Author Topic: Pickups, help (Read 5629 times)

Roho · « **on:** December 14, 2007, 05:01:52 PM »

Ok, fellas, I'm truly starting to come around to Bare Knuckle PuPs. I'm almost ready to swallow the price for them (almost $300 after conversion and shipment), but you truly get what you pay for. My brother's Les Paul with the Mules sounds absolutely lovely and organic. What I like in the Mules is that when distorted is isn't fizzy. I also like how they pop when clean.

As some know, I play Teles (I own 2). I just recently upgraded one with Fender Texas Specials and all new pots and wiring. Sounds great! For my second Tele, I want great tone, but I want it to sound a little different than the Texas Specials. I've been reading the descriptions of the Tele pickups and I can say I want almost all the ones I read. So maybe the easiest thing to do, like so many have done, is to describe what I want and see what you all or Tim suggests.

I play through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe amp, 40 watts tube or valve depending on location. I want that organic tone of the Mules, but I can't figure out if I want low output or high output with the pickups. I know I don't want to go with the Brown Sugars because the description sounds a lot like my Texas Specials, unless it can get me the tone of ZZ Top's song of the same title. Is the Brown Sugar moniker from the Stones' Brown Sugar or ZZ Top's? I play Blues, but I like my Blues raunchy which is why I went with the Texas Specials. I don't want overly Twangy in my sound. What I want is a pickup that sounds big, organic and can clean up nicely when backing off the volume, which sounds like the Piledriver. Jimmy Page also has that tone I like. I especially hear it on the DVD How the West was Won from 2003 on the performance of The Ocean. Can I get a tone like that through a Tele? Maybe that's the way to describe it, a Tele that sounds close to a Les Paul? I was going to put the Fender Nocaster pickups in it which sounds a lot like the Blackguards.

Another thing, I don't want the change from the guitars to be real drastic. I want them to be similar yet different. I want some consitency in tone. I wonder if the Texas Specials and the Brown Sugars would give that. After all, it is two different brands.

Can you guys flesh out more descriptions from me to help me narrow it down? As we all know it is hard to describe what one hears in one's head to other people. If only I could be articulate.

Roho · « **Reply #1 on:** December 14, 2007, 05:13:14 PM »

Narrowing:

Big, organic, good clean, can handle Blues and Rock

Now that I think about it, the whole 1973 Madison Square Garden performance How the West was Won or The Song Remains the Same movie, is ripe with that tone.

808 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 14, 2007, 05:21:15 PM »

Ordered me a set of BK's while your at it.

I would say pm Tim.

I've been tweaking the knobs in the middle position on my Paul to get the tone of The Ocean.

Roho · « **Reply #3 on:** December 14, 2007, 05:23:09 PM »

Thought I'd run it by the BKPers first as Tim is probably a busy chap.

808 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 14, 2007, 05:24:36 PM »

Pip,pip...cheerio!

Roho · « **Reply #5 on:** December 14, 2007, 05:29:29 PM »

I dare say I'm in a Barney Rubble over this pickup non-sense, ole boy. (ok, my pathetic use of c--kney) Now, pass the pisser.

Philly Q · « **Reply #6 on:** December 14, 2007, 05:37:15 PM »

Quote from: 808

Pip,pip...cheerio!

Quote from: Roho

I dare say I'm in a Barney Rubble over this pickup non-sense, ole boy. (ok, my pathetic use of c--kney) Now, pass the pisser.

Where's Mary Poppins? Dick Van Dyke is in da house....

808 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 14, 2007, 05:58:57 PM »

Chimchimney, chimchimney, chim, chim cherie!

lulusg · « **Reply #8 on:** December 14, 2007, 06:00:26 PM »

I would say ask Tim, that's a very specific sound you might be after in a Tele. By the way Mary Poppins was Cajun...who else could fly with an umbrella ?

Roho · « **Reply #9 on:** December 14, 2007, 06:01:23 PM »

Mary Poppins or should I say, Julie Andrews was my first boyhood crush.

She was hot as Mary Poppins.

Ok, let's stay on subject.

Roho · « **Reply #10 on:** December 14, 2007, 06:29:06 PM »

Thought maybe listing some of my favorite guitar players might help:

Eric Clapton- of all the videos I own of him, my favorite tone is from the 24 Nights DVD ('91 era Clapton)

Billy Gibbons- The first three ZZ Top albums

Slash- always has great tone

Stevie Ray Vaughan- of course

Gary Moore- love the pop he has in his Pauls

Jimmy Page- already mentioned

Joe Satriani- From The Extremist album to present

Robben Ford- has a singing tone to his guitar

Jimi Hendrix

John Mayer

Warren Haynes

Roho · « **Reply #11 on:** December 14, 2007, 06:59:47 PM »

Oh, I just thought.

Is there a Tele pickup that is a version of the Mules?

badgermark · « **Reply #12 on:** December 14, 2007, 07:06:33 PM »

Hmm, low-output wise the Country Boys are very clean and round sounding. Still dirty up nicely. Might be analogous to the Mules (low output and suitable for anything) The Piledriver set it big and loud, still sounds like a tele, but BIGGER. Will easily drive an amp into overdrive.

lulusg · « **Reply #13 on:** December 14, 2007, 07:14:10 PM »

Roho, we have a a 62' reissue custom Tele, with Blackguard pickups. If you ever decide to come to Gulfport, I can bring it and let you try it. Cheers!

Roho · « **Reply #14 on:** December 14, 2007, 07:16:13 PM »

Badger- I think I let the Country Boy name confuse me. When I hear that name, I think Nashville. But if it is analogous to the Mules, it now has my attention.

Lulu- Gulfport! Do you not have an MP3 of the PuPs? Can you describe the tone?