Recommend HB-sized (P90, Ricky,Filtertron) for which of my "Teles"...

[RMosack]

I already have guitars that cover the Strat and Tele single coil ground as well as a couple with humbuckers for that sort of thing. To expand the palette, so to speak, I think it would be cool to try pickups with different voicings in a couple of my guitars - both of which are home-built Teles ready for standard humbucker-sized pickups:

A) mahogany body with maple cap; neck is maple with a pau ferro board; 25.5" scale

B) mahogany body and neck; rosewood board; 24.75" scale

I don't need either of these to have regular old humbuckers or single coils.

1) Which would be a better candidate for a HB-sized P90? Why?

2) Which would be a better candidate for a HB-sized Gretsch-style pickup (Filtertron, Dynasonic)? Why?

3) Finally, which would be a better candidate for something with along the lines of teh GFS Retrotron that's supposed to have a Rickenbackerish vibe? Why?



Oh yes. FWIW, I'm currently leaning in a few directions.

Given the short scale and exact same wood recipe as an SG or Les Paul Junior, I'm leaning toward Tele B as the one to get the P90 type pickup. I figure those woods and scale work for Gibsons in the past, so maybe this is the one to go with the P90.

Since I think of Gretsch guitars as being a bit twangier, I think maybe the Fender scale and maple (neck and body top) make Tele A a good fit for something Gretsch-like. Then again, this Tele has a heavy Les Paul-ish body, so maybe a P90 would be good here. Arghhhh.........

[tonezoneonline]

I have a pair of the Gibson P94's in a thin hollow body and like them very well.
They sound very fat and I can get the dirt from the volume knob on the guitar.

[RMosack]

That's great, but I don't have a hollow one.

Anybody have any possible suggestions with regard to the questions asked above?

[tonezoneonline]

I see from the list above that you don't have a hollow one but honestly ,there are so many vairiables in choosing pickups for a guitar that my advice will probably be as good as any.Good luck with your search.

[Clorenzo]

Given the short scale and exact same wood recipe as an SG or Les Paul Junior, I'm leaning toward Tele B as the one to get the P90 type pickup. I figure those woods and scale work for Gibsons in the past, so maybe this is the one to go with the P90.

Since I think of Gretsch guitars as being a bit twangier, I think maybe the Fender scale and maple (neck and body top) make Tele A a good fit for something Gretsch-like. Then again, this Tele has a heavy Les Paul-ish body, so maybe a P90 would be good here. Arghhhh.........That would have been my answer to your questions. I've always heard P90's love lots of warm mahogany around them. As for Tele-A having a heavier body, that may be good to give those Filtertrons some extra bass, bear in mind that their characteristic tone usually comes from a large, hollow bodied guitar.

I think that going the other way round would possibly lead to too biting P90s and too muted at the high frequencies Filtertrons.

[RMosack]

Thanks for the response. I think we're on the same page!

...bear in mind that their characteristic tone usually comes from a large, hollow bodied guitar...
I thought of this, but then I figured that all of the old classic Gretsch guitars weren't hollow. They had some in their stable that were Les Paul-ish in their woods and hardware.

[Creamy]

TV Jones makes some incredible Filtertron pickups... they will sound a little brighter in a solid body and they'll have that characteristic growl. Be sure that all your pickups match in output or you'll forever be tweaking your knobs when changing between pickups.

[Roe]

A) 2 tvclassics
B) Fralin P92s

[RMosack]

Thanks. I guess it's looking like a Gretsch-like pickup for A and a P-90 flavor for B.