Leaderboard

Humbucker for overwound strat sound

StubHead said:
I'd go for a bright loud clear one like a Lawrence L500XL...

Bill Lawrence makes some pretty awesome pickups. He's been around for years...35+.

I have the L90 8H installed in my guitar and they scream. Super responsive to playing style and they maintain clarity. And they are only $60 for handmade pickups. Here is the link:

http://wildepickups.com/Wilde_Bill_s_Twin_Blades.html

I did some (alot actually) research on the L90's and was found this forum that has some good info about the L500XL and L90. Here it is:

http://guitarsbyfender.yuku.com/topic/2979/t/L-90-vs-L-500-My-Review-.html
 
Dude, I played on the strat with the Twangmaster in the neck position for hours last night and thought about this post of yours again...I'm so confident that it's what you are going for, I'm willing to make a vid of it and post to youtube.  It's almost cured me of my desire to finish building my tele with single coil in the neck slot.

The tone I get with light od is SRV's Little Wing/John Mayer edge of breakup tone.  With both ods on, it's utter raunch!  It's filthy good!  Think throaty, elasticy, chewy mids with girth and sparkle - loads of clarity.  It sounds similar to Steve Marriott's live version of "Five Long Years", but with more bite and clarity.  Steve uses the #2 position a lot, but you can hear when he switches to the neck.

With the SD Jazz that was in that slot before - I would get kind of close to that, but the mids and fatness of the twin coils would smother the harmonics and overtones I needed to hear.  This pickup sounds like an overwound singlecoil without the obnoxious mid range blanket interfering with sparkle and clarity.  It's got it's own vibe, and it's gorgeous.

In fact, I wish I didn't start building my Warmoth tele because I could've saved over $1k just by buying this pickup.  Know that I love the blues and rock and this pickup does it without compromise, as the Jazz failed to do.  The Jazz is wonderful for smoky blues tones and jazz box tunes, though.

Caveat:
Not sure of your rig - I play through my own amps and with a few different pedals into a semi-opened back 212 with V30s.  I've got NOS tubes straight down the back side - Amperex Bugle Boy 12AX7 in V1, Westinghouse 12AT7 in V2, Jan Philips 6L6WGBs (or Soviet Winged Cs), and a GE 5U4GB.  The tube rectifier adds so much to the feel and tone of the amp.

The only thing I lost was the hollowed-out sparkle from the #2 spot on my 3 way toggle.  What I gained was another amazing solo tone that's actually useable and unique - AND it sounds great clean!  I've never been inspired to use the middle position before and I do not miss that LP'ish #2 position tone at all.  I wouldn't trade any component in my rig for anything now.

I don't endorse - nor do I work for Fralin, but I wish I would have found this pickup years ago..it's part of the rig that just brings everything together.
 
Back
Top