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Wizz Pickups

Ellis

New member
Joined
Aug 10, 2018
Messages
2
I ordered a set of Wizz Peter Greens about a week ago. Apart from the (automated, I assume) confirmation email and reciept, I've heard nothing regarding delivery etc. I even sent a quick email enquiring, but no reply.

Anyone else had this? Is this normal? Am I gonna get 'em?
 

duaneflowers

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
2,522
I ordered a set of Wizz Peter Greens about a week ago. Apart from the (automated, I assume) confirmation email and reciept, I've heard nothing regarding delivery etc. I even sent a quick email enquiring, but no reply.

Anyone else had this? Is this normal? Am I gonna get 'em?

I was talking to Alex earlier today and he mentioned he had a Peter Green set assembled and ready to go out either tomorrow or Monday... I'd imagine that be yours. :salude
 

57gold

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2005
Messages
692
Any experience with Wizz in a thinline?

Have a Collings I-35 that came with Lollar low wind Imperials, find them a little "colorless", kinda flat. Enjoy the Throbaks in the two JG BMs I play and dig the OX4s in the Retrospec, both offering more colorful tonality. The I-35 is a beautiful looker and love its feel, but just doesn't get take out versus my old Gibson 345 and 355 with PAFs.

Like open sounding neck pickup with a little more mid focus on bridge. Play blues, classic rock, some jazz/funk...guitar into a tube reverb tank an Tweed Deluxe, mostly or a JTM45 or K60 using guitar volume control versus boost/gain pedals, minimal effects.

Any suggestions on what to order? I don't know crap about magnet types...was thinking 7.3 neck and 8.35 bridge, if that makes sense?

Thanks in advance.

Photo of target instrument, because we like guitar photos:

D4eAhXW.jpg
 

JLee

Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
89
I had a Wizz set in a Burny 335 copy. Wizz had an excessive upper midrange emphasis, that got pretty fatiguing on the ears. Guitar previously had Wolfetone Dr. Vintage, but the bridge wasn’t hot enough and neck wasn’t clear enough.

Wizz neck was beautiful and clear. Bridge was like a cheese grater to the ear drum. Lots of crunch though, straight into my amp, which was a Matamp Series 2000(30 watt EL34).

If if I still had the guitar, I’d probably go with OX4s. Love my OX4s in my ‘80 Tokai LS80. So clear and articulate. Great balance and just enough there to drive an amp. That’s just me...I’m pretty jaded and tired of the rabbit hole and not looking to try anything new. :##
 

57gold

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2005
Messages
692
Interesting, the brightness issue would be a problem with the I-35, which is solid wood (maple carved top, mahogany dished out to make back and sides) and not a ply instrument, so its build leans to bright.

OX4s are extended, but not bright/edgy. Might be the answer.
 

JLee

Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
89
I would consult Mark/OX4. I’m sure he could dial in a set for the Collings.
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,950
I put Wizz in my 339 and they cured it of all ails. The only ones that worked. I tried many others including OX4's. I also have a Collings I35 Deluxe. I have a tendency NOT to be partial to the Lollars. I have the same problem, guessing which will be best. I can try both this weekend and let you know if you care to wait?

The ones I have in the order I will test unless you prefer different:


OX4
Wizz Standard set
Thrōbak 101MXV
Throbak MC102B
Tyson Tone Precious and Grace
Creamtone
Wolftone
Bareknuckle short leg
Rewind

Then I will go thru my stash of Gibson Custom Buckers and low wind Custom Buckers.

When I find one that works well I stop a while on it and decide if I wish to go further.

35687687274_99f7e0bd2d_k.jpg
 

duaneflowers

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
2,522
I put Wizz in my 339 and they cured it of all ails. The only ones that worked. I tried many others including OX4's. I also have a Collings I35 Deluxe. I have a tendency NOT to be partial to the Lollars. I have the same problem, guessing which will be best. I can try both this weekend and let you know if you care to wait?

The ones I have in the order I will test unless you prefer different:


OX4
Wizz Standard set
Thrōbak 101MXV
Throbak MC102B
Tyson Tone Precious and Grace
Creamtone
Wolftone
Bareknuckle short leg
Rewind

Then I will go thru my stash of Gibson Custom Buckers and low wind Custom Buckers.

When I find one that works well I stop a while on it and decide if I wish to go further.

35687687274_99f7e0bd2d_k.jpg

That is a beauty!!!

I just popped my 3rd set of Old Wire Wizzes (enhanced with short A5 mags from a '62 SG) in my CC#2 and she is singing like the proverbial lark on Wednesday night (as long as that means what I think/hope it means)... :salude

39441166_10216124906211985_9049504124260843520_n.jpg
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,950
I just put the I-35 on the bench and noticed that the pickups are tarnished VERY strangely. Also the screws in the pickup rings. Then I started looking at the wiring. I may need a while. They do it different and I don't care to screw it up. I'll plunge in with my boroscope when I can.
 

duaneflowers

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
2,522
I just put the I-35 on the bench and noticed that the pickups are tarnished VERY strangely. Also the screws in the pickup rings. Then I started looking at the wiring. I may need a while. They do it different and I don't care to screw it up. I'll plunge in with my boroscope when I can.

Is it the original Lollars that are tarnished strangely? If so, then it is down to that battery acid you sweat all over them cause if it was something the folks at Lollar did then you probably would've noticed it a long time ago.

I have an ES-345 and upgrading the wiring for that was a total beyatch!!! A 335 would probably be much easier without the varitone ship-in-a-bottle wiring I had to navigate. If 't'were mine I'd probably yank the whole harness (and pups) and do it right (the Gibson way) then you can keep it all in a drawer in case an anal buyer in the future demands everything be stock (so he can yank it out himself and do it the right way). :salude
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,950
Is it the original Lollars that are tarnished strangely? If so, then it is down to that battery acid you sweat all over them cause if it was something the folks at Lollar did then you probably would've noticed it a long time ago.

I have an ES-345 and upgrading the wiring for that was a total beyatch!!! A 335 would probably be much easier without the varitone ship-in-a-bottle wiring I had to navigate. If 't'were mine I'd probably yank the whole harness (and pups) and do it right (the Gibson way) then you can keep it all in a drawer in case an anal buyer in the future demands everything be stock (so he can yank it out himself and do it the right way). :salude

I don't have any problem with ANY other guitars doing this! And they are showing scratching which I would assume was maybe under the plating! Weird!

The wiring ain't done like a 335. These guys run different. The pickup wires meet at the bridge hole and it LOOKS like they run the circumference of the lower bout.
 

renderit

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Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,950
Started tearing into my Collings I-35.

INTERESTING! Just shows what genius resides at Collings. The PU wires both ground attach to the Neck Volume pot. Then there are 2 other wires grounded to the same going to the switch. The other two mentioned are the Volume Pot to Switch and the Bridge Volume pot to Switch. What they very cleverly do is attach the wires in a long tail. The last device is the Bridge Volume. That way EVERYTHING avoids the f-holes and is attached in a 50's fashion but using the braided grounds as the ground loop. The actual bridge ground is the last thing attached when putting in and the first thing removed when taking out. All braided wire is covered with black heatshrink where not attached to the nearest pot. VERY CLEVER!

Harness: Bridge Pickup still attached but unsoldered from Neck Volume Pot when I took off the Neck Pickup. Then Neck Volume Pot with the Switch next to it (wire from switch to jack wound once around the wires from Neck Volume to Neck Tone to keep it out of the way!). Then 2 wires ground attached to Neck Tone Pot. One is the return from the Bridge Volume Pot to the Switch and the other is the Bridge Pickup TO the Bridge Volume Pot. Both of those wires also attach to the Bridge Tone pot and on to the Bridge Volume Pot. Full 50's wiring IN-LINE. This would work perfectly well for a Gibson ES-ANYTHING. The only GOTCHA: You have to graft a new wire on your pickups or do an inline graft on the Bridge pickup wire.

42472630320_4f93b67064_k.jpg

43563579554_2a0614ac71_k.jpg


Bridge Pickup hole shows ground wire to bridge. Soldered on the Bridge Pickup wire LAST. Removed FIRST.

29344767977_7517774b66_k.jpg


Neck Pickup pocket shows wire route for pickup wire to the rear.

 

renderit

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Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,950
So:

To disassemble:

1) unscrew bridge pickup. Pull it out (put something around it to keep the top from getting scratched, I use blue tape).

2) Pull wire enough to unsolder the bridge ground from the ground mesh on the bridge pickup.

3) Pull control knobs and unscrew pot nuts and jack nut.

4) Push pots down to free.

5) Pull out carefully until you free the Neck Volume Pot.

6) Unsolder the Neck Pickup mesh from the pickup back and the lead from the first lug freeing the neck pickup to be unscrewed and carefully removed.

7) Carefully extract the rest of the harness. The only slightly tricky thing is the switch as it is easy to get jammed. Using small pullers it's easy (picture below, cheap at Harbors Fright). They also work great for putting stuff back in. I don't use strings. I don't feel it's necessary.

To Install: 7-1 above.

43375533365_4a909f59da_k.jpg


 

El Gringo

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Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
Renderit , I wanted to ask you how you like your ThroBak MT 102 Pickups -The ones made like Mick Taylor's in The Keef Burst . Which the neck has a little bit more output than the bridge -8.0k versus the neck which I think is at 8.3k . You do know I absolutely love ThroBak !
 

renderit

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Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,950
I have not put them in anything yet. I have a candidate. I am probably going for it in a couple of weeks, I have just been very busy of late getting new soldering skills.
 
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