What pickups for Springsteen current sound?

[Pascal]

I've read here and there that The Boss pickups are fine for Springsteen early sound (so the pickup name is appropriate). But what about Springsteen current sound (i.e. with Joe Barden pickups)? I've listened to sound samples made with Piledriver pickups but *those* samples didn't convince me. Any advice?

Thanks in advance.

Pascal

[Philly Q]

Hmmm, I don't have any of the BKP Tele sets but I have had several Barden Tele pickups. 

They have a big clanging sound, very responsive to changes in the volume and tone settings.  They can sound fat and warm, hi-fi and clinical, harsh and piercing - but to me they don't sound much like "real" Tele pickups.  They certainly can't do the pretty clean sounds you can get from traditional Tele pickups, especially in the neck and middle positions (not in my hands, anyway - I'm not saying the likes of Bill Kirchen and Danny Gatton are "wrong"!).

I'm totally guessing, but I would think the Piledrivers are closest, but they're probably also different in many ways.  Maybe the Flat '50 Blackguard set, I think they're relatively powerful but twangy?

[Pascal]

I searched in the "Hot Vintage" category only so I haven't considered Blackguard so far. Thanks for the track.
Here a video I've recently discovered and I've been often watching (and listening to) since:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN39ERJzr_w

Pascal

[Elliot]

I don't think Blackguards will get you the tone in that youtube - to my leaden ears, Bruce's tone was, as Philly Q, said 'harsh and piercing' - sorry, I didn't like the tone, but I can tell you that's not what you get from Blackguards.

[Tellboy]

I've listened to sound samples made with Piledriver pickups but *those* samples didn't convince me. Any advice?

Pascal

I have both a Boss and Piledriver set. I think it can be difficult sometimes to judge pickups from some of the clips - I never judge a pickup if it has been recorded through any amp modeller or several pedals. I think the Piledriver is an excellent pickup - it gives a good traditional tele sound with a low guitar volume setting but can really open up when wound up. However they are not designed to give a 'Joe Barden' sound - obvious choice if you want that sound is to go with Joe Barden pickups. 

[Philly Q]

However they are not designed to give a 'Joe Barden' sound - obvious choice if you want that sound is to go with Joe Barden pickups. 

Undoubtedly.  Just wondering Pascal, have you tried Bardens yourself? 

You might find you prefer the sound of one of the BKP sets, even though they're very different from the Bardens.

[Pascal]

Elliot, that's no problem. I can understand one can dislike that tone. Same for me if it is - with my words - thiner. I heard some samples made with the Blackguard pickups. Sincerely interesting, but you are correct, this is not what I am searching at the moment.

Tellboy, I think that what somewhat annoys me in the samples I heard is the dirty aspect when Piledriver pickups open up. With my still weak guitar culture, I would say too P90-ish. Do you confirm?

Philly Q, no, I haven't tried the Bardens. And considering the price, buying them is not an easy move. So BKP pickups are in the top in my list. All the more as I've found out that one of the very few BKP dealers in France is in my town (Toulouse). I may contact them soon.

To end up that message, I can add that I also like U2 (e.g. Sunday Bloody Sunday played with a Telecaster) and the Stones for instance. Not really the Barden territory, isn't it? But now and then, when I come back home, I would  like to play some Springsteen power pieces!

Pascal

[Philly Q]

Philly Q, no, I haven't tried the Bardens. And considering the price, buying them is not an easy move. So BKP pickups are in the top in my list. All the more as I've found out that one of the very few BKP dealers in France is in my town (Toulouse). I may contact them soon.

Agreed, the Bardens are very expensive - too expensive, I think, unless they're exactly what you want.  I have an old one in my black Tele, but if I didn't already have the pickup I probably would've bought something different.

[Tellboy]

Tellboy, I think that what somewhat annoys me in the samples I heard is the dirty aspect when Piledriver pickups open up. With my still weak guitar culture, I would say too P90-ish. Do you confirm?

It depends to a certain extent what amplifier you're using. I have a Cornford Hellcat Combo. Using the Vintage channel the Piledriver still maintains a 'tele' vibe even at very high settings, just thicker. Using the Modern channel it can get really dirty if you want it to (but easily controllable by reducing guitar volume), but that happens even with my Apache equipped Strat. I also have some BKP P91s - I would say there is still some difference at high volume, obviously due to the different construction and smaller 'footprint' of the Piledriver. Not sure how this would work out with different amplifiers - the Hellcat tends to give a more compressed singing sustain sound rather than an all out distortion when turned up. e.g...........GG with a Suhr tele through a Hellcat head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7mm6oSjtNE&feature=user
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL0xH8tMG9c&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FkzIt0skdg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7gznf6p3o4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F24IfgmWz2Y&feature=related

[Pascal]

Philly Q and Tellboy, sorry for not replying sooner but I was very busy. Thanks for your messages. I didn't know Hellcat amplifiers and GG. I've already mentioned my still weak guitar culture, haven't I?
Tellboy, your "Using the Vintage channel the Piledriver still maintains a 'tele' vibe even at very high settings, just thicker" is interesting. This is not what I heard from the few samples. Several guys in the forum, including Tim, compare Piledriver with original Broadcaster. I've listened to samples done with "Broadcaster" pickups of other brands (a well-known one and a less-known one) and they sound brighter than the Piledriver samples. Closer to what I am looking for. All that tends to point out that the Piledriver samples are not enterily representative.
In addition, Tellboy, you wrote that your Tele with the Boss set has a 4-way switch. I read that the 4th position gives a thicker, meatier sound. How does the Boss set in series compare with the Piledriver?
I also read that Philly Q doesn't like that 4th-position sound.

Pascal

[Philly Q]

I also read that Philly Q doesn't like that 4th-position sound.

You have been doing your research!   :lol:

Don't take any notice of me about the 4-position switch.  Most of my guitars have humbuckers, and to me the 4th-position pickups-in-series Tele sound is like a bad impersonation of a humbucker.  I'm sure it's useful if a Tele is your main guitar, but I'd rather use a humbucker for that kind of sound.  On a Tele, I'm happy with just the 3-way switch.

(After all, everyone says split humbuckers don't sound like real single-coils.  Why should two single-coils sound like a real humbucker?!  )

[38thBeatle]

I think Philly makes a fair point though I love the 4th position sound and I don't see it as a poor humbucker-I see it as an additional tone on a Tele which has a definate quality. As always with this things, it is a matter of taste.For my money I would say get it, it doesn't affect the other tones and if you don't like it then you don't use it.

[Philly Q]

As always with this things, it is a matter of taste.For my money I would say get it, it doesn't affect the other tones and if you don't like it then you don't use it.

Very true - it's just my weird psychology that even though I don't have to use the 4th position, it annoys me just being there.  :? 

(That's also one of the reasons I prefer a hardtail Strat to one with the trem blocked off!)

[Tellboy]

Tellboy, your "Using the Vintage channel the Piledriver still maintains a 'tele' vibe even at very high settings, just thicker" is interesting. This is not what I heard from the few samples. Several guys in the forum, including Tim, compare Piledriver with original Broadcaster. I've listened to samples done with "Broadcaster" pickups of other brands (a well-known one and a less-known one) and they sound brighter than the Piledriver samples. Closer to what I am looking for. All that tends to point out that the Piledriver samples are not enterily representative.
In addition, Tellboy, you wrote that your Tele with the Boss set has a 4-way switch. I read that the 4th position gives a thicker, meatier sound. How does the Boss set in series compare with the Piledriver?

Pascal

I feel with all the BKP samples you have got to look at what amplifier/equipment they were recorded with. If you use a Piledriver with a Pod/Tonelab with a metal/distortion setting or a Triple Rectifier/ Peavey 5150 wound up then they won't sound very bright. Obviously Broadcaster pickups were not used with high gain amps back in the '50s. As I mentioned using the Piledriver through the Vintage channel on the Hellcat still gives a tele sound at high settings - diffferent story with the Modern channel which has got tons of gain and can distort easily if you want it to (but still maintain definition).
I find with all BKP pickups they respond very well to guitar volume. There seems to be a definite change in the last quarter of the volume control - for the first three quarters the pickups give a linear defined sound - with the last quarter they either tend to compress a little with low gain amps or distort with higher gain amps. I suppose what I am trying to say is that Pickups is just a part off your overall sound (albiet a very important part).
I have the 4way switch on both my teles - As 38thBeatle said it gives an additional sound - I don't look at it as a way of getting a humbucker sound, just an additional tone. There is some diiference between the series position with the Boss and Piledriver but again it is less noticeable at high gain settings.

[Pascal]

Tellboy, just something I intended to write in my last message and I forgot to eventually. I have a Hughes & Kettner Edition Blue 60, which has a nice clean sound but a less nice overdriven sound. For getting more diverse sounds, I recently bought a Tonelab LE.
I might get the different sounds you mention (except high quality possibly).

Pascal