Bill Lawrence pickups - what do they compare to sound wise

[Citrus]

Looking to do some pickup swaps, and was always curious about them.

Was looking at the L500 with the dual balde for full humbucker size as well as the size that replaces soapbar

Anyone have experience??

[Jeff R]

I had a Lawrence L500 in a prepro Charvel Star close to 20 years ago. Very articulate with a distinct sliceyness to it but tasteful and not brittle. I don't know what the readings were/are on those pickups, but mine sounded like it hit any amp or preamp I used with a fist full of voltage. Great bridge pickup for heavy music and shredasaurus rex IMHO.

My Star had one bucker in the bridge and a master volume. No clue what they sound like in other guitar positions.

[coolfeel]

Had/have them in some N4s I owned/own. Depending on the tone you are going for they can be really nice; really good for heavy rock. They seemed to work best for me in alder guitars. I took a tip from someone and replaced the L500 in one of my N4s with a hot but passive Bartolini and was very very pleased. Really opened up the sound of the guitar without losing any of the edge...

[mudshark]

Be aware that genuine Bill Lawrence pickups are now sold as Wilde pickups...somebody got control of the Bill Lawrence name and sells under the Bill Lawrence USA moniker.

[serial]

I really like the 550s, but they're the only ones Ive ever had. Jeff hits it right-great for higher gain hard rock while still retaining clarity. I had two NOS @1980 ones and one's here:

[Brooks]

the dimebucker was based on a souped up BL.

[Jakeboy]

I have a 1980 set of 500s in my 1980 Special and I used them BITD too. My fav buckers for sure....very articulate , bright, and very powerful. They work for all styles of music but you need to use your guitar vol and tone controls to get the most out of them. Very, very responsive to your picking hand. I also LOVE the Lawrenece L 90s.....the precursor to the 500.... Kinda like the perfect PAF yet improved with a hifi crunchy goodness ( to quote Murkat).....no mud at all with BLs.....not even in the neck...

[zorrow]

I have a 1980 set of 500s in my 1980 Special and I used them BITD too. My fav buckers for sure....very articulate , bright, and very powerful. They work for all styles of music but you need to use your guitar vol and tone controls to get the most out of them. Very, very responsive to your picking hand. I also LOVE the Lawrenece L 90s.....the precursor to the 500.... Kinda like the perfect PAF yet improved with a hifi crunchy goodness ( to quote Murkat).....no mud at all with BLs.....not even in the neck...

I was going to write a post about this, but the text above says it all. I'll just add that I'm using right now a pair of vintage L-90's and I totally love them.

[murkat]

Hi Fi

[zenmindbeginner]

Hi Fi

Yup, great description.

Low inductance = LOTS of fuggin' highs and great signal to noise ratio.

Clean, they have an almost acoustic like quality.

Overdriven, they cut.

[tomteriffic]

My experience has been the same. I stumbled on a pair of L-350's which are essentially the same pickup but with pole pieces instead of blades. Very much the same mojo. When I sold the guitar they were in, the pickups stayed. I'm ruminating on where they should go next.

[formula73]

My experience has been the same. I stumbled on a pair of L-350's which are essentially the same pickup but with pole pieces instead of blades. Very much the same mojo. When I sold the guitar they were in, the pickups stayed. I'm ruminating on where they should go next.

I've been sitting on a set of L350s for a long time, too, and I wish I had more! To my ears, they're a little less brittle and hot than the equivalent L500s (L/R/C). I don't think they ever made an XL version. I LOVE them. I'm also dying to try a set of the L-600s by Wilde. I've read that Bill said the only thing close to one of his pups is the Dimebucker, which was reverse engineered from a custom 'XXL' version they made but never produced. He said it sounds pretty much exactly the same.

To mudshark: Wilde is Bill's company. Bill Lawrence USA is what it was back when he and EZ (the owner) were partners. Bill left for W Germany and EZ kept on making those pups, albeit with a corner cut here and there. They're still good, as long as they're not microphonic, but to my ears, they are a hair more brittle but still have the same character. There are no 'fakes', despite what people toss around on the internet.

The biggest problem I have with them is how different they really sound from EVERYTHING else! It's possible to get a great, super articulate tone but it's not like putting down your LP with it's Super Distortions and picking up a Vector with Duncans. It's more like putting down a Gibson and picking up a Fender. I always thought his stuff sat square between buckers and singles, tonewise.

[zorrow]

I owed you guys this one:

[shredmeister]

Yeah the old original ones are better than the new ones marketed under his name. Great pick ups if you can find the original ones actually built by him.

Or if he is building them under the Wilde name - as long as he is making them they are great for rock and metal.

I had a Dimebucker also and it was a really good pup.

[murkat]

[bondedbybrick]

I had a pair of double creme L100's in my '78 Sunburst that were removed when BCRGreg refurbished it with original Dimarzio's. It's been so long I can't remember what they sounded like; although, I'll never forget what Greg said they sounded like - wet bunny farts! I still have them and have been contemplating trying them in another guitar. I also have a set of L280's in my Peavey Generation S3 that sound very nice and QUIET. Real Bill Lawrence pickups are a good bang for the buck.