Wide Humbucker Break Through! Awesome News!

[Telenator]

Well, we did it!

We have come up with an all new mod for Fender's re-issue Wide Range Humbucker that is the ultimate for anyone wanting a great tone from those dismal pickups at an affordable price!

This is one of the best rock tones I've heard in along time! And,........you can keep the stock 250K pots in your guitar! This mod does not sound like an original vintage WRHB, but that is on it's way soon.

We have developed threaded alnico 2 magnet studs that are a direct replacement for the steel studs found in the WRHB's.

We just toss away the bar magnet, add our threaded magnets and re-assemble the pickup.

Here's the innards of a Fender Re-issue Wide Range Humbucker. Note the bar magnet.


We remove the bar magnet.


Our alnico II threaded magnets take the place of the bar magnet.


You get incredibly precise tonal adjustments because they're magnets! Not steel studs.


It sounds awesome!

Singing highs and tight lows! Sound clips coming soon!

This is a patent pending mod by Telenator. Look for an entire line of pickups using our patent pending threaded magnet technology in the near future!

Check the new VENDORS section here on TDPRI for pricing and more information!

[BritishBluesBoy]

Sounds very cool!

How would you compare the results from this with your other mod for WR reissues?

[Telenator]

Well, this particular offering is simply another mod for the WRHB.

It doesn't sound like our Vintage Retro-fit, or original vintage WRHB.

It falls somewhere inbetween the vintage WRHB and a fat, juicey standard humbucker with really tight, yet robust lows.

I played a couple gigs with this Alnico II mod and I just can't put the guitar down!

The new alnico II mod uses the original bobbins and wind from Fender. We're just swapping the bar magnet for our threaded magnets and re-assembling the pickup.

I can't tell you how awed I am with the sound. It sounds best with the stock 250k pots too!

I'm doing sound clips tomorrow night comparing the alnico II mod to Fender's stock Re-issue WRHB.

When I was testing these at the music stores, people would try the modded guitar against a stock Fender. When you play our alnico II mod first, and then play the stock Fender, it sounds like someone threw a mattress over the amp.

[BritishBluesBoy]

Sounds fantastic. I'm looking forward to hearing your sound clips.

[spankdplank]

Teleneator, YOU ROCK!!! Thanks for your contributions to the world of Wide Range.

[teleman55]

Can you do this with the CIJ ones too?

[Telenator]

Originally Posted by teleman55

Can you do this with the CIJ ones too?

I'd have to have a CIJ in my hand to be certain. I don't know what the thread size is on those.

If you have access to a MIM WRHB and you can pull one of their steel screws out and try threading into your pickup, there's a good chance we can do it.

There is always the possibility of making the parts to order but it would be really expensive.

[Telenator]

Originally Posted by spankdplank

Teleneator, YOU ROCK!!! Thanks for your contributions to the world of Wide Range.

Spankdplank, you are most welcome! This all started as a little basement project and it has blossomed into something I had never foreseen.

I love a good project! Especially when my beloved Teles are involved!

[quartermiler45]

Originally Posted by Telenator

Well, this particular offering is simply another mod for the WRHB.

It doesn't sound like our Vintage Retro-fit, or original vintage WRHB.

It falls somewhere inbetween the vintage WRHB and a fat, juicey standard humbucker

Would you say its a more affordable version of the retro-fit mod?

I had the retro-fit mod done and am really satisfied. I would just to get an idea of how this compares to that mod as well.

[tpaul]

Wow, this is fantastic news!

I went to the expense and trouble a while back of tracking down an original '70s WRHB for one of my partscasters, which I run with 500k pots. I would be really interested in hearing a comparison of the modded MIM reissues with the original, vintage version. I can't afford any more vintage WRHBs at this point, but from a manufacturing point of view, it seems as though this mod would be a lot less expensive.

Looking forward to sound clips comparing original vintage, MIM reissue, Telenator Mod #1, and the new Telenator Mod #2!

[Telenator]

This "Alnico II Mod" does NOT sound like a vintage WRHB.

It does however sound terrific. A HUGE improvement over the stock pickup for $75.

[Beatbx]

That sounds like a great development indeed! But don't just chuck the old bar mags, they can come in handy with other humbuckers.

[e-merlin]

Ruh-roh!

You've got me gassing for a 72 RI of some sort.

[Telenator]

We're doing sound clips tonight comparing the stock Fender WRHB to our Alnico II modded WRHB.

I'll try to post the clips by tomorrow.

[boris bubbanov]

Double Ruh-roh!

I just passed on a MIM 72 Thinline for fair money; a nice guitar that just needed some help in the pup zone.

Gawn Pecan. :^(

++

Telenator, how would this new product work out on a MIM 72 Custom - with say a No-caster bridge pup? Compatible pairing?

Much obliged.

[Telenator]

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

Telenator, how would this new product work out on a MIM 72 Custom - with say a No-caster bridge pup? Compatible pairing?

Much obliged.

It should work out fine.

The stock re-issue pickup is about 8K and the volume doesn't seem to be affected by the installation of our magnets. The great thing about what you're suggesting is that the alnico II mod makes the pickup brighter and more lively and it will be a much better match for the single coil bridge p'up than the stock re-issue.

In fact, because this alnico II mod is much less powerful than our vintage WRHB mod, or an original vintage 70's WRHB, the volume match is actually better with this latest mod.

And the added bonus is, you get to keep your 250K pots!

It's the best of both worlds. The 250k pots are ideal for the single coil bridge pickup and also sound best with our mod.

Ya gotta like that!

[Beatbx]

Telenator I've read that Alnico V is not given to machining as it is too hard and will chip. Did you find Alnico II to be more pliant and thus you were able to machine threads into it. Forgive me if I'm prying too much, I've just followed your threads with great interest. It's a cool development you've come up with.

[Telenator]

No problem Joe.

All grades of alnico are very difficult to thread in a cost effective manner. Without divulging too much information, we're able to make pickups using threaded alnico magnets of all grades as well as some proprietary materials we're now investigating.

The reason we're using alnico II for this particular pickup mod is because it sounds best. Our T-90's (P90's) with alnico II threaded magnets, will just make you cry! It's like all the fat goodness of a P90 with a tighter low end and a little extra sparkle. T90's rule! The clarity and note seperation are just beautiful.

Think about it. A set of Strat pickups that you can change from vintage stagger to modern stagger, to Hendrix stagger. No more need for left handed Strat pickups. Just make 'em left handed or right handed yourself with the twist of a screwdriver!

We even have a version where the magnets are plain on top for a "vintage appearance" and are adjusted from the bottom of the pickup with a simple straight slot screwdriver. You kinow how particular the vintage guys can be.

We're extremely excited about all the possibilities our patent pending threaded magnet technology is opening up. It truly is a major event in pickup manufacturing.

[podboy3]

This is sweet man, I will be getting a set of these and if I am lucky when I get back from San Fransisco near the end of July I might be getting a set of the original retro fit if you still have them.

I also might have some info on a magnet that can be machined and would make a good replacement for the Cunife.

[Telenator]

Cool podboy. Tap me a line!

[jivetrain]

you certainly like to stay busy... i kind of wish a had a spare '72 to try this with. excellent work sir

[JD0x0]

Will you offer this for G&L MFD Pickups.

they use pole peices that are adjustable with a ceramic magnet under the pickup

[Telenator]

Originally Posted by JD0x0

Will you offer this for G&L MFD Pickups.

they use pole peices that are adjustable with a ceramic magnet under the pickup

Our threaded magnets are larger than most of the steel screws found in other pickups so, the bobbins would need to be drilled and tapped to accept them.

Sometimes there's enough room in the body of the pickup, but not always. We lucked out with the Re-issue Wide Range Humbucker because they use a larger diameter steel stud. We just made our magnets the same size as their studs and they screw right in.

So the short answer is, it may be possible to do this mod on G&L pickups but it will probably require a set of custom machined bobbins, a complete rewind and re-assembly. It would be very expensive!

[JD0x0]

Originally Posted by Telenator

Our threaded magnets are larger than most of the steel screws found in other pickups so, the bobbins would need to be drilled and tapped to accept them.

Sometimes there's enough room in the body of the pickup, but not always. We lucked out with the Re-issue Wide Range Humbucker because they use a larger diameter steel stud. We just made our magnets the same size as their studs and they screw right in.

So the short answer is, it may be possible to do this mod on G&L pickups but it will probably require a set of custom machined bobbins, a complete rewind and re-assembly. It would be very expensive!

in other words im better off spending $150 on a alnico 2 strat set that i can get wound to my desires

[Telenator]

Originally Posted by JD0x0

in other words im better off spending $150 on a alnico 2 strat set that i can get wound to my desires

Are the G&L pickups the same size as Strat pickups? If so, we'll have something for in the near future. And you'll be able to set the stagger of the magnets any way you'd like instead of simply being stuck with the stagger that the manufacurer gives you.

We have working pickups in all the models shown but we're just not at the point where we're ready to start producing them. Soon!

[JD0x0]

Originally Posted by Telenator

Are the G&L pickups the same size as Strat pickups? If so, we'll have something for in the near future. And you'll be able to set the stagger of the magnets any way you'd like instead of simply being stuck with the stagger that the manufacurer gives you.

We have working pickups in all the models shown but we're just not at the point where we're ready to start producing them. Soon!

they are the same size i believe but they use adjustable iron pole peices instead of magnetic pole peices

[tpaul]

No clips yet, huh?

EDIT: never mind, I found them on the website. These sound great!

[quartermiler45]

Poked around on your website Telenator and let me say thats an impressive site. I feel really lucky to be one of the first to get one of your modded pickups. Wish you all the success with your pickups!

[Telenator]

Thanks man. I never could have imagined things would turn out this way. One thing led to another and I just got busy trying to capture a bit of the old glory. Now we have threaded alnico II and V magnets making thigs possible in the pickup business that were never possible before. It's a very exciting time over here and we're crossing our fingers that the investment pays off. And if it doesn't, well, it's been one heck of a ride!

[JD0x0]

Originally Posted by Telenator

Thanks man. I never could have imagined things would turn out this way. One thing led to another and I just got busy trying to capture a bit of the old glory. Now we have threaded alnico II and V magnets making thigs possible in the pickup business that were never possible before. It's a very exciting time over here and we're crossing our fingers that the investment pays off. And if it doesn't, well, it's been one heck of a ride!

Will you offer alnico III magnets? Those are my favorites for neck pickups with Alnico II my favorite for the bridge

[Telenator]

Originally Posted by JD0x0

Will you offer alnico III magnets? Those are my favorites for neck pickups with Alnico II my favorite for the bridge

Magnets are a funny thing. The ones you think are going to work the best in a given situation don't always prove to be the best choice. There's a lot of myth and conjecture surrounding magnet materials like CuNiFe being one of those "mystical magic magnets" people seem enamoured with. Aside from the fact that it's easily machined, there doesn't seem to be anything special about it.

The short answer is, we're not in a big rush to continue working with alnico III right now. Our testing has so far shown that alnico II and alnico V, (which are both readily available) are producing excellent results.