Bill Lawrence Pick ups

[stephenslr]

I've read some good things about Bill Lawrence pick ups.

Has anyone tried them?

I'm thinking of getting an L-500XL for the Bridge position to replace my Duncan Designed 102 in my Japanese Kelly.

s

[j2379]

Re: Bill Lawrence Pick ups

i like em, the XL can be a little much tho. its got alot of highs, & is a real screamer. the L is a great choice too, not over the top but still a high output. & do not get them from stewmac they are not the same. you can get them direct from the Lawrence's.

[agresivo]

Re: Bill Lawrence Pick ups

I don't like them.

I bought a L-500XL from Bill's webpage and had to wait 3 months. Imagine the expectation it had created on me.

After I installed on my Charvel 650XL I realised that it sounded too bright and thin. It was almost useless for strong rythm playing, there was no Dimebag's Pantera tone. It sounded good for lead, though.

I got tired of if after a couple of weeks and installed a Duncan Distortion. I could tell the difference inmediately! The Duncan TB-6 has become my favourite pickup. Go and get this one instead!

[agresivo]

Re: Bill Lawrence Pick ups

However, not all Bill Lawrence pickups are bad.

I've got a L-280SM in the middle position of my Charvel and it's great. It's the best single-coil tone I've had in my guitar, with even less noise than a humbucker

[SweetPete]

Re: Bill Lawrence Pick ups

I recently rewired one of my S-S-H Charvels with Bill's pickups. The single coils are L280S's and the bridge is the L500L. The single coils are awesome - crystal clear, REAL Strat tone. The L500L, to my ears, has that '80's vibe to it. Not a lot of low end.

Overall though, the quality is first rate. It's a bummer it takes so long to get them.

[jacksonface]

Re: Bill Lawrence Pick ups

I've got them, I think, in my '93 RR1 lightning sky. Dual blades on each humbucker. I think it comes close to the Pantera sound -- more so than my EMG81/85 and TB6 equipped jacksons (EMGs in snakeskin SL2, TB6 in trans green SL1). EMG == Metallica sound, TB6 == hard rock in general, IMHO.

In EMG snake I put a push-pull pot for tone, pull up for 18V to the EMGs, keep down for 9V. Nice bite, sometimes a bit too much. Gonna put a push-pull for volume - pull up to hook bridge 81 directly to jack. should be interesting.

In TB6 SL1 I have push-pull tone pot, pull up to split neck and bridge coils.

Oh and I have a Dimarzio X2N in a schecter (spelling sorry). Sound is hard to describe -- heavy but something is funny with the mids, maybe? I don't play it much, sounds like it might wail at higher volume.

EMGs are my favorite. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Lev]

Re: Bill Lawrence Pick ups

I put an XL-500 in my soloist.. sounded great imo, but not as good as my EMG 81 so I took it out again. It was a bit bright I guess, but nothing I couldn't alter with the amp. It had good lead tone though and was rich in harmonics.

[jgcable]

Re: Bill Lawrence Pick ups

I have an L500 in my N4. It is a fantastic pickup for soloing and sounds great clean. It is very reactive to the type of guitar it is installed in.