Which bridge pu for K. Richards´ sound?

Hello guys,

Of all the options that i have, which pu do you think is good for nailing Keith Richards sound? And which ones are not? It´s the 5 string banjo tuned sound i´m looking for. Brown sugar, Start me up etc.

My brothers plays in a Roling Stones coverband, he´s not happy with how he sounds. probably because he´s a Strat player :mrgreen:
Now i want to help him, i have an alder body Telecaster that i want to turn into a good solid guitar with humbucker in neckposition and a good bridge pup.

Would, for example a Seymour Duncan JD APTL do the job?

Thanks ahead,

Michell, the Netherlands

Five string banjo? Wha?

Anyway, IMO the best KR type bridge pickup is the Don Mare 0038, followed closely by the Duncan Broadcaster. Both are great Tele pickups for any purpose.

YMMV

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=teles&sub=vintage_hot&pickup=brown_sugar

Maybe there's a clue in the name. Maybe there isn't.

Maybe, unless you're Keith Richards...

Well it's not the banjo sound obvioulsy but open G is the 5 string banjo tuning. I have a Broadcaster clone and I use Rumpels Black Rope set. they are around 10.5K somewhere in that area and they nail the KR sound.
www.rumpelstiltskinpickups.com.

Here's a thread you might find interesting: http://www.tdpri.com/forum/just-pickups/132914-fred-stuart-lapwrap-vs-don-mare-0038-a.html

Keith Richards has used innumerable tones, and has innumerable guitars and amps. But you always know it's Keith, regardless of the guitar or amp used. In other words, your brother should simply play whatever he has, but do in the way that Keith would, not go out and buy some magic bullet that he thinks will make him sound like Keith.

In my opinion there's three key elements to the Keith sound : a Blackguard type Tele ( I really like my Duncan Antiquity bridge pup in my AVRI 52 ), a Fender type tube amp and technique. Get a Blackguard type pickup ( there's millions of them, but yeah, the Mare 0038 is probably one of the best ones out there for that ), a tube amp and practice the playing. JMO YMMV

David Barfuss, a German PU maker, propose a model for tele called "The Keef" (neck (PAF) and bridge)...
http://www.barfuss-pickups.de/page4.html

Lots of pups to choose from, I'd find one I liked then focus on the right amp. Ampeg Jets nice little tube amps that work very well for Exile on Main Street tones, and can be had in the sub $300 range, but there are a lot of other options there too.

Howdy,

"Start me up" was done in the late 70s with a Tele (Probably with a HBer in the neck) and quite possibly through a Boogie amp. "Brown Sugar" was an SG through a late 60s Twin reverb. I think you are on the right track; use vintage type P/Us, open G and play like there's no tomorrow.
Back in my college days, I did the occasional 'Stones number with a Strat and the drunks in the bar seemed pleased, LOL. Good luck.

Lurked way too long, total noob, polite criticism welcome..

Tuning, tuning, tuning.. I have hit the Keef sound well with several Tele's as well as rack gear and combo's. I have stock pickups in my classic 50's (tuned for studio jumpin), Baja, and a VZ true vintage in the 72. All work well. I have heard he uses two twins, one clean @ 10 and one dirty @ 10 together mic'd on stage.

Also keep in mind he doesn't always use studio tunings / versions on stage (capo'd jumpin, no double stop bends on honky tonk etc).. Watch the Hyde park Honky Tonk. The double stops are played on an SG with a humbucker...

G for most, a bizzare Eb studio jumpin, open E or D hollow body humbucker (been awhile) gimmie shelter, capo'd std midnight rambler etc..

Volume and tone control adjustments also have a large effect.

I can pick up almost any Tele in a shop, tune it and have people asking "how" in seconds.

Play with tunings, keep it simple and most of all have fun. Then start worring about pickups. That is how he does it and why he sounds like he does..

Thanks for letting me in here... :)

Lots of good advice....Some Girls has Strat all over it. Tunings and technique n...,well, attitude are the key to pulling Stones tunes off live. Lock with the drummer nd find the groove.

Open G tuning on any guitar will do it, play brown sugar etc & everyone will know it immediately as Keef, AKA the rolling stones.

Simple.

Lap steel vintage 50s fender rewound to 9k or 10k, using the 43 awg wire instead in the usual. In a tele. Don't think he uses the neckbucker for much.

I've got the Jerry Donahue bridge pup and can do quite a good Keith sound with it. But then again, I could before with the Tex special...

Get a narrow panel tweed Fender type amp with 12's or for vintage delight, perhaps an Ampeg VT22 or Fender Twin Reverb. Turn the amp up to about halfway. Now tune your guitar (with vintage style pickups) to Open G. Play HARD and remember to swing your phrasing.

Don't forget early on Keef used an SG, a late 50's Les Paul, the black Les Paul custom and also a brown 335. Also he had the Ampeg clear guitars. Also remember he liked to use acoustic guitars into an overloaded tape recorder for some dirty tones...

Bottom line is the tuning, playing style and IMHO, a large tweed amp and sometimes with a very short delay.