WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

[crusty philtrum]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

I'm sure WCR's are good, but ask yourself how many guitar heroes use custom-wound pickups. SRV? Bone stock. Same for Rory Gallagher, Billy Gibbons, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page... The list goes on and on.

Rory's pickups in his legendary Strat died very early on and were rewound, (most likely by Kent Armstrong), and probably a little hotter than standard. Also he experimented with other hotter Strat replacement pickups, so only the early Taste stuff was done with the original standard pickups.

[richard parker]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

I read an interview with Rory a couple of days ago where he talked about using pickups worked on by Kent Armstrong and also hotter wound Fender pickups but he said he preferred standard Fender pickups and always came back to them. I have a Bare Knuckles Irish Tour in my Strat and for a mortal it does get you closer to a Rory tone. So I think he was maybe using slightly hotter pickups on the Irish Tour album.

[jimijames]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

Ah, I see. My bad, I thought he always kept his rig bone-stock.

[WoodyTone]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

I'd just add here that if you are getting power-tube ("organic") OD/distortion -- meaning not preamp or stompbox distortion -- pickups will still make a huge difference in your sound.

[jeremy]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

even some preamp distortion is fine, its the overall amount of distortion that matters. if there is too much then you start losing the character of the pup.

[uOpt]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

Well, but very fine-graded pickups do fill in the void in the distortion input better. They give you a rounder sound and the perception of more sustain with less actual clipping.

[Zhangliqun]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

I think heavy gain covers up some errors and in other ways is harder to play. The compression effect of heavy gain will make a line played with uneven dynamics sound even, but then very slight noises (like lifting a finger off a string) that would never even make it to the speaker on clean to moderate are screamed out for all the world to hear.

But on the whole, for most players who don't have enough chops to play a single note line without any overly quiet or loud notes, it covers up more than it reveals.

[sosomething]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

At a certain point you stop playing the guitar and start playing the distortion.

[papersoul]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

I have found expensive boutique pickups to be a waste of money.

[CustomCustom]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

even some preamp distortion is fine, its the overall amount of distortion that matters. if there is too much then you start losing the character of the pup.

Agreed.


I can say i have a WCR Crossroads and its great. It came with this one when i bought my Les Paul used.


I wouldn't buy one NEW, too much money.

[SAVAGE DISTORTION]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

But there are tens of thousands of guitarists worldwide that get by perfectly well and create classic recordings with Marshalls and Duncans, so whether or not the difference is large enough (or the tone of the boutiques is "better") is something that everybody has to decide for themselves when they get to that point. Most boutique equip is simply too rich for my personal taste, but there are a few things I´ve come across that I still wish I had been able to swing for...

^^^^^^^^^^^
THIS is so well stated that it speaks in volumes!!!! I salute you sir for what i would say is the BEST post EVER!

[Jason_Clement]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

Boutique is nice, but once you actually get down to recording and mixing and mastering your sound, I do not think it really matters. Also, jamming or even live I doubt I'd be able to tell the difference between a similar seymour or a WCR or a bareknuckle. I mean the bottom line, for me, is that the only time I'd be able to take the time to really hear all the minute differences would be in my own house jamming by myself. And in that situation, it really doesn't matter to me lol.

So Seymour vs WCR? I'll go Seymour lol.

[SAVAGE DISTORTION]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

Boutique is nice, but once you actually get down to recording and mixing and mastering your sound, I do not think it really matters. Also, jamming or even live I doubt I'd be able to tell the difference between a similar seymour or a WCR or a bareknuckle. I mean the bottom line, for me, is that the only time I'd be able to take the time to really hear all the minute differences would be in my own house jamming by myself. And in that situation, it really doesn't matter to me lol.

So Seymour vs WCR? I'll go Seymour lol.

I have to agree,i mean what sense does it make to spend the extra money if you dont reap the actual benefits playing out live with them???
I want a pickup that cuts through the mix and the$70 duncan JB does that just fine!
just ask jerry,marty,warren,jake,steve,scott and the hundreds of others that have had a JB in their guitar and played live with a band a lot!

[Jason_Clement]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production

I have to agree,i mean what sense does it make to spend the extra money if you dont reap the actual benefits playing out live with them???
I want a pickup that cuts through the mix and the$70 duncan JB does that just fine!
just ask jerry,marty,warren,jake,steve,scott and the hundreds of others that have had a JB in their guitar and played live with a band a lot!

[LtKojak]

Re: WCR vs. SD... Boutique vs. production