2009 TDPRI Giveaway Winners List is available HERE

surfoverb · May 12th, 2009, 09:24 AM

I just pulled the trigger on a set of these. They should arrive before the end of the week, hopefully....What should I expect? I'll be putting them in my 52RI Tele.

DMace · May 12th, 2009, 10:47 AM

Vintage Tonal Bliss.

petebradt · May 12th, 2009, 12:13 PM

You will get the best tone available out of that guitar.

marsopilami · May 12th, 2009, 02:20 PM

where did you get them?

surfoverb · May 12th, 2009, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marsopilami

where did you get them?

http://virtualvintageguitars.com/how_to.htm

You just shoot them an email and they get back to you with an invoice. Quick too, I emailed them last night at like 10pm.
Turn around time they said is usually 4 weeks but they had 1 set available last night so I ordered them. They already shipped!

surfoverb · May 12th, 2009, 02:58 PM

you guys that have them what are your specs? They said they will be between 6.8-7.4K just wondering what you all ended up with.

DMace · May 12th, 2009, 03:58 PM

Yeah, those specs are accurate. I have two BG sets and both fall roughly within those parameters.

surfoverb · May 12th, 2009, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMace

Yeah, those specs are accurate. I have two BG sets and both fall roughly within those parameters.

What are they?

Do you use a 4-way? I just realized the neck comes with the seperate ground wire so I think im gonna do the 4 way, I always wanted to try this but didn't want to mess with modding a pickup.

I can't wait to get them!

getbent · May 12th, 2009, 05:31 PM

I use a 4 way... mine are right at 6.87 (I'll have to look at the box for the other.)

totally righteous, totally worth the dough.

DMace · May 12th, 2009, 05:36 PM

What Getbent said.
I don't have the 4-way. Didn't think of it at the time of installation, and the standard pickup settings sound so ridiculously good, I haven't felt the need to mess with it. I'm sure the 4-way option sounds fantastic though.

surfoverb · May 12th, 2009, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getbent

I use a 4 way... mine are right at 6.87 (I'll have to look at the box for the other.)

totally righteous, totally worth the dough.

cool...I kind of hope I get ones on the low side of 7K...I like how they vary, just like real Blackguards.

surfoverb · May 12th, 2009, 09:29 PM

if I don't use a 4way how does that extra ground change wiring? Do I just solder both grounds to the pot?

getbent · May 12th, 2009, 11:28 PM

They send you a wiring diagram... I can't remember (old age and quasi moronic skills)

It is easy though.

surfoverb · May 13th, 2009, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getbent

They send you a wiring diagram... I can't remember (old age and quasi moronic skills)

It is easy though.

gotcha...They emailed the 4way diagram. I don't think im gonna do the 4way now.

I just realized they mailed these USPS

So they may not be here by fri/sat. Snail mail from California to VA.

DMace · May 13th, 2009, 11:38 AM

I thought Virtual Vintage mailed Priority Mail? The pickups I've ordered have shown up within three days. Hell, I ordered the Lapwrap and it arrived the next day. Don't know how that happened .

surfoverb · May 13th, 2009, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMace

I thought Virtual Vintage mailed Priority Mail? The pickups I've ordered have shown up within three days. Hell, I ordered the Lapwrap and it arrived the next day. Don't know how that happened .

ya I think it is priority, but I always get stuff quicker with UPS.

getbent · May 13th, 2009, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surfoverb

gotcha...They emailed the 4way diagram. I don't think im gonna do the 4way now.

I just realized they mailed these USPS

So they may not be here by fri/sat. Snail mail from California to VA.

I'll bet they come pretty quick.

email them about the 3 position wiring, I'm sure they'll send you a diagram.

surfoverb · May 13th, 2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getbent

I'll bet they come pretty quick.

email them about the 3 position wiring, I'm sure they'll send you a diagram.

I emailed them...Funny they told me to post a review here so, Big Brother is watching.

DMace · May 13th, 2009, 12:27 PM

That's standard practice. I'm sure they know that a huge percentage of their sales comes from word of mouth on TDPRI (and TGP). I bought my Stuart pickups based on reviews and soundclips posted here.

surfoverb · May 13th, 2009, 03:26 PM

well they emailed this diagram but they chopped off the right side. No mention of neck PUP ground wires, but it looks like they have 1 going to the switch for some reason. No worries Im just gonna wait till I get the pickup and see what the diagram looks like IRL.

getbent · May 13th, 2009, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surfoverb

I emailed them...Funny they told me to post a review here so, Big Brother is watching.

that is an interesting take. They are a really small company... I think they follow what their users say and care about whether or not you like the pickups and that you comment publicly... that is pretty gutsy if you ask me!

I got the same request from Jason and was happy to write a review. I love mine and feel like I got a really good value.

Like dmace says... it is the best way to do business... make a product and then let the customers sell it for you if they like it. In my case, I'm very happy with them.

surfoverb · May 13th, 2009, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getbent

that is an interesting take. They are a really small company... I think they follow what their users say and care about whether or not you like the pickups and that you comment publicly... that is pretty gutsy if you ask me!

I got the same request from Jason and was happy to write a review. I love mine and feel like I got a really good value.

Yeah out of the pickups Ive bought (Fralin, Novac, Mare)this is the first time someone asked this.

DMace · May 13th, 2009, 04:07 PM

You're not compelled to write a review. It's just a request. As Getbent said, these are small businesses that depend on customer satisfaction and word of mouth. I have nothing but great things to say about the pickups and the customer service. Best example: when I bought a set of Blackguards off of ebay a while back, the bridge pickup looked a little different than the one I had at home in another Tele. I emailed Jason and he went out of his way to check their records, to look at the ebay listing, and to look at photos of the pickup. He confirmed it was authentic, and didn't make a dime doing so. That is what makes for return customers, I being one.

surfoverb · May 13th, 2009, 05:33 PM

just to clarify I don't care that he asked me to post a reivew I just thought it was funny/ironic he gave me a link to here when Im on here like 24hrs a day, lol, if he only knew.

DMace · May 13th, 2009, 07:25 PM

Oh, I didn't know he gave you a link! I'd be like 'Uhm, I already live on that site. Hello'.

Geoff738 · May 14th, 2009, 12:39 AM

I still love mine - I have them wired with a 4 way switch.

Some find the neck too dark/bassy however. I am not in that camp.

let us know what you think.

Cheers,
Geoff

pgrace245 · May 14th, 2009, 08:51 AM

Well I just ordered another Stuart Blackguard pup for a Blackguard Esquire build. I've been pretty impressed with the customer satisfaction. When I emailed him he remembered my previous order (a different esquire build) and asked how I like them. I'm sure they keep track of that info in their customer database but still pretty cool I shoot him an email and right away he asked how my previous build went. I'm excited about this build!

surfoverb · May 14th, 2009, 12:41 PM

Mail call!

the-tone · May 14th, 2009, 04:58 PM

You'll be one happy camper!

Stuart fans, check out my new Stuart review of the Stuart Stevie set for strat.
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/just-pick...strat-set.html

I will keep posting new video demos on my YouTube channel of all these pups, so please keep checking. It's really hard to get any info on Stuarts work online, so I hope these demos will help a lot of curious people out there. As far as I know there is no demoes yet anywhere, and I thought that was frustrating when I was doing research myself.

I also have a 60' Tele set coming soon!!! can't wait.

surfoverb · May 14th, 2009, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the-tone

You'll be one happy camper!

Stuart fans, check out my new Stuart review of the Stuart Stevie set for strat.
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/just-pick...strat-set.html

I will keep posting new video demos on my YouTube channel of all these pups, so please keep checking. It's really hard to get any info on Stuarts work online, so I hope these demos will help a lot of curious people out there. As far as I know there is no demoes yet anywhere, and I thought that was frustrating when I was doing research myself.

I also have a 60' Tele set coming soon!!! can't wait.

Unfortunatley I have to wait until the pots and switch I ordered to arrive, hopefully by tommorow.

Im still not 100% clear about the wiring on a 3way switch, do I just ground the neck pickup and cover together on the pot?

The cover leads are as follows…

Yellow – Isolated ground (cover)

White – Outside coil (hot)

Black – Inside coil (ground)

dogggone · May 14th, 2009, 05:32 PM

surfoverb my bridge pup specs are a bit different 7.75Dc at 3.88 inductance.
It is a great pickup.

the-tone · May 14th, 2009, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surfoverb

Unfortunatley I have to wait until the pots and switch I ordered to arrive, hopefully by tommorow.

Im still not 100% clear about the wiring on a 3way switch, do I just ground the neck pickup and cover together on the pot?

Correct!
I have a 4 way switch and I really love it, btw.

surfoverb · May 14th, 2009, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dogggone

surfoverb my bridge pup specs are a bit different 7.75Dc at 3.88 inductance.
It is a great pickup.

Cool yeah IM kind of glad I got the higher DC, my other Tele has stock Fralins with A5 and 6.6K and slight stagger so thats more of a 60s vibe and now I got a 50s vibe too.

surfoverb · May 14th, 2009, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the-tone

Correct!
I have a 4 way switch and I really love it, btw.

I finally found confirmation from Angelas website:

There is a separate ground wire for isolation of the neck pickup cover; this simply connects to the back of one of the pots where your other circuit ground wires meet,

Wiggus · May 15th, 2009, 08:37 AM

You know on VirtualVintages site he even mentions that the Blackguards smell right. They do! Must be the cement Fred uses. I've been playing mine through my Ampeg Jet. Heaven. That's THE amp for that neck pickup.

surfoverb · May 15th, 2009, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiggus

You know on VirtualVintages site he even mentions that the Blackguards smell right. They do!

Hmm, I just smelled them and I dunno, whats a 50s PUP supposed to smell like? I have nothing to compare it to except maybe my Grandmothers underwear and they don't smell like that.

DMace · May 15th, 2009, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surfoverb

Hmm, I just smelled them and I dunno, whats a 50s PUP supposed to smell like? I have nothing to compare it to except maybe my Grandmothers underwear and they don't smell like that.

Victory?

getbent · May 15th, 2009, 01:11 PM

your grandma is named abigail?

surfoverb · May 15th, 2009, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getbent

your grandma is named abigail?

I wish. "Hey Granny mind winding me a set of PUPs today?"

DMace · May 15th, 2009, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surfoverb

I wish. "Hey Granny mind winding me a set of PUPs today?"

Wouldn't that rock? lol

May 12th, 2009, 09:24 AM	#1 (permalink)
surfoverb Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,087	Fred Stuart Blackguard PUPs I just pulled the trigger on a set of these. They should arrive before the end of the week, hopefully....What should I expect? I'll be putting them in my 52RI Tele. __________________ "You released the ****** fury!"*

May 12th, 2009, 02:58 PM	#6 (permalink)
surfoverb Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,087	you guys that have them what are your specs? They said they will be between 6.8-7.4K just wondering what you all ended up with. __________________ "You released the ****** fury!"*

May 12th, 2009, 05:31 PM	#9 (permalink)
getbent Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Benito County, California Posts: 13,671 37 Photos	I use a 4 way... mine are right at 6.87 (I'll have to look at the box for the other.) totally righteous, totally worth the dough. __________________ We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are

May 12th, 2009, 09:29 PM	#12 (permalink)
surfoverb Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,087	if I don't use a 4way how does that extra ground change wiring? Do I just solder both grounds to the pot? __________________ "You released the ****** fury!"*

May 12th, 2009, 11:28 PM	#13 (permalink)
getbent Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Benito County, California Posts: 13,671 37 Photos	They send you a wiring diagram... I can't remember (old age and quasi moronic skills) It is easy though. __________________ We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are

May 12th, 2009, 10:47 AM	#2 (permalink)
DMace Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 2,996	Vintage Tonal Bliss.

May 12th, 2009, 12:13 PM	#3 (permalink)
petebradt Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Niner Country Posts: 4,255 12 Photos	You will get the best tone available out of that guitar.

May 12th, 2009, 02:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
marsopilami Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: surrey,bc canada Posts: 138	where did you get them?

May 12th, 2009, 03:58 PM	#7 (permalink)
DMace Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 2,996	Yeah, those specs are accurate. I have two BG sets and both fall roughly within those parameters.

May 12th, 2009, 05:36 PM	#10 (permalink)
DMace Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 2,996	What Getbent said. I don't have the 4-way. Didn't think of it at the time of installation, and the standard pickup settings sound so ridiculously good, I haven't felt the need to mess with it. I'm sure the 4-way option sounds fantastic though.

May 13th, 2009, 11:38 AM	#15 (permalink)
DMace Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 2,996	I thought Virtual Vintage mailed Priority Mail? The pickups I've ordered have shown up within three days. Hell, I ordered the Lapwrap and it arrived the next day. Don't know how that happened .

May 13th, 2009, 12:27 PM	#19 (permalink)
DMace Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 2,996	That's standard practice. I'm sure they know that a huge percentage of their sales comes from word of mouth on TDPRI (and TGP). I bought my Stuart pickups based on reviews and soundclips posted here.

May 13th, 2009, 03:26 PM	#20 (permalink)
surfoverb Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,087	well they emailed this diagram but they chopped off the right side. No mention of neck PUP ground wires, but it looks like they have 1 going to the switch for some reason. No worries Im just gonna wait till I get the pickup and see what the diagram looks like IRL. __________________ "You released the ****** fury!"*

May 13th, 2009, 04:07 PM	#23 (permalink)
DMace Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 2,996	You're not compelled to write a review. It's just a request. As Getbent said, these are small businesses that depend on customer satisfaction and word of mouth. I have nothing but great things to say about the pickups and the customer service. Best example: when I bought a set of Blackguards off of ebay a while back, the bridge pickup looked a little different than the one I had at home in another Tele. I emailed Jason and he went out of his way to check their records, to look at the ebay listing, and to look at photos of the pickup. He confirmed it was authentic, and didn't make a dime doing so. That is what makes for return customers, I being one.

May 13th, 2009, 05:33 PM	#24 (permalink)
surfoverb Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,087	just to clarify I don't care that he asked me to post a reivew I just thought it was funny/ironic he gave me a link to here when Im on here like 24hrs a day, lol, if he only knew. __________________ "You released the ****** fury!"*

May 13th, 2009, 07:25 PM	#25 (permalink)
DMace Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 2,996	Oh, I didn't know he gave you a link! I'd be like 'Uhm, I already live on that site. Hello'.

May 14th, 2009, 12:39 AM	#26 (permalink)
Geoff738 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: May 2007 Location: Toronto Age: 45 Posts: 1,137	I still love mine - I have them wired with a 4 way switch. Some find the neck too dark/bassy however. I am not in that camp. let us know what you think. Cheers, Geoff

May 14th, 2009, 08:51 AM	#27 (permalink)
pgrace245 Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: chicago Posts: 293	Well I just ordered another Stuart Blackguard pup for a Blackguard Esquire build. I've been pretty impressed with the customer satisfaction. When I emailed him he remembered my previous order (a different esquire build) and asked how I like them. I'm sure they keep track of that info in their customer database but still pretty cool I shoot him an email and right away he asked how my previous build went. I'm excited about this build!

May 14th, 2009, 12:41 PM	#28 (permalink)
surfoverb Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,087	Mail call! __________________ "You released the ****** fury!"*

May 14th, 2009, 04:58 PM	#29 (permalink)
the-tone TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 95 20 Photos	You'll be one happy camper! Stuart fans, check out my new Stuart review of the Stuart Stevie set for strat. http://www.tdpri.com/forum/just-pick...strat-set.html I will keep posting new video demos on my YouTube channel of all these pups, so please keep checking. It's really hard to get any info on Stuarts work online, so I hope these demos will help a lot of curious people out there. As far as I know there is no demoes yet anywhere, and I thought that was frustrating when I was doing research myself. I also have a 60' Tele set coming soon!!! can't wait. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/jacobwpetersen http://www.youtube.com/thetone1975

May 14th, 2009, 05:32 PM	#31 (permalink)
dogggone Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: western ny Posts: 354	surfoverb my bridge pup specs are a bit different 7.75Dc at 3.88 inductance. It is a great pickup. __________________ "Groove is the #1 communicator worldwide."Bob Brozman

May 15th, 2009, 08:37 AM	#35 (permalink)
Wiggus TDPRI Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Central PA Age: 43 Posts: 65	You know on VirtualVintages site he even mentions that the Blackguards smell right. They do! Must be the cement Fred uses. I've been playing mine through my Ampeg Jet. Heaven. That's THE amp for that neck pickup.

May 15th, 2009, 01:11 PM	#38 (permalink)
getbent Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Benito County, California Posts: 13,671 37 Photos	your grandma is named abigail? __________________ We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are

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