"Fatter" "Rounder" "Thicker" still "Twangy" Tele pickups?

Hello all. I am looking to possibly purchase a new set of pickups for my CV Squier. I really like the neck pickup, but the bridge pickup is just a little shrill to my ears. Would like to have a little "rounder and deeper" sound out of the bridge. ala Brent Mason and Brad Paisley. I guess what I am saying is it doesn't have to be pure vintage, but I do like a little TWANG!!

Would prefer to try and stay with something in the GFS line to keep the costs down.

I would like to get a matched pair and replace the neck pickup while I am at it, but would be cool with just the bridge pickup as well.

Here is what I have been looking at:

1.) GFS "Cool Vintage" XL Lil' Punchers Set.
2.) GFS Fat Body Tele Set, and possibly the "Overwound" Bridge P/U

And as little background I play some country guitar, thus the love for the TWANG, and I play blues as well. Love the Tele tone for the blues.

What do you all think? Any other opinions?

Thanks


Brandon

The DiMarzio PRE-B1 is exactly what you're looking for.

Fatbody set. Overwound bridge.

I'll second the Dimarzio 'Pre B-1' (DP112). It's $50 at MF, which may be a few dollars more than the GFS, but more than worth it.

I say Lindy Fralin blues, but that's well outside your budget...

I think Brad Paisley uses LF Blues, isn't that right?

And about the Dimarzio Pre-B1, can I still get the twang with this pickup?

Would it sound similar to a Fralin Blues? Key word being similar. What would be the differences?

Again, I still want my Tele bridge P/U to sound like a Tele bridge P/U, just with a little more meat.


Thanks.


Brandon

Here's a clip of the GFS Cool Vintage Li'l Punchers XL in a MiM maple neck ash body Tele:

Li'l Punchers (http://members.dslextreme.com/users/jredlund/music/PuncherTest2.mp3)

However, to me they didn't sound quite Tele enough, so I took them out and put in a set of Tonerider Vintage Plus, which are very articulate, snappy and twangy.

John

And about the Dimarzio Pre-B1, can I still get the twang with this pickup?



Yes, but not as much as, say, a Twang King. You give up a bit of twang for a beefier, punchier pickup. That's why I have more than one Tele.

Zhangliqun "Paul Bunyan" winds will get you there.

Rio Grande Muy Grande.

Rio Grande Muy Grande.

+1

it's a darker, fatter twang, but still has good treble on top.

To me it's the Johnny Cash of tele pickups:lol:.

OV'52: does all of the above, and they're selling dirt cheap on feeBay these days.

Good pots and a orange drop cap. might help

Tonerider Hot Classic. Almost as cheap as GFS and sounds almost as good as my Fralin Blues Special. ALMOST.

Not tried the tele ones, but they get great reviews and are GREAT value .... keystones!

I got a set of the Strat pickups and they are great, I would say they what you are describing you want but the quack is there rather than the twang due to it being a strat.

Next time I replace my tele pickups they will be on the top of my list along with Joe Bardens ( but they are expensive so not relevant to this thread)

Cheers

BMF

Seymour Duncan Five/Two pickups.

seymour duncan vintage stack for tele bridge. That is the bridge pickup brent mason uses as well.

What spec bridge is in that thing now? Will an OV interchange? (Twang's not just in the pickups, IMO.)

Hi,

Roland here, I place 2 EMG-SAs on my solid mahogany partscaster and an EXB tone pot, it's sounding great! You actually have a tone choice, a regular tele twang with the tone pot all the way back (left) and a choice 2 to 10 for boost in the low and high frequency range and with the mids gradually dropping-off.

+1 thats what I have in my Highway One..

OV'52: does all of the above, and they're selling dirt cheap on feeBay these days.

Rio Grande Muy's or Vintage Tallboys.

Here's a clip of Toneriders Vintage Plus to go with the Li'l Punchers clip I posted above. I love the Toneriders, but some people have told me that the Li'l Punchers clip sounds better. I disagree, but tone is in the mind. When I swapped out the Punchers, I also installed a shielding kit and reversed the control plate so that I could do volume swells with my little finger. Both pickup sets are recorded through the Tweed Bassman model in PodFarm.

Tonerider Vintage Plus (http://members.dslextreme.com/users/jredlund/music/ToneriderTeleTest.mp3)

John

Another +1 for the Rio Grande Muy Grande. More oomph, and still plenty of twang.

Later...

Bill Lawrence Keystones are around $75.00 for the set and have some good "tonal body" to them and still can twang very well. Very nice pickups IMO, worth much more than what they charge for them.

OV'52

Sorry, but I haven't heard of the "OV" before. Is this (http://www.fender.com/products//search.php?partno=0992119000) what you guys talking about?

Try a Duncan Vintage Stack - it's a Single-Coil-Size Tele bridge that's two single coils stacked on top of one another. The copper baseplate and orientation of the coils gives you some humbucker qualities without losing the Tele twang.
Certainly will give you a little more warmth. Also, the Duncan Alnico II Pros are a tad warmer than stock Tele pickups. Oh....no, not Seymour here or any relation. And I only have a few Duncans out of many possibilities, but I think mine do what you describe you're after.

I actually JUST ordered...........


The GFS Alnico Fatbody Neck Pickup
and the GFS Alnico 10K Overwound Bridge Pickup.

Hoping I will like them. Hoping I don't lose too much twang! I don't think I will. Thanks for all the advice and opinions. They were greatly appreciated.


Brandon

Give us a review once ya get 'em in and try 'em out :)

Bill Lawrence Keystones are around $75.00 for the set and have some good "tonal body" to them and still can twang very well. Very nice pickups IMO, worth much more than what they charge for them.

+100

I actually JUST ordered...........


The GFS Alnico Fatbody Neck Pickup
and the GFS Alnico 10K Overwound Bridge Pickup.

Hoping I will like them. Hoping I don't lose too much twang! I don't think I will. Thanks for all the advice and opinions. They were greatly appreciated.


Brandon

IMO Keystones eat them for lunch for fat tone. I have both. I like the Fatbodies but when it come to thiick heavy stuff the Keystones rip. I put in a 4-way switch and it just kills. I have the KT Keystones.

Give us a review once ya get 'em in and try 'em out :)

+1 That's the set that I am looking at getting, a review/sound clips would be great!

IMO Keystones eat them for lunch for fat tone. I have both. I like the Fatbodies but when it come to thiick heavy stuff the Keystones rip. I put in a 4-way switch and it just kills. I have the KT Keystones.

I understand that, but I USUALLY don't play "thick heavy stuff," so to each their own. I am glad you like your Keystones. Hopefully I will like these GFS Pickups just as much.

Brandon

From what I hear, you're in for a treat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf3Ir_IytPg

Like I said I just hope I don't lose too much "twang." But I agree that the clip you posted does sound pretty impressive.

Like I said I just hope I don't lose too much "twang." But I agree that the clip you posted does sound pretty impressive.

To me it sounds like a fat Strat-like tone, the bridge sounds plenty twangy to me! Like a beefed up twang :grin:

Hopefully so because that is exactly what I am after. I can't wait. I am gonna try and install them myself. Hopefully it is not that hard.


Brandon

Hopefully so because that is exactly what I am after. I can't wait. I am gonna try and install them myself. Hopefully it is not that hard.


Brandon

I'm almost tempted to buy a set - for what I don't know :lol: They just seem like they'd be fun to try out. So I'll live vicariously through you :grin:

I believe that all sets come with proper wiring instructions if you get lost.

maybe you should go with Seymour Duncan Hot for Tele lead STL-2, its got bass, mids, twang, and plenty of sustain.

Fred Stuart Blackguards. The best on the market.

instant fat, round & warm tones: play with the shoulder of your celluloid pick and roll back your tone knob on your guitar. Works every time... no exceptions. Vintage SD pro Alnico II's help too. But most pick ups respond well to tone knob tweaking on guitar and amps pretty well.

G&L ASAT Clssc set

4 sho!!

The GFS fatbody overwound bridge seemed a bit harsh and shrill to me. I like the neck version, though.

It's what's in Brad's guitars....and mine.

I think Brad Paisley uses LF Blues, isn't that right?

And about the Dimarzio Pre-B1, can I still get the twang with this pickup?

Would it sound similar to a Fralin Blues? Key word being similar. What would be the differences?

Again, I still want my Tele bridge P/U to sound like a Tele bridge P/U, just with a little more meat.


Thanks.


Brandon

Chris Kinman, http://www.kinman.com/index.php, has somewhere on his site that Brad Paisley [BP], uses his PUs. I have heard from other tele players that they[Kinman PUs] really knock the "Broadcaster" sound out, but I've not heard them myself, unless when listening to BP, and not knowing WTF he's playing, nor caring much, and certainly not taking good notes there. Just being amazed my the guy's art. Others here say BP uses the LFs. I got no idea. But you can go to each site and listen to the makers recordings of their wares and that might help, eh? At least I know that Kinman has recordings of his stuff. You are NOT going to get the "sound" of a Barden, Kinman, Lawrence or Fralin for the US$50, you want to spend on a Di Marsio, or SD PU. I also have to say the "sound" comes from the "hands" as much as, or even more, than anything.

Just my US$0.02 worth

Peace!
geos

for fat, bold tone that still twangs when you dig in: nocaster bridge, baby!

Fred Stuart Blackguards. The best on the market.

I hope you're right, 'cause I just bought a set! :grin:

Bill

I know I sound like a broken record, but I have a swamp ash Tele with a Bill Lawrence L-48TL in the bridge and an L-280TN in the neck. 98 bucks plus shipping for the pair. Totally noiseless and I swear, the L-48TL twangs. It really does. Really... At least I think it twangs.

I recently put in a GFS fatbody hot bridge pup 10K replacing my original Highway 1 bridge pup. I don't quite like the sound. The GFS sound thin and weak with gain. I was expecting a more throaty and meaty sound but the result was just not what I expected. But on clean tone and chordal stuff the fatbody is good.

A Seymour Duncan Tele Pro2 or an SD Jerry Donahue. The JD is a wee bit more expensive,but it is fat,warm and still twangs.

Does anyone know how to contact Fred Stuart or where to buy his pickups??


RJ

for Fred's go to www.virtualvintageguitars.com Click on Stuart Instruments under guitars and scroll to the bottom..

I second the DiMarzio Twang Kings, I put both the neck and bridge ones in my tele and the sound improved dramatically. Check out this youtube someone made:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUstFLabSRw


They are quite the pickups IMO

Fender Tex Mex tele!

The GFS fatbody neck doesn't sound so "fat" to my ears, actually it sound less bassy and more defined than a regular tele neck pickup, due to the lack of cover i suppose. Is more on the strat side of fender sounds, i like it though.

I didn't read all the posts, just the OP, but if you're looking for Paisley, he did (and might still) use Lindy Fralin Blues Specials for years. My fave tele bridge put thought is the Rio Grande Muy Grande. I've had it for 14 years now... it'll do ANYTHING.

Is the Dimarzio Pre B-1 anything tonally like the Fralin Blues Specials?

It's what's in Brad's guitars....and mine.

Actually, as of lately, Brad's using Kinman Broadcasters or Voodoo pickups in the bridge position and Adders in the neck. I think he has Fralins in the '68 Fender, but I believe all of his Crooks now have the other setup.

Haven't heard the Voodoo, but I have the Kinman/Adder in my Crook and a Fralin (bridge only) in my Esquire-setup '71 Tele. I like the Kinman/Adder setup much better, but it just suits my style. Fuller rounder tone which compensates for my aggressive pick attack.

In your pricerange, I'd go with the GFS. The Dimarzio is nice, but GFS makes a pretty good product IMHO.

I think a few others have said this as well, but your pickups are only as good as the pots/wiring/solder job that the signal runs through. An upgrade of the pots/caps/wiring may help your tone as well.

The last Brad Paisley article I read in Guitar Player indicated that he experiments with different pickups all the time and he's got various makes in models scattered across his current collection.

I'm looking forward to hear how the GFS set works out.

I've been pretty happy with the GFS pickups I've gotten. His '62 Hot Alnico is a great vintage-style Tele bridge pickup and I'm currently running a set of Lil' Puncher "Cool Vintage" pickups in my homebrew Tele. I like 'em.
I also have a Dream 90 neck pickup that I think I'm going to try with the the Lil' Puncher in the bridge.

Do let us know how that new set sounds.

Duncan Broadcaster Bridge and 5/2 neck.

The DiMarzio PRE-B1 is exactly what you're looking for.

Great pickup. I have one matched with a Dimarzio True Velvet neck.

Listen to the song/video alcohol, with Brad Paisley... That's a Ron Ellis Broadcaster all the way.

Big, Fat,...and twangy:-)

Listen to the song/video alcohol, with Brad Paisley... That's a Ron Ellis Broadcaster all the way.

Big, Fat,...and twangy:-)

I thought this was a Hamel standard PU in BP's muttcaster, when Ron Ellis had a connection with him but hadn't started building pickups yet himself. At least that was what I remember reading on the Paisley website several years ago.

Lets keep in mind a few things: Paisley uses 10-46 strings and Dr Z amps, which color his tone a little more toward "fatter", "rounder", thicker"

Mason picks with his fingers on the smaller strings (using a thumbpick and fingers) and often blends in the middle humbucker with his bridge pickup for a slightly "Fatter", "Rounder" sound

Having the ability to blend a neck or middle pickup with the Bridge pickup is a great solution and gives you almost infinite varieties of tones

I thought this was a Hamel standard PU in BP's muttcaster, when Ron Ellis had a connection with him but hadn't started building pickups yet himself. At least that was what I remember reading on the Paisley website several years ago.

That's an Ellis pup according to the Ron himself. Maybe it was one of the first he did?

Brad's website says it's a Hamel if you are talking about the guitar he plays with a '52 body and a '57 neck. You can check it out here. http://bradpaisley.musiccitynetworks.com/index.htm?id=14667&sid=14354

"Fatter" "Rounder" "Thicker" still "Twangy" Tele pickups?



Sounds like you want this one :

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/telecaster/progressive/jerry_donahue_t/


:wink:

Fat, warm, round, still twangy= Barden's Tele set. Totally noiseless, too. Danny Gatton described them to me as a cross between "50's Tele and Charlie Christian pickups on steroids!" I've been using Joe's pup's since he made them in his basement in VA., and I still think they are the best.

Larry
www.larrycamp.com

The Dimarzio Area T is nice and thick but still has some twang !