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Author Topic: Esquire versatile option  (Read 2725 times)

Jonesy

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Esquire versatile option
« on: July 12, 2007, 11:32:09 PM »
Hello there,

Im now looking to replace the pickup on my 50's esquire...ash body, and the classic esquire circitary

Heres a little snap of here in case anyones interested

Basically im thinking of going for either the yardbird, brown sugar of boss but I have very little experienc of tele bridge pickups...the fender one on this esquire is the only one ive realy ever played with.

Im not realy too sure what specific type of sound im looking for with this...perhaps a versatile pickup, perhaps excelling at mildly driven clean sounds

So could someone give me a runthrogh of these three pickups please..im playing through a laney vc30 by the way
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Brow

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Esquire versatile option
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2007, 07:40:03 AM »
I have a cheap Tele that I've 'converted' into an Esquire, apart from mine doesn't have the different capacitor setting on the switch like yours probably does?

I put a Pile driver bridge pickup in mine and used 500K pots. It's actually quite a versatile bridge pickup :)
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PhilKing

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Esquire versatile option
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2007, 12:10:56 PM »
The Yardbird is a litttle less output than the Boss or Brown Sugar, and gives the sound of the rosewood neck tele's of the early 60's.  This has a rounder tone than the traditional telecaster bright twangy sound, but if you think of the Kinks rhythm sound (or the Yardbirds themselves), you should get an idea.  The Brown Sugar is a later 50's sound and is more Keith and also Jimmy Page, so it is brighter with more drive.  The Boss is an earlier 50's and think Roy Buchanan if you are looking for an example of the sound.  It is a little brighter than the Brown Sugar and sings a little more, with slightly less grunt.

You might want to look at the 50's Black Guard stagger pole.  The BG's were introduced at LGS and they have possibly the best Tele sound around.  I put them into my 57 and love the sound.  They can drive when you push them and still give all the Tele twang.  I know you aren't looking at a neck, but the BG neck is the all round best Tele neck I have heard (and I have gone through a lot!).  It is more like a Strat neck in terms of output, and is a fatter tone than the regular Tele without losing the ability to give great chord sounds.

I have a Brown Sugar/Slowhand set, a Piledriver and the Flat Pole BG set. I have played the Boss, Yardbird and Country Boy sets too, so I know their sounds.  I would have a Yardbird set, but the pickups on my 62 tele sound just like them and so there is no reason to change them from stock (they are the original 1962 pickups - so Tim really nailed the sound of the Yardbirds).

In your case I think the Stagger Pole Black Guard or the Brown Sugar would suit best, especially since you have a maple neck.
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FELINEGUITARS

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Esquire versatile option
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2007, 01:26:26 AM »
My money is on a Yardbird in an ash bodied Tele
Smoothes the tone out a lot - very versatile
Not too hot so stays clean and overdrives really well

Boss is fab but a bit crunchy - gets rocky quickly but also one I like in a tele
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Jonesy

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Esquire versatile option
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2007, 02:40:31 PM »
Well i think maybe the brown sugars may sound the righ toption

Phill, are thes eblack guards a BKP or another brand?
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PhilKing

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« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2007, 02:57:09 PM »
Black Guard's are BKP- see this for their announcement http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8051.  I'm not sure why they aren't on the site.
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Jonesy

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Esquire versatile option
« Reply #6 on: July 16, 2007, 11:29:42 PM »
Dont suppose you could sort out any clips Phil?
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