z coils,any similar pickups out there?

[diddly]

Hi there,I have a comanche with z coil pickups.It plays superb but sometimes the pickups bug me.But....they have major plus points too of course.My issues are mostly the top strings.With the z coil being, well... z shaped,the the part of the pickup picking up the higher strings is closer to the bridge.On certain notes this sometimes gives a very sharp kind of brittle sound.And in the bridge position id like a full sized humbucker.The neck pickup i like though for cleans(bar the issues mentioned previously) and with the treble knob turned down for a smooth lead tone.On the dimarzio/duncan sites etc,they give you a bass/mid/treble of each pickup,along with the output power etc.Does anyone know the specs of the z coils?Im considering replacing the pickups but getting some regular shaped ones of similar spec.This will involve getting I presume,a legacy HSS pickguard as they are the same as a comanche bar the pickups?Im also very weary of doing this as it might ruin the guitar.I definitely need a full sized bucker in the bridge though as the z coils dont do high gain all that great(for me personally anyway).I just picked up a music man guitar with a HSS config but its just not doing it for me.I much prefer the comanche as it plays so much better so im considering just replacing the pickups in it instead.They are quite unique pickups so its hard to find some info.They are a lot hotter and fuller than regular single coils anyway.Are there any pickups out there that are similar or are they truly unique?Cheers

[helle-man]

What you need is a reverse Z coil - An "S" coil. I put a regular Z coil in the photo for comparison.

[Elwood]

This could have some tips that might help to tame your z-coils.
(while we're waiting for G&L to make the S-coils)

http://guitarsbyleo.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1329

[y2kc]

Those are great guitars that take a little time to get familiar with. I have a set of "S" coils in an old left handed Comanche. I have not seen any other examples.

Have fun with that guitar,

y2kc

[diddly]

Hi there,yes i have really given the pickups a good amount of time to get used to and to experiment with (2 and a half years or more) .They do have some great qualities of course,but they can be troublesome also.Im certain its because of the higher strings being closer to the bridge than the lower strings.Not to fault the design but i guess they just arent for me.I also find when using an Ebow on the comanche the zcoils often dont react as well as regular pickups.I do love how fat the lower strings sound and how they are noise free.I have considered just replacing the bridge pick up with a regular humbucker,but a custom pick guard needs to be ordered.Which is doable but itll be costly as I live in Ireland and it might not work out either.Will a regular legacy HSS pick guard fit the comanche?It would be much easier to swap pickups with a regular pick guard.I really dig this guitar as its just so nice to play and the dual fulcrom trem is superb.Is there a better design anywhere?I doubt it.The PTB controls should be on every guitar.They are great and it also looks stunning so I have never considered selling it.Tonally im stuck unless I swap out the z coils.Do G&L list the specs of their pickups anywhere or would they give me some more details if I emailed them?The bass/mid/treble values on the likes of Dimarzio etc site is very useful when determining the sound of a pickup etc.I thought maybe the dimarzio cruiser might be similar to a zcoil in a s much as its hum cancelling but still has a single coil like quality to it.Hard to know though unless I can get some z coil specs.Cheers for the help anyway guys.Guess Ill email G&L and see if they can give me some more info.

[Miles Smiles]

Im certain its because of the higher strings being closer to the bridge than the lower strings.

Which kind of troubles are these? (OK, forget it, I should have read your first posting before.)

Is it a Tribute or US model? I didn't look under the pick guard of my US model yet, but the tribute has a pool below that. So you could replace the whole pick guard and put in what ever you want.

I'm happy with both my Comanches and will never change any pickup.

[diddly]

Its a US model.Ive looked under the pick guard and any combination of pickup is possible by the looks of it.

[SouthpawGuy]

Hi there,I have a comanche with z coil pickups.It plays superb but sometimes the pickups bug me.But....they have major plus points too of course.My issues are mostly the top strings.With the z coil being, well... z shaped,the the part of the pickup picking up the higher strings is closer to the bridge.On certain notes this sometimes gives a very sharp kind of brittle sound.And in the bridge position id like a full sized humbucker.The neck pickup i like though for cleans(bar the issues mentioned previously) and with the treble knob turned down for a smooth lead tone.On the dimarzio/duncan sites etc,they give you a bass/mid/treble of each pickup,along with the output power etc.Does anyone know the specs of the z coils?Im considering replacing the pickups but getting some regular shaped ones of similar spec.This will involve getting I presume,a legacy HSS pickguard as they are the same as a comanche bar the pickups?Im also very weary of doing this as it might ruin the guitar.I definitely need a full sized bucker in the bridge though as the z coils dont do high gain all that great(for me personally anyway).I just picked up a music man guitar with a HSS config but its just not doing it for me.I much prefer the comanche as it plays so much better so im considering just replacing the pickups in it instead.They are quite unique pickups so its hard to find some info.They are a lot hotter and fuller than regular single coils anyway.Are there any pickups out there that are similar or are they truly unique?Cheers

Have you tried the guitar through several different amps ? I eventually realised that the higher output MFDs in the S500, ASAT Special and F100 don't react the same way with every amp / speaker combination. The F100 in particular has very high output MFD humbuckers which sound great with my AC30 and Blues Jnr, but through a Laney TT50 combo it has that brittle, irritating, almost harsh tone. Same goes for both the ASAT Special, and to a lesser extent the S500 through that amp.

All other G&Ls with alnico single coils and Gotoh blade pickups etc sound great through the same Laney combo. As I mentioned it took me a while to realise it was the amp, not the guitar, that was creating the problem.

[diddly]

Hi there,yes i have tried them through numerous different amps,with varying results alright.I currently use a mesa mark v going through a recto 1x12 with v30's.Now these speakers definitely dont help.Im currently selling the cab and replacing it with something else.Just not a fan of V 30's really.I had similar problems through a mesa lonestar,mesa stiletto(everything sounded bright through that lol),a marshall jmp pre amp,a fender hot rod,blues junior and a few others.It sounded worse through some than through others but as i mentioned above i suspect its just the way the pickups are angled really.I also need a full sized bucker in the bridge at the very least ,but if i have to custom order a pickguard itll cost 100 euros or more with shipping,customs etc so i dont fancy risking a H/Z/Z set up in case it doesnt work.At least a legacy pick guard means i can change pickups as i like.I just emailed G&L (they are hard to contact by the looks of it.through email anyway) asking for more specs on the z coils.Hopefully they can give some more solid info so i can find something with similar output and bass/mid/treble so I at least know where Im at currently.Is there anyway of measuring the pickup specs?Im dont have much knowledge on pickups so forgive my ignorance.Cheers for help so far guys.

[NickHorne]

Take a second look at Will's photo; his pickguard is quite prototype-ish, hardly something that would encourage anyone to grab and buy off the local guitar store wall.
He's a world-class player experimenting with his instrument (and he has a domesticated alien called Mac Whiteside making inside-out pickups and such for him....)

I'm certain you could find a more local tech who could make a passable guard to house neck and middle Z-coils plus a humbucker, for massively less than 100 euros!!
So long as it has mounting holes in the right places, so you won't be drilling new holes in your Comanche or messing up your finish, all that matters is that you get to try your alternative configuration.
Then later on, when you know you're really in love, you might think about spending on a fancier guard that embodies your ideal layout.

Duncans / DiMarzios' little Treble / Middle / Bass barcharts are just their own guideline ways of describing their products, and not any sort of standard. They're somewhat useful in comparing products from one maker, but not much else.

Agreed that a good G&L plays extremely well!

[Elwood]

Those are great guitars that take a little time to get familiar with. I have a set of "S" coils in an old left handed Comanche. I have not seen any other examples

Do you have some pics of that rarebird? I know crinkle pickguards were made for the lefty comanche. I've never seen one finished though.

[SouthpawGuy]

If G&L can make S coils for a righty guitar then they can make them for a lefty Comanche . Right ?

[Elwood]

A WR overwound bridge pup with the treble side adjusted low might be enough.
(or maybe add a cap to the existing pup?)
I do like the idea of playing with a Z-Z-H setup.

[NickHorne]

It's possible to add a cap (perhaps .002) to just one coil of a Z-coil, as the mid-point joint of the two series coils comes out of the backplate as a pair of short wires, just joined and sleeved in some plastic. Fitting the cap from here to whichever of hot or ground happens to be the "treble" coil would tame the shrillness quite a bit, on just those 3 strings...

And the WR pup is great, like a good Tele but humfree, with something of a fat P-90 too. Not a PAFbucker though.