wd40prater
TDPRI Member
Anyone had experience with Lollar special T series? Would love to hear as I am considering for a tele project. My current Tele has stock Lindy Fralins. The Lollars would be for my second Tele.
Lollar Special T series?
- Thread starter wd40prater
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I have 'em in one of my teles. The Lollar will be quite a bit thicker than your Fralin pickups. I actually took out the Fralins in my guitar to install the Lollars because the they were thin sounding. The Lollars are going to hit your amp quite a bit harder too; punchier, dirty up faster, etc. Not anything like a p90 to my ears, but quite a bit more than a stock Fralin.
I think this video, despite having Lollars in both guitars, would be fairly accurate to the sound differences in the two guitars all else being equal.
I think this video, despite having Lollars in both guitars, would be fairly accurate to the sound differences in the two guitars all else being equal.
What he said! I have them in my CV50. Love them. Very thick sounding. That video was the reason I bought mine. Bridge sounds very tele, neck is fantastic, and middle position is very straty and chimey. Buy them, do it now...
P.S. I still can't play like Tim, dangit...
wd40prater
TDPRI Member
I originally got down this path as I was considering a neck humbucker but think I would like to stay single coil instead. Some say a Charlie Christian pup is the way to go but I was thinking the specials would be more versatile. Am I on the right track here?
wd40prater
TDPRI Member
If there are any pups that would let you play like Tim...that would be the way to go. He is awesome.
nic'o'caster
Tele-Afflicted
The Lollar specials are a great combo, especially for rock or blues. What you loose in twang you gain in punch and rawness. Maybe not that impressive played clean but the bridge pup alone is really something to experience with a cooking amp. Also these pups are overwound but still dynamic and very sensitive to the nuances you put in your playing. A Tele player is generally used to play with the tone pot but with these pups, you got to play with the volume !
I've never tried a CC pickup before so I cannot say if they are more versatile than a special T. Reading some reviews I gather that it is really loud and clean. It is also darkish, kinda smokey and jazzy. You can always use the tone on your guitar to take some top end off to emulate that sound if you get the specials.
readymade
TDPRI Member
I just got my K-Line Tele with a Lollar Special in the bridge and so far I am loving it. I was kind of reluctant to go with something "hot," but Chris at K-Line convinced me to give it a shot. It is raw for sure, with a stronger emphasis in the mids than a more traditional late 50's-early 60's Tele pup--there's a slight nod toward the P-90 perhaps, but it is still very much a Tele pickup.
caliban335
Tele-Afflicted
I put a pair of Lollars into my '69 Thinline; a Special T in the bridge and a Charlie Christian in the neck. The tone is not classic Tele, but it's an awesome tone. It's a great combination, as neither of the pickups dominate the other. Highly recommended.
wd40prater
TDPRI Member
With that combo any special considerations in the electronics? Still 250 pots? or something else? Do I understand correctly that the CC needs more of a P90 rout size? I am intrigued to know that the balance between the two pups works for you.
steve v
Tele-Holic
I have a Special T in the bridge and a Lollar mini-humbucker in the neck. It's really a beautiful sounding guitar and still retains a good amount of twang with stainless steel saddles.
grgurich
TDPRI Member
I have a Special T in the neck of my 52RI, coupled with Jason's 52T in the bridge.
The Special T renders big, fat, warm tone. Tim Lerch's audio sample on Jason's website is what sold me. Have a listen; that's exactly what you're going to get. I suppose it's not like the typical Tele neck pickup sound, which is why I like it so much. Ha. Nothing clanky or hollow sounding about this pickup.
That being said, and I know this is matter of taste, it's not too much. As Jason says, he doesn't wind "overwound" pickups. This still has enough clarity to see you through.
The Special T renders big, fat, warm tone. Tim Lerch's audio sample on Jason's website is what sold me. Have a listen; that's exactly what you're going to get. I suppose it's not like the typical Tele neck pickup sound, which is why I like it so much. Ha. Nothing clanky or hollow sounding about this pickup.
That being said, and I know this is matter of taste, it's not too much. As Jason says, he doesn't wind "overwound" pickups. This still has enough clarity to see you through.
grgurich
TDPRI Member
Oh, and a quick shout out for the 52T in the bridge. It doesn't seem to get as much attention as Jason's Special or Vintage series pickups, but I love it.
Very smooth overall. The treble is never too much ( I play through little tweeds, by the way). In fact, it's kind of fat. (Fat treble--is that possible? It is here.) And it compresses very nicely, with sweet-sounding, balanced mids. I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Works surprisingly nicely with the Special T in the neck.
Very smooth overall. The treble is never too much ( I play through little tweeds, by the way). In fact, it's kind of fat. (Fat treble--is that possible? It is here.) And it compresses very nicely, with sweet-sounding, balanced mids. I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Works surprisingly nicely with the Special T in the neck.
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caliban335
Tele-Afflicted
wdprater wrote:
I used 250K pots. Since the guitar is a Thinline I had to swap out the original pots which were 1 Meg. I also had a 4 way switch installed so I could have both pickups selected in series. Lollar has a video on his web site documenting the installation of a Charlie Christian. Look here:
(link removed)
Hope this helps.
I used 250K pots. Since the guitar is a Thinline I had to swap out the original pots which were 1 Meg. I also had a 4 way switch installed so I could have both pickups selected in series. Lollar has a video on his web site documenting the installation of a Charlie Christian. Look here:
(link removed)
Hope this helps.
wd40prater
TDPRI Member
Thanks this helps quite a bit. Many thanks to all posters for your help here. Problem now is which way to go among many cool choices - of course that is part of the fun, right?
