Esquire Project - Which of these 3 BKP vintage output pu's?

[edgie]

Looking at the BKP vintage output pu's, I'm trying to choose among the Blackguard Flat 50's, Country boy, and Yardbirds. I know that the Blackguard is the closest to a real Esquire's pu based on the description but I want to know how does it compare to the other 2.

  I must admit that i've never ever tried an esquire and i'm just basing my impression of what it should be on youtube clips and forum soundclips. The yardbirds are also described as hot enough to drive an amp yet still has that beautiful clean Tele twang. Does it mean it can also cover what the country boy can do? Can it also be as detailed? How does the alnico III differ from alnico IV in sound?

I have a set of Apaches with alnico III in my strat for two years now and I'm still loving it. I dont know though if alnico III would  work on an esquire as I'm concerned it might be too bright because of the brass saddles.

For the type of music that I want to play with the esquire project, it would range from the 60's to at early 90's as I 've got 3 bands now.

Thanks in advance to those who will reply. :)

[Twinfan]

Welcome to the forum!

What sort of tones are you after?  You say 60s to early 90s, but blues/rock/metal/jazz?  Any particular band/song tones you can identify?  Mainly clean, or mainly dirty?

We need a bit more info before we can suggest something  :)

[Ratrod]

Alnico III has a very nice midrange that's great for clean and mildly overdriven sounds. Might get a bit mushy with more overdrive.

I had a bit of a struggle between the Yardbird and Blackguard for my Esquire. The tones Jeff Beck got from his Esquire are quite awesome. But I'm also into rockabilly and I wanted the tones of Johnny Cash and old Sun recordings too. So I went for a Blackguard. It also seemed the right thing to do with a pine body, maple neck and brass saddles.

[edgie]

Thanks for the replies. Sorry I wasn't too specific, it was past midnight when I made the post. Anyways, I would be building an esquire with an ash body, wilkinson bridge with 3 brass saddles, and a maple neck.

For tones, I tend to lean more on classic rock side(the modern rock tones that I need can be had with pedals anyway :)) so I'm looking for rhythm tones like The Who's The Seeker and lead tones similar to ZZ Top, Black Crowes, and early Jeff Beck and Led Zep.

For semi-clean tones, this is how I would want it, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXxkUQBGWk0

[Twinfan]

Listening to that clip, and thinking of some of the rockier tones you want, I'd go with something with a powerful magnet and some bite.

So I'd go Blackguard.

[edgie]

Ok, thanks twinfan. You're right, i would need that extra snarl which I might not get with the Country Boy.

[AndyR]

Hi, and welcome.

Another vote for Blackguard Flat 50 for what you describe. In my hands, at least, it's capable of thicker, "hairy-er", and more bite than the Yardbird.

Both clean up really nice (can't get at clips while I'm at work, but I'm guessing from what Twinfan says that I'd agree with him).

I've got both. I choose the the BG teles when I'm playing in a situation that wants one, or possibly two, guitar parts that involve blues licks or similar that are going to be "featured" as "hey that's a great guitar part" in the mix.

I choose the Yardbird tele if I want a nice 60s pop rhythm guitar, for example, or if I'm doing classic rock stuff where I'm layering lots of parts and I want them to blend without getting too muddy, or if the tele part has to cut through some other parts with humbuckers...

I choose either for an actual lead/solo part.

If I'm playing ZZ Top or Black Crowes I definitely pick up a BG guitar. Something like The Seeker, either could do, early Page/Beck, the same, but I'd lean towards BGs with my amp settings (even though I think the Yardbird tele would be more "authentic"!!)

I do actually find the Yardbird set more versatile than the BG set, but I prefer the Blackguard Flat 50 bridge pickup. It just seems a bit more "in-your-face" and responds very well to vol/tone control fiddling, which I'm guessing is what you'd need on an Esquire.

I've not tried Country Boys, but I kid myself that I've got enough overlap with the BGs and Yardbirds (to save me getting another set and a tele to put them in!), so I can't really comment on those.

Hope that helps some! :D

[Tellboy]

Yet another Blackguard 50 vote.

[Philly Q]

Brief hijack to ask Andy a question (which I've almost certainly asked before):

Which NECK pickup has a warmer tone, BG or Yardbird?

I know Tim recommended the YB neck with a Piledriver for someone recently.  The guy wanted a very versatile setup but I wasn't clear what exactly it was about the YB that made it the ideal choice.

[Ratrod]

I do actually find the Yardbird set more versatile than the BG set, but I prefer the Blackguard Flat 50 bridge pickup. It just seems a bit more "in-your-face" and responds very well to vol/tone control fiddling, which I'm guessing is what you'd need on an Esquire.

I second that. I've done a custom Eldred mod on mine. Instead of the 'bassy tone' circuit I installed a . 001 cap making it a honky tone setting, like a half closed wah. Middle position is normal and I have the tone knob backed off a little. Bridge position is tone bypass.

This really gets the most out of that one pickup.

And now I have to show off and give you a link to my Esquire: http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=17525.0

[Twinfan]

Both of my Esquires have the same wiring as Ratrod's.  Superb setup with the half closed wah option.

[edgie]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Andy, your mini-review of the 2 pu's really clarified it for me, really helpful stuff. :)

Ratrod, that's one awesome-looking graphics. I didn't know before that they are called pinstripes when I saw a guitar from Southern Ill Guitars at the TGP forums having the same theme. I'd like to ask though, what kind of songs would the honky tone setting in your esquire apply to?

[Twinfan]

I'd like to ask though, what kind of songs would the honky tone setting in your esquire apply to?

It's perfect for Cheap Sunglasses by ZZ Top  8)

I use it for a lot of solos in general, as it helps the sound cut through.

[Philly Q]

Both of your Esquires, Dave?  I thought you'd sold the Squier CV?

[Twinfan]

I'm talking about "La Cabronita", which is essentially an Esquire, but Edgie probably doesn't know what that is  :)

I was trying to keep it simple  ;)