The mystery humbucker in my Genesis I

So I'm in the process now of replacing the humbucker in my Genesis as the one it came with was half toast. Just hoping someone out there might know what this thing is...



I visited the nearest Seymour Duncan dealer to verify a fit before ordering a new one and the tech could not positively identify it, other then to comment that it looked to be a high quality build and somewhat reminded him of a DiMarzio.

Westbone has been doing yeoman's duty over the past week or so guiding me thru checks of the wiring and getting readings to troubleshoot this issue (thanks a million again, good Sir). This humbucker even with the dead half read between 11,240 to 11,540 ohms depending on where I was checking resistance to and from.

Comments? Opinions? Is it possible it is an original Magnaflux or has that been replaced?

No idea. But that plastic connector looks very much like a computer wiring connector and the and heat shrink tubing looks modern too, so I'm guessing it's a fairly recent mod by the previous owner.

I really doubt this pup or the wiring is original since the only reason to go through all that wiring effort would be to make it easy to swap out the pup, not something that Uncle Mats would do. Of course, for you, changing the pup without a similar connector is going to be a right pain in the arse.
Whoever did this was experimenting. Nicely done though.

Yeah I was afraid of that but haven't taken one apart before so I was hoping Mats was REALLY ahead of it's time with the connector. I will be able to swap in a modern pup pretty easily ( I think ) as that style of connector is pretty common these days.

The seller has been less communicative as of late (after he got his feedback) but has offered to send another Westone humbucker he has.

Oh well, I know every ebay experience can be a good one. Just was hoping I never would have one.

Ice,

I'm a bad one to comment about the UBC PU since they are my kids. I've done a bunch of comparisons and still go back to them whenever I can. Have you looked into doing a rewind on the PU - IF YOU HAVE THE ORIGINAL? The core is likely OK and I suspect that there's a break in the wind at the tap. The OFC wire is still out there and it will require a careful count of the winds but with a bit of patience, you could likely fix it. Already I can hear the group saying "Presley, you're nuts"! Ok, so we agree on that! However, I'd really like to see the Genesis go back to original if at all possible. These are marvelous instruments that were limited in production, have a great character and look great, in my humble opinion.

I'd say, give it a shot. In the meantime, pick up a S.D. and play it. You'll not get as accurate of a single coil sound, will pick up more noise resistance but lose some high freq in the dual coil mode but still have a nice response. I personally was shooting for a more sibilant response without them getting too much high end. There are a bunch of posts about how the "accidental" UBC came about but sometimes good things happen with a mistake!

Let me know how it turns out!

Tom

This is fantastic! Thanks Tom, and of course I kept the original.

Barry's comment made sense to me in that I was unaware that more modern method of using a 5 pin connector was being implemented back when mine was built. Was he correct in surmising that ease of replacement was the thinking behind it?

If you would care to I (and I'll go ahead and speak for others here as well) would love to hear more on the development of the UBC. I have done as much reading as I can find it on the concept and find the theory behind them fascinating.

For starters how you arrived at the ratio between the halves to achieve the proper "unbalance" for lack of a better term? I have a rudimentary understanding of magnetic field theory but would love to learn more from your experiences in getting it from drawing board to body cavity.

Great to have you here once again. Thanks!

tpresley wrote: However, I'd really like to see the Genesis go back to original if at all possible. These are marvelous instruments that were limited in production, have a great character and look great, in my humble opinion.

Me, too if at all possible, physically and financially!! Gotta agree with the sentiment that the Genesis are a keeper; I have one - Gen II, which was my first Westone, bought in a pawn shop in Christchurch, New Zealand - which is just a very cool instrument to play and look at!! Mine also has the controls in an odd possie, with no coil split function at all...

You should post that pic in the Member's Westones section! Nice family ya got there! And is that a Westone strap I see?!

Oiy!! Hey there, Jimmy!!! No bogarting me post, now!!

But seriously now that my humbucker is no longer a mystery (thanks again Tom), does anyone have any experience with rewinding a pup such as this? Or perhaps any sources online or otherwise that they could share with me to dig into?

The Seymour Duncan is on its way and I will be able to use it in another guitar after the original is repaired. Rest assured it was never my intention to have this in anything other than original condition and I intend to get it back there by any means necessary. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Hey Ice, if you check the ol' YouTube, you'll see some info on it. Basically you just unwind it till ya find it. Scary, I know, but supposedly it's never too far in. In the words of Tony Little, "You can do it!" And Ice, you just had an answer from the man who actually designed the pickups!!! How cool is that?!

And let me say this... how blessed are we on this forum?! What other guitar forums have a Tom Presley equivalent chiming in to talk to them?!?!?! We can actually converse with Mr. Westone himself!

Mr. Tom Presley, we're very glad that you take the time to talk with us, thank you very deeply.