WCR Icebucker review for Frank (fearhk213)

[Hey_bert_whtcha_doin_bert]

Here's we go's. This is still the honeymoon stage but damn is it one hell of a honeymoon, LOVE the pickup.

DC= 9.6k I think is what Jim said or around abouts.

What more can I say, the website's pretty spot on. TIGHT fairly hefty lows, not the strongest I've ever heard but definitely TIGHT and just right really as far as my opinion goes. The mids are more of an upper mid thing but fairly balanced(most likely from the unbalanced coils, would assume this is to make it a little more nasal to provide tighter lows). High's are sharp but pleasing, no annoying frequencies, friggin' mean man. The lower output keeps it from being overly compressed so it punches VERY nice.

Guitar to put it in: Anything with abundant low mids or balanced. I'm sure it would sound good in a upper mid brighter guitar too though, just for some might be a little bright. I couldn't ever see it getting ear piercing unless you had an amp that just icepicks your ears. You got icepicks lay off the ICE and go for godwood, pretty much the same bucker but less high mid. That's what I was told by Carol of WCR at least.

Works great with a dark amp like the Herbert, gives it a little Marshall bite.

I did a vid, be warned, I made the amp too loud at the end so it clips pretty bad, I doubt it would hurt your speakers but just so you know. I explain things in the vid as it plays.

Enjoy and forgive my NOOB skillzzz, haha... seriously I suck, but I have fun.

Any questions? LET ME KNOW FOO!!!

 

[thegame]

Sounds like a great pickup. Too bad the other equation in the Iced Earth formula wasn't as affordable

 

[nbarts]

Sounds great, mang!

From the very little I can tell from your vids c-bomb sounded better to my ear.

Your playing is fine, I don't know what you are sweating about. Not everybody has to shred.

 

[fearhk213]

Wow, dude! You went above and beyond with that review and clip. The playing sounded completely fine to me. Mega props . In fact...you deserve another .

I dig it from what I can tell. It sounds nice and pissed of. There seems to be a little bit of a growl going, but that could be the amp. By the way, what amp (herbert?) and axe was that?

What is the feel of the pickup like? Does it feel tight or does it have some give to it even though it sounds tight? Does it respond well to changes in your picking dynamics? Are pinches easy to get?

Now that I've listened to your clip like three more times since starting this reply I've noticed it has a lot of clarity. It seems you can really hear the individual notes of chords ringing through. It sounds like a really forward, uncompressed pickup. I'm sure part of it is the way the amp is dialed in, but it sounds like it puts out exactly what you put in if that makes sense. Being that it's a lower output pickup and isn't overly compressed, how does it fair in the sustain department?

I bet that thing would dominate in my Mira going into my Uberschall .

Thanks again for the killer review.

 

[Hey_bert_whtcha_doin_bert]

Thanks dudes,

The amp is a Herbert, guitar is an ESP Standard Horizon NT II, which is honestly pretty balanced... little bit of a mid hump. I'd say it's fairly easy to play and the sustain is great with a little volume under it, alot of harmonic content/overtones really. I'll be honest and say I have had pickups with more harmonic content but also came with a healthy dose of mud to go with it. The dynamics are great because of the low output, I might make another vid once I've had a little more time with it to show some of that off. Also the low output actually makes for a mean punch at volume... more so than the C-bomb. The bomb has more low/low-mids but it's not as punchy but fatter than the IB, this might be a thing of the amp, high output and high gain get compressed quick as you know. I actually have to reset my channel volumes because the GAIN channels are too loud now because of opening up some.

Like the Nailbomb it's a VERY clear pickup what you put in you get out when picking through open chords it's actually clearer than the Nailbomb because the notes have a little bit of background to pop out. Low ouput ,some of my favorite pups are on the low side.

The feel is pretty smooth playing, the previous pup my c-bomb was easier, the single notes got some give though.

To my bud nbarts:

I really need to get something I can open this amp up with and not clip the hell out of the sound. The Icebucker is MUCH better to me. It being such a tight pickup and the g12k-100's being so tight they need a little juice to get going and spread. The IB holds together MUCH better at high volumes and sings more so far I've noticed.

That clip was at speaking volume ya know. It just sings, loud agressive but smooth when you need some melody much like my beloved bomb, a hair better not much, to me at least anyway.

I should also mention open chords are quite smooth.

Also the time needs to be taken to adjust the poles for output, really helps alot, it's just one of those pickups you can't leave flat TBH, neither was my bomb. It still sounds good just not as great as after a pole adjustment.

Later on,

Nick