Swineshead Pickups XBucker

Humbucking. Passive. 18.2k bridge. Ceramic bar magnet.

I chose the treadplate finish. It lookes amazing!

Spear RD (The one with the ridges cut into the top) Black. Silver hardware.

Bridge pos.

Replaced the cheap but ok stock pups.

Neck pup a Bulldog Extremist 10.3k

Reason for choosing SHead....I live near SHead...Derby in fact.

Output is loud. Sounds fantastic thru my Randall 200.

No FX.

Perfect tone for metal.

Metal. Perfect.

Both postions fine. Neck pos has a lower output-which will be needed...

After drying my tears. Id def buy again. But its discontinued, so...

17 years playing. Loads of gear owned and sold. Too many to type...

Love everything. Hate nothing much. Farting about with all the cables and wires does my head in.

Very satisfied with this pup. Will never replace it.

Share? I think SHead should relaunch it.

Passive humbuckers, full set: neck and bridge.

I have these installed in a custom-made guitar.

The output is very hot, but there is something about these pickups that you might miss, in that they lack the "slop" of a hot pickup, so it might not be the "hot" sound you are familiar with! These pickups are mind-bogglingly tight, as tight as EMG's no problem!

I was amazed at how tight, clear, and articulate they stayed under the most extreme high gain and low-tuned situations. I riff in drop C and even B standard from time to time, and these pickups let me do that without loosing any clarity. I spent an afternoon swapping these and a couple Seymour Duncan 'hot' pickups, like the Invader and such things, and while those pickups were fun, I was shocked when I wired the X-Bucker back in.

It's as if I was fighting those other pickups for control, but when I wired in the X-Bucker, it gave ME the control! These are a technique snob's dream, as they will accurately reproduce whatever you hit them with, and for me, that's a wonderful thing!

I have had these pickups and have been playing with them on an almost daily basis for over two years, and it wasn't until I spent that afternoon swapping in and out different pickups that I remembered just how far ahead of the game these humbuckers are. If I can afford it in the future, I'll do my best not to buy anything else ( accept for more Swineshead, and I'll be honest and admit I've always wanted to get my hands on some Bare Knuckles too =]).

Go for it, these pickups won't disappoint.

Like I said, they sound great, and are more articulate and tight than any passive pickup I've used to date. Wouldn't hesitate to buy them again.

Bridge PU, humbucking,DC resistance 18.2k,ceramic bar, rosewood.

Specs can be found at http://www.swinesheadpickups.co.uk/xbucker.shtml

Cort M600
Bridge position
Replacement for stock bridge PU - a mighty mite

Have a 2005 stock M600, and I was looking at changing the pickups, something with a little more output but still remaining clear sounding.

Current amp is Vox ADVT50...might be upgrading soon to something a bit more beefy, (Hughes & Kettener Matrix...maybe)...going through an Orange PPC212 2x12 cab - great cab BTW

I play an eclectic mixture (all our own material), punky, rock sound (not an AC/DC/Gun & Roses sound), sometimes a very heavy distorted sound with mid cut, a bit like Muse. I use palm muting quite a bit, and also the odd bit of fingerstyle.

Also play some ska/reggae which has that slight cutting sound with a bit of distortion, think of early 70's reggae...I think they used Fender Blackfaces a lot...the Vox doesn't do a bad job at that.

Output, hot! Loads more output, only downside is that I have to turn the volume right down for a good clean sound, doesn't do clean that well, but that is not what it was made for or why I bought it.

Suits my playing style, palm mutes sound really good,lots of sustain when you need it, loads more output, and sounds nice and clear (with vol turned down!), I also like a cutting edge to my sounds, think of Wilkco Johnson, and this still delivers, I have not noticed any significant loss of treble.

I'm definitely going to swap out the neck PU, going to try the Swineshead Condor, read comments that the Xbucker/Condor make a good combo.

Yes I would buy it again, it does the job, a good price for a handmade pickup, and looks great in rosewood on my guitar!

If it was stolen, well I would book a month long session with my anger management therapist, then hunt down the low down MF and break his/hers (I'm not sexist)fingers.....then ask my therapist for a full refund :-)

Playing on and off 20 years or so, local bands.

Haven't compared it to other products, haven't got the time, and I'm very happy with this one.

Passive humbucker. Check their site for specs.

Carvin California Carved Top Ct-6.
bridge
stock carvin pickup
carvin neck
Not that I know. Hopefully I'll become one.
Carvin stock pickups sound brittle and weak.

High output ( hot )
Soldano Hot Rod 50+ XL head and earcandy cab and isp technologies theta vector cab.
Tone is thick and chunky but without the mud as well as retains clarity. The top end or treble is reduced to get rid of the ice-picky shrillness sometimes produced by pickups with a lot of treble.
I play hard rock/metal and this pickup is a deffinite must for me. Also great to coil-tap with another swineshead pickup in the neck.
For me putting it in the neck position would be useless. I use the condor in the neck for my rhythm pickup ( see my review for the condor ).

Hell yeah... I'll only use swineshead from now on. I've found my pickup of choice. I've been playing for 12 years. I know tone.. Over the years you begin to hear things you didn't hear before. Your hearing matures and you become more of an audiophile. These pickups are by far the best pickups I've ever used and am completely satisfied with. This pickup needs nothing else. It does what it's intended to do and sounds damn good doing it. I'm suprised there isn't more reviews of this pickup brand man. These pickups are awesome and I highly recommend them. Talk to Jon about what you are looking for if you're not really sure just reading the site and checking specs. He's easy to deal with... CHECK THEM OUT.. NOW!!

It's a very high out put passive hand made humbucker.
It's 18.2 K., Ceramic Magnet bar.
Check this out for more info:
http://www.swinesheadpickups.co.uk/xbucker.shtml

I put it in my Bo-El KIM model.
It's best for the bridge.
I replaced it with a stock pick up.
The neck still the stockl one as I don't use it at all.
I always like checking out pick ups.
I usually buy a new pick up every month to put ion my guitar.
I went around their website and I like the sound clip of this humbucker. That's why I buy it. I love it!

It's very high out put humbucker.
I use it with my set which are
A stack of Laney VH100R + TT412 cabinet + Laney 4x12 Tommy Iommi sig cab, T-Rex Alberta for the boost and mosnter pro 1000 for the whole system. I would like to say the Monster pro-100 is the best cable that you can but. It's expensive, but well, it worth the money.
The tone of this pick up is tick, very beefly. The midrage and the low-end are awesome. I only wish it sounds a little bit brighter.
For me it does sound like DiMarzio Tonezone, only ticker and louder.
If you like something tick, something hot...this is the one.

If it's stolen, I would buy it again. The price of this pick up is reasonable and Jon, the man in Swineshead Pick up ROCKS!
He responds any e-mails I sent. He is the man who is very easy to deal with. The most of all, he knows how to make a great pick up.

Pickup features: Humbucker, Passive
Impedence or other specs: 11.7k, Zebrano wood finish

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul Standard
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Dimarzio ToneZone
Other pickups on guitar: Swineshead Warthog
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Lead Rock, R&B, Ska
Reason for pickup change: The dimarzio was dull looking and average sounding. It had to match the other one and no one else makes wooden pickups.

Perceived output level: Pertty darn Hot, I seldom have to turn my amp above 5.
Tone: Bassy with good mid and a little less treble.
Sonic evaluation: Les Paul standard with HH Musician 100W and a variety of home made effects, no super brand names- I like to be individual! (And I'm a poor student)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup is designed for neck, so that's where I stuck it. It's a nice all round round, very versatile- not just for super distortion metal rhythm!

Comments: I couldn't live without it, it looks incerdible and sounds as good. Although it's made to be bassy to middle, I find it has a fairly even response but for a slight lowering in the high end so you dont get any eye-wateringly trebly notes. I chose it becasue I wanted something unusual but not too expensive and quite heavy, for rock rhythm, but now I find I can use it for much more than that (unlike the old Dimarzio). Given the options you can have for these pickups, I can't believe how cheap they are! especially since they're genuinely handwound. I wouldn't shop anywhere else now.

Pickup features: Passive humbucking guitar pickup
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Mexican Fender Strat with bridge humbucker
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock bridge humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Regular neck and middle single coils
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Metal, Punk, Rock
Reason for pickup change: The old pickup was too thin and weak. I wanted to go for a humbucker for a thick meaty sound. You can choose you own colour for the pickup and I got mine in green and blue which looks really cool and very unusual.

Perceived output level: Hot! Very high output
Tone: The tone is bassy and middy with reduced highs.
Sonic evaluation: I use a marshall AVT150 and this pickup sounds very cool through it. It gives a great distortion sound which is perfect for chugging rhythm. I only play a bit of lead but this pup cut through nicely with good sustain. On a clean amp it wasn't as good but thinned out nicely once I brought the volume down a bit (about 60%). It sounded great split in position 4 with my selector switch.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: reat for metal, punk and rock. Not the best for blues and cleaner playing.

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