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So about these Atomic Humbuckers, I see not only on here most people think they suck, but overall online I wouldnt say they get more than half of the reviews being positive about them. What's their problem? Or are people just being gear snobs?

I mean for example, how do they sound compared to say, the Jaguar HH humbuckers, or say the Mustang Special? Those both have distinct sounds and sound fine to me.. so please explain, rather than simply, "I don't like them"... are they really that bad?

Cymbaline wrote:So about these Atomic Humbuckers, I see not only on here most people think they suck, but overall online I wouldnt say they get more than half of the reviews being positive about them. What's their problem? Or are people just being gear snobs?

I mean for example, how do they sound compared to say, the Jaguar HH humbuckers, or say the Mustang Special? Those both have distinct sounds and sound fine to me.. so please explain, rather than simply, "I don't like them"... are they really that bad?

Also curious as to HOW they suck... also LOVE the Mustang Special pickups (JagHH aren't bad neither, really)

I thought the Jag HH had atomic humbuckers?

BacchusPaul wrote:I thought the Jag HH had atomic humbuckers?

napes. dragsters.

To me they lack clarity, and are muddy across the tone rage. It's not that they sound awful, but when you have played with better sounding pickups, they sound lacking.

^ that's how i feel about the dragsters. atomics i think are just fine, though nothing really amazing about them either.

my buddy has a toronado with the atomic humbuckers and he likes them just fine, ive never really noticed them being nasty or muddy. they aren't my cup of tea but if i had the guitar i would be more concerned with trying to put a trem on it than chage the pups.

dots wrote:

BacchusPaul wrote:I thought the Jag HH had atomic humbuckers?

napes. dragsters.

Right you are. I knew it was something cheesily named, whatever it was.

weeping_moon wrote:What potentiometers does it come with 250, 500 ohm or 1 meg?

I believe 500K, the pots have the solder on them right where it says, all I can really see is 50 then solder, so most likely 500K. But I really like the three way switch on the new ones, pretty solid.

speedfish wrote:Congrats Dougler! You da man! When are you gonna have a look under the hood?

Thanks, when I end up changing the strings, don't mind the 10's on it at the moment, but normally use 11's, so probably in the next week or two. Got a gig in about a week and a half so prob change them before then and take a look and post a pic.


And with the Atomic hb pickups, I don't mind them, they don't seem to get muddy with me, there starting to grow on me, but I still think there a little to hot for my taste. I'll have to mess around with them at practice and I got a show coming up to test them out and see how they sound at louder volumes, cause so far I've only got to mess with them in my room at not very loud levels.

The atomic humbuckers have some balls to them,yes there very loud but produce some very nice distortion,its one of my fav pickups.

IIRC the Atomics are basically supposed to be like JB's just made by Fender. I dig them as well.

I like the atomic hb on my cyclone. Its a very high-output pickup. It sounds amazing with some dirt or big distortion. I think it's not made for sparkling clean tones...

I don't have a massively varied experience with pickups but to be honest I get sounds I like out of every guitar I've owned and played. How vastly different can the variations in standard pickup design get? And what impact does the rest of the electrics and amp have on that sound? I loved the clangyness of my Squier 90's Duo, and they are apparently awful.

Note: I'm not saying there isn't these percieved differences, just that (as yet) my limited experience doesn't make me feel particuarly torn up over even cheap pups, when i can dial in a pleasing distorted sound on any I've tried. Maybe clean is where these issues really crop up...I rarely play clean.

Dave wrote:I rarely play clean.

So sig-able.

This may be my ideal guitar. Lighter/smaller than the Jag, better tuning/whammying stability than the Mustang, string-thru-body, and boner-inciting avant-garde appearance.
As luck would have it, Uncle Sam owes me $1100 bux

Still amused that the Atomics almost ALWAYS seem to be zebra stripped. Left over Cyclone pickups?