Must be the chambers
Theres been discussion in the past about L280s vs. L200s in Strats. I had taken some unfriendly fire for my comments about my ditching the L280s in favor of the L200s in my Melancon. Since doing so some months back I have gathered some information that may prove helpful.
I have BLs in three guitars, all three Strat configurations. My Carvin/Warmoth Strat has L280s with an L290 in the bridge and this guitar sounds killer! The L280s in this guitar sound completely different than those I had in my Melancon. My Carvin Bolt has L280s also and sounds incredible. Both of these guitars are solid, alder with maple. The Warmoth is a drop top, the Carvin a flame maple.
But the Melancon is chambered alder with swamp ash top. A friend has a similar chambered Melancon and L280s in the neck and middle and his guitar exhibits that same undesirable tone as mine did. Its hard to describe a midrange honk, sort of a humbucker-ish tone something like that. It bugged me enough after a while that I made the change of pickups. Going over to the L200s completely took that tone out and in the bargain imparted more of a vintage tone that I love.
Also possibly of interest the L200s in my Melancon sound dang near identical to the Rio Grande Tallboys (true single coils and expensive ones at that) in his other Melancon a non-chambered Strat with a maple cap. In fact if you closed your eyes, Im not sure you could tell which was which. I was very pumped about this its a great place to be tone-wise, as those Tallboys are incredible.
This leads me to conclude that a chambered guitar might prefer the L200s. Ive never heard the L200s in a non-chambered guitar, though I expect theyll sound incredible there as well.
Greg
Theres been discussion in the past about L280s vs. L200s in Strats. I had taken some unfriendly fire for my comments about my ditching the L280s in favor of the L200s in my Melancon. Since doing so some months back I have gathered some information that may prove helpful.
I have BLs in three guitars, all three Strat configurations. My Carvin/Warmoth Strat has L280s with an L290 in the bridge and this guitar sounds killer! The L280s in this guitar sound completely different than those I had in my Melancon. My Carvin Bolt has L280s also and sounds incredible. Both of these guitars are solid, alder with maple. The Warmoth is a drop top, the Carvin a flame maple.
But the Melancon is chambered alder with swamp ash top. A friend has a similar chambered Melancon and L280s in the neck and middle and his guitar exhibits that same undesirable tone as mine did. Its hard to describe a midrange honk, sort of a humbucker-ish tone something like that. It bugged me enough after a while that I made the change of pickups. Going over to the L200s completely took that tone out and in the bargain imparted more of a vintage tone that I love.
Also possibly of interest the L200s in my Melancon sound dang near identical to the Rio Grande Tallboys (true single coils and expensive ones at that) in his other Melancon a non-chambered Strat with a maple cap. In fact if you closed your eyes, Im not sure you could tell which was which. I was very pumped about this its a great place to be tone-wise, as those Tallboys are incredible.
This leads me to conclude that a chambered guitar might prefer the L200s. Ive never heard the L200s in a non-chambered guitar, though I expect theyll sound incredible there as well.
Greg
