Anyone have experience with Nocaster and Fralin Blues Specia

Vibrolux · July 19th, 2003, 01:31 AM

I'm trying to find a pickup that will give me a slightly-fatter tone without sounding too bassy or overwound. I'm looking for something that will give me Roy Buchanan and Keef tones, but that will still have enough twang to play the occasional clean country lick. I've tried the Texas Tele bridge pickup, and while I liked the extra output, it lost too much twang on the wound strings. Have any of you had experiene with both the Nocaster and Blues Special pickups? Thanks for any information/opinions.

Kevin · July 19th, 2003, 04:06 PM

I recently A/B'd on of the new American Custom teles with Nocasters and my homebrew with a Duncan Broadcaster through a Super Reverb. Both guitar are ash/maple, but the AC had large frets and the American Series bridge, whereas mine has vintage frets and 3 brass saddles....

Anyway, I found my guitar to have a much fuller sound and the AC to be rather thin. This wasn't just my opinion; the guys in the shop agreed.

I went in there to listen to the Nocaster cos I'd always heard it was just a bit fatter than the B'caster, but not in this case. It may have been due to the bridge/frets combination on that guitar, but I decided to stick with the B'caster.

I think the Fralin blues is supposed to be a fat-sounding bridge pup, though.

A lot of people like the B'caster pup around here; maybe you should check it out....

John E · July 19th, 2003, 08:34 PM

...to my ears. I have a Nocaster in my Thinline and don't care for it... it's OK but not fat enough for me. It doesn't mate well at all with the Fralin BS I have in the neck. The VZ vintage flat pole or Fralin Blues Special are much fatter and rounder, that could be good or bad depending on what you're looking for... to me the VZ and Fralin BS smoke the Nocaster, JMO.

Scotland · July 19th, 2003, 10:10 PM

You owe it to yourself to try one. It sounds as if this is the exact pickup you are looking for. I love mine...LOVE it !!

swingin.little.guitarman · July 21st, 2003, 10:52 AM

I can recommend the Fralin Blues Specials. I have them in my '52 Tele. I wouldn't classify them overall as "fat" sounding pickups. My best description would be "rounder" sounding than a standard Tele pickup. The bridge pickup still has plenty of twang, just less of that sharp biting sound. The Fralin neck pickup has a smoother bass and more output than a standard Tele neck pickup. The Fralin Blues neck pickup is the best sounding rhythm pickup I've heard on a Tele.

The nice thing about the Fralins is if you don't like them Lindy will exchange them in the first 30 days for a set you do like. I would recommend trying a set of Blues Specials first. Chances are they would meet your requirements. If you found you wanted more output and a fatter sound you could exchange them and move up to a set of hotter Tele pickups.

July 19th, 2003, 01:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
Vibrolux TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 58	Anyone have experience with Nocaster and Fralin Blues Specia I'm trying to find a pickup that will give me a slightly-fatter tone without sounding too bassy or overwound. I'm looking for something that will give me Roy Buchanan and Keef tones, but that will still have enough twang to play the occasional clean country lick. I've tried the Texas Tele bridge pickup, and while I liked the extra output, it lost too much twang on the wound strings. Have any of you had experiene with both the Nocaster and Blues Special pickups? Thanks for any information/opinions.

July 19th, 2003, 08:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
John E Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,396	Fralin is fatter... ...to my ears. I have a Nocaster in my Thinline and don't care for it... it's OK but not fat enough for me. It doesn't mate well at all with the Fralin BS I have in the neck. The VZ vintage flat pole or Fralin Blues Special are much fatter and rounder, that could be good or bad depending on what you're looking for... to me the VZ and Fralin BS smoke the Nocaster, JMO.

July 19th, 2003, 10:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
Scotland Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Aberdeen, Scotland, Yewrup Age: 54 Posts: 6,468 3 Photos	S.D. Broadcaster You owe it to yourself to try one. It sounds as if this is the exact pickup you are looking for. I love mine...LOVE it !! __________________ All those who believe in psycho-kinesis, raise my hand !

July 21st, 2003, 10:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
swingin.little.guitarman Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 146	Fralin Blues Recommendation I can recommend the Fralin Blues Specials. I have them in my '52 Tele. I wouldn't classify them overall as "fat" sounding pickups. My best description would be "rounder" sounding than a standard Tele pickup. The bridge pickup still has plenty of twang, just less of that sharp biting sound. The Fralin neck pickup has a smoother bass and more output than a standard Tele neck pickup. The Fralin Blues neck pickup is the best sounding rhythm pickup I've heard on a Tele. The nice thing about the Fralins is if you don't like them Lindy will exchange them in the first 30 days for a set you do like. I would recommend trying a set of Blues Specials first. Chances are they would meet your requirements. If you found you wanted more output and a fatter sound you could exchange them and move up to a set of hotter Tele pickups.

July 19th, 2003, 04:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
Kevin Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Terre Haute, IN Posts: 2,967	I recently A/B'd on of the new American Custom teles with Nocasters and my homebrew with a Duncan Broadcaster through a Super Reverb. Both guitar are ash/maple, but the AC had large frets and the American Series bridge, whereas mine has vintage frets and 3 brass saddles.... Anyway, I found my guitar to have a much fuller sound and the AC to be rather thin. This wasn't just my opinion; the guys in the shop agreed. I went in there to listen to the Nocaster cos I'd always heard it was just a bit fatter than the B'caster, but not in this case. It may have been due to the bridge/frets combination on that guitar, but I decided to stick with the B'caster. I think the Fralin blues is supposed to be a fat-sounding bridge pup, though. A lot of people like the B'caster pup around here; maybe you should check it out....