Ron Ellis / Julian Lage pickup alternatives

Sounds like the 64's might be the way to go, assuming the magnet types and wire are the same. If different wire or magnets (for example A3 vs. the 64's A5) are used, that could make a difference. Most likely they are the same magnets though. I don't recall seeing many A3 pickups with numbers that low...those are low even for A5s which are usually wound lower than equivalent A3 that I've seen. It's hard to say...early blackguard pickups were A3 mags, if I recall, and after a few years, the switch was made to A5s, but they were still not the same as mid-60s Fender pickups, which were typically much brighter. Anyway, the 64 set sounds gorgeous and would probably be great for jazz. I saw a YouTube demo by a big bearded guy who described them as almost too warm, but not quite and they sounded beautiful. He seemed to really like them too. They get a lot of love around here as well.

You could also try reaching out to a winder like Rob from Cavalier. I'm sure he could wind you a set to those exact specs if you didn't want to take a chance with the Fenders. Good luck. Let us know what you decide, how it turns out and maybe record and post a demo when you get them in.

 

The Fender 64 Tele bridge pickup is actually 6.4-6.6k not 7.4k. Fender has mistankenly stamped that ohm reading on the website and on the box of the product and apparently, never corrected that. Check the reviews here on TDPRI of people who actually took readings of theirs.

Julian's tone always seemed mostly dark to me, his amp settings play a huge role here, and possibly, he also rolls down the tone control on the guitar. From the looks, he also uses thick-ish strings...that's another factor.

That said, his playing and that ambience he's got going on are also key. I'd just go with something in the ballpark like the fender '52 Tele bridge pcikup and an average Tele neck pickup that's not too dark and do the rest with amp settings, reverb, guitar's tone control and so on.

 

Ron Ellis didn’t invent pickups new...But why 7ender pickups?

Try Barfuss pickups. They’re completely handmade and they sound fantastic. Realistic prices and only a few weeks from order to delivery.

https://www.barfuss-pickups.de/t-style-tonabnehmer/#content-content-inner

His Telly Neckpickup is made of 42 AWG, AlnicoV and that classical 6.2 k output. Sounds amazing, a bit like a Stratpickup but still Telly. Very vintage tone and simply beautiful.

Julians tone is amazing, I love his playing. But:
Don’t forget, 90% are in the fingers, he would sound nearly the same with the cheapest Telly copy out there...

His Nachocaster got Ellis pickups, his 1953/54 (?) got of course her vintage pickups. The tonal differences (live) are close to none.

Afaik he rolled back the tone knob, he‘s playin‘ mostly a champ and uses a slightly distortion, I guess a morning glory. String gauge are 11’s. Julians playin style is marked by his dynamic picking which is the basic of his signature tone.

 

"Unlike the bridge pickup, Tele neck pickup specs remained fairly consistent. Since the dimensions were tight, Fender used thinner 43 AWG wire so it could get enough turns onto the bobbin. The magnets might have changed from alnico III to alnico V, but they were always flat rather than staggered. The change from wax potting to lacquer dipping occurred around 1967." (from guitar.com)

Uh, and Julian plays most times the bridge pickup, his nachocaster got a 4-way switch.

 

...especially when you are fingerpicking, or playing with the thumb like Wes Montgomery, Jeff Beck, and a whole lot of other great players

 

Your rationale seems to be on. I've been fiddling trying to get Julian Lage tone from my Tele right now as well. This clip is the standard I'm searching for...



But I don't think you have to hold out for Ron's pups to achieve the tone. I think his tone is a perfect combo of these things...

(1) Pickups
(2) Small Tweed Fender amp
(3) Extra Heavy Picks
(4) 11 gauge strings
(5) JHS Morning Glory
(6) Roll off your tone a bit
(7) Playing in a trio and not having to fight with other instruments like a second guitar or piano

I switched recently to a Heavy Fender Tortuga pick (much like the blue Dunlop Tortex) and seem to get a smoother, mellower tone to the Fender Celluloid Mediums I've played for 15 years. I've rolled the tone down further than I have in the past with other Tele's and it seems to be making a difference.

 

Call Don Mare....


RJ

 

Ding, ding, ding! IMO, his sound seems to be influenced by touch. If he was playing in an organ trio for instance and had to crank, the sound would be totally different.

 

Even with Julian’s entire rig, none of us would ever sound like him.

 

I've got PV'64s in a telecaster and love the clear sound they give. I'm not really hearing anything in this guy's tone that can't be achieved. In fact it sounds like a pretty standard telecaster tone from a jazz guy. The amps he uses will affect it some, the pedals, the mixing, the room, etc. But if you are happy with his tone, PV'64s will get you in the ballpark.

Virtuosity being the real X factor, YMMV.

 

That's great advice.

Oh, and Duncan Antiquities, Fralin Blues Specials, and Vintage T Lollars are strong contenders, too.

 

Cavalier Pickups

 

Contact Rob DiStefano from Cavalier Pickups

 

Blue Chip picks matter a lot too — they feel slippery on the strings, with way less picking transient, especially on the wound strings. You can definitely get mellower and darker just by switching picks.

 

Did you ever settle on a pickup?

 

I saw a vid from last year and his tele had a Humbucker... anyone know which one he had in there?

 

Gonna go out on a limb and say its an Ellis