Lundgren Black Heaven 7.

[Dumple Stilzkin]

So I have had this pickup in my RG7620 for a year plus now, so I think I can give it a fair evaluation now. I have the ceramic version. Over time it has grown on me quite a bit, I like having a variety of gear so my comparisons are based off my other 6 guitars. It may very well be my favorite pickup that I have tried yet for a 7 string, it is very clear sounding, yet heavy as hell. So I get a very saturated sound but I can still all the individual notes in a muddy sounding chord. I like that it has mids and isn't scooped, yet doesn't venture into the quacky mid range sound that many so many are fond of.
I'm using the RG into a 5150 III 6L6 50 watt, that's fed into a v30 loaded carving 2x12 that sits atop a Genz Benz G flex 2x12. The palm mutes are massive, so much so that it makes me want to just mash away at muted power chords until I get my fill. The single notes have a great pop to the notes without too much harsh sizzle or high end.
My guitar has a coil tap on and it sounds pretty good for being what it is and mixes well when blended with the PAF pro in the neck and because its not super high output there is no apparent volume loss going between the two. I got a pretty cool brown sound on steroids tone by turning the gain and volume knob down a touch which was fun for busting out the Van Halen riffs. All in all I think this pickup deserves more recognition because I have never heard anything quite like it, and the tone I'm getting might be the best tone I've ever been able to coax out of this setup so far. If anybody is curious, give them a try. I hear they are basically a lower output less aggressive M series pickup, but I haven't tried them so I cannot speak to that. But don't go thinking this pickup is tame by any means, because it is an absolute beast in a high gain setting. Bottom line is if your curious go get yourself one, you will love it.

 

[Legion]

One of the big reasons I haven't made my foray into Lundgrens is that they do not come with triangular tabs and flat baseplates. Having an MIJ Ibanez with HELLA shallow pickup routes and triangular tabs means that I might have to carve up the thing, something I'm not keen on. Got burned once on a duncan that 1) had square tabs, and 2) was too tall, wouldn't sit in the route without being like half a millimeter away from the strings lololol.

But good to hear you love yours! Maybe I'll get a guitar with deeper routes and throw some Lundgrens into them at some point.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

Yes, it’s worth noting that these are tall pickups. It was a tight fit in 7620, but it’s in there and the pickup is at a proper height. They really should offer an alternative.

 

[MetalheadMC]

Thanks for the review. I may wind up getting one in the future, and have been reading about it for a while. Recently just got an M8, and love it. If the black heaven is anything close I'd be happy.

 

[Emperoff]

One of the big reasons I haven't made my foray into Lundgrens is that they do not come with triangular tabs and flat baseplates. Having an MIJ Ibanez with HELLA shallow pickup routes and triangular tabs means that I might have to carve up the thing, something I'm not keen on. Got burned once on a duncan that 1) had square tabs, and 2) was too tall, wouldn't sit in the route without being like half a millimeter away from the strings lololol.

But good to hear you love yours! Maybe I'll get a guitar with deeper routes and throw some Lundgrens into them at some point.

Step 1: Buy some cheap-ass Ibanez pickups with triangular tabs used.
Step 2: Swap the baseplates with the Lundgrens.
Step 3: Profit

Some dude posted a thread about it and took like 5 mins to do.

 

[Legion]

Step 1: Buy some cheap-ass Ibanez pickups with triangular tabs used.
Step 2: Swap the baseplates with the Lundgrens.
Step 3: Profit

Some dude posted a thread about it and took like 5 mins to do.

Doesnt do much about the height of the pickups

 

[HypatiaRising]

I got some but was just told today he doesn't think he can get the neck pickup into my km7 even if he routes it. Super bummed as they seem like exactly what I want.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

@HypatiaRising That's some bad news, will the bridge p/u fit?

 

[HypatiaRising]

@HypatiaRising That's some bad news, will the bridge p/u fit?

It would, but then I would have 1 active and one passive which seems like it wouldn't work well. I am going to see if a more experienced luthier could do it.

Wish me luck!

 

[Emperoff]

Doesnt do much about the height of the pickups

They guy that posted the thread here was an Ibanez user with your exact same problem. Don't be so negative

 

[lord of chads]

I put a lundgren M7 into the bridge of my rg1527. It was too tall and had square tabs so it didn't fit. I just took some pliers and bent the base plate to flatten it, then clipped off the ends to shorten and round them off, then drilled new mounting holes into the base plate. took 5 minutes and was free.

 

[Emperoff]

BTW, Lundgren does offer Dimarzio-style tabs on request when ordering direct.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

BTW, Lundgren does offer Dimarzio-style tabs on request when ordering direct.

That’s good to know. I’m considering switching all the bridge humbuckers on my metal guitars to Black Heavens.

 

[ikarus]

Will the standard tabs fit my ESP Horizon (it has pickup rings) ?

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

Will the standard tabs fit my ESP Horizon (it has pickup rings) ?

That’s a good question. I bought my pickup from axe palace. You might ask email them. Unless someone here knows.

 

[mrvomit]

Wow weird,rg7620 has smaller route fitting than 1527 .pickup height is easy as you just shim neck and you are good to go (did on all 90s ibanez to get pickup clearance and better control of bridge position ,easier action adj too ).
The baseplate change involves soldering ,not all are good at it(me included).filing tabs perhaps easier?.i missed one M7 deal as seller was "new "and i did not run the risk .Nice to know about black heaven .

 

[Emperoff]

The baseplate change involves soldering ,not all are good at it(me included).

Not unless the pickups are covered.

 

[mrvomit]

Not unless the pickups are covered.

Thanks you Could you show me a video ?(would like to edit my uncorrect mess but forum does not allow after a while ) .
I saw videos but must have been alll covered . Also i got wrong info by a luthier ( was asking if it would have been possible to switch myself in an "ACTIVE cover" back then ).

 

[Excruciator]

The baseplate will be soldered to the hookup cable ground wire whether it's a covered pickup or not. You will need to do some soldering to swap a baseplate. A cover just means there's a bit more soldering involved to desolder the (typically) two solder joints on the cover first.

I should note too, make sure you're using like for like replacements, the difference between a brass and nickel silver baseplate is very significant tonally.

 

[Emperoff]

The baseplate will be soldered to the hookup cable ground wire whether it's a covered pickup or not. You will need to do some soldering to swap a baseplate. A cover just means there's a bit more soldering involved to desolder the (typically) two solder joints on the cover first.

I should note too, make sure you're using like for like replacements, the difference between a brass and nickel silver baseplate is very significant tonally.

I've never come across a soldered baseplate on uncovered pickups (and I've dismantled quite a few for magnet swapping). Not saying they don't exist, but certainly not the pickups mentioned in this thread.