Epiphone HOTH8B/HB6N:

Inspector #20

Inspector #20

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Hands down, I like these even better than my Gibson 498T. During conversations with Gibson Custom, I was told that these are basically an Epiphone offering of a Gibson 496R/498T.

Here's the specs on the Gibson 498T/496R:
  • Gibson 498T........................(Alnico5)..........................12.3 to 13.5kΩ
  • Gibson 496R........................(Ceramic)...........................8.3 to 8.6kΩ
And here are the specs on my favorite Epipphone pickups:
  • Epiphone HOTH8B...................(Ceramic8).........................13.14 to 14.4kΩ
  • Epiphone HB6N.........................(Alnico5)...............................8.12 to 8.60kΩ
Basically, I can hear no difference on recordings when I am evaluating the two sets of pickups.

I have the Epiphone pickups in both my Les Pauls...
 
Robert Herndon said:
Hands down, I like these even better than my Gibson 498T. During conversations with Gibson Custom, I was told that these are basically an Epiphone offering of a Gibson 496R/498T.

Here's the specs on the Gibson 498T/496R:
  • Gibson 498T........................(Alnico5)..........................12.3 to 13.5kΩ
  • Gibson 496R........................(Ceramic)...........................8.3 to 8.6kΩ
And here are the specs on my favorite Epipphone pickups:
  • Epiphone HOTH8B...................(Ceramic8).........................13.14 to 14.4kΩ
  • Epiphone HB6N.........................(Alnico5)...............................8.12 to 8.60kΩ
Basically, I can hear no difference on recordings when I am evaluating the two sets of pickups.

I have the Epiphone pickups in both my Les Pauls...
Click to expand...
Epiphone have some great sounding pickups. The Probucker mini humbucker is amazing.
 
Thanks for the tip, these seem to be really quite economical. I might get a set for my Epi Special II - out of the cheap beater guitars I have it's really the best built overall but the stock pickups are unimpressive to say the least. And since nobody seems to want to buy it (or, rather, I'm not willing to give it away for essentially free) I might as well make it my number two for playing less clean stuff...
 
aon said:
Thanks for the tip, these seem to be really quite economical. I might get a set for my Epi Special II - out of the cheap beater guitars I have it's really the best built overall but the stock pickups are unimpressive to say the least. And since nobody seems to want to buy it (or, rather, I'm not willing to give it away for essentially free) I might as well make it my number two for playing less clean stuff...
Click to expand...

They are a really good pickup for the price.

What kind of pickup are you looking for??? Gold, Nickel, or Open Bobbin???
 
Robert Herndon said:
Indeed!!!

I bought two pair of Epiphone H8BN (Now known as HOTHB8) and HB6N from Stratosphere's E-Bay store for $30.00/pair. They sell a lot of brand new, take-out Gibson and Epiphone pickups.
Click to expand...

YA know, ROBERT, YOU ARE KILLING ME with CURIOSITY. OH AND MY OWN DAMN DISOrganization.
WHEN I took my Stock EPI pickups out of my 2010 LP Standard to install T Tops, I now cannot find my EPI pups. It is not like me to throw them away either. I do not throw stuff away that is a resource. If anything, it is possible I may have sold them, but have no recall of doing so either.

Also just for you, Robert, Here is a fella I found playing his same model Honey Burst EPI STD as mine.



 
@aon - I have quite a few pickups here in stock. I have an Artec Classic Standard that has been converted to an AlNico 4 magnet and measures about 8.6k. The Artec is a black open bobbin. I also have a few Epiphone low ohm PAF clones (Gold Covers) and I think I have a few Gibson 'Double Slugs' too.

Hit me up if you need a particular pickup...
 
chilipeppermaniac said:
YA know, ROBERT, YOU ARE KILLING ME with CURIOSITY. OH AND MY OWN DAMN DISOrganization.
WHEN I took my Stock EPI pickups out of my 2010 LP Standard to install T Tops, I now cannot find my EPI pups. It is not like me to throw them away either. I do not throw stuff away that is a resource. If anything, it is possible I may have sold them, but have no recall of doing so either.

Also just for you, Robert, Here is a fella I found playing his same model Honey Burst EPI STD as mine.



Click to expand...

Awesome @chilipeppermaniac !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have some nice Gold Covered Epi stock humbuckers...
 
Whatever the heck is in my Epi Explorer & Dot..no changes beat them out. I think both might have the Alnico 2's

The ones that really work in my situation are the 61 Zebra's in the SGJ...thing just works in all amps & cuts & is clear...the SGJ is an enigma.. run 9's & downtune it..yet it usually gets the songs..purposefully use other guitars for fun or it would just be the SGJ on everything probably
 
BFT Gibson said:
Whatever the heck is in my Epi Explorer & Dot..no changes beat them out. I think both might have the Alnico 2's

The ones that really work in my situation are the 61 Zebra's in the SGJ...thing just works in all amps & cuts & is clear...the SGJ is an enigma.. run 9's & downtune it..yet it usually gets the songs..purposefully use other guitars for fun or it would just be the SGJ on everything probably
Click to expand...

Most all of my tracks were recorded on the Epiphone HB8N bridge humbucker...These are tow examples:

https://soundcloud.com/id%3Drobert-h-herndon%252Ffantasy-aldo-nova-cover%252Fs-gMuUM%3Bsecret_token%3Ds-gMuUM%3Btrack_id%3D708693769

https://soundcloud.com/id%3Drobert-h-herndon%252Fsmoke-on-the-water-deep-purple-cover%3Btrack_id%3D728051455

I like the tone of the Gibson 498T/496R but couldn't stand the noise they generate. They would buzz/hum anytime your hand got near the pickups, and they exhibited this behavior in 2 other guitars in which the pickups were installed. I actually sent them back to Gibson (through my Artist Relations contact) and they replaced them for me. I promptly sold them both on Reverb.

The Epiphone H8BN/H6BN sound identical and have zero noise, EFI/RFI. They are my 'signature' pickup...
 
Robert Herndon said:
Most all of my tracks were recorded on the Epiphone HB8N bridge humbucker...These are tow examples:

https://soundcloud.com/id%3Drobert-h-herndon%252Ffantasy-aldo-nova-cover%252Fs-gMuUM%3Bsecret_token%3Ds-gMuUM%3Btrack_id%3D708693769

https://soundcloud.com/id%3Drobert-h-herndon%252Fsmoke-on-the-water-deep-purple-cover%3Btrack_id%3D728051455

I like the tone of the Gibson 498T/496R but couldn't stand the noise they generate. They would buzz/hum anytime your hand got near the pickups, and they exhibited this behavior in 2 other guitars in which the pickups were installed. I actually sent them back to Gibson (through my Artist Relations contact) and they replaced them for me. I promptly sold them both on Reverb.

The Epiphone H8BN/H6BN sound identical and have zero noise, EFI/RFI. They are my 'signature' pickup...
Click to expand...
Thats interesting.. my Firebird 496/500 is quiet & very manageable & use it in my most gain situations cause its so easy to work with. She wasn't a squealer..lol

Trying to think which one of my guitars..cant even face my amp or it will make noise. Might be the Hamer Diablo..wont touch it cause it records so well. If i go to fix it, prob ruin it. became quick draw on that one
 
Robert Herndon said:
@aon - I have quite a few pickups here in stock. I have an Artec Classic Standard that has been converted to an AlNico 4 magnet and measures about 8.6k. The Artec is a black open bobbin. I also have a few Epiphone low ohm PAF clones (Gold Covers) and I think I have a few Gibson 'Double Slugs' too.

Hit me up if you need a particular pickup...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the offer Robert! I don't care about looks on this one... Epi PAF clones sound like a great thing to try but I wonder if shipping them to Finland wouldn't be ridiculously expensive? There's a few sets on Reverb nearby, might try throw them low ball offers and see what they say.
 
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aon said:
Thanks for the offer Robert! I don't care about looks on this one... Epi PAF clones sound like a great thing to try but I wonder if shipping them to Finland wouldn't be ridiculously expensive? There's a few sets on Reverb nearby, might try throw them low ball offers and see what they say.
Click to expand...

Let me know. I would be happy to give you a nice pair if you want them...
 
Robert Herndon said:
Hands down, I like these even better than my Gibson 498T. During conversations with Gibson Custom, I was told that these are basically an Epiphone offering of a Gibson 496R/498T.

Here's the specs on the Gibson 498T/496R:
  • Gibson 498T........................(Alnico5)..........................12.3 to 13.5kΩ
  • Gibson 496R........................(Ceramic)...........................8.3 to 8.6kΩ
And here are the specs on my favorite Epipphone pickups:
  • Epiphone HOTH8B...................(Ceramic8).........................13.14 to 14.4kΩ
  • Epiphone HB6N.........................(Alnico5)...............................8.12 to 8.60kΩ
Basically, I can hear no difference on recordings when I am evaluating the two sets of pickups.

I have the Epiphone pickups in both my Les Pauls...
Click to expand...

What about microphonic squealing and feedback / ringing noise?
 
Amp Mad Scientist said:
What about microphonic squealing and feedback / ringing noise?
Click to expand...

I've only experienced that with Gibson 490's. Never with the potted Epiphone's...mostly, my Gibson's exhibited a buzzing sound, like a bad cable.

The noise went away when I swapped in a different pickup and the noise "traveled to" any guitar i installed the Gibson's in.

The worst Gibson pickup i had was a Wildwood-spec PAF. It was great clean, but the squealing was uncontrollable with gain

I devoted a You Tube video to the noise in one of my Gibson's before I returned it.
 
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JohnnyGoo said:
I dont let alittle microphonice noise and feed back bother me. I found if you just let it feed back while i sip coffee or what ever it only goes so loud. Course i aint right either soooooo.
Click to expand...

At my stage volumes, it gets absolutely uncontrollable. I could NOT play my 2016 Gibson SG live until I swapped out the Gibson pickups.
 
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