Help with basic clean 80's Garcia tone

[hippieguy1954]

Question. Ive seen a bunch of mentions of Garcias alembic twin mods. Can these mods, as well as an AB763 mod, in any way be done to a 135 watt twin????

sure can. just perform all the post or pre alembic preamp mods(your choice) i have on my webpage for the preamp and have your tech just tighten up the power section for really clean output. oh and drop the stock fender master volume circuit and place a 250k pot inbetween the preamp and the power section, right at the 220k mix resistors node and the phase inverter.

peace,
waldo

Right on Waldo!

[SarnoMusicSolutions]

Ok I'm not trying to be a dick by asking this, but middle position pick up split to single coil all the time? Jerry really played like that all the time? Then why did he have 3 double coil hunbuckers if only using the middle pick up set to single coil? I havent taken the time to go back and look at tons of photos to confirm, but was he really playing with only that selection all the time and never using his double coils in bridge or neck position?

Great question. I think of that position as the 95% setting in that Jerry probably used that middle pickup set to single coil about 95% of the time. Although he clearly would go to the bridge or and also kick in humbucking mode and very seldom go to the neck pickup at times for various tone changes. But yes, I'd have to agree that the middle pickup split to single coil was by far the primary and definitive JERRY TONE pickup setting from about 1979 till he died in '95.

I have a telecaster with normal Tele pickups, but also a Dimarzio routed into the middle position. The switching is like a Strat, like Jerry's. I have it wired to single coil only, no humbucker option. I'm still amazed at how perfectly balanced and useful and VERY-JERRY this middle/single-coil Dimarzio Jerry pickup sound is. He really found something there.


B

[Cmnaround]

Well I kinda have to agree with you guys because when I noticed a similar discussion within the last year or so about using the middle position tapped to single coil, I started playing my strat only using the middle pick up - it is an HSS configuration, so I had been primarily using the double coil bridge pick up - but the middle single coil did get my sound more punchy, clear and I don't know how else to describe it other than twangy-er.

But I just moved to a Carvin with 2 double coils that can be split to single, but no middle position.

Would using the middle selection with both pickups on set to single coil be a similar approach, or do you find it's more about the placement of the middle pick up and the only way to get it is to mod it with a router and get a middle pick up installed?

[Scarlet]

Would using the middle selection with both pickups on set to single coil be a similar approach, or do you find it's more about the placement of the middle pick up and the only way to get it is to mod it with a router and get a middle pick up installed?

As others have said on this thread, Jerry spent the vast majority of the time on the middle pickup in single coil. That's primarily what you're hearing when you listen to Jerry on 80's GD recordings. This is a vastly different sound from having the bridge and neck pickups both on. Basically the difference between the middle positions of a Strat and a Tele. Both great sounds - but different.
I'd say if your goal is to get nearer to the Jerry sound, having that dedicated middle pickup is key. Unfortunately that would mean chopping a hole in your guitar so it's a big consideration to make.

[Cmnaround]

[/quote]I'd say if your goal is to get nearer to the Jerry sound, having that dedicated middle pickup is key. Unfortunately that would mean chopping a hole in your guitar so it's a big consideration to make.[/quote]

It's all relative perception - like do yo see the glass half full or half empty- chopping a hole in my guitar or gracefully carving out a new home for my middle dimarzio - that's not a hard decision if the outcome is indeed what everyone is raving about. In this tone quest anything goes -

[strumminsix]

do yo see the glass half full or half empty

It's a pint glass and I've drank half of it

[Jerry1996x]

Does anyone hear know where i might be able to find a vintage Super II, like the ones Jerry used? Or better yet, if anyone has one they would be willing to sell, I may be interested depending on the price...

[tigerstrat]

Does anyone hear know where i might be able to find a vintage Super II, like the ones Jerry used? Or better yet, if anyone has one they would be willing to sell, I may be interested depending on the price...

why not buy a new one?

[hippieguy1954]

Does anyone hear know where i might be able to find a vintage Super II, like the ones Jerry used? Or better yet, if anyone has one they would be willing to sell, I may be interested depending on the price...

I could be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure they are still made the same as they always were and with the same materials and specs etc. I'm sure you could buy some used ones, but I don't see any advantage.
As long as we are on the subject of pickups....I've always wanted to physically seperate a super II and put one coil in the middle position in a strat just for a fun (and pricy) experiment. Has anyone tried this?

[mijknahs]

I think I remember Brad saying that if you physically broke apart the Super II, it wouldn't sound the same because of the magnet or the magnet of the other coil also has an effect on it.

It would be cool if they just sold a single coil that sounded exactly like a Super II in split mode. I don't think anyone has found the ultimate single coil for that though.

Jim

[redeyedjim]

Leaving aside the middle Super II for the moment, do most of you also run a Super II for the bridge pickup? Anyone run a Dual Sound or something else? I'm getting close to buying my own assortment of Tiger pickups so it's more than idle curiosity.

[hippieguy1954]

Leaving aside the middle Super II for the moment, do most of you also run a Super II for the bridge pickup? Anyone run a Dual Sound or something else? I'm getting close to buying my own assortment of Tiger pickups so it's more than idle curiosity.

Seems to me, most of us have at least one "Jerry guitar" set up with three super II's , buffer, OBEL, etc. but there are also a lot of variations. For instance strats with single coils, two pickup style guitars with super II's just to mention a couple. The more I look through and read different topics and different posts that usually go off topic a bit and then drift back are filled with great info...usually answers any question...takes a lot of time and reading, but ya find out a lot.

Here: viewtopic.php?f=309&t=8607&p=87461&hilit=jerry+inspired+guitars#p87461

[mijknahs]

Leaving aside the middle Super II for the moment, do most of you also run a Super II for the bridge pickup? Anyone run a Dual Sound or something else? I'm getting close to buying my own assortment of Tiger pickups so it's more than idle curiosity.

I have a Super II in the bridge of my guitar but I've used Dual Sounds and PAFs as well. The bridge is less critical since I don't use it that much and so it's kinda up to your own preference. That said, I do like my Super II in the bridge but in some guitars it can be too bright and harsh. Maybe a Dual Sound would be more balanced in something like a Strat.

Jim

[TI4-1009]

I think a used one would be all worn out...

[hippieguy1954]

I think I remember Brad saying that if you physically broke apart the Super II, it wouldn't sound the same because of the magnet or the magnet of the other coil also has an effect on it.

It would be cool if they just sold a single coil that sounded exactly like a Super II in split mode. I don't think anyone has found the ultimate single coil for that though.

Jim

Yea, I guess I'll save the $ and time on that experament. Now that ya mention it, I think Brad must be right because if you do the tap test with no strings, you can hear the vibrations of the tapping on the coil that is off being picked up by the hot coil.