Creating an absolute Blues machine

hmx1 · April 18th, 2005, 01:01 AM

Ok, opinion poll time. I have a Nashville Tele which I have just posted questions about the pup wiring, and by the way thanks to all that took the time to answer.
Here's my question,
#1. If you wanted a blues machine would you stay with the nashville 3 pups or would you go the the standard 2 pup layout?
#2. What pups would you use and why?
Thanks in advance for any answer's, I sure do appreaciate all your help with the wiring answers.
DR

SteveY · April 18th, 2005, 01:25 AM

I seem to wind up using the neck pickup generally, unless I'm doin' the Roy Buchanan stab-a-few-notes-to-death-thing, in which case it's the bridge.
I use a standard '52 RI and like the Fender Vintage pickups that come with.
The Fender Custom Shop Texas Specials are cool too. I like their rawness and oomph.

I'd stay away from SD Nashville Studio's. They sound a bit too smooth for my ears.

There's nothing that says you can't use the in-between tones on a Nashville Tele, though. If you can get emotion across, it doesn't matter what pickup or guitar you use.
Everybody has their own signature attack.

kerc · April 18th, 2005, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveY

Everybody has their own signature attack.

Yeah, mine's called...uh...sloppy.

BTW, I ordered today a GFS Fat TC Alnico bridge pup. Seems to be one hot baby.

8)

Andre' · April 18th, 2005, 07:40 AM

I like to order pickups from smaller companys like Lollar or Rio Grande, cause these guys love there stuff, not like the guy behind the counter at guitar center.

That being said, I'm having a blues machine being built for me right now by forum member Rob Di Stefano, Fret Tech, and I'm going with a Charlie Christian pup in the neck and a vintage tele bridge by Jason Lollar.

PeterUK · April 18th, 2005, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andre'

That being said, I'm having a blues machine being built for me right now by forum member Rob Di Stefano, Fret Tech, and I'm going with a Charlie Christian pup in the neck and a vintage tele bridge by Jason Lollar.

Sounds great. Rob's a great guy!

That's a pick up combination I'd love to hear. Let us know it works out.

:D Peter

maestrovert · April 18th, 2005, 09:21 AM

if'n i'm not mistaken, the Mim N'ville Pups are the "TexMex" variety .... a bit overwound (as compared to "vintage") but still with the clarity/"twang" Tele's are rightfully famous for.
Mine are GREAT and work quite well for any/everything, my #1 is a '52 RI , but uptil now the N'ville has been #2 (currently tweaking set up on a new parts/sparklecaster built with '52 RI parts/specs to be tied for #1)
if you like your N'ville, i wouldn't change a thing, i find "blues" tone has more to do with amp settings and response anyways

Durtdog · April 18th, 2005, 10:21 AM

For blues, I like the 2 pickup arrangement better than the Nashville. In my "Brownie" I have a GFS fat alnico bridge and P-90 in the neck. It'll do screaming treble icepick nasty to thick syrupy and everything in between. It's actually quite versatile.

Nub · April 18th, 2005, 12:52 PM

If you want some Strat sounds, stay with your Nashville setup, but go with a Rio Grande Dual Calibrated Nashville pickup set (you can get 'em from Rob). I just put those in one of my Teles, and they're fantastic!

For a regular Tele setup, a Rio Muy Grande set & a 4-way switch will put a huge smile on your face!

Geo · April 18th, 2005, 01:27 PM

With 3 already in there you might just want to wire in the
neck + bridge combination which is real useful for a lot of
blues styles and songs.
Beyond that I like a hot bridge with good depth mids, low
end along with decent upper range. What you have may
already be like that.

eryque · April 18th, 2005, 03:23 PM

Here's my great solution for a blues machine. This is Ginger after some relatively invasive surgery:

<a href=http://images.snapfish.com/3436%3A79523232%7Ffp46%3Dot%3E2334%3D677%3D953%3DX ROQDF%3E23238356%3B3879ot1lsi>Ginger the 3 pickup killer blues machine</a>

The neck humbucker is a Duncan '59, the middle pickup is a Fender pickup from the late 60s, and the bridge is an HD '54. The middle pickup sounds an awful lot like a normal tele in the middle position, and that humbucker will get growly and fat like nobody's business. It doesn't have much mud in it, either.

I originally chose the HD for the bridge because it matched well with the single-coil neck pickup before the surgery. It's thicker and smoother than a typical vintage bridge pickup, but still sounds vintagey. Now I'm thinking of replacing the bridge pickup with something that has a little more traditional twang when I want to do my lame attempt at country. There's a Donahue pickup sitting on my shelf that would make a good candidate.

Jim Sams · April 19th, 2005, 07:37 AM

I have what I would consider a great Blues Machine.
Zion model 50 with a HD vintage + bridge pup, and a Vintage Vibe CC rider (Charlie Christian type) neck pu with a 4 way switch.
Great tone in every spot.

BootRoots · April 19th, 2005, 10:23 AM

I have three Evans single coils in my nashvile. the bridge has their Hot Lead model which sounds great. They are actually strat pickups but the bridge pickup is mounted to a tele bridge plate so it fits properly. Its wired with a 5-way mega switch model E. its just like a regular strat would be wired but in the middle position, I get neck/bridge and not just the middle. I get the best of both worlds as far as tones go.

April 18th, 2005, 01:01 AM	#1 (permalink)
hmx1 TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 43	Creating an absolute Blues machine Ok, opinion poll time. I have a Nashville Tele which I have just posted questions about the pup wiring, and by the way thanks to all that took the time to answer. Here's my question, #1. If you wanted a blues machine would you stay with the nashville 3 pups or would you go the the standard 2 pup layout? #2. What pups would you use and why? Thanks in advance for any answer's, I sure do appreaciate all your help with the wiring answers. DR

April 18th, 2005, 07:40 AM	#4 (permalink)
Andre' Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bronx, NewYork Posts: 108	I like to order pickups from smaller companys like Lollar or Rio Grande, cause these guys love there stuff, not like the guy behind the counter at guitar center. That being said, I'm having a blues machine being built for me right now by forum member Rob Di Stefano, Fret Tech, and I'm going with a Charlie Christian pup in the neck and a vintage tele bridge by Jason Lollar. __________________ "blues in a doggy bag, is what i got to eat!" Andre and The Night Hounds http://www.andreandthenighthounds.com/

April 18th, 2005, 09:21 AM	#6 (permalink)
maestrovert Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: West Branch Mi. Posts: 6,553	N'ville Pups if'n i'm not mistaken, the Mim N'ville Pups are the "TexMex" variety .... a bit overwound (as compared to "vintage") but still with the clarity/"twang" Tele's are rightfully famous for. Mine are GREAT and work quite well for any/everything, my #1 is a '52 RI , but uptil now the N'ville has been #2 (currently tweaking set up on a new parts/sparklecaster built with '52 RI parts/specs to be tied for #1) if you like your N'ville, i wouldn't change a thing, i find "blues" tone has more to do with amp settings and response anyways __________________ Sing the Song Bro' Play on Drummer www.godonthe.net

April 18th, 2005, 01:27 PM	#9 (permalink)
Geo Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Hendersonville, TN Age: 59 Posts: 2,484 15 Photos	With 3 already in there you might just want to wire in the neck + bridge combination which is real useful for a lot of blues styles and songs. Beyond that I like a hot bridge with good depth mids, low end along with decent upper range. What you have may already be like that. __________________ "Somewhere between culture and agriculture"

April 19th, 2005, 07:37 AM	#11 (permalink)
Jim Sams Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 280	Blues Machine I have what I would consider a great Blues Machine. Zion model 50 with a HD vintage + bridge pup, and a Vintage Vibe CC rider (Charlie Christian type) neck pu with a 4 way switch. Great tone in every spot.

April 18th, 2005, 01:25 AM	#2 (permalink)
SteveY Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Age: 58 Posts: 1,422	I seem to wind up using the neck pickup generally, unless I'm doin' the Roy Buchanan stab-a-few-notes-to-death-thing, in which case it's the bridge. I use a standard '52 RI and like the Fender Vintage pickups that come with. The Fender Custom Shop Texas Specials are cool too. I like their rawness and oomph. I'd stay away from SD Nashville Studio's. They sound a bit too smooth for my ears. There's nothing that says you can't use the in-between tones on a Nashville Tele, though. If you can get emotion across, it doesn't matter what pickup or guitar you use. Everybody has their own signature attack.

April 18th, 2005, 10:21 AM	#7 (permalink)
Durtdog Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2004 Location: Tennessee Posts: 3,490	For blues, I like the 2 pickup arrangement better than the Nashville. In my "Brownie" I have a GFS fat alnico bridge and P-90 in the neck. It'll do screaming treble icepick nasty to thick syrupy and everything in between. It's actually quite versatile.

April 18th, 2005, 12:52 PM	#8 (permalink)
Nub Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2003 Location: SoCal Posts: 906	If you want some Strat sounds, stay with your Nashville setup, but go with a Rio Grande Dual Calibrated Nashville pickup set (you can get 'em from Rob). I just put those in one of my Teles, and they're fantastic! For a regular Tele setup, a Rio Muy Grande set & a 4-way switch will put a huge smile on your face!

April 18th, 2005, 03:23 PM	#10 (permalink)
eryque Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: albany, ny [not chicago] Posts: 7,126 44 Photos	Here's my great solution for a blues machine. This is Ginger after some relatively invasive surgery: <a href=http://images.snapfish.com/3436%3A79523232%7Ffp46%3Dot%3E2334%3D677%3D953%3DX ROQDF%3E23238356%3B3879ot1lsi>Ginger the 3 pickup killer blues machine</a> The neck humbucker is a Duncan '59, the middle pickup is a Fender pickup from the late 60s, and the bridge is an HD '54. The middle pickup sounds an awful lot like a normal tele in the middle position, and that humbucker will get growly and fat like nobody's business. It doesn't have much mud in it, either. I originally chose the HD for the bridge because it matched well with the single-coil neck pickup before the surgery. It's thicker and smoother than a typical vintage bridge pickup, but still sounds vintagey. Now I'm thinking of replacing the bridge pickup with something that has a little more traditional twang when I want to do my lame attempt at country. There's a Donahue pickup sitting on my shelf that would make a good candidate.

April 19th, 2005, 10:23 AM	#12 (permalink)
BootRoots Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 317	I have three Evans single coils in my nashvile. the bridge has their Hot Lead model which sounds great. They are actually strat pickups but the bridge pickup is mounted to a tele bridge plate so it fits properly. Its wired with a 5-way mega switch model E. its just like a regular strat would be wired but in the middle position, I get neck/bridge and not just the middle. I get the best of both worlds as far as tones go.