Hey Gang- I'm new to this site. I have a 2000 Standard (Mex) Strat and I am thinking of putting some Texas Specials in it- Are they worth it? I play rhythm and lead in a Blues based Rock band and Straight Blues on the side. My amp is a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. I am looking to get that extra "Bite" in my sound. Will the Texas Specials help ? Any help is appreciated-
Keep It Real-
The Freeze
Some people like them. But they don't sound like anything 'traditional sounding' for lack of a better word.
I'm not a fan.
I think you'd be much better off getting some of the GFS offerings, like the 60's model.
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
They are worth it. Very vintage sounding and similar to 57/62 pups but with a little extra Midrange.
Realize that Fender made 2 versions of these pups. Older style had more windings especially on the bridge pup and was chunkier sounding. I have the newer style.
I can't stand them. And I tried to like them, seeing that when they came out I was big into SRV. I never could get a decent sound from them though. To my ears they were too brittle sounding; too much midrange for my taste.
Wow. I couldn't disagree with this more if I tried. I'm someone who has liked them in one Tele I had, although I couldn't get them to sound as good in any other Tele.Originally Posted by Totally bored
I hated the Strat version of these pickups in two different Strats I had. Gah.
Anyway, that's just differing opinion. What I so vehemently disagree with is that they are similar to 57/62--I think they are NOTHING like those pickups, not in EQ, not in output, nothing. I've never read anyone writing that in the years I've been here. I think you must be confusing them with something else. Additionally, I have never seen them referred to as vintage sounding. Lordy, not even close.
I've got a set in my Strat and I like them. But then, I like midrangey sounds.
They're not the epitome of traditional Strat sounds, for sure. I picked them for their sound...not some hot vintage sound I read about.
Just don't get the delusion that you're going to sound like Stevie Ray and suddenly know how to bust out with a fine plate o' brisket and beans after droppin' them in your Strat.
The GFS pickups are a great buy.
"...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."
-Edmund Burke
Because that's how Fender marketed them. & I wasn't under any delusion that I would "know how to bust out with a fine plate o' brisket and beans" either. I could already bust out my own beans. It was the sound I was looking for & didn't find in them.
But they do hold up my kid's artwork on the fridge just fine.
Hey Gang- Thank you For all the great input.
If I do decide to go with the Texas Specials, I would be using them to replace the stock MIM Standard Strat Pick-ups that came with my 2000 Strat. I love the warm tone of the stock pick-ups and they work great for much of the stuff I do with the band. I may just bite the bullet and get a Roadhouse or Lonestar Strat and save my MIM Baby from being "altered" - Do any of you have an opinion on either of these two "Texas Strat" Choices ?
The Freeze
The Freeze
"...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."
-Edmund Burke
I had a Strat set and I thought they sounded a little dull and 2-dimensional. Their Fat 50's are waaaaaaaay better if you ask me.
Maybe you have the older ones with more windings ?
My TS Bridge pup is 6.45k, Middle pup 6.3k and Neck 6.1 k wich are within tolerance.
Not positive but I think the older style bridge pup would read maybe 7.5ish ? No ????
I have a ton differant pickups and in my collection I have newer style TS pups. Older style ( Non-bevel'd ) 57/62's reading 6.1k and newer style ( Bevel'd) 57/62 reading 5.65k and IMO the Texas Specials sound very vintage like but with a little more midrange.
Fair enough T.B., mine would definitely have been the older ones b/c they were in a 2001 and a 2002 Strat--I didn't realize they changed anything about them, so I can't fairly say.
My 57/62s were in a 2006 AVRI 62 and then a second set I bought for an older guitar. Those 57/62s were far lower output than the TS I had and far less midrangy.
Can't compare anything newer than that.
Last edited by pc; 05-09-2008 at 08:47 PM. Reason: Changed "more" to "less" because sentence originally written wrong
So, y'all are thinking there's a difference between older TS pups and newer?
That would explain the varying opinions somewhat.
"...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."
-Edmund Burke
I can say i don't like the old ones - muddy sounding to me.
The 57/62's are where its it for Fender strat pickups IMO.
I have some Fat 50's as well - but still prefer the 57/62's.
"Oh, Mister D.J.,
I keep wondering why you don't play much blues anymore
I don't know what you got against me
Whatever it is, I sure would like to know"
Thats what I'm saying and that may be part of the reason why so many people either like them or hate them. Older style would be more windings/output and harsh and not very vintage like. I don't have a older set to measure and compare DC resistance but I think that may be the reason ?
( Realize many people like that more output harsh sound. Tone is subjective)
They're worth it in a Tele. I gotta go cook some beans!
+1 on the GFS pups........
"My flesh and my heart fail...but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
PS. 73:26
MY JAMS--
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...&content=music
Yes go to the GFS site have a look around. I just bought a vintage player strat that has them don't care for the sound too something not sure what. I did adjust the pups up down flush with the guard sill hate-ing em.
Melody, time for some 60's repros!
Chris,Melody, time for some 60's repros!
Are these the 60s repros you like? I thought you did not like the reverse wound middle pup.
(I did not see where these can be ordered with a normal wound middle pup)
Music will always find its way to us, with or without business, politics, religion, or any other bull$hit attached. - E.C.
The ones I got are not RWRP for the middle pickup. Maybe they changed 'em. I hope not.
You can hear 'em on Powerglide on the myspace. Great sounding, clear, hi-fi Strat sound.
Oops, I forgot to post the link when I said "these"...
60s Repros
Maybe they changed the wiring on the middle pup, and maybe they have the normal ones if you call them.
Music will always find its way to us, with or without business, politics, religion, or any other bull$hit attached. - E.C.
Heh, they did change 'em. Oh well. I have the non RWRP ones. Extraordinary pickups for the money.
The Jimi Staggers are still non-RWRP for the middle. I may have to try some of those...
That's weird. I have the '64 Vintage Staggers, which, when I purchased them were advertised as RW/RP, but mine are not (which caused me some initial confusion, being theI am). But now no mention of RW/RP in the description.
Melody, time for some 60's repros!Just installed em yesterday...
i have a guy that wants to sell me some used "texas special " pups...100 buck can. .....how can i tell if they actually are "TS" pups???? and not some cheap siungle coil jobbys.....wil it be marked somehow???
thanks
Do they sound dry, harsh, & midrangey? Then they're Texas Specials!
(lol)
They should at least have some kind of Custom Shop sticker on the bottom of the bobbins, depending on how old they are.
k im throwin this out there....not to be rude or bashin anyone but is there any fender stuff that is good??? most threads i read basically everything is junk...lol.....i love my HRDLX amp but according to this site its junk.....i love the sound of TS pups..again junk...lol....so here is my recent purchase...i bought a fender twin amp and an old SRV signature guitar that needs alot of work....paid 300 can for the set.....lol....any thoughts???? hahahahaaaa...let the bashing begin???? :)
lol...yea, fender makes some very nice stuff.
just different combinations get diff sounds thru diff fingers.
my personal fav strat pups are the CS54's, but very much like the USA standard pups from 97-99,...the TS seemed muddy to me too, but they were the older model apparently.
yea, imo, fender makes some GREAT stuff
(in fact, about 2 hrs ago, i bought a brand new DRRI)
I'M STOKED
Imanidiot.
Yeah, the stuff we love to hate!
To be honest, I'm pretty picky about my gear. My first Fender guitar was a '66 Strat so I'm spoiled I guess.
The only stuff they make make now that I like is all reissue stuff, & that can be hit-or-miss, too. I don't think they've improved any guitar they've made since 1966, & maybe their amps after 1972 or '73. But that's just my opinion.
Hey, I own a Blues Jr.!
dave c,
sounds like you came up on a good deal. rework that guitsteel and get to rockin!
you should pretty much be able to fix whatever ails that guitar from reading on here.
good luck.
"don't worry, i'm a professional!"
LOLOL......samey samey here, General Ripper ('cept my first Strat was a '66).Yeah, the stuff we love to hate!
To be honest, I'm pretty picky about my gear. My first Fender guitar was a '66 Strat so I'm spoiled I guess.
The only stuff they make make now that I like is all reissue stuff, & that can be hit-or-miss, too. I don't think they've improved any guitar they've made since 1966, & maybe their amps after 1972 or '73. But that's just my opinion.
Hey, I own a Blues Jr.!
As for the Texas Special pickups, I do not care for them at all -- they sound brittle an' raspy (I think CJ said somethin' about "stickin' an icepick into a smoke detector" -- very good analogy). A buddy of mine bought a brand-new off-the-rack SRV Strat an' after he took a look at some of the stuff I've been building an' experimenting with, he promptly gutted everythang under the hood an' replaced the TS's with a set of Fralins. Now -- through his '67 Pro Reverb -- the guitar sounds more like SRV than the instrument did in standard guise.
That said, you may find the TS set to your liking (many do). I suppose that may be a function of differing amp rigs, stomp-boxes, picking style......any number of variables. YMMV
Best of luck however it shakes out.
I loved my 1997 Lone Star Strat (PG+, TS,TS) so much that I just sold the whole pick guard assembly on Ebay. I spent 10 years trying to force myself to like TS, needlees to say, the guitar received little attention. Since I fitted her with CS54s, she's my new #1, can't put her down! Muddy, with no definition, that's how I'd rate TS.
DaveC: Regarding identification, here are two photos of the pickguard I just sold. These would be the older TSs. Hope they help.
Absolutely. One mans trash is oftentimes another mans treasure! Or vice versa.
I have the TS in my '9? MIM Tele. I got the guitar in '98, got the PUs then, and love them. They have more 'bite' than the stock ones, and I was looking for more midrange. Got that in spades.
********************************
"Do you call sleeping with a guitar in your hands practicing?"
"It is if you don't drop it."
- Trent Lane, Daria, Episode 1-2.
I've tried several SRV's becuase I really like the neck on em, and none have pup's that sound nearly as full, chimey, and "midrange humpy" as my Rio Grande tallboys. I've spent plenty of time with a 99 Usa Std that had texas specials in it (early ones) and it never impressed me, even through my victorilux, which pretty much makes anything sound good...I've also got a Fuchs ODS and the early TS's don't do s**t for it either...
300$ for a beat to crap SRV strat, how the hell did I miss that? Contact me if you want to sell the guitar for cheap, you can even KEEP the TS's!
I friend brought his Am Std. over with Texas Specials this weekend. I thought the Dimarzio's sounded bad (A58, A61), but I can't stand the TS's. Thin and bright, very weak sounding. I don't where the Texas or Special is in the Texas Specials, or the midrange yall keep talking about either for that matter. Talk about missing the mark!
I have some Texas Specials that sound great, I like them but my Frailins do sound better. I have also put the TS magnets in a set of am standard pickups & ended up with a great sounding set.
I recently picked up a 2001 or 2 American Standard Texas Special Strat in exellent condition, mother of pearl pick guard, sort of blue metalic. I haven't really played it much yet but I though it sounded fine[ but what do I know?]. Vintage tone has always been my preference. I was hoping this one would stop me from spending twice as much on a `57 RI. Was I wrong? Should I start thinking CS, Fralins, Duncan Antiquitity. I'm playing through a Marshall Blues Breaker. What do you think?
Ditto, I had a Players Strat w/ TS in it - eyuk. 'Schreechy' would be the word that came to mind. But I have heard the Tele version is good. OTOH, Fender Tex-Mex Strat PUs have sounded gooood to me. But I went thru ALL the fender Strat PUs before coming to rest on vanZandts...
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