Suhr Pickups

Ramblin Ray · March 26th, 2003, 08:12 PM

Does anyone have any experience with Suhr Pickups?

Buckshot · March 26th, 2003, 09:54 PM

I put a set of Suhr's V60LP 's into my Bacchus Strat about 2.5 mos ago. That guitar sounded pretty magic to begin with, but even my tone-deaf bandmate co-guitarist noticed the sound improvement. A couple weeks later, I put a mixed set of Suhrs into a 20 year old Tokai Strat with great results again. So I decided to go whole hog & order one of his bridge pickups for my main early 70's Tele. It sounds GREAT! It went in as an experiment as I've been real happy w/ the Custom Shop old style NoCaster that I've been using for a couple years. But I'm sure not gonna switch back. The NoCaster will probably go in my 5 string Tele. I've had an A&F Blackguard bridge pickup on order for quite a while with a lot of anticipation, but its gonna have to be REAL special to replace the Suhr.
The Suhr is in the early 50's flatpole camp tone-wise: lots of everything (lows/mids/highs) tone wise and very responsive to attack & picking technique changes- clucks & pops on demand. They take to an overdriven tone like nobody's business. Pretty quiet for a single coil, maybe as quiet as H-Ds even (the 54 Special is another GREAT pickup!). None of the piercing hi-end thing I hear in alot of the 60s-70s vintage Tele pickups- it's ALL good even w/ the tone control wide open. I sound like a Suhr shill, but I've probably spent over a thousand on Tele bridge pickups over the years (Duncans, DiMarzios, Velvet Hammers, Harmonic Designs, Fralins, both "brands" of Lawrences, Armstrongs, old Schecter Monstertones, Schallers, ESPs, Van Zandts, Fernandes...get the point?) and, to my ears, these sound like a Broadcaster oughtta. The only bridge pickup that tickled me more than th Suhr was an old Fender flat-pole rewound for me by W.L. VanZandt himself (God rest his good soul) when he still did it as a hobby for a few of us that hung out at the old Charlie's Guitar Shop on Harry Hines.
I haven't tried his Tele neck pickup yet, as I've always been real happy w/ the Texas Special necks I generally use, but I probably need to check one out, because John Suhr really does great single coils. His P-90s are awesome as well. I've heard mixed reviews of his humbuckers, but I only have a couple of HB guitars & I'm set for pickups in those.

Roel from Holland · March 27th, 2003, 06:26 AM

I've got a set of Suhr pu's in my Tele. The neck-pu is just as stunning as the bridge-pu. More open than other Tele-pu's but it still has that typical Tele-character.
I've A/B'ed the Suhrs with Fralins (two almot identical guitars from the same luthier) and the Suhrs were the pickups of choice.....that was a very easy choice. I.m.h.o. the Fralins sounded more vintage.....or maybe they were just different.

Paul G. · April 5th, 2003, 08:27 AM

1 Tele Set--these are the best tele pickups I've ever heard, including original
50s pickups.

1 Strat set (V60)--Very nice, creamy. They are as good as others I've heard,
like Fralins but not really better. I wouldn't hesitate to get another set, but
they're this side of magic.

In addition I have a set of Gibson '57 Classics that John rewound and
remagnetted for me, these are better than anything I've heard with the
possible exception of Peter Florance Voodoo '59s.

Caboman1 · August 4th, 2003, 07:59 AM

I have a Suhr Clasisic Strat with V60s. They sound a tad bright and I've been thinking about switching to V60LPs. I play blues and surf music. I'd appreciate thoughts on this from anyone who has experience with both of these pickups.

All the best,

Caboman1

TeleGeir · August 4th, 2003, 03:14 PM

I was going to use a Suhr bridge PU in a project. But the dealer he referred me to never got back to me, so that didn't happen. (If people don't want to sell to me, I am not going to beg...)

Geir :)

March 26th, 2003, 08:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ramblin Ray Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: New York Posts: 394	Suhr Pickups Does anyone have any experience with Suhr Pickups?

March 26th, 2003, 09:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
Buckshot TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Denton, TX. Posts: 59	I put a set of Suhr's V60LP 's into my Bacchus Strat about 2.5 mos ago. That guitar sounded pretty magic to begin with, but even my tone-deaf bandmate co-guitarist noticed the sound improvement. A couple weeks later, I put a mixed set of Suhrs into a 20 year old Tokai Strat with great results again. So I decided to go whole hog & order one of his bridge pickups for my main early 70's Tele. It sounds GREAT! It went in as an experiment as I've been real happy w/ the Custom Shop old style NoCaster that I've been using for a couple years. But I'm sure not gonna switch back. The NoCaster will probably go in my 5 string Tele. I've had an A&F Blackguard bridge pickup on order for quite a while with a lot of anticipation, but its gonna have to be REAL special to replace the Suhr. The Suhr is in the early 50's flatpole camp tone-wise: lots of everything (lows/mids/highs) tone wise and very responsive to attack & picking technique changes- clucks & pops on demand. They take to an overdriven tone like nobody's business. Pretty quiet for a single coil, maybe as quiet as H-Ds even (the 54 Special is another GREAT pickup!). None of the piercing hi-end thing I hear in alot of the 60s-70s vintage Tele pickups- it's ALL good even w/ the tone control wide open. I sound like a Suhr shill, but I've probably spent over a thousand on Tele bridge pickups over the years (Duncans, DiMarzios, Velvet Hammers, Harmonic Designs, Fralins, both "brands" of Lawrences, Armstrongs, old Schecter Monstertones, Schallers, ESPs, Van Zandts, Fernandes...get the point?) and, to my ears, these sound like a Broadcaster oughtta. The only bridge pickup that tickled me more than th Suhr was an old Fender flat-pole rewound for me by W.L. VanZandt himself (God rest his good soul) when he still did it as a hobby for a few of us that hung out at the old Charlie's Guitar Shop on Harry Hines. I haven't tried his Tele neck pickup yet, as I've always been real happy w/ the Texas Special necks I generally use, but I probably need to check one out, because John Suhr really does great single coils. His P-90s are awesome as well. I've heard mixed reviews of his humbuckers, but I only have a couple of HB guitars & I'm set for pickups in those. __________________ Leo Fender got it right the 1st time - its been downhill ever since!

March 27th, 2003, 06:26 AM	#3 (permalink)
Roel from Holland Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Den Haag, Nederland Posts: 1,020	I've got a set of Suhr pu's in my Tele. The neck-pu is just as stunning as the bridge-pu. More open than other Tele-pu's but it still has that typical Tele-character. I've A/B'ed the Suhrs with Fralins (two almot identical guitars from the same luthier) and the Suhrs were the pickups of choice.....that was a very easy choice. I.m.h.o. the Fralins sounded more vintage.....or maybe they were just different. __________________ Proost, Roel http://www.telecastergallery.com

April 5th, 2003, 08:27 AM	#4 (permalink)
Paul G. Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 885	I've got 3 sets 1 Tele Set--these are the best tele pickups I've ever heard, including original 50s pickups. 1 Strat set (V60)--Very nice, creamy. They are as good as others I've heard, like Fralins but not really better. I wouldn't hesitate to get another set, but they're this side of magic. In addition I have a set of Gibson '57 Classics that John rewound and remagnetted for me, these are better than anything I've heard with the possible exception of Peter Florance Voodoo '59s.

August 4th, 2003, 07:59 AM	#5 (permalink)
Caboman1 NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2	Switch from V60s to V60LPs? I have a Suhr Clasisic Strat with V60s. They sound a tad bright and I've been thinking about switching to V60LPs. I play blues and surf music. I'd appreciate thoughts on this from anyone who has experience with both of these pickups. All the best, Caboman1

August 4th, 2003, 03:14 PM	#6 (permalink)
TeleGeir Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 1,998	I was going to use a Suhr bridge PU in a project. But the dealer he referred me to never got back to me, so that didn't happen. (If people don't want to sell to me, I am not going to beg...) Geir :) __________________ "This is a room in Paul's house."