mikek
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Post by mikek on Aug 1, 2006 5:56:07 GMT -7
A couple of weeks ago I played a Gretsch 6121W Roundup, and I loved the way the guitar sounded clean. Its a singlecut-style chambered mahogany body w/ maple top, set mahogany neck w/ rosewood fingerboard, and Filtertron pickups. It also had a Bigsby tailpiece. I was running it into a Z28, and it had such a unique tone to it...I had it on the neck pickup and was improving some jazz type stuff and I kept thinking "THIS is how I wish my guitar sounded". It was fat and punchy, but the midrange and high end were so much clearer than on the humbuckers I've tried. The attack was pretty snappy, too. It had the girth of a Les Paul, but with a lot of the upper-midrange and treble clarity of a single-coil pickup. Since I'm not all that familiar with Gretsch guitars, is a lot of this tone due to the Filtertron pickups (since the model I was using is a variation on the Les Paul style)? Which leads me to the subject - I noticed that TV Jones makes Filtertron (the TV Classic) that are mounted in humbucker-sized covers and baseplates. www.tvjones.com/mounting.htmDo you think this could be a cool option to put in the neck of my PRS Singlecut, and do any of you have experience with the TV Jones pickups? Thanks!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2006 7:13:29 GMT -7
I have a Gretsch Spectrasonic model guitar that was designed by TV Jones and comes stock with his pickups. They are really fine pickups. The Gretsch's being hollow and all its hard to make a comparison to a solid body PRS. You might check out Lindy Fralin's new P-92's which are split single coil hum cancelling pickups that come in a humbucker sized case... they sound really good.
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mikek
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Post by mikek on Aug 1, 2006 10:53:16 GMT -7
Thanks for your experience and recommendation on the P92 as well. I hadn't considered that design either. I have some thinking to do.
+1 for ya!
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Post by billyguitar on Aug 1, 2006 12:30:16 GMT -7
Thirty years ago I had a couple of nice gretsches. I've never been able to get that sound out of my mind. A little bite and some twang, seemed just right. Recently I played a Grosh with the P-92s. Forgot that sound right away.
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mikek
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Post by mikek on Aug 1, 2006 18:31:16 GMT -7
Forgot which, the Gretsch sound or the Grosh/P92 sound?
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Post by billyguitar on Aug 1, 2006 18:48:06 GMT -7
Sorry, the P-92s. They didn't sound like P-90s to me. They don't have the character of a Filtertron. To be fair not many pickups do. The neck pickup was nice if a bit nondescript, but the bridge pickup was a little too dark. They didn't seem to match well. Over the weekend I played a Grosh Strat. It had normal Strat sounding pickups at the neck and the middle, they sounded fine but at the bridge there was a Fralin that was Strat size but had screws like a P-90. It was much darker also than the other pickups. I wouldn't think this would be something that fralin would want. He's all about underwound pickups, not hot ones so they must've been ordered that way. Chris (janinedoubly) would know about the Grosh's and their pickups but that's what I heard.
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mikek
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Post by mikek on Aug 1, 2006 18:55:47 GMT -7
Thanks Bill, I just wanted to be sure I got what you were saying . That's really helpful to know on the P92's. Before I knew exactly what you were saying, I did some looking on them and although its a really cool idea, I don't think it addresses the sort of tone that's haunting me now. After reading about your experience with it, that pretty much confirmed the P92 isn't what I'm after tonally. I think I'm pretty much destined to install one of the TV Jones Classics in the neck on my Singlecut. I really think it could be a cool tone.... Weird, I don't know that I've ever heard or heard of a Fralin that was dark. Interesting....
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Post by billyguitar on Aug 1, 2006 19:13:54 GMT -7
Dark as in relative to the other pickups on the same guitars. I think pickups should be pretty evenly balanced tonally. I don't like a huge difference between the bridge pickup and the neck pickup. These had a lot of difference. Yesterday I plugged my Tele with Kinman Avn 48s into my Stang Ray. It was the same way, which surprised me. I'd never noticed that before with any other amp. My Andersons are more balanced. I have a Lentz DL90 on order with two of his design P-90s. I'm looking forward to hearing it. They seem to be smoother sounding P-90s than the old Gibsons had which is probably a good thing. Those Stang Rays should be every equipment reviewer's benchmark amp because they are so revealing.
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Post by nitehawk55 on Aug 2, 2006 5:47:25 GMT -7
It's too bad that Gretsch guitars are so out of reach with the cost otherwise the ultimate resolve to your dilemma would to be just purchasing one . I like your MULLARD avatar mikek , do you collect Mullards ? I've been on a GZ34 kick for some months now purchasing several with a good number made by Mullard under various brand names .
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mikek
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Post by mikek on Aug 2, 2006 5:54:52 GMT -7
Yeah, I agree. The best answer to the situation would be to just get a Gretsch. Unfortunately, my wife dropped the edict that there will be no more guitars for a while. To be honest, she has a point . I don't know if I'm so much a collector of Mullards as I am a lover . I have handful of different ones that are all some of the best tubes I've heard. I've got ECC83s, 10m ECC83s, CV4024s, xf2 EL34s, later EL34s, and I just picked up an Amperex-branded Mullard GZ34 a couple of weeks ago for $10 at a local guitar store. They had NO idea what it was, and I don't think its ever been used! To clear my mind, I even said "well, this is a Mullard GZ34. Its a great tube." He stared blankly at me and said, "oh, how about $10?"
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Post by nitehawk55 on Aug 2, 2006 7:49:29 GMT -7
Hmmm , seems a lot of us probably have the wife keeping count of our guitars and you are correct in saying it's probably a good thing they do keep us under control . I suppose if there were a couple guitars you didn't love and wanted to part with them to justify a Gretsch she might agree to that . Sweet deal on that Mullard GZ34 and I had the same sort of deal with some Sylvania GZ34's and 12ax7's a while back at an old local music store . The fellow doesn't mind me digging though the clutter ( you wouldn't believe how much stuff this guy has ) and I came across a few NOS GZ34's and these X7's . I asked him about them and he said..."Oh those old things , give me $50 and take them all" . Went home with 3 GZ34's and 5 12ax7's ;D
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mikek
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Post by mikek on Aug 2, 2006 8:16:01 GMT -7
The thing is, I can't imagine parting with any of my guitars right now. Over the years I've picked and weeded through them so the 4 I have now are like family to me.
Nice. Tube deals are the best. My favorite of all time was getting 6 NOS 350Bs (2 Western Electric, 4 Senco/National Union) for free. I tried them in my Bivalve and they were incredible (think the ultimate 6L6). But, I knew they were rare so I put them on eBay starting at $0.99 with no reserve, as I was saving for a guitar at the time and prefered the cash.
The six tubes totalled nearly $1000. That was sweet....
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Post by billyguitar on Aug 2, 2006 8:31:59 GMT -7
At one point they were remaking the GE 300Bs at the old Wetsern Electric plant in Lee's Summit, MO on the original tooling. They sold them in their own wooden jewelry box for $350 each, I think. It's been 10 or 15 years ago so I may be wrong on the price. I don't think they actually made very many. I don't know what happened to the equipment. back to the thread: The new gretsches are every bit as good as the old ones, as far as I can tell.
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mikek
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Post by mikek on Aug 2, 2006 8:45:47 GMT -7
Yeah, I remember that. For a while I thought about seeing if I could take a tour of the plant.... I know that the current Western Electric 350B's coming out of the Huntsville plant are going for $900 a pair!
Back to the Gretsch sound. Yes, the one that I played was a new Gretsch, and it sounded, played, and looked wonderful. I could care less where it was made, or who made it - it was a great guitar. The sound of that guitar into the Z28 is haunting me.
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Post by billyguitar on Aug 2, 2006 9:59:45 GMT -7
I think I see a lightened checking account in your future! The online stores sometimes do no slaes tax, free shipping and 12 months same as cash. An easy way to get into more debt than you want, I know from experience. With a guitar you'd just have to be prepared to send it back if there are any issues at all. If you can afford it, shopping local is still the best, and I don't mean Guitar Center.
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mikek
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Posts: 144
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Post by mikek on Aug 2, 2006 10:25:16 GMT -7
I'm seriously fighting it. I keep dropping hints to my wife, but the most positive response is a chuckle and "aww, that's cute, you want another guitar".
I'm pretty adamant about supporting local businesses...so I don't think the easy-debt route is an option. Plus, I'm getting ready to go back to school next fall so I'm trying to not start a credit card debt again.
Hmm, but that sound. that...sound.... It was like magic. I'll be there on Saturday to pick up my RxES so it'll be fun (read: dangerous) to try the Gretsch through that and my Weber-outfitted 2x12.
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Post by billyguitar on Aug 2, 2006 10:43:55 GMT -7
If you have to have one there's no point in paying credit card financing and sales tax. Set your ethics aside on this one, save a $200 or $300 and do the internet thing. Musician's friend has a very lenient return policy and they do the 12 months same as cash, no sales tax and free shipping on a lot of stuff. I don't condone ignoring the local guys but if money's tight you gotta do what you gotta do. When you get out of school you can buy something and make it up to them.
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mikek
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Post by mikek on Aug 2, 2006 11:14:27 GMT -7
When you get out of school you can buy something and make it up to them. Now that's my kind of logic! You've given me some good things to ponder. I'll spend some quality time with the Gretsches this weekend and I'll take it from there. Karma for the input.
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Post by username on Aug 2, 2006 17:46:03 GMT -7
mikek
I stumbled on these TV Jones pickups awhile back while surfin the net...
having never heard of these pickups before, I went to Harmony-Central pickup database to see if there were any reviews...
what I found was very positive comments of the pickups and the man himself...
maybe you could call Mr Jones and see what his opinion is on matching the TV Classic with your PRS...
heres are some comments from Harmony-central on the TV'Tron that uses the same size baseplate as a standard humbucker
he seem like a nice guy...and a good product..I might order some myself
Comments: I can't say this enough, the pickups are fantastic. What's more, the service I received from TV Jones was spectacular as well. When I first called I spoke directly with Mr. Jones, who stayed on the phone with me for about 20 minutes to make sure I was getting the right pickups for the sound I wanted. He even told me that if I am not satisfied for any reason, I can return them. I got the pickups 3 days after I placed the order, which is pretty amazing considering TV Jones and I are on opposite coasts.
Comments: I think this is one of the finest neck pickups I've ever heard. I called TVs phone number he left on the webite, and I think I actually reached this guy's house! Sounded like the wife answered, and TV was very kind and helpful. I explained my guitar - the Heritage is all maple, ala and ES-335 semi-hollowbody, with a maple neck and an ebony fretboard. So very Gretsch-like in materials. He suggested a Classic for the neck and a Plus for the bridge. It has worked out fantastic. The pickup was expensive, but well worth it. I will deinfintely consider TV Jones pickups in the future.
Comments: I can't say this enough, the pickups are fantastic. What's more, the service I received from TV Jones was spectacular as well. When I first called I spoke directly with Mr. Jones, who stayed on the phone with me for about 20 minutes to make sure I was getting the right pickups for the sound I wanted. He even told me that if I am not satisfied for any reason, I can return them. I got the pickups 3 days after I placed the order, which is pretty amazing considering TV Jones and I are on opposite coasts.
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Post by username on Aug 2, 2006 17:51:08 GMT -7
oops
posted one comment twice..
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Post by pappy on Oct 7, 2006 17:39:14 GMT -7
You should check out the Electromatic line of Gretsch. Great quality and much cheaper.
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Post by bigdaddyweed on Oct 30, 2006 14:20:27 GMT -7
Mikek........ This thread has intrigued me for some time. Have you ever gotten any farther with your PRS/TV Jones idea? I keep looking at putting the single coil TV Jones pickups in a PRS SE Soapbar Singlecut, as a backup for my my LP w/P90s. I keep wondering, though, what's it gonna sound Like? (insert dream sequence here) So far, everything sounds good through the MAZ 18, so I may just go for it as soon as the $ situation warrants it. And also, my LP sounded better after I put some bumble bee capacitors in it. I wonder what capacitors would ork with the Jones' ? weedman...................................................
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