Deciding (Aluma-tones versus BKP)

[T-e-r-r-y]

Hmm, I could be sold on these now! Although I'd love to hear from someone how the bridge pickup responds to a tone control.

I'm a big fan of that fat, tone-halfway down, lead kinda thing...

[Creech]

I just put a set of Deathbars in a RGA8, and I do not like it, at all. It's clear, it's an upgrade from what I had, but they SUCK with high gain, IMHO. They sound Burstbucker-ish. If you're looking for a shit ton of sizzle in your distortion tone, get them. After all the cash I dumped getting them, having the guitar rewired, and driving across a county 4 times, I've entertained the thought of going Pete Townsend on it. Don't worry, I won't. But there may be an RGA8 for sale with Deathbars, soon.

[crg123]

Weird. Sorry they sounded like that for you man. Whats your rig setup if I can ask? Maybe we can try and figure this one out for you. Also what kind of music do you listen to/sound do you want. Also did you use 500k or 250k vol and tone knobs. Did you make sure to switch out the supplied active rated ones? I own burstbuckers and they sound nothing like that kind of voicing, so I'm curious if there may be a wiring issue.

I should also note that my guitar is a maple neck through with ebony strips and fret-board, so its natural brightness seems to work well with the pickups. I'm wondering why your getting a sizzle tone, as thats more of what I would describe when I was using my active pickups.

[Creech]

I'm going into a JSX. I have an agile 7 with Blackouts, a Les Paul, and a custom built 7. I compared all of them yesterday, they sound like the the burstbuckers in the paul. There is something in the higher frequencies that I just do not like. The volume knob was replaced, a tone knob added, and the jack was replaced. I noticed this morning, it seems the tech put a piece of foam under the bridge pickup, I guess he needed height? I wonder if that has something to do with it. I am utterly frustrated about this.

[Stealthdjentstic]

That was my experience too, I just mailed the pickups out to Lace yesterday though and they will be taking a look at them and sending me new ones.

[crg123]

Thats very frustrating if this is a normal thing. Lace sending out possible duds that is. I really hope this is not the case or that its a super rare situation. I know that stealth and you both had the same issue, whereas others (me included) dont have the same experience. If if you think it might be a dud tell them what issues your having and they'll be happy to help. They have great customer service.

Btw I noticed there are two large lines on your deathbar bridge. Are those cracks or some sort of damage to the pickup?

It might be a height issue with the bridge. If yours has foam padding up the bridge pickup you should e able to adjust the height like a normal pickup (looser = higher)

NOW BE CAREFUL (sorry for the capslock but it needs to be emphasized!)

You need to make sure you adjust the height slowly in a X pattern (ex top to bottom right to top right to bottom left). If you do not do this the pickup with BREAK. I had this happen to me and the issue is being fixed as we speak. My tech accidentally tightened to fast and not in that pattern and the results were the magnet bar cracked.

[Creech]

No, they're not cracks, it's just some kind of white paint or something. That was the very first thing I noticed about the pickups. They were like that when they came in the mail. I thought I could just wipe it off, but no. There's two similar lines in the neck pup

[crg123]

Odd, thats not normal I don't think. Atleast that prominent. Mine have a few tiny marks from the process of making them, but nothing like that.

[Creech]

That's the other thing; I can't adjust the height on the bridge. The foam is wedged in there, but the 4 screws are just tight enough to be flush. You can push down on the pickup and it'll move. So it can't go higher. I have no idea why he used foam, does yours have anything under them?

I'm having a chat with the beard on Facebook, it might be the pots. They're 250k: http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/product/POT_MINI_250K_WD250S

[Stealthdjentstic]

Mine had foam. They adjusted fine though.

[crg123]

My pots are 250k push-pulls I bought from allparts. Both are volume knobs since I don't like the affect tone knobs have on a pickups sound (seems to restrict it)

I think your tech didnt understand how to use the foam from the pictures haha. Your suppose to put it under the place where the legs of the pickup touch the body. That way you can easily adjust it. Your guy seems to have put the foam somewhere in the middle of the cavity for some reason. I have foam just the bridge in that way and it works just fine for adjustment. Also it looks as if he used the foam that holds the pickups in the packaging and not the darker and denser foam that comes in tiny blocks.

[Ishan]

I've tried numerous thing with the Deathbar I have but still have that annoyingly loud 50Hz hum. Using high gain settings without a noise-gate is just impossible with it.
I'm thinking of sending it back to lace to get another one, I still love the tone

[Rap Hat]

I'd been thinking about tossing a push-pull in my Pendulum since having only one pickup is kinda limiting, and your praise pushed me over the edge . It took me two days and four failed attempts because of how Lace sets up the tap (protip: when the X-Bar splits, it changes which wire is ground) but now that it's done I'm pretty happy! I've been able to keep the minimalist/clean look of the guitar while giving me double the tone options. A misunderstanding of the diagram orientation led to a reversed tap (up is hb, down is sc), though I'm growing on this and will probably use tapped as my main sound.

I don't know which coil it's using while split and there's not a huge difference between the two tones, but it's got a definite single-coil sparkle and less low-mids. It seems to be close in terms of noise, with maybe a smidgen more when facing certain interference. No 60cycle hum though!

It's definitely a mod I'll recommend for anyone using the Lace pickups... who doesn't want more sounds out of their guitar?


Minor derail, but crg123, I'll toss you the impulses this evening if you still want them. I'm the king of distractions and totally forgot I was supposed to send them

[Creech]

Don't know if you guys saw this, but I recorded some stuff the other day and threw it up on sound cloud:

RGA8 - Lace Aluma Deathbar