to find a set of Darkstars and just drop them in, or would it require custom routing?
Second, does anyone have experience with any other pickup options in a Lakland HB? Perhaps a custom built pickup, or a rewound version of something that already fits? Or maybe a pickup so amazing it's worth the routing work to install it.
Any help would be appreciated. And I'm probably gonna be moving the Bartolini's...that will be for a different thread though ;-)
