Mick Taylor blade pickups Strat

[NonsenseTele]

Hello guys! How are you??? Long time no see... my fault!  :doh:

I was watching a 1982 concert from John Mayall with Mick Taylor and he has a strat with weird blade magnets that I've never seen before...
Anybody knows what is this?? The blades are thick and have a split in the middle...
Anybody knows which pickups sounds alike this? Really digging this tone!

time 43:35

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec9Pyo_3cAI[/youtube]

cheers

 

[Sadie-f]

Could be this?

https://www.strat-talk.com/threads/1980s-levinson-blade.263439/#post-1463693

These are advertised as a vintage style blade p/u

http://www.vintagevibeguitars.com/windows/blade_poleWin.html

Hell of a performance

 

[stratamania]

My guess would be Joe Barden's...

A quick google search confirms this.

https://gpguitars.com/products/1971-fender-stratocaster-mick-taylor

 

[NonsenseTele]

My guess would be Joe Barden's...

A quick google search confirms this.

https://gpguitars.com/products/1971-fender-stratocaster-mick-taylor

This is not the guitar on the video, nor the pickups!
The video is one thick blade with is split in two (one part on treble strings and one on bass strings)

 

[NonsenseTele]

Could be this?

https://www.strat-talk.com/threads/1980s-levinson-blade.263439/#post-1463693

These are advertised as a vintage style blade p/u

http://www.vintagevibeguitars.com/windows/blade_poleWin.html

hell of a performance

Can't quite see the poles on the pic of Levinson, but could be something less known

 

[TBurst Std]

Have not watched 1 hr+ video.  Can you offer the spot where it show up?

Without seeing it, my gut reaction is this
https://www.fralinpickups.com/product/strat-split-blade/

 

[teleme01]

these are the Fralin split blade blues... if the picture works

 

[stratamania]

They are not Fralin's in the video as they were not available at that time.

I still have a feeling they are a type of early Joe Barden or Lawrence pickup. At that time they were not made by the same people as do today. From the video I can see what you mean about the split but it definitely is not a Fralin (time eliminates them) and I wonder if there may be tape on the pickup? The blade that is visible is not in the centre of the pickup.

That said current JBE S Deluxe pickups could get you very close to this type of tone, dependent on signal path and the players ability.

 

[NonsenseTele]

Have not watched 1 hr+ video.  Can you offer the spot where it show up?

Without seeing it, my gut reaction is this
https://www.fralinpickups.com/product/strat-split-blade/

43:35

 

[NonsenseTele]

They are not Fralin's in the video as they were not available at that time.

I still have a feeling they are a type of early Joe Barden or Lawrence pickup. At that time they were not made by the same people as do today. From the video I can see what you mean about the split but it definitely is not a Fralin (time eliminates them) and I wonder if there may be tape on the pickup? The blade that is visible is not in the centre of the pickup.

That said current JBE S Deluxe pickups could get you very close to this type of tone, dependent on signal path and the players ability.

I think they are not being made anymore? Tried to get the website other day and thought they closed doors... Never played, but everybody said they were good stuff

 

[DuckBaloo]

PM sent.

 

[Rick]

I’m pretty sure bill Lawrence was making split pups in the 1970s, so its descendant could be found at the real bill Lawrence web site.  Which one?  That knowledge is probably lost.

 

[stratamania]

They are not Fralin's in the video as they were not available at that time.

I still have a feeling they are a type of early Joe Barden or Lawrence pickup. At that time they were not made by the same people as do today. From the video I can see what you mean about the split but it definitely is not a Fralin (time eliminates them) and I wonder if there may be tape on the pickup? The blade that is visible is not in the centre of the pickup.

That said current JBE S Deluxe pickups could get you very close to this type of tone, dependent on signal path and the players ability.

I think they are not being made anymore? Tried to get the website other day and thought they closed doors... Never played, but everybody said they were good stuff

https://jbepickups.com/

https://jbepickups.com/product/s-styles/

 

[stratamania]

PM sent.

Now we are all in suspense  :icon_scratch:

 

[DuckBaloo]

PM sent.

Now we are all in suspense  :icon_scratch:

I thought that might pique some interest.

Since this was an active ebay listing, I PM'ed (actually, it turns out, I emailed them, still figuring out this forum) the OP to give them a headstart if they wanted these pickups, but their interest is only academic.

70’s Bill Lawrence Prototype Strat Ceramic Split Rail Single Coil Pickup Set

Like everyone else, I figured these had to be related to Bill Lawrence/Joe Barden, I did a few google searches and found the listing. There is no provenance offered to back the seller's claims and, aside from confirming with Becky Lawrence or hunting down Joe Barden, I'm not sure what details can be had. Despite the split steel blade poles, the design looks like a pretty generic ceramic single coil. Both blades share the same ceramic magnet and polarity, so they are not humless. The use of only one magnet and the ~6-ohm winding implies these are may be more vintage output, I wonder if the closest PU to them is actually the G&L MFD (pure speculation).

I believe at this time, Joe Barden was an employee/protégé of Bill Lawrence.

 

[Rick]

Here's the probable descendant of that 1970s pup ...

https://www.wildepickups.com/products/l45s

From there you can peruse other Bill Lawrence offerings.  I love his tele pickups.  I was sad when he passed away.

 

[stratamania]

@DuckBaloo, an interesting find. I guess if Becky was sent an email she may know something. 

I believe also Joe Barden, had an early connection with Bill Lawrence.

 

[Rick]

https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=33057.0
https://www.vintageguitar.com/15284/renowned-pickup-maker-bill-lawrence-passes/
https://uniqueguitar.blogspot.com/2020/02/bill-lawrence-extraordinary-guitarist.html
I never (knowingly) played a Barden pickup.  Guess I'll have to try one.
To my ear, the Wilde Tele pups are the ne plus ultra of tele pups.  Of course, YMMV.
https://www.wildepickups.com/products/noisefree-tele

I'm guessing the pup in the video is a proto-type.

Here's a blurb from former string winder at Dimarzio.  Post 14.
https://www.dimarzioforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=7191.0

Bill Lawrence speaks ...
https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/bill-lawrence

 

[DuckBaloo]

@DuckBaloo, an interesting find. I guess if Becky was sent an email she may know something. 

I believe also Joe Barden, had an early connection with Bill Lawrence.

The story is that Joe worked for Bill and took one of Bill's ideas/prototypes (with Bill's permission), refined it, and turned it into the famous Joe Barden rails PU. Bill eventually came out with his own versions. That's what I heard, but I can't promise any of that it true (the internet and all). ASAIK, Joe is out of the business, Joe Barden Pickups closed shop in the early '00s, then sold the IP to what is now JBE. Ironically, both Bill and Joe's names became trademarks owned by others.

 

[Re-Pete]

@DuckBaloo, an interesting find. I guess if Becky was sent an email she may know something. 

I believe also Joe Barden, had an early connection with Bill Lawrence.

Ironically, both Bill and Joe's names became trademarks owned by others.

I hope this move has worked out better for Joe than it did for Bill.