The Tone Quest........

[Bluedawg]

For the past 16 years I've been trying to get a certain tone.You know,the sound that you hear in your head,the one that you lie in bed thinking about at night.

I've had 4 or 5 Strats and after trying every pickup I could get my hands on(Dimarzio,Duncan,Fender)I sold them out of frustration.

I never knew about Fralin,Barden,Rio Grande,etc. until recently.

The tone I want is SRV,I love his sound.
Dirty Blues one minute,Chimey Clean and Jazzy the next.
To me its what a guitar should sound like.

I blamed my frustration on all kinds of things,lack of a good amp,Swimming pool routes,crappy Tremolo's that won't stay in tune,etc.

Now,I'm so close to the tone I want I can taste it.
After trying out Fenders and G&L's until I couldn't stand it anymore,I bought an Ash body,Maple neck/Rosewood fretboard Strat w/ a Trem that stays in tune.It has Graphite nut and saddles.

Its not a Fender/G&L,its a Peavey Axcelerator.
Made in the 90's it was Brand new left over.NOS you'd call it I guess.
My sales guy suggested it,I played it and over the course of a few days I fell in love with it.

I kept going back to the store every day last week,playing all the Fender,G&L's and the Peavey.

I just couldn't believe that the Peavey had what I wanted.

I brought it home,strung it with 11's,set it up,plugged into my Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal,Crybaby, and Laney TT20 amp and there it was,Happiness,satisfaction,fullfillment.

All it needs to be absolutely perfect for me is a good set of pup's.

IMO,this guitar is very close to being what the CS SRV strat should be.

Deaf Eddie suggested Rio Grande pup's,I'm trying to find a good deal on some.
Money is kinda tight since I got hurt at work and I need a really good deal.

I've been stalking Ebay this weekend and keep getting outbid.
Its very frustrating.

I guess I'll go with the Dual Calibrated set,
Muy Grande-Bridge
Half-Breed-Mid
Vintage Tallboy-Neck

Anyone have any other opinions???
Ideas??
Used Rio Grande pickups for sale??

Thanks,

[Mark Davis]

Fralins are what you want the blues specials.

They will wipe out the Rio Grande's no contest.

[Bluedawg]

Where do I get the Blues Specials at??/

I did a search and all I got was reviews.

[Mark Davis]

Look around here at the garage sale and elsewhere for used ones.

You can usually find them for $150 a set used.

[Admin]

Originally Posted by Bluedawg

Where do I get the Blues Specials at??/

I did a search and all I got was reviews.

http://www.fralinpickups.com/

There's a dealer link on there.

[KBR]

Mr Van Zandt (W.L. ) told me he wrapped pickups for Stevie. W.L. Passed away about 6 years or so ago, and since I recorded with Steve, and knew W.L., I have no reason to doubt Him.

Take a listen to my work, I am on about 40 cds, and have some Tone that is in the Ball Park, (Not my playing, I prefer less notes).
I am talking about Tone, here.

Kenny Blue Ray

[Bluesgtr20]

Blue Ray is right on... Van Zandts are great pickups and will get you in teh ball park as well.

[genelovesjez]

I have the Kinman AVn Blues in an AmStd., and I have Fender Texas Specials in a CIJ '68 Reissue. Either of those will get you close to the SRV sound, although I personally prefer the Texas Specials. Probably any hot or overwound pickup will put you in the ballpark.

Interesting anecdote about the Fralin Blues Specials - those were the ones I had in mind when I went down to my local store. They told me they stopped ordering the Blues Specials when they couldn't tell them apart from the other Fralins (!). So, instead I ended up with the Kinmans (which I'm still not really sure about). Take that for what you will, although it's a very well respected store (The Twelfth Fret).

[Bluedawg]

Well,If Van Zandt wound Pup's for SRV and thats the tone I'm goin'for,then its a no-brainer.

I'm ordering a set of Vintage plus VZ's in the morning.

BTW,I took my new axe to a jam with me today and the guys were saying it even sounds like SRV's guitar when its unplugged.
All the ingredients are there,it just needs a set of great pup's.

Kenny Blue Ray,
I'm very impressed with your playing.
I went to your website,thats quite a resume you've got there.
Thank you for taking the time to give me the info I needed.
I'll be purchasing some of your cd's soon.

I still can't believe I'm getting this kind of satisfaction from a Peavey guitar.
Oh well,stranger things have happened.

[singing single coil]

The Van Zandts are great pick-ups. the best I have had. But keep in mind that Stevie played through several different amps sometime together to get that tone as well (along with just being stevie). He used Fender, marshal and dumble all at any particular time.

[Blaster]

I like the Van Zandts but each pickup sounds unique in each guitar.

[orcslayer]

I agree about the quality of USA Peaveys. I had one of their Teles with Peavey's verson of Joe Barden pups. Great guitar, sorry now I sold it.

If you like the stock tone that much (and you must to have bought it), I'd stay with stock pups & tweak my amp or use an equalizer pedal instead of changing pups. Like you, I've tried many pups & found little satisfaction long term. The tone is different all right, but not often much closer to that tone "you hear in your head". I find just a touch of delay works wonders for finding that elusive magic tone.

[Mojowillow]

They get my vote, especially the Stelly in the bridge pos.
Fat city.

[KBR]

I have a Rio Grande Stelly in the Neck & Bridge position of 2 Strats now, and they are about the Best I've tried in about 250+ Guitars...
I use a Van Zandt True Vintage in the middle pos on 1 Guitar... 8)

No ties with Rio
Only Van Zandt

KBR

[The Snowman]

great setup and the most versatile setup I have ever played in a strat...I just wish I could put it in a Tele...but in my 75 Strat...they rock...think about every tone ya ever wanted and it's in there....really....don

[Bluedawg]

I exchanged the VZ True Vintage set for a Rock set and I have to say I honestly expected more from the Bridge
pickup than what it has.

Oh well,live and learn.

[KBR]

Yo, Bluedawg.
Do y'all have em raised up HIGH, as in close to the strings? If not, try that, they are about 7.1-7.4K and
not bad, IMO.
SEll it, and try what I use, lately, a Rio Grande Stelly in the Bridge.
8.3K, They are a Strat pup that souinds like a Tele pup...
Just amazing, I use em in the neck and the Bridge... 8)


I like a True Vintage in the middle for that ol 57 type sound.
YMMV?
IMHO, as always.

[Bluedawg]

KBR,
Can you recommend a Maximum string height for the Bridge pickup???
Right now mine is at 4/32 on Bass side and 7/64 treble side with the strings open.

The Neck pup is full sounding,so is the Middle,But the Bridge pup is much thinner.
I'm thinking about a Baseplate.

Thank you,

[Marino]

Noone mentions Bartolini. I have one with them and it's my favorite. I have Evans, OBL, Lawrence, Kinmans, Noisless, Ultrasonic, Seymours, EMG, Fender fat 50'(try!!)... The problem is evryone is looking for look-a-likes, but in fact many bar and closed pickups are closer to vintage as we think.

[orcslayer]

Since we're talking about Rio Grande Stelly's has anyone tried the new Seymour "Twang Bangers" that are billed as Tele Bridge pups that fit Strats? They have a copper baseplate I believe. I saw them announced as new on Harmony Central a week or two ago.