Fralins are too sweet for me, I think

[rorschah]

I'm not sure about this, because my sample size is low, but I think Fralins are too... uh, sweet? I've used Fralin stock tele pickups, and Fralin PAFs, and Fralin p90s, and they share very similar qualities. They's sound incredible. I mean, gorgeous, harmonically rich, saturated sound. They sit in the mix incredibly well - and they get more of the harmonic complexity through the band and onto my incredibly crappy recording setup. They are - to my ear, and to the ears of my bandmates, the most *gorgeous* sounding pickups I've found. Both blend well with my voice, too.

But I just can't get into either pickup. I've found myself consistently unable to cut loose. There's a certain jaggedness that I can't find. Is this only me? Am I crazy?

I've ended up much happier with a Fender nocaster tele set, and Lollar p90s. Neither sounds quite as lovely, but there's a little more... something. Jangle? Crunch? I can't put my finger on it, but I immediately get *into* it.

Anybody else find anything like this?

I'm really wrestling with the PAFs, though. They're by far the most sensitive, clear-sounding, dynamic PAFs I have - but I just somehow can't get comfortable with them. They're simultaneously... inspiring, and sort of alienating. I don't have a replacement that satisfies me, yet. The Duncan Seth Lover I have has whatever I need to get comfortable and play like myself, but it's definitely a notch down the sensitivity/dynamic ladder.

[smorgdonkey]

Well...most people love them but I suppose there is something about being 'too perfect'...? I don't know. They sound good to me but I don't fall all over myself thinking that they are the best ones I've ever heard.

Maybe it's just that same old 'different strokes for different folks' thing.

[Dave Orban]

There are SO many good pickups out there today... we've gotten spoiled, I think. LOL!

[tnvol]

I love them. I havent tried the single coil Fralins but I have a bunch of the humbuckers and I love them.

[rorschah]

I don't think I'm exactly spoiled - in a way, they're some of the best pickups I've ever heard. It's just sort of... it's clear they're not for me, in some way, that there's some design choice that was made that most people love that doesn't fit with my playing style. There's some element that other pickups have (some great ones, like Lollars, and some only OK ones) that I need, that aren't in the Fralins. Some sort of.. jaggedness. I just want to sort of figure out what it is, so I can say, "I'm looking for a pickup that has X".

Fralins are interesting for me because they're clearly such great pickups - they have almost everything I'd have thought I wanted - gorgeous sound, lots of sensitivity and dynamics - that it makes it really clear that there's just some particular thing I need that I'm missing.

[SkydogFan81]

dig the RS Fralin True 60's !

[John Phillips]

I just don't like Fralins. All the ones I've heard (singles and humbuckers) have an annoying upper-mid characteristic that really gets to me. I also think that they may be too 'smooth', which might somehow exaggerate that.

I much prefer the more ragged, open Duncan sound. Jangle/crunch is exactly what I like.

I really do think that most pickup manufacturers have a certain 'voice' that they naturally gravitate to - even a cross a very wide range of pickup types. I like most (but not all, admittedly) Duncans and dislike most DiMarzios (again not all), in the same way.


I feel exactly the same way about speakers BTW... like Celestions, don't like Eminences - almost irrespective of model.

[SnidelyWhiplash]

Originally Posted by Dave Orban

There are SO many good pickups out there today... we've gotten spoiled, I think. LOL!

Amen! I like Lollars & Wolfetones,by the way

[alainguitars]

I've never bonded with any Fralin pups be they singles or humbuckers. Lollars are voiced much closer to what I look for in tone. WB's are also very nice humbuckers. I also really like the Don Mare "nancy" set for a raunchy tele tone.

[Mike Dresch]

I've never played Fralin singles (outside of the Dominos) or humbuckers, but I will say that their P90's are amongst the best I've ever tried.

[rorschah]

Originally Posted by John Phillips

I just don't like Fralins. All the ones I've heard (singles and humbuckers) have an annoying upper-mid characteristic that really gets to me. I also think that they may be too 'smooth', which might somehow exaggerate that.

I much prefer the more ragged, open Duncan sound. Jangle/crunch is exactly what I like.

That's *exactly* what I'm hearing! I just went back and played. I thought I was getting a lot of treble, but it's a huge amount of upper mid, and less treble! I think it... shifts the emphasis over from the clatter of the attack towards a long, singing style? Sorry, I have a lot of trouble describing this sort of stuff.

So, John - what are your favorite pickups then for the ragged, open, jangle/crunch? Especially buckers?