New Flat 50s

[Telerocker]

I personally don't like ashtray bridge, and prefer separate saddle for each string also - maybe it's not "vintage" Tele spec, but it's one of the things that sold me on American Standard, and not any classic reissue or etc.
I have 6 bent saddles and no borders around bridge plate that I like a lot.
Another thing I like - it's 9.5 inch fretboard radius instead of 7.5 on classic Tele.

Yeah, that's how I like it too: 9,5 radius, six saddle bridge. Much more comfortable, easier to lay your hand on etc.

[Sir_Palomid]

Ps: my BGF50 just arrived today but I won't be back home until sunday  :(

You are lucky, I even do not hope to get mine until the end of next week with our postal service  :D  :shock:

[FuZZBoY]

I won't play the flats sooner than you because I'll have to wait the rutters (probably) bridge plated and then bring my guitar to the tech. I don't feel like installing the pickups myself...

[Sir_Palomid]

I won't play the flats sooner than you because I'll have to wait the rutters (probably) bridge plated and then bring my guitar to the tech. I don't feel like installing the pickups myself...

I have received mine today, and going to install them at evening, have you installed yours or are you still waiting for new bridge? :)

[FuZZBoY]

Ah no infortunately, I'm still waiting for the bridge  :shock:
I think I'll put 11-50 DR pure blues, but still not sure, I love slinky blues licks  8)

[FuZZBoY]

Well anyway tell us about your flat 50s as soon as you've installed them!!  :D

[Sir_Palomid]

Well anyway tell us about your flat 50s as soon as you've installed them!!  :D

Well, it's early to give final conclusions, played guitar only half an hour or hour, but first impression are:
1. Neck pu is less output than stock, and more airy and open sounding, closer to Strat I think.
2. Bridge are not ice-picky or harsh, more growly than stock, but I didn't find him bass and mid-heavy - that sometimes can be dull. Also output is pretty the same as stock.
3. Both pu have TWANG - fat, quite warm but not overly mellow, liked it a lot :)

Now I'm going to fiddle with pickup height - it makes a lot of difference with BKP.

Interesting thing - pickups arrived in old-styled BKP box (not glossy, without graphics, with BKP logos and etc glued and not imprinted), and there was an only two options - flat 50 stagger, and 55 stagger. Could it be that I got old 50s (now it's 52s)?
But mine have steel baseplate, and 52s have copper plate.

[FuZZBoY]

Well anyway tell us about your flat 50s as soon as you've installed them!!  :D

Well, it's early to give final conclusions, played guitar only half an hour or hour, but first impression are:
1. Neck pu is less output than stock, and more airy and open sounding, closer to Strat I think.
2. Bridge are not ice-picky or harsh, more growly than stock, but I didn't find him bass and mid-heavy - that sometimes can be dull. Also output is pretty the same as stock.
3. Both pu have TWANG - fat, quite warm but not overly mellow, liked it a lot :)

Now I'm going to fiddle with pickup height - it makes a lot of difference with BKP.

Interesting thing - pickups arrived in old-styled BKP box (not glossy, without graphics, with BKP logos and etc glued and not imprinted), and there was an only two options - flat 50 stagger, and 55 stagger. Could it be that I got old 50s (now it's 52s)?
But mine have steel baseplate, and 52s have copper plate.

Maybe it's just me but you don't seem that enthusiastic about them!! Were you looking for a fatter sound? like the piledrivers? Glad to learn they still twang.
If you ordered them from Tim I don't think you have the old flat 50s...

[Sir_Palomid]

Maybe it's just me but you don't seem that enthusiastic about them!! Were you looking for a fatter sound? like the piledrivers? Glad to learn they still twang.
If you ordered them from Tim I don't think you have the old flat 50s...

I'm glad that you are wrong, sorry to say that  :D
I like them a lot more than stock pups - BKPs has more life, fat and twang, I just thought from their description that they are more fat and bassy than actually is - but everything changes with the turn of the screw :)
Pickups height matters a lot with BKP and it takes some time to dial appropriate height.

I don't think that I need Piledrivers - way too modern, and for heavier stuff that we are playing with band I have another guitars.
My Tele is for fun - blues/rock/country beast  8)

[FuZZBoY]

Edit : wow I didn't see my phone corrected what I writed...lol sorry!!

Very glad to be wrong then  :D

[FuZZBoY]

Well, I was going to give my guitar to the tech, but I decided yesterday as I received the Rutters bridge+saddles to try it by myself.
I had a little problem with the 4 way switch http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-technical/339563-4-way-switch-wiring-problem-no-bridge-only-too.html#post4316187 but it's allright now!

All I can say is : WOW!!!! This tele rocks!!!  :band5:
Great for rock'n roll as the pickups are pretty hot (just enough), clean up perfectly (actually my Asat DOES HAVE a treble bleed) and I can get pretty good sustain with the THICK Rutters Plate.

[Sir_Palomid]

Well, I was going to give my guitar to the tech, but I decided yesterday as I received the Rutters bridge+saddles to try it by myself.
I had a little problem with the 4 way switch http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-technical/339563-4-way-switch-wiring-problem-no-bridge-only-too.html#post4316187 but it's allright now!

All I can say is : WOW!!!! This tele rocks!!!  :band5:
Great for rock'n roll as the pickups are pretty hot (just enough), clean up perfectly (actually my Asat DOES HAVE a treble bleed) and I can get pretty good sustain with the THICK Rutters Plate.

Congrats on your new gear - guitar looks beautiful, and I'm glad that you are happy with new pickups. Looks like you set action pretty high and pickups closer to body, I'm doing vise versa - low-to medium action and pickups closer to the strings :-)
Also I figured out, that BKPs like to be at almost even height on bass and treble side, and not slunted as Fender pickups were earlier.

[FuZZBoY]

Congrats on your new gear - guitar looks beautiful, and I'm glad that you are happy with new pickups. Looks like you set action pretty high and pickups closer to body, I'm doing vise versa - low-to medium action and pickups closer to the strings :-)
Also I figured out, that BKPs like to be at almost even height on bass and treble side, and not slunted as Fender pickups were earlier.

Thanks! I love it too, I hesitate to order a mint green pickguard.
Finally I didn't like Dr 11-50 pure nickel, great for cleans, a real piano like tone, but for od, not that good and I missed the slinky left hand feel and legatos! ;) I put back roto 10-46 (I'm even considering 9-42, but remember I'm tuned half a step down...).
I still need to adjust the pickups.

For the action, actually I lowered it, but I can't as much as I want because of the thicker bridge plate. I guess I'll have to put a shim under the neck (or my tech will do it...).

Anyway I have a pretty noticeable HUM, is that the same with yours? Maybe I got something wrong with the wirings...

[Sir_Palomid]

Thanks! I love it too, I hesitate to order a mint green pickguard.
Finally I didn't like Dr 11-50 pure nickel, great for cleans, a real piano like tone, but for od, not that good and I missed the slinky left hand feel and legatos! ;) I put back roto 10-46 (I'm even considering 9-42, but remember I'm tuned half a step down...).
I still need to adjust the pickups.

For the action, actually I lowered it, but I can't as much as I want because of the thicker bridge plate. I guess I'll have to put a shim under the neck (or my tech will do it...).

Anyway I have a pretty noticeable HUM, is that the same with yours? Maybe I got something wrong with the wirings...

I'm currently using 11-48 on my Start and Suhr in standard tuning and quite like it - gives more punch, and control, Ilike the feel of heavy strings. But on my Tele i went for 10-46 DR Pure Blues, like them more than Rotos.

I've ended to set pickups high - about 4/64 from both E sides at bridge pu, and 5/64 for the neck with string pressed at last fret, not sound much hotter and fatter, although I've lost some twang in middle position, but it's still present.

As for the hum - I've found BKPs more sensitive to envorinment than other pickups, so near the amp or under fluorescent lights they can make more noise, than others, but if you move away from amp/cab/computer display noise goes down significaly.
Also check if new bridge plate is grounded properly, there is a separate wire touching the plate underneath.

[FuZZBoY]

Well I just did my first rehearsal with my new modded Asat and all I can say is WOW!!!
The guitar is transfigured! I didn't know she has a treble bleed and a 022 cap on the tone pot, now it's much better without the TB and the 047cap is way better for wha effects.

Anyway my tech set it just right with the 10-46 rotos (Eb tuning), I highly recommand the Rutters hot rod bridge, my guitar intonates greatly and sustains for days.
He also set the pickups height higher than before, but the bridge pickup is still louder than the neck, I'll have to adjust that.
I'm amazed by how well the pickups clean up and then oded in a sec when you turn up the volume.
These are great pickups!!!

About the hum, it's barely noticeable now...

Well I'm a happy man  8)