JohnnyGtar
Well-known member
I prefer the L90 series pickups over the L500 series. They're crunchier in my experience. I asked Google AI about the history of the L90 series.
Question:
The original Bill Lawrence L90 pickups came in black or cream. Were there any differences in out or in inductance between these two pickups?
Reply:
Yes, there were specific technical differences between the original black and cream.
Bill Lawrence L-90
pickups released in 1976. While both were high-performance twin-blade humbuckers, the color typically indicated a specific inductance and designated role.
Inductance and Output Differences
The color coding was used to distinguish between two different "winds" or performance levels:
Question:
What magnets did the origanal L90's use. Were the magnets types in those pickups changed? And if so, when did the change occur?
Reply:
The original Bill Lawrence L-90, famously released in 1976, is a fascinating piece of guitar history because Bill Lawrence (Willie Stitch) was a pioneer in using high-quality materials to achieve specific "low-loss" performance.
The Original Magnet Type
The original L-90s utilized Ceramic magnets.
Specifically, they used a large, powerful ceramic bar magnet placed at the base of the pickup. Bill Lawrence preferred ceramic magnets for his blade designs because they provided a very consistent, high-energy magnetic field. This allowed him to design pickups with higher inductance (for more output) without losing the high-frequency "sparkle" that usually disappears when you over-wind a pickup using Alnico magnets.
Question:
Did the magnet types change?
Reply:
The short answer is no, the core design philosophy of the L-90 has stayed remarkably consistent regarding its magnet type. However, there are two important distinctions to keep in mind:
When did the changes occur?
While the type of magnet didn't change, the manufacturing source and housing did change during a specific period:
Mattias Jabs used the 6.0 inductance version (Cream colored) in his black Strat back in the day.
Question:
The original Bill Lawrence L90 pickups came in black or cream. Were there any differences in out or in inductance between these two pickups?
Reply:
Yes, there were specific technical differences between the original black and cream.
Bill Lawrence L-90
pickups released in 1976. While both were high-performance twin-blade humbuckers, the color typically indicated a specific inductance and designated role.
Inductance and Output Differences
The color coding was used to distinguish between two different "winds" or performance levels:
- Black Cover (Standard)
: This version featured an inductance of 4.0 Henrys (H). It was primarily intended for the neck position and provided a clearer, more single-coil-like response. - Cream Cover (L-90XL)
: This version featured a higher inductance of 6.0 Henrys (H). It was labeled as the
L-90XL
and was designed for the bridge (lead) position. Because higher inductance generally results in a stronger signal, the cream
L-90XL
had a fatter tone and higher output compared to the black version. - Modern Reissue Variations
While the original 1970s releases were limited to these two options, the current reissue series (produced by Wilde Pickups) has expanded the lineup to include even more variety:
Bill and Becky Wilde Pickups- Additional Inductances: You can now find L-90s in 2.0H, 2.8H, and 8.0H to accommodate different tonal needs.
- Color Availability: Today, these various inductances are often available in black, cream, or parchment, meaning the color is no longer a strict indicator of the pickup's power as it was in the original 1976 run.
- Additional Inductances: You can now find L-90s in 2.0H, 2.8H, and 8.0H to accommodate different tonal needs.
- Color Availability: Today, these various inductances are often available in black, cream, or parchment, meaning the color is no longer a strict indicator of the pickup's power as it was in the original 1976 run.
Question:
What magnets did the origanal L90's use. Were the magnets types in those pickups changed? And if so, when did the change occur?
Reply:
The original Bill Lawrence L-90, famously released in 1976, is a fascinating piece of guitar history because Bill Lawrence (Willie Stitch) was a pioneer in using high-quality materials to achieve specific "low-loss" performance.
The Original Magnet Type
The original L-90s utilized Ceramic magnets.
Specifically, they used a large, powerful ceramic bar magnet placed at the base of the pickup. Bill Lawrence preferred ceramic magnets for his blade designs because they provided a very consistent, high-energy magnetic field. This allowed him to design pickups with higher inductance (for more output) without losing the high-frequency "sparkle" that usually disappears when you over-wind a pickup using Alnico magnets.
Question:
Did the magnet types change?
Reply:
The short answer is no, the core design philosophy of the L-90 has stayed remarkably consistent regarding its magnet type. However, there are two important distinctions to keep in mind:
- 1. Ceramic remains the standard: From the 1976 originals to the modern reissues produced by Wilde Pickups (the company run by Bill’s family), the L-90 has almost exclusively used Ceramic 8 (C8) magnets. Bill believed that for this specific twin-blade design, Alnico was too "mushy" and lacked the precision he wanted.
- 2. The "L-500" Confusion: People often confuse the L-90 with its cousin, the L-500 (used by Dimebag Darrell). The L-500 did see some magnet variations over the years (including different grades of ceramic and, in some rare custom versions, Alnico), which often leads to the mistaken belief that the L-90 changed as well.
When did the changes occur?
While the type of magnet didn't change, the manufacturing source and housing did change during a specific period:
- The 1980s "Split": In the mid-80s, Bill Lawrence left his namesake company (Bill Lawrence USA/Jzchak Wajcman) and later started his own independent production.
- Wajcman (Bill Lawrence USA) Versions: These pickups continued to be made using older specs but sometimes varied in material quality depending on the decade.
- Wilde Pickups (Bill & Becky
These are considered the "true" evolution of the L-90. While they still use ceramic magnets, Bill refined the housing and potting materials in the late 90s and early 2000s to reduce microphonics, though the magnetic circuit remained the same.
Mattias Jabs used the 6.0 inductance version (Cream colored) in his black Strat back in the day.
