Twangalang-alang...

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brockd

TDPRI Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Posts
49
Location
Toronto - ON
So - and forgive me that this is not regarding a tele, but I trust all y'all on this forum more than most anywhere else...

I recently traded out a locally-made tele that's been giving me too many issues to keep. The fella traded me for an Agile Cool-Cat jazzbox. It's a big, fat, gibson-ey brute, but with a few tweaks, I'm sure it could come out much more Gretsch/Guild-ey - Duane Eddy!

The Korean 'buckers in her right now are by no means bad pickups - they sound a bit like a Gibson L5 and a Gretsch had a baby - but they're way too fat and round and woofy for my liking. I mainly play a tele and a strat and, when switching over, these things crank the amp up 4 notches. Much as I'd love to get in to straight-ahead jazz... I'd rather muck about and get some spank for this girl.

Now - do I spring and go straight for the $450 SD Dynasonics - http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/custom-shop/specialized-1/duncan_dynosoni/ - and not eat for a month... not to mention have to carve out the guit to retrofit these long babies in... Or do I go for something a little easier on the wallet... say.. GFS Retrotrons...? http://www.guitarfetish.com/Nashville-Vintage-Filtertron-Style-Humbucker-Chrome_c_100.html

Anyone have any experience with a swap like this/any recommendations on something budget friendly? The GFS Nashvilles use a ceramic magnet... which makes me a little weary... but if they sound good... then why not!

Fire away!
 

kubiakl

Tele-Meister
Joined
May 9, 2012
Posts
376
Location
Austin, TX
Our other guitar player put Retrotrons in his Grestch G5122 Electromatic. Sounds better than the Grestschbuckers. I think he did a Memphis bridge and a Liverpool neck. They sound really good through his Vox AC15, but through my Deluxe Reverb I thought the bridge sounded thin.

Another option around the same price as the TV Jones are these:

http://www.creamery-pickups.co.uk/black-cat-humbucker-sized-filtertron-style-pickup.html

Don't know much about them, but they look nice.

The Kentron by Kent Armstrong is around $120 as well. Again, no experience, but the option is out there.

There may be other options for low priced 'Tron style pickups, but those are the ones he looked at when shopping around. He's satisfied with the GFS - but I guess it depends on what you're playing through and what you're ultimately looking for. I've tried a couple of GFS pickup sets (the '52 in a Partscaster, and the KMZII humbuckers in an Epiphone Dot) and have no complaints.
 

vintage clubber

Friend of Leo's
Joined
Apr 12, 2012
Posts
2,665
Location
Mechanicsville, VA
Thanks for the tips.

I've done more digging on the GFS site and found their Surf 90s: http://www.guitarfetish.com/GFS-Surf-90-Alnico-II-Rockabilly-Pickups_c_259.html

Meant to match a Dynasonic more than an filtertron - a little more what I'm after.

Anyone have any experience? Earl Slick did quite a job with them set to kill here: GFS Pickups: Earl Slick tests the GFS Surf 90 Pickups - YouTube...

:)

Surf 90's are awesome pickups and among my favorites in any price range!
 
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