[redbeard]

Hi guys,

Just began building my first electric guitar, still laying groundwork but trying to get a handle on which pickups I want, I know I will have only a neck humbucker and a bridge humbucker, any advice on which pickups to go with for more of the older raw Jerry tone? My dream tone is any version of The Eleven from 1969, just trying to wade through the sea of possible contenders and looking for any advice. Had thought of just going with Dual Sounds, but it seems like there is probably a better option for getting closer to the early Jerry sound. Thinking possibly some sort of Seymour, or even something similar to older SG pickups. No middle pickup for this one, though later down the road may mod it and add one. Any words of advice are much appreciated! Playing through an Aims Tube Amp from '72 with 6 10"s, fwiw. Thanks!

[SarnoMusicSolutions]

Try the Fralin P92.

It's a humbucking version of the classic P90 like we heard in Jerry's Les Pauls in the late 60's. The P92 is actually a true single coil tone because of how they pair the coils. It fits in a normal humbucking hole. I'm putting a pair of these in my new Walker guitar hoping to get a sweet, late 60's Jerry tone.

Brad

[tigerstrat]

'68: P-90 Les Pauls
early & mid '69: PAF SG
late '69-early '70: Strat
mid '70-early '71: various- 2 humbucker SG(Peanut), 2 humbucker Guild S100, and LP Deluxe w/2 mini-buckers
mid '71: Strat

[DeadlyHeptet]

I have used and really like the WCR Crossroads pickups that Jim Wagner winds (http://www.wcrguitar.com). It is not a high gain pickup, but more like the pickups available around the time frame you are referencing. Jim has had customers who are into Jerry use them in SGs with great satisfaction.

[redbeard]

Thanks for the feedback, guys. Questions about the Fralin P92: Since it already functions as a single coil, would there be any purpose in splitting the coils? I was planning to have a switch for each pickup to switch from humbucker to single coil, but I wonder if there would be any advantage to having the switches if the pickups already function as singles. Trying to find an audio cllip or two of the P92's, anywhere you know of? Thanks again!

aaron

[SarnoMusicSolutions]

You can't split the Fralin p92 because one coil covers the low three strings, and the other coil covers the high three strings. It's kind of like how a P-Bass pickup works. Two single coils, each only covering half the strings, together the two single coils hum-buck.

Brad

[tcsned]

Try the Fralin P92.

It's a humbucking version of the classic P90 like we heard in Jerry's Les Pauls in the late 60's. The P92 is actually a true single coil tone because of how they pair the coils. It fits in a normal humbucking hole. I'm putting a pair of these in my new Walker guitar hoping to get a sweet, late 60's Jerry tone.

Brad

+1 Gibson also makes a P94 which is a humbucker sized P90. I have a custom Tele with those (got 'em cheap since the store I was working for was a Gibson dealer. I really like them. I have an old 50s era Gibson lap steel with a P90 and the sound is pretty close considering the obvious differences in instruments.

[redbeard]

Thanks for the suggestions. Those crossroads pickups sound amazing for that quintessential blues sound. Would like to grab some good PAF sg's to throw in one of my other guitars, may go that route additionally. I'm taking a class on building an electric at Red Rocks CC in Denver. Pretty impressed with the program thus far, just beginning to get into it so going to put off selecting pickups until necessary, so another month or two of searching for the sound. Will be interested to hear how those p92's sound in that Walker Guitar, cant find much to hear from them online, though havent looked hard enough I suppose. Did I hear that Bill Frizell uses those?

Funny to begin building an electric guitar with virtually no woodworking excperience. Got a Wolf body done so far, let the adventure begin.....

[unnbrokenchain]

Seems like I'm trying to do the same thing right now. I checked the http://www.wcrguitar.com/ and really like the Fillmore pickups, the 3rd sound byte is killer, clean to overdrive.
http://www.wcrguitar.com/fillmore_clips.html

I'm changing out all the electronics on my Carvin. I love the guitar itself, but the guts aren't that special. I've had it for about six months and the pots need to go. I was looking at this website, and they offer a kit that suits my needs. http://www.rsguitarworks.net/rsstore/pr ... cts_id=408.

Pricey?, yes. Quality?, Looks like it's there. Convenient? Totally.
Don't mind anyone chirping in on this one.

[redbeard]

Anybody tried Klein pickups? Thinking more of going the PAF route, and these have intrigued me, have either a '58 based model or a '65 model, look pretty nice. plus slightly less $$ than some of the others. Havent been able to find much specifically, anyone know anything about em?

Aaron

[tigerstrat]

Alright I gotta ask: why is everyone recommending P-90 type pickups when, during the requested time period of 69-71, Garcia only played a guitar equipped with these (the '60 Les Paul Special) for a very short time in summer of '71 ???

Most of this period of '69-'71 is dominated by the use of PAF pickups, or similar humbuckers, except for Sept 1969 to February(ish) 1970 when he experimented with his first Strat. The '67 SG Standard (winter 69 to summer 69) and the '61ish Les Paul-SG (spring-to-winter 1970) would seem to be two most representative sounds of this era.

P-90's were used in Jerry's 50's Les Pauls, from June '67 to Oct or Dec. '68.

[DeadlyHeptet]

Alright I gotta ask: why is everyone recommending P-90 type pickups when, during the requested time period of 69-71, Garcia only played a guitar equipped with these (the '60 Les Paul Special) for a very short time in summer of '71 ???

Most of this period of '69-'71 is dominated by the use of PAF pickups, or similar humbuckers, except for Sept 1969 to February(ish) 1970 when he experimented with his first Strat. The '67 SG Standard (winter 69 to summer 69) and the '61ish Les Paul-SG (spring-to-winter 1970) would seem to be two most representative sounds of this era.

P-90's were used in Jerry's 50's Les Pauls, from June '67 to Oct or Dec. '68.

Indeed! The WCRs I recommended are Jim's take on the old PAF humbuckers. First I ever saw Jerry he had the SG (1970). Still some of my favorite Jerry tones. Again, I really doubt you will have any issues with the WCRs filling the bill for this era.