Members chiro972 Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 I bought custom shop texas specials for my tele because I like to play blues, but I don't like them. I guess they are too hot. they sound harsh. I'm not really a chicken picker, so I thought I didn't need that tele twang, but I would like a sweeter tone. Anyone know what I might want that have nice tone but can get a little gritty? I can't spend too much so Fralins are out. Anything from GFS or BG or any other suggestions? I guess I need a more vintage tone?? I am really not a tone expert, so maybe my question doesn't make sense. I just know I don't like these Texas specials. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members csm Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 Try reinstalling the stock pickups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 I'm no fan of the Texas Specials, but before you throw them out entirely, have you tried rolling the volume knob on the guitar down to 6 or 7 or 8? I'd try putting the knob on 7 and playing like that for an entire day. Just do all you can to try to get used to them. Do you like the sound of the Vintage Noisless pickups in your Deluxe Players, or do you want something more lively and/or more vintage sounding than those? The next pickups I try will be the Vintage 60s from BG. If I were to go with a set of GFS pickups, I'd go for the '64 Stagger Vintage Grey-Bottom boutique Strat Set or the Premium II Alnico II, Hand Bevelled Strat Set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tiltsta Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 I think a lot of the "harshness" of the texas specials comes from their strong midrangey sound. I have a couple sets in 2 strats, and I was able to dial this out a bit with the amp EQ and guitar tone pot. On these strats I put the tone pots around 4-5, not 10. Makes a big difference. One the amps, I cut the mids down a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Norcal_GIT_r Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 Are you using 250k pots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Highway_61 Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 Are you using 250k pots? I think the answer does lie within Brian's response. ^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Surfdude Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 I have had the same problem with the same pickups. I like the Fender vintage noiseless but not the cobalt noiseless. The vintage noiseless has a great open bluesy sound in the neck position. I liked it so well that I put one in the neck position of a strat. Surfy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chiro972 Posted December 22, 2007 Author Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 I am using 250K pots. I don't have the stock pickups because I built this from parts. Warmoth neck, ash body with thin maple flame top. Stock Fender USA wiring harness. Three barrel Fender bridge. Oh and cratz, thanks for the input but I'm talking about my tele, not a strat. For those questions about my vintage noiseless pups, I don't really know if I like them I haven't played it much. The guitar has really bad hum, so the pups don't seem noiseless, but I am assuming there is something else wrong with that one and I just haven't gotten to looking into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 I bought a set of those TS tele pups about a year ago before the last huge price hike but haven't installed them in anything yet. Disappointing to hear you don't like them. I'm probably going to install them in my old Peavey Reactor. But I also have a Squier Affinity Tele Special and in that one I'm leaning toward the DiMarzio Pre B-1. Please look that one up on their site and in user reviews to see if that might fit your blues needs. That's what I'm thinking it will do for me. Less "chicken picken" more blues/classic rock tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members warriorpoet Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 If you want to go cheap, I have a GFS Fatboy bridge PU (went back to the 60s repro) Overwound with shorter leads I can get rid of for cheap, and the matching neck PU is only around $35 shipped. The neck PU I'm talking about:http://store.guitarfetish.com/alfaovpotene.html The bridge I can sell you cheap:http://store.guitarfetish.com/alfa10kovteb.html The Fatboy has a nice snappy sound, a little rounder than a typical tele with good bottom end. It really ODs well, and doesn't have quite the same "glass cutting" highs a typical tele bridge PU is known for. I thought that's what I wanted when I bought it, but my strat covers that tone pretty well and I needed something that could be a bit more "ice picky", so I put the original GFS back in. It sounds like exactly what you're after, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members warriorpoet Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 I bought a set of those TS tele pups about a year ago before the last huge price hike but haven't installed them in anything yet.Disappointing to hear you don't like them. I'm probably going to install them in my old Peavey Reactor.But I also have a Squier Affinity Tele Special and in that one I'm leaning toward the DiMarzio Pre B-1. Please look that one up on their site and in user reviews to see if that might fit your blues needs. That's what I'm thinking it will do for me. Less "chicken picken" more blues/classic rock tone.GM, check out the GFS Fatboy PUs. They're great for that kind of tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tomh777 Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 What amp are you playing them through? I have a Billie Joe Armstrong Les Paul Jr. with the stacked H-90 pick up and when I plugged it into my inside the house amp at 10:00pm volume I hated the way it sounded. I swapped the pick up out for a while and but still not much love for the BJA LP. I finally got my shop put together out in the garage away from every one and I pulled out my tube amp from storage, I figured {censored} it lets see what it sounds like through that and I cranked the {censored} out of it, boy did it really come alive then. The amp gave a new lease on the the BJA Les Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 Oh and cratz, thanks for the input but I'm talking about my tele, not a strat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chiro972 Posted December 22, 2007 Author Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 I've played it through my classic 30 (which is now gone) My Palomino V8 and my Vox DA15 and my guitar port. I find sounds I like with my strats but not much with this tele. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tweedledee Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 For that sweet vintage Tele tone, I like the Custom Shop '51 Nocaster pickups. I bought a used set for $85, so they're out there if you keep looking. Great pickups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members g400man Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 get custom '69 pickups for the classic rock blues sound, or for a more unique sound get the 57/62 combo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chiro972 Posted December 22, 2007 Author Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 Hey Tweedledee, how come I aint on that good trades list? Didn't we swap guitars? You still playing the Harm? I ended up selling the strat. It was beautiful, I just couldn't bond with the thin neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tweedledee Posted December 22, 2007 Members Share Posted December 22, 2007 Hey Tweedledee, how come I aint on that good trades list? Didn't we swap guitars? You still playing the Harm? I ended up selling the strat. It was beautiful, I just couldn't bond with the thin neck. I'll put you on there now! I made that list a few months ago based on the messages I still had in my inbox, so I knew I forgot a bunch of people. Sorry about that one. The Harm is gone now. I sold it to help pay for something, but I can't remember what it was now. I miss that guitar though. Great tone and a completely unique look. My wife thought it was quite pretty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chiro972 Posted December 23, 2007 Author Members Share Posted December 23, 2007 We are all quite crazy on here the way we go through guitars. I wonder if any of us will ever be satisfied? Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions folks. Happy Holidays! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Surfdude Posted December 23, 2007 Members Share Posted December 23, 2007 For those questions about my vintage noiseless pups, I don't really know if I like them I haven't played it much. The guitar has really bad hum, so the pups don't seem noiseless, QUOTE] The vintage have "noiseless" stamped on the PU covers. At least I think that is what is stamped there. They are really a stacked humbucker so the hum is minimal. I think the cobalt noiseless have "cobalt" or "samarian" or something stamped on them. It's been a while since I have had them. The cobalt is rather harsh sounding compared to the vintage noiseless as I had them on the same tele and could compare the two. For my money, I would put the Fender vintage noiseless in the neck position of any tele and would try one out in the bridge. Surfy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ej Posted December 23, 2007 Members Share Posted December 23, 2007 try a humbucker! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cogdog Posted December 23, 2007 Members Share Posted December 23, 2007 I do not like Texas specials either, Try some SD Alinco Pro II's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tele62 Posted December 23, 2007 Members Share Posted December 23, 2007 If it's definitely not the pot, I'd look into a set of Bare Knuckle 'Yardbird' or 'Brown Sugar' pickups. Also have a look at stuff from Kinman and maybe Lindy Fralin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members csm Posted December 23, 2007 Members Share Posted December 23, 2007 I have the bridge PU from the BareKnuckle Yardbird set in this Tele, alongside a Strat neck PU from their Irish Tour set ... and it's FAKKIN LAVLY. Wealth warning: NOT CHEAP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted December 23, 2007 Moderators Share Posted December 23, 2007 If you want to go cheap, I have a GFS Fatboy bridge PU (went back to the 60s repro) Overwound with shorter leads I can get rid of for cheap, and the matching neck PU is only around $35 shipped.The neck PU I'm talking about:http://store.guitarfetish.com/alfaovpotene.htmlThe bridge I can sell you cheap:http://store.guitarfetish.com/alfa10kovteb.htmlThe Fatboy has a nice snappy sound, a little rounder than a typical tele with good bottom end. It really ODs well, and doesn't have quite the same "glass cutting" highs a typical tele bridge PU is known for. I thought that's what I wanted when I bought it, but my strat covers that tone pretty well and I needed something that could be a bit more "ice picky", so I put the original GFS back in. It sounds like exactly what you're after, however. To be fair WP, I think the Fatbody is exactly what he doesn't want. He really needs summat like a stock 60s wind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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