Gatton Pickup Swap

timbott · July 2nd, 2008, 05:49 AM

Hi Guys, just a quick one. I have just aquired a 08 Gatton Tele. I would like to swap the Pickups for Bardens. Will this be a simple straight swap or has fender put in some booby traps. Thanks.

bendecaster · July 2nd, 2008, 05:52 AM

They should go in without any issues!

davis502 · July 2nd, 2008, 10:20 AM

I know Bardens are more authentic on a "Gatton". Are you sure you want to spend all that money on changing out some great sounding pickups? I played an 2007 Gatton recently. I thought "wow these Bardens sound great & as everyone describes!" Only to find out that they are Fender designed & ANICO instead of ceramic. You may be trading down instead of up. Let your ears judge,save the originals & let us know what you think. If Fender would offer those pickups for sale I'd buy them. Though I still have not tried Bardens yet. The Gatton is the best sounding guitar I have ever played. I souned better than myself

- Jim

timbott · July 2nd, 2008, 01:07 PM

Thanks for the advice guys. I must admit that i just assumed that the Bardens would be better. Anybody else got aview on the stock Gatton P/up.

mellecaster · July 2nd, 2008, 01:33 PM

I thought they used Bill Lawrence Pickups ??

jholcomb · July 2nd, 2008, 04:26 PM

I think they are a PU that Bill designed for Fender when JB went belly-up a few years ago.

davis502 · July 2nd, 2008, 07:09 PM

Bill designed them, but Fender makes them in house. You can't buy them any where. I really loved the way the neck pickup sounded. The bridge was intermittent do to the switch being too loose. That is a Gatton feature for switching w/ pinky while picking. They just overdid it on this one. - Jim

RockinCarl · July 2nd, 2008, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davis502

IOnly to find out that they are Fender designed & ANICO instead of ceramic.

If they're the same pickups that was used in '06, they're ceramic. I loved the tone of those BL's, but the neck pickup died on me... So I took it apart to rewind, and it was definently a ceramic magnet. But who knows what they changed in a year.

davis502 · July 2nd, 2008, 07:46 PM

My apologies for being wrong on the newer ones being ANICO. I read it on the internet so it had to be true

I'm sure you are right since you have first hand knowlege. - Jim

July 2nd, 2008, 05:49 AM	#1 (permalink)
timbott NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Nottingham UK Posts: 3	Gatton Pickup Swap Hi Guys, just a quick one. I have just aquired a 08 Gatton Tele. I would like to swap the Pickups for Bardens. Will this be a simple straight swap or has fender put in some booby traps. Thanks.

July 2nd, 2008, 05:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
bendecaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: maine Posts: 1,042	They should go in without any issues! __________________ The Demented 7th

July 2nd, 2008, 01:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
mellecaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 4,776 17 Photos	I thought they used Bill Lawrence Pickups ?? __________________ I have never owned an Ipod or Blackberry..and doubt that I ever will......

July 2nd, 2008, 10:20 AM	#3 (permalink)
davis502 Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 180	I know Bardens are more authentic on a "Gatton". Are you sure you want to spend all that money on changing out some great sounding pickups? I played an 2007 Gatton recently. I thought "wow these Bardens sound great & as everyone describes!" Only to find out that they are Fender designed & ANICO instead of ceramic. You may be trading down instead of up. Let your ears judge,save the originals & let us know what you think. If Fender would offer those pickups for sale I'd buy them. Though I still have not tried Bardens yet. The Gatton is the best sounding guitar I have ever played. I souned better than myself - Jim

July 2nd, 2008, 01:07 PM	#4 (permalink)
timbott NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Nottingham UK Posts: 3	Thanks for the advice guys. I must admit that i just assumed that the Bardens would be better. Anybody else got aview on the stock Gatton P/up.

July 2nd, 2008, 04:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
jholcomb Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 199	I think they are a PU that Bill designed for Fender when JB went belly-up a few years ago.

July 2nd, 2008, 07:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
davis502 Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 180	Bill designed them, but Fender makes them in house. You can't buy them any where. I really loved the way the neck pickup sounded. The bridge was intermittent do to the switch being too loose. That is a Gatton feature for switching w/ pinky while picking. They just overdid it on this one. - Jim

July 2nd, 2008, 07:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
davis502 Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 180	My apologies for being wrong on the newer ones being ANICO. I read it on the internet so it had to be true I'm sure you are right since you have first hand knowlege. - Jim