Baritone pickups

kyle1167 · April 21st, 2007, 09:07 AM

I have a hardtail Strat body that I'm putting a baritone neck on. What would be a good pickup choice? I've never heard of a "baritone pickup", but are there certain ones that would work better than others? I'm looking for a smooth, even, clean tone, I may use a little overdrive sometimes but I don't want anything hot or overwound.
I've cosidered the Bill Lawrence Keystone's. I'm also interested in the GFS line. I would love to get some feedback on either of those or any other recomendations.

Thanks, Kyle

fezz parka · April 21st, 2007, 09:45 AM

I'd go for something like the GFS 60's repro's, Fender 57/62's, or CS 69's. You want something that'll do clean and twang, so I'd stay away from anything overwound. A baseplate on the bridge pickup is a good idea too.

The sunburst Strat in this pic is my Baritone, it has the 57/62's in it:

And here's what it sounds like: What?

petebradt · April 21st, 2007, 02:19 PM

I love lipstick tubes for Baritone. Got 'em in my Dano and they twang like crazy.

PhatTele · April 21st, 2007, 02:47 PM

I got a great deal on a Fender subsonic when Mars went out of business. It had a S/S/H setup and I wanted to convert it to S/S/S. So, I asked Lindy Fralin (who plays some baritones) what the best option would be. He said "the cleaner the better." So, I got a set of his Vintage Hots. Plenty of twang and didn't add any additional overdrive. It makes sense in a way...those Danos and Jerry Jones with the lipstick PUs are pretty clean and twangy too.

Tele295 · April 21st, 2007, 02:54 PM

I find that with a baritone/tic-tac/6SB you can't get a pickup that's too clanky or bright. You need to compensate for the lower pitch by knocking out some of the bass. I have found that what sounds great on a Tele or strat is too muddy for 6SB. YMMV

That being said, I have 6SBs with lipstick tubes (dano) and Jaguar pickups (fender bass VI). With my Vibrolux Reverb, I still have the treble on 10 and the bass on 0. I have a baritone Esquire with a Barden pup on the drawing board.

cradlehall · April 23rd, 2007, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fezz parka

..................

................And here's what it sounds like: What?

What a fantastic sound. A very rich tone. Great for cowboy westerns. Do all baritones sound like this, then?

fezz parka · April 23rd, 2007, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cradlehall

What a fantastic sound. A very rich tone. Great for cowboy westerns. Do all baritones sound like this, then?

Thanks. As long as there are single coil pickups on it, this is how baritones should sound. The Dano is the king, I just wanted a Strat one 'cuz my buddy Elliot Easton has one. He used one on his Tiki Gods song Monte Carlo Nights and I just loved the sound.

BluesOwl · April 23rd, 2007, 11:09 AM

I have a tele baritone made by installing a warmoth baritone conversion neck.
didn't want true baritone strings (too heavy...can't bend'em) so the guit was set up for Fender subsonic strings 11-64.
Bridge pup was too trebly on plain strings
neck pup was too muddy on wound strings.
TDPRI's own RockinCarl made pups for me (it was my idea

I need to document that)
he made me what we're calling 1/2 & 1/2's. Half the bridge pup works and the other half of the neck pup works. (non-magnetic slugs for the non-active pole positions) The wound string half of the bridge pup works (for twang..no mud) the plain strings half of the neck pup works (for fatty leads and such).
There was more to pup construction than just the slugs, he had to dink around with windings (he's a genius).
Anyway its wired to have both on at tha same time. Don't need a switch. Got a Callaham custom cover plate with no swtich slot/holes.

Sounds great. Get a lot of compliments. The transition from one pup to another is audible if you really pay attention,but not if you don't.
If you really smack the strings you'll get a little ususal tele middle switch position quack as you're getting bleed across and both pups are sensing the 3rd and 4 th strings. Got two sets of the pups.

Thanx Carl
Go Tarantulas
Hijack:
Lou Simon @ frenchies in Ypsi in May as Thayrone's special guest
Aaron McCarthy also special guest on May 29 be there or be square

Jef · April 24th, 2007, 02:06 AM

Quote:

I love lipstick tubes for Baritone. Got 'em in my Dano and they twang like crazy.

+1

SD and GFS make lipsticks that fit strat style routings.

Jef

MandyMarie · April 24th, 2007, 11:03 PM

Fezz...that's literally exactly the sound I think of when I think baritone. That's KILLER! That's rrrrrreally a beauty too - you guys are gonna make me pick up my Dano tic-tac because I just can't take it! Great thread...and Miles, you know you need to do it...you just gotta, gotta, gotta!

fezz parka · April 25th, 2007, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MandyMarie

Fezz...that's literally exactly the sound I think of when I think baritone. That's KILLER! That's rrrrrreally a beauty too - you guys are gonna make me pick up my Dano tic-tac because I just can't take it! Great thread...and Miles, you know you need to do it...you just gotta, gotta, gotta!

Thank you Mandy!

When are you guys gonna play the Surf Ballroom?

MandyMarie · April 25th, 2007, 04:21 PM

We're going to be at the Historic Riverside Ballroom on May 15th - I'm nervous about that! Nervous...excited...nervous...excited. You probably never, ever experience that (or if you do...you shouldn't haha!) but I'm goin' back and forth like crazy!

Any more clips like that of that guitar in action? I'm on dial up and hardly EVER ask a question like that hahaha, that thang is worth every second of it!

I'm so in love with Grady Martin's playing and his tic-tac work with Johnny Horton has had me head over heels in love with baritones and tic-tacs for so long it's plum embarrassing. Viva la baritone!

fezz parka · April 25th, 2007, 04:28 PM

I thought I read somewhere that you were going to be in Clear Lake at the Surf...

Nothin' where it's that prominent. I usually use it to double basslines like in this one: Shufflin' Bee-Zerk.

April 21st, 2007, 09:07 AM	#1 (permalink)
kyle1167 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Center Point, Iowa Age: 41 Posts: 365	Baritone pickups I have a hardtail Strat body that I'm putting a baritone neck on. What would be a good pickup choice? I've never heard of a "baritone pickup", but are there certain ones that would work better than others? I'm looking for a smooth, even, clean tone, I may use a little overdrive sometimes but I don't want anything hot or overwound. I've cosidered the Bill Lawrence Keystone's. I'm also interested in the GFS line. I would love to get some feedback on either of those or any other recomendations. Thanks, Kyle __________________ If it ain't broke, hit it harder.

April 21st, 2007, 02:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
Tele295 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tiger Town Posts: 3,253 14 Photos	I find that with a baritone/tic-tac/6SB you can't get a pickup that's too clanky or bright. You need to compensate for the lower pitch by knocking out some of the bass. I have found that what sounds great on a Tele or strat is too muddy for 6SB. YMMV That being said, I have 6SBs with lipstick tubes (dano) and Jaguar pickups (fender bass VI). With my Vibrolux Reverb, I still have the treble on 10 and the bass on 0. I have a baritone Esquire with a Barden pup on the drawing board. __________________ "Turn it up and it doesn't need any reverb." - Danny Gatton www.dannygatton.info Tiger Town Aces - Music That Bites Back In Redd we trust! Free Bill Kirchen! If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

April 23rd, 2007, 11:09 AM	#8 (permalink)
BluesOwl Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Dexter, MI Posts: 551 48 Photos	Custom Pups I have a tele baritone made by installing a warmoth baritone conversion neck. didn't want true baritone strings (too heavy...can't bend'em) so the guit was set up for Fender subsonic strings 11-64. Bridge pup was too trebly on plain strings neck pup was too muddy on wound strings. TDPRI's own RockinCarl made pups for me (it was my idea I need to document that) he made me what we're calling 1/2 & 1/2's. Half the bridge pup works and the other half of the neck pup works. (non-magnetic slugs for the non-active pole positions) The wound string half of the bridge pup works (for twang..no mud) the plain strings half of the neck pup works (for fatty leads and such). There was more to pup construction than just the slugs, he had to dink around with windings (he's a genius). Anyway its wired to have both on at tha same time. Don't need a switch. Got a Callaham custom cover plate with no swtich slot/holes. Sounds great. Get a lot of compliments. The transition from one pup to another is audible if you really pay attention,but not if you don't. If you really smack the strings you'll get a little ususal tele middle switch position quack as you're getting bleed across and both pups are sensing the 3rd and 4 th strings. Got two sets of the pups. Thanx Carl Go Tarantulas Hijack: Lou Simon @ frenchies in Ypsi in May as Thayrone's special guest Aaron McCarthy also special guest on May 29 be there or be square __________________ BluesOwl

April 24th, 2007, 11:03 PM	#10 (permalink)
MandyMarie Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Indianapolis, IN Age: 28 Posts: 2,466 65 Photos	Fezz...that's literally exactly the sound I think of when I think baritone. That's KILLER! That's rrrrrreally a beauty too - you guys are gonna make me pick up my Dano tic-tac because I just can't take it! Great thread...and Miles, you know you need to do it...you just gotta, gotta, gotta! __________________ our wacky little hillbilly band

April 25th, 2007, 04:21 PM	#12 (permalink)
MandyMarie Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Indianapolis, IN Age: 28 Posts: 2,466 65 Photos	We're going to be at the Historic Riverside Ballroom on May 15th - I'm nervous about that! Nervous...excited...nervous...excited. You probably never, ever experience that (or if you do...you shouldn't haha!) but I'm goin' back and forth like crazy! Any more clips like that of that guitar in action? I'm on dial up and hardly EVER ask a question like that hahaha, that thang is worth every second of it! I'm so in love with Grady Martin's playing and his tic-tac work with Johnny Horton has had me head over heels in love with baritones and tic-tacs for so long it's plum embarrassing. Viva la baritone! __________________ our wacky little hillbilly band

April 21st, 2007, 09:45 AM	#2 (permalink)
fezz parka Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: A town south of Bakersfield... Posts: 1,290 48 Photos	I'd go for something like the GFS 60's repro's, Fender 57/62's, or CS 69's. You want something that'll do clean and twang, so I'd stay away from anything overwound. A baseplate on the bridge pickup is a good idea too. The sunburst Strat in this pic is my Baritone, it has the 57/62's in it: And here's what it sounds like: What?

April 21st, 2007, 02:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
petebradt Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Niner Country Posts: 3,392 12 Photos	I love lipstick tubes for Baritone. Got 'em in my Dano and they twang like crazy.

April 21st, 2007, 02:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
PhatTele Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 703	I got a great deal on a Fender subsonic when Mars went out of business. It had a S/S/H setup and I wanted to convert it to S/S/S. So, I asked Lindy Fralin (who plays some baritones) what the best option would be. He said "the cleaner the better." So, I got a set of his Vintage Hots. Plenty of twang and didn't add any additional overdrive. It makes sense in a way...those Danos and Jerry Jones with the lipstick PUs are pretty clean and twangy too.

April 25th, 2007, 04:28 PM	#13 (permalink)
fezz parka Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: A town south of Bakersfield... Posts: 1,290 48 Photos	I thought I read somewhere that you were going to be in Clear Lake at the Surf... Nothin' where it's that prominent. I usually use it to double basslines like in this one: Shufflin' Bee-Zerk.