Author Topic: Irish Tours and EC mid boost? (Read 3588 times)

zephseven · « **on:** April 21, 2008, 12:41:09 AM »

I'm planning on getting some getting some Irish Tours to instal into my strat rep for that RG sound (I'm already practicing Cradle Rock, I should have down in 40, 50 years or so).

Cos I'm disconnecting one of the tone pots and making the other a master tone (to get the Rory hand-wah), I decided not to let the other pot go to waste and put an EC mid boost in there.

Anyway that's the background the question is will they work with Irish Tours?
Well obviously they'll work, but will it sound a bit cat?

If anyone's got any ideas I'd really appreciate the input.

Cheers
-zeph

AndyR · « **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2008, 01:16:46 PM »

Hi Zephseven, welcome to the forum...

The ITs definitely do Cradle Rock - once the notes are in the right order! :lol: (Actually I've got several DVDs of him doing different versions- it seems to be more down to feel than exactly which notes are required!)

I do the same as you, one master tone, but I've never bothered mastering the "hand-wah" technique. I actually leave the 2nd tone pot "dead", but I have been considering wiring it up so that it blends in the neck pickup on all positions - just not got round to trying it (and I'm not sure I'll like it or use it much anyway).

I don't really know what an EC mid boost sounds like, but I'm guessing it "boosts" the mids(!)

So ,what I can say is that I sometimes use an upper mid boost (EQ) in front of the amp (I think Rory did, as well). When I was playing live, I used to use it to get more (footswitchable) overdrive/sustain from my valve amp. I've tried the same sort of idea out with the ITs through my Line6 POD XTLive home-studio set up, and they react just as well as any other strat pickup I've done it to over the years.

Hope that helps.

Philly Q · « **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2008, 05:36:23 PM »

EC's mid-boost circuit has been used with Gold Lace Sensors and then Fender Noiseless pickups - both quite low-output, humcancelling pickups.

I believe the ITs are fairly powerful to begin with - I just wonder if it might be a bit "too much" with the boost? And maybe noise from the single-coils would be a problem? (that's pure speculation)

I actually bought the mid-boost years ago for my own Strat (which has Kinmans), but I've chickened out of routing the guitar to fit the circuit board and a battery compartment.

AndyR · « **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2008, 06:49:15 PM »

I'm wondering whether it might be too much as well Philly - certainly for my tastes! I don't boost the mids much at all nowadays, I've just tried it a few times, found it does what it always used to do, and I think "ah... I was younger then..."!

Also, I've just repaired the routing for a boost circuit on my old JV Squier -it was an "Ampro Activator" I think it was called. I loved it at the time, but it went many years ago, and I was left with a hole in the back!

Zeph, if it was me, I'd look into the "blend the neck in with every position" option - gives you more sounds, uses the spare knob, doesn't involve routing, and, if you get it right (I don't know how yet), I understand it doesn't affect the rest of the sounds noticeably.

headtheball · « **Reply #4 on:** April 21, 2008, 06:53:37 PM »

Aropos not a lot.

Good use of the word "cat". Tyrone man by any chance?

Will · « **Reply #5 on:** April 21, 2008, 07:00:41 PM »

I saw a blending knob strat on ebay not long ago, it wasn't just adding the neck in, when the neck was selected, it blended the bridge in too I believe

Bob Johnson · « **Reply #6 on:** April 21, 2008, 08:21:55 PM »

Villex, who make phenomenal bass pickups, do a really nice passive mid boost unit that will fit in almost any location that originally hosted a pot. It has 3 settings and a by-pass. I've used it to great effect on bass guitars but they claim it will work on any guitar 'cos it harnesses signal strength that is otherwise wasted in conventional control set-ups. Gotta be worth looking at.

AndyR · « **Reply #7 on:** April 21, 2008, 08:45:57 PM »

That sounds very good Bob (found them here Zeph http://eu.villex.com/boosters.html check it out).

If I was going back in time to when I was playing in a three-piece with just a strat, I think I'd go for two PRTBs right now (one in each strat). A lot lest invasive than the active tone circuitry I put in my Squier years ago!

But, for me personally, only playing/recording at home nowadays, I've got the luxury of having other guitars, each doing a different job... I like my strats sounding as "stratty" as possible now.

zephseven · « **Reply #8 on:** April 21, 2008, 08:46:42 PM »

I had planned to have a bridge on switch in a push/pull pot anyway, but blending in would make alot more sense than going full on.

I did read a review with rory from 1992 where he said he was keen on putting an EC kit in, but then he also once had his strat routed for humbuckers he never put in!

But yea I think I'll give it a miss, i think I'll go for a pedal if I ever feel the need for that boost. Cheers for the advice lads, saved me some money and allot of soldering too!

And headtheball not quite, just picked up from a friend of mine from Drogheda!

-zeph