Anyone with a Baja swapped pups to BKP?

[AndyR]

It's about time to ask this question I think...

I've had my Baja tele for a couple of months now, and I'm actually quite impressed with the stock pups... But you know how you get the sneaking suspicion that tweaking your guitar just a little bit more might make it even better?  :roll:

So... anyone? What did you put in? And what direction did the sound move in?

(Sorry for asking it like this - saves me waffling for hours about what I'm after, when I don't even know myself... It's the first real tele I've owned. "I want more of the tone I'm getting already" would sum it up at the moment...)

I've searched a couple of times, but couldn't find any threads about it.

Cheers
Andy

[Twinfan]

I think we've all left them stock matey.  I see no reason to change mine, it sounds like a classic tele should.  Sorry Tim   :oops:

( I have a set of VHIIs on order to make up for it though, plus I need a new neck pickup for an LP which will be a bKP  :) )

[hunter]

"never change a winning system" approach here ...

[Fourth Feline]

Mine has been left stock too ( sorry Tim ) - just one of those very rare occasions when 'stock' = 'good'.

The only thing I might eventually change is the control plate and 6 way switching to a Callaham 'standard ' 3 way with big knurled control knobs.  I bought the Baja for that incredibly playable neck, aesthetics - and existing tone - not for the multiple switching options .

The next BKP upgrade would be the Strat from Lace Holy Grails to Sultans or Appaches.

 :D

[AndyR]

Thanks guys - I suspected that was what was happening, and also where I'm heading. Nice to have peer-group affirmation though!

Sorry Tim... sigh...

Oh well, frees me up to think about Apaches and MQs for my other geetars.

Actually, Twinfan (hijack my own thread here) - do I remember right, you got MQs a while back? have you got them in any of your SGs? I bought the Riff Raffs for my Epi SG, then the other week my wife foolishly bought me a Gibson Explorer...

I did some swapping, and the Riff Raffs are staying in the explorer for the foreseeable future - they work better for me there, in fact I'm having great time with them there.

I'm not completely decided, but I have this growing hankering after a set of MQs in the SG. I've never played P90s - but I grew up on strats and single coils. I've just got this feeling that the SG (which doesn't get played a lot, and seems a bit soul-less now with the Explorer's Gibson ceramic killers in it) might suddenly turn into something rather splendid and bluesy with 90's in it. Any thoughts?

[Twinfan]

You're right - I had an MQ in my Gordon Smith SG-1.  A great pickup, just in that particular guitar it was too much.  Too hot for it and too fat.  It's quite a fat sounding guitar, so I've gone low powered for the pickup and it's much better.

A set of MQs in an Epi SG would be great I think.  Very Iommi   :twisted:

[badgermark]

Just to chime in with the MQ suggestion, the neck MQ is godly. Seriously fat yet still clear, I love it. So much that I want a full set. Just need a home for my Holydiver if I go down that route...

As for the Baja, I guess it has some meaty pickups already in it, go meatier with the Piledrivers, I had a set and they were classic tele- yet fuller and slightly smoother and fuller. I'm gassing for more actually...

[Roobubba]

ahha, so after 5 pages of google images, we find that baja=tele. No offense, like, but DUDE! Urgh!

:)

Roo

[Will]

It's about time to ask this question I think...

I've had my Baja tele for a couple of months now

Roo, I must say that was appalling, it was in his second line! :P

Although, according to Hunter, Baja's are also a little black and white aminal

:D

Hunter: I find it so funny, as I was pronouncing it the same... and couldn't work out what Mr Q was saying about your video (a disclaimer to not sound rude)

[hunter]

Hunter: I find it so funny, as I was pronouncing it the same... and couldn't work out what Mr Q was saying about your video (a disclaimer to not sound rude)

Errm ... which Mr. Q? Which video?

I find this one is  quite good representation of Baja clean tone: http://www.vanderbilly.com/system/myaccount/dataEntryUI.aspx?id=6625

[MrBump]

Your wife bought you an Explorer?!?!

Where did you get your wife?  Were there any left?

[hunter]

Your wife bought you an Explorer?!?!

Where did you get your wife?  Were there any left?

he must have less than 10 guitars, otherwise the wife wouldn't do it ... my gf decided to ban guitar talk from our relationship - maybe that's why I'm talking to you guys ...

[AndyR]

You're right - I had an MQ in my Gordon Smith SG-1.  A great pickup, just in that particular guitar it was too much.  Too hot for it and too fat.  It's quite a fat sounding guitar, so I've gone low powered for the pickup and it's much better.

A set of MQs in an Epi SG would be great I think.  Very Iommi   :twisted:

Ah! That's encouraging. The new Explorer is the "fattest" sounding guitar I've ever come across - I think maybe that's why I prefer the Riff Raffs in it. They were pretty good in the SG (first set of BKPs I installed) but the difference in the Explorer was quite surprising. It made me think that maybe Riff Raffs is not exactly what my SG wants.

Badgermark, it was your posts on the neck MQ in your tele that really got me going on the MQ the other day!

My current thinking for the SG is "add a different guitar sound to my arsenal". I have other bases covered already: an Epi LP (Mules), a Strat (ITs), the Baja Tele, and this Explorer (riff raffs) that seems to have taken over the SG's job for the moment. The obvious way to go (without stepping out into Gretsch/Rick territory, which I'd quite like to do sometime later) seemed to be P90s: SGs historically started out that way, and it's vaguely the same sort of construction as a Junior or Special.

But not having played P90s, I was a little worried that single-coil might lose me some of the stuff I like about this guitar. I know they're fatter than "fender" singles, but if you (Twinfan) thought too fat and too hot for a particular guitar - then I suspect my SG is waiting for them.

[AndyR]

Your wife bought you an Explorer?!?!

Where did you get your wife?  Were there any left?

he must have less than 10 guitars, otherwise the wife wouldn't do it ... my gf decided to ban guitar talk from our relationship - maybe that's why I'm talking to you guys ...

Actually guys... sorry to make you all feel bad, I just counted - there are exactly 10 in the living room at the moment. Includes a bass, a standard flat-top, and a resonator. There's a couple more hiding (and one in pieces) elsewhere.

And to make it worse: she bought the Strat as well last year (on top of not moaning about the other gear acquisitions).

There's only one problem with her: "she WILL NOT learn to play bass..."
  - she'll have to go!!

[Will]

Your demo of baja tele, Philly Q in a few posts remarked about the pronounciation of badger, which I couldn't follow :?