Upgrading a Nashville/Twang Kings?

CharlesM · May 18th, 2008, 03:32 PM

Hi everyone,

First post here, although I've been visiting this site for years for Tele/Fender information. Great forum!

I just picked up a used Nashville (MIM, 2002, alder/maple board). The previous owner swapped original pups for Fender Vintage Noiseless Teles and Noiseless Strat middle. Don't have access to the original pups. I like the Noiseless but don't love them. What I hear missing is a level of touch-sensitivity and dynamics in the highs and a kind of "chime" that I've hear in many other Teles with trad. single coil pups.

As a basis for comparison, I bought a new Gibson reissue Melody Maker earlier this year--the 2-pup version with Strat-type pickups. (I believe they're actually stacked humbuckers.) The pickups in this thing are amazing! Not only are they hot, but they are extremely dynamic and very bright if you dial the tone all the way up. Very hi-fi sounding to my ears. Great chime and great for rhythm playing, which is mainly what I do. Just great headroom in general.

However, I'm a die-hard Tele-type guitar fan. I want to achieve this kind of sound in the Nashville. Another reference would be the sound you hear in Fender Jaguars--very chimey, very hi-fi. Same goes, of course, for good Tele and Strat pups, I'd say.

I've read that the DiMarzio Twang Kings are in this ballpark. Can I expect this kind of sound with those pickups? Really want a lot of "chime" in my rhythm/neck tone. Any other recommendations?

Also, would changing the bridge to a 3-brass-saddle vintage design be a significant improvement over the Nashville's stock 6-steel saddle vintage style as far as getting this sound?

Thanks a lot and I really appreciate any help.

Charles

The O.K. · May 18th, 2008, 05:52 PM

I have a Twang King in the bridge of my Squier Fat Tele. It is very bright. It is total Tele, hence the name. I can tell you that this pup is very articulate and very dynamic. At times, it can be too bright for my taste and I need to really pull down the highs on my amp. This pup picks up everything. Maybe it is a good thing. It forces one to become less sloppy in your playing at times. Not a bad pup. Like most, it depends on your taste. Give it a try. You can pick one up on ebay, no problem.

e-merlin · May 18th, 2008, 06:39 PM

Yes, the Twang King set will give you Tele tone in spades! They are not modeled after any particular Tele pickups, but they are winners nonetheless. The neck pickup is probably the best sounding pickup I've ever heard in the neck of a Tele.

The next question should be, what Strat pickup to go with the Twang King set. That, I can't answer...

CharlesM · May 19th, 2008, 10:14 AM

Great....sounds like the TKs will be a good choice.

As for the middle Strat pup, I figured another DiMarzio would work, such as the True Velvet.

bender-freak · May 19th, 2008, 10:29 PM

i have a MIM nashville with a Twang King in the neck, S.D strat of some kind in middle, and a 'Lil 59 in the bridge....on that particular tele i spend a LOT of time on the Twang King neck pup....i like it a lot, and it balances well with the other two....

76telepicker · May 20th, 2008, 08:09 AM

i recently bought a TK bridge pup and left the stock neck pup in my MIM tele...personally i hate it. I just ordered a set of seymore duncans...Lol if you want a bridge pup cheap i might be able to work out a deal with you!

nic'o'caster · May 20th, 2008, 09:27 AM

I have a pair of Twang King in a 'Nashvillized' '52RI MIJ Tele. Ash body, soft V maple neck and 3 compensated saddles (steel for low strings and brass for E and B strings). The middle pickup is a vintage Strat from Kent Armstrong. I have installed a mini switch and a 5 way selector. When mini switch is down, I get the standard Strat 5 positions and when it's up I gain 2 new positions : neck//bridge (standard Tele middle) and 3 pups altogether. Those 7 positions are a bit too much in a live setting but they really have their own interesting sound. So I'm very happy of this pickup configuration and I would recommand it definitely.

PS TK bridge alone is not my favourite, but it sounds good with the middle pup or with the neck one, so I keep it.

CharlesM · May 20th, 2008, 12:09 PM

Nic and 76: What don't you like about the TK bridge exactly?

nic'o'caster · May 20th, 2008, 12:27 PM

There's nothing I don't like about. It's really a good average bridge Tele pickup but it has no real character. Better than original pups (Fender Tex Mex) but it ain't any holly grail !

Al Nico · May 20th, 2008, 01:52 PM

Tone is so subjective. I like the TK bridge because it can twang and is dynamic with pick attack, but you can dial out that in-your-face tele character if needed. It also sounds great with overdrive, very versatile. I actually prefered it to the Keystone bridge, matched with a Keystone neck.

CharlesM · May 20th, 2008, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al Nico

Tone is so subjective. I like the TK bridge because it can twang and is dynamic with pick attack, but you can dial out that in-your-face tele character if needed. It also sounds great with overdrive, very versatile. I actually prefered it to the Keystone bridge, matched with a Keystone neck.

In addition to bright, is it a warm, "meaty" sounding pickup? The dynamics/pick attack sensitivity is definitely what I'm looking for but combined with good mid presence. Not looking for a super scooped, thin sound. More raunchy than nasal, and bright but smooth...not painful.

Easy, right?

Al Nico · May 20th, 2008, 03:23 PM

A bit warmer than traditional, but still open and clear sounding. Definitely not nasal to my ears, it's smoother than most under overdrive, but can achieve raunch with the right amp/pedal settings.

Dave_O · May 21st, 2008, 09:50 AM

I put TK's in my MIJ 52ri because I had a broken winding in the bridge MIJ pup, and at the time, I couldn't get Bardens... But I really think they're a good value-for-money replacement pup. As I live in the "land down under", all these boutique-style pups aren't readily available to hear, and the prices require the sale of your firstborn. I got the TK's thinking if that if they were crap, then I've only lost $200AUD on the experiment, as opposed to $500AUD for a set of Bardens (now that you can get them again!!). But they've been in the guitar for 6 years, and I often get compliments on the tone. Especially from other guitarists who think all Tele's sound "thin".... I find them a teensy bit hotter than the originals, but not so much as to radically change the sound. The bridge pup now just seems a bit beefier than before, but still with the crisp top of a Tele, and the neck sounds so much better than the original-- I never used it on it's own before, now I do.
An old bandmate from 10 years ago heard it when I played in NSW around Xmas time, and he said it had a heap more punch than before, without being "over the top". Put it this way.... AC30 on 10, guitar on 7, gives me a Malcolm Youngish raunch, guitar on 10 gives enough sustain to pull off Angus licks, then turn the amp down to 6 and play twangin' country!!
Give 'em a try, it won't cost you a fortune!!

76telepicker · May 22nd, 2008, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlesM

Nic and 76: What don't you like about the TK bridge exactly?

Dont get me wrong, it has alright tone and is better than mim stock bridge by a long shot...it just doesnt have the balls to it i was looking for....it seems to be lacking output as well....it has a terrible contrast with the mim neck pickup which is hotter than the TK....Im sure if you switch out both neck and bridge with the tks you will be fine and it will work well...if you want to save a few bucks on the bridge pup if you decide you want to go this route send me a PM

Jimo · May 24th, 2008, 12:29 PM

Anyone tried a Pre-B1 in the bridge and a Twang King in the neck? JIMO

May 18th, 2008, 03:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
CharlesM TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: NY Posts: 10	Upgrading a Nashville/Twang Kings? Hi everyone, First post here, although I've been visiting this site for years for Tele/Fender information. Great forum! I just picked up a used Nashville (MIM, 2002, alder/maple board). The previous owner swapped original pups for Fender Vintage Noiseless Teles and Noiseless Strat middle. Don't have access to the original pups. I like the Noiseless but don't love them. What I hear missing is a level of touch-sensitivity and dynamics in the highs and a kind of "chime" that I've hear in many other Teles with trad. single coil pups. As a basis for comparison, I bought a new Gibson reissue Melody Maker earlier this year--the 2-pup version with Strat-type pickups. (I believe they're actually stacked humbuckers.) The pickups in this thing are amazing! Not only are they hot, but they are extremely dynamic and very bright if you dial the tone all the way up. Very hi-fi sounding to my ears. Great chime and great for rhythm playing, which is mainly what I do. Just great headroom in general. However, I'm a die-hard Tele-type guitar fan. I want to achieve this kind of sound in the Nashville. Another reference would be the sound you hear in Fender Jaguars--very chimey, very hi-fi. Same goes, of course, for good Tele and Strat pups, I'd say. I've read that the DiMarzio Twang Kings are in this ballpark. Can I expect this kind of sound with those pickups? Really want a lot of "chime" in my rhythm/neck tone. Any other recommendations? Also, would changing the bridge to a 3-brass-saddle vintage design be a significant improvement over the Nashville's stock 6-steel saddle vintage style as far as getting this sound? Thanks a lot and I really appreciate any help. Charles

May 18th, 2008, 06:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
e-merlin Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Sioux Falls, SD Posts: 5,479	Yes, the Twang King set will give you Tele tone in spades! They are not modeled after any particular Tele pickups, but they are winners nonetheless. The neck pickup is probably the best sounding pickup I've ever heard in the neck of a Tele. The next question should be, what Strat pickup to go with the Twang King set. That, I can't answer... __________________ WARNING:This post may contain items including, but not limited to, sarcasm, irony, hyperbole intended to bring humor to this discussion. Those of you who are overly sensitive or who have no sense of humor are better off ignoring this post.

May 19th, 2008, 10:29 PM	#5 (permalink)
bender-freak Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: springfield, missouri Posts: 1,123	i have a MIM nashville with a Twang King in the neck, S.D strat of some kind in middle, and a 'Lil 59 in the bridge....on that particular tele i spend a LOT of time on the Twang King neck pup....i like it a lot, and it balances well with the other two.... __________________ bender-freak

May 20th, 2008, 08:09 AM	#6 (permalink)
76telepicker TDPRI Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Austin Texas Age: 19 Posts: 39	i recently bought a TK bridge pup and left the stock neck pup in my MIM tele...personally i hate it. I just ordered a set of seymore duncans...Lol if you want a bridge pup cheap i might be able to work out a deal with you! __________________ -Austin Garrett- www.myspace.com/theaustingarrettband

May 21st, 2008, 09:50 AM	#13 (permalink)
Dave_O Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 479 6 Photos	I put TK's in my MIJ 52ri because I had a broken winding in the bridge MIJ pup, and at the time, I couldn't get Bardens... But I really think they're a good value-for-money replacement pup. As I live in the "land down under", all these boutique-style pups aren't readily available to hear, and the prices require the sale of your firstborn. I got the TK's thinking if that if they were crap, then I've only lost $200AUD on the experiment, as opposed to $500AUD for a set of Bardens (now that you can get them again!!). But they've been in the guitar for 6 years, and I often get compliments on the tone. Especially from other guitarists who think all Tele's sound "thin".... I find them a teensy bit hotter than the originals, but not so much as to radically change the sound. The bridge pup now just seems a bit beefier than before, but still with the crisp top of a Tele, and the neck sounds so much better than the original-- I never used it on it's own before, now I do. An old bandmate from 10 years ago heard it when I played in NSW around Xmas time, and he said it had a heap more punch than before, without being "over the top". Put it this way.... AC30 on 10, guitar on 7, gives me a Malcolm Youngish raunch, guitar on 10 gives enough sustain to pull off Angus licks, then turn the amp down to 6 and play twangin' country!! Give 'em a try, it won't cost you a fortune!! __________________ The Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods www.myspace.com/hardwayband www.myspace.com/mojobros2mantrio http://www.soundclick.com/davemilesandthehardway ... and preface everything I say with IMO,FWIW... and WTF Last edited by Dave_O : May 21st, 2008 at 09:55 AM. Reason: extra stuff

May 18th, 2008, 05:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
The O.K. TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Shanghai, China Age: 30 Posts: 31	I have a Twang King in the bridge of my Squier Fat Tele. It is very bright. It is total Tele, hence the name. I can tell you that this pup is very articulate and very dynamic. At times, it can be too bright for my taste and I need to really pull down the highs on my amp. This pup picks up everything. Maybe it is a good thing. It forces one to become less sloppy in your playing at times. Not a bad pup. Like most, it depends on your taste. Give it a try. You can pick one up on ebay, no problem.

May 19th, 2008, 10:14 AM	#4 (permalink)
CharlesM TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: NY Posts: 10	Great....sounds like the TKs will be a good choice. As for the middle Strat pup, I figured another DiMarzio would work, such as the True Velvet.

May 20th, 2008, 09:27 AM	#7 (permalink)
nic'o'caster Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: SwLd Age: 41 Posts: 286	I have a pair of Twang King in a 'Nashvillized' '52RI MIJ Tele. Ash body, soft V maple neck and 3 compensated saddles (steel for low strings and brass for E and B strings). The middle pickup is a vintage Strat from Kent Armstrong. I have installed a mini switch and a 5 way selector. When mini switch is down, I get the standard Strat 5 positions and when it's up I gain 2 new positions : neck//bridge (standard Tele middle) and 3 pups altogether. Those 7 positions are a bit too much in a live setting but they really have their own interesting sound. So I'm very happy of this pickup configuration and I would recommand it definitely. PS TK bridge alone is not my favourite, but it sounds good with the middle pup or with the neck one, so I keep it.

May 20th, 2008, 12:09 PM	#8 (permalink)
CharlesM TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: NY Posts: 10	Nic and 76: What don't you like about the TK bridge exactly?

May 20th, 2008, 12:27 PM	#9 (permalink)
nic'o'caster Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: SwLd Age: 41 Posts: 286	There's nothing I don't like about. It's really a good average bridge Tele pickup but it has no real character. Better than original pups (Fender Tex Mex) but it ain't any holly grail !

May 20th, 2008, 01:52 PM	#10 (permalink)
Al Nico Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 260 5 Photos	Tone is so subjective. I like the TK bridge because it can twang and is dynamic with pick attack, but you can dial out that in-your-face tele character if needed. It also sounds great with overdrive, very versatile. I actually prefered it to the Keystone bridge, matched with a Keystone neck.

May 20th, 2008, 03:23 PM	#12 (permalink)
Al Nico Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 260 5 Photos	A bit warmer than traditional, but still open and clear sounding. Definitely not nasal to my ears, it's smoother than most under overdrive, but can achieve raunch with the right amp/pedal settings.

May 24th, 2008, 12:29 PM	#15 (permalink)
Jimo Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 578	how about.. Anyone tried a Pre-B1 in the bridge and a Twang King in the neck? JIMO