David Allen Colt '51

[Colt W. Knight]

Recently, I have had the oppurtunity to get to know Mr. David Allen of D. Allen Pickups. David turned out to be a cool guy, and I asked if he would help me out with a project. Through a bit of luck and a network of friends, I acquired a genuine 1951 Fender Bridge pickup that sounded pretty freakin' cool! It seemed like such a waste to only put this pickup in a single guitar and send it down the road, so I asked David if he would be up to replicating this pickup for me. I am not a pickup mechanic/winder, so I can't give you all the specifics on stuff David had to do. Hopefully he will chime in, and let you know what sets this pickup apart. Anyway, the result is that David wound a killer pickup.

As many of you know, I am a pretty die hard Seymour Duncan fan, and I have fooled with a lot of boutique winders. A lot of the boutique guys can't deliver with their rhetoric, and their pickups are simply over priced. I've even made a couple of them mad when I sent their pickups back and told them they weren't nearly as great as they touted.

This Colt '51 bridge pup however, is a very nice pickup. Its hard to find a tele bridge pup that has twang and balls without that nasty ice pick. I like how even the tone is across the strings from Bass to Treble. The bass doesn't get too thumpy and the treble wont bite your head off. I can sit here all day and rattle off tonal cliches, but I'd rather just post some clips. Wish the audio was better, but I am still learning the nuances of recording with my new HD Camcorder.







Would just like to say, that I am not affilated with D.Allen pickups, and I don't get a comission for selling them or anything. I just wanted to share this pickup with yall.

[sjtalon]

That is SAAAAAAAWEEEEEEEET !!

[dress rehearsal]

Thanks for posting this, I am very intrigued by this set.

[Colt W. Knight]

Originally Posted by dress rehearsal

Thanks for posting this, I am very intrigued by this set.

You are welcome.

[Colt W. Knight]

[twangplank]

Originally Posted by Colt W. Knight

Colt is that a Bob Thompson cap I see on Robert Shaffer? I'll hafta see about getting me one of those

I also liked the seafoam guitar he was playing in another video. Did it have the pickup your showcasing as well.

[Shidoin]

I have a set of D. Allen CS hot '54's in a strat; they rule. Thanks for posting the clips; I wondered how his tele PU's sounded. As I suspected, they sound wonderful.

[Colt W. Knight]

Originally Posted by twangplank

Colt is that a Bob Thompson cap I see on Robert Shaffer? I'll hafta see about getting me one of those

I also liked the seafoam guitar he was playing in another video. Did it have the pickup your showcasing as well.

Yes it is. Robert endorses Bob's guitars, and told me that his Thompson guitars are just as good as his Wayne Henderson.

The green guitar was equipped with a SD Broadcaster and SD vintage strat pickup.

[CyanideJunkie]

I think it's pretty neat, having a pickup named after you! Sweet tones too!

[1962guitargeek]

cool...got your own signiture pick up already!


It sounds good, well balanced...

[D.Allen]

Hey Colt I am glad you are happy with the way it turned out. I typically make my pups based on certain vintage tonal profiles or for specific styles of music as opposed to replicating true vintage pups but this one really interested me and Colt was kind enough to let me run some test and examine the pickup. Later on I got to do the same with a '51 set and it confirmed what I had learned about the bridge and allowed me to match a neck to it. The bridge (on both '51's) had flat work that was a different thickness then what is usually used which made the coil a bit taller and closer to the strings. This is something that will effect the way the pickup sounds and plays and might be part of the great nocaster tone. The basics are just good high quality materials 43 ga PE wire, alnicu 3 magnets flat pole no bevel wound to approx 7.62K and the matching neck details are here : http://www.dallenpickups.com/product_p/ap-clt51.htm
I really want to thank Colt for bringing this to me I think it made a fantastic sounding set.
Cheers,
David Allen

[DeepSouth]

I watched your the vids of you playing Colt. The guitar sounded nice and snappy and so was the playing. Most of all I liked your accent seriously.

[e-merlin]

Bitchin'! Great clips. Of course, I'm partial to bright, but that's bright without stomping on your escutcheon tubes! Really smooth!

[Colt W. Knight]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

I watched your the vids of you playing Colt. The guitar sounded nice and snappy and so was the playing. Most of all I liked your accent seriously.

That's my buddies Patrick Golden and Robert Shafer playing those videos. Patrick is a session guitaris, and Robert is a two time natiinal flat picking champion. These guys can play with the big boys. I will say my accent is probably thicker than the both of em though.

[Whoa Tele]

Originally Posted by Colt W. Knight

That's my buddies Patrick Golden and Robert Shafer playing those videos. Patrick is a session guitaris, and Robert is a two time natiinal flat picking champion. These guys can play with the big boys. I will say my accent is probably thicker than the both of em though.

I bought Robert's Hillbilly Fever cd when it first came out years ago after I read a review in GP magazine. I wish he'd do another tele record. He's a monster picker.

[Colt W. Knight]

Originally Posted by Whoa Tele

I bought Robert's Hillbilly Fever cd when it first came out years ago after I read a review in GP magazine. I wish he'd do another tele record. He's a monster picker.

He has a tele record in the works right now, and I have to tell you. Its mind blowing. It has bends on there that sound like B-Benders and pedal steels, but he doesn't have a b-bender.

[Whoa Tele]

Originally Posted by Colt W. Knight

He has a tele record in the works right now, and I have to tell you. Its mind blowing. It has bends on there that sound like B-Benders and pedal steels, but he doesn't have a b-bender.

Please post something here when you know a release date and I'll be the first in line. 15 years between new material is crazy. If I could play like him, I'd put out something every other week. Boston's 2nd record didn't even take that long

[D.Allen]

Hi folks I had two sets made they are gone now and I am waiting for more flatwork it should be here next week and I can start making more.
Thank you all for your interest in this amazing set.

[Brandon mac]

Originally Posted by D.Allen

Hi folks I had two sets made they are gone now and I am waiting for more flatwork it should be here next week and I can start making more.
Thank you all for your interest in this amazing set.

how bout a johnny blade tele bridge?

[D.Allen]

Originally Posted by Brandon mac

how bout a johnny blade tele bridge?

I made two for Johnny Hilands Guitars and I will have them out in a couple weeks as well.
Johnny Loves the set.
Thank you for asking.