Artec HB21 Covered

This is a Gibson style large humbucker pickup with chrome cover. It has 16.5k dc resistance. I don't know what the ac impedence is.

I installed this in the bridge position on an Epiphone Les Paul Slash model. I didn't like the standard bridge pickup because they were too bright for my taste.

I did this comparisan playing through a highly modified Peavey Triumph and a 1-12 cabinet with a Guitar warehause speaker Celestion clone.I compared the Artec to a Z-bucker that is sold on Ebay by Guitarheads that i have in another Les Paul. An interesting comparisan. The Z bucker has a dc resistance of about 16.55 K and the Artec has also 16.5 K. The Artec tone wise seems to be a little more articulate in that the individual notes in a chord seem to be a little more precise and not muddled together during Overdrive chording and it seemed to have more attack. The Z-bucker was a little less defined but not that much. The Z-bucker also is a hotter pickup and a little less bright. The Z-bucker has a stronger magnet so i'm sure that affects the tone as well. Keep in mind that the Artec is covered but i've been told that shouldn't affect the sound any.

I found the Artec was probably closer to sounding like a hot Gibson PAF then the Z-bucker. The Z-bucker sound is more like some one spoiling for fight and i felt it was more aggressive in overall sound. If you're a blues player then the Artec is probably better then the Z-bucker. Considering the price paid for both the Artec ad the Guitarheads i think they are very good pickups for someone on a budget. The Artec came from Music City Mania for $18.00 plus shipping and the Zbucker about $25.00 plus shipping. I've been playing for 35+ years and have a good deal of knowledge on tones. But please make sure these are wired up right. Don't dis-regard these pickups because of the price. They're both worth checking out.