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View Full Version : Fender Wide Range Humbuckers

gimmeshelter335
10-26-2008, 09:19 PM
I was playing a 72 deluxe RI in guitar center today, and I really dug it; great neck, awesome look, nice cleans the whole deal. My problem is I play a lot of hard rock and more distorted kinda stuff, so those pickups don't exactly cut it. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to get some better overdriven/distorted tones out of these guitars, or should I move on and look for something else. I've heard a lot about replacing the caps and the pots, but idk if that will necessarily be enough. There don't seem to be a lot of options for new pickups either, but maybe you guys will know something I won't.

Any help would be appreciated, and thanks in advance
rollyfoster
10-26-2008, 09:36 PM
the reissue wide-ranges aren't really anything like the originals. i don't like the new ones at all and haven't really heard of anyone who does. if you like the rest of the guitar, get it and replace the pickups.
OOG
10-26-2008, 09:56 PM
what he said:agree
the reissues don't get anywhere near my '73 Thinline with the Seths
disaster
10-27-2008, 01:32 PM
What's up with the guy that was working on truer-to-vintage CuNiFe ones (as of a few months ago)? Anyone hear anything?
TomVanDeven
10-27-2008, 01:49 PM
I bought a 72' RI Tele Deluxe last Christmas, and when I got it it was pretty sub-standard. I replaced alot of the parts on it, and couldn't find anything comparable pickup-wise.

I do like the neck pickup, but the bridge pickup lacked bass response and, after switching my pots out to 500Ks, sounded very brittle with distortion. Ultimitely, I had the pickup sent off to be rewound... when I got it back, it was noticably hotter and now sounds closer to a Gibson Burstbucker V. As mentioned the pickups are far from the originals, but with a few adjustments they are capable of some great tones.
telefuzzfreak
10-27-2008, 01:55 PM
The stock pickups are fine....you need to install new pots. Original guitars came with 1meg pots, and IIRC the RI's came with 500k pots. My custom sounds AMAZING after putting in 1meg pots

Swap the pots, as that's the cheapest fix.

The ONLY pups that are made to fit the bigger-than-bucker size of the wide range pups are from Rio Grande...but they're pricey

www.riograndepickups (http://www.%3Cb%3Eriograndepickups%3C/b%3E).com/
TomVanDeven
10-27-2008, 02:02 PM
IIRC the RI's came with 500k pots

They come with 250's. Upgrading to 500's REALLY helped the tone, I agree.
Deville2Rocket
10-27-2008, 02:02 PM
The stock pickups are fine....you need to install new pots. Original guitars came with 1meg pots, and IIRC the RI's came with 500k pots. My custom sounds AMAZING after putting in 1meg pots

Swap the pots, as that's the cheapest fix.

The ONLY pups that are made to fit the bigger-than-bucker size of the wide range pups are from Rio Grande...but they're pricey

www.riograndepickups (http://www.%3Cb%3Eriograndepickups%3C/b%3E).com/

Cool! Gotta love a cheap fix!
coldfingaz
10-27-2008, 04:09 PM
They come with 250's. Upgrading to 500's REALLY helped the tone, I agree.

Another big +1 on this...

To me, the reissues shine with 500K pots... more than that could get tinny. The originals are probably better with 1 meg pots though... as others have said, they're totally different animals, but the reissues aren't bad at all, I just have no idea why Fender uses 250K pots in 'em.