Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
- Thread starter bjeans79
- Start date
Zhangliqun
Questionologist
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
I don't know, but they were still in the +/-6.5k range.
Stevie's tone was far more about heavy hands, big strings (12's), big pick, and big attitude.
I don't know, but they were still in the +/-6.5k range.
Stevie's tone was far more about heavy hands, big strings (12's), big pick, and big attitude.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
Buy a set of Surfers w/Surfer Custom bridge, or maybe a SSL-1 neck and middle with a Twangbanger bridge.
Then the rest is all you.
Buy a set of Surfers w/Surfer Custom bridge, or maybe a SSL-1 neck and middle with a Twangbanger bridge.
Then the rest is all you.
Jeff_H
Dean Hardtail Fanologist
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
I remember reading somewhere that when the pickups from #1 actually got measured, they were slightly underwound if anything. Nothing hot, overwound or custom about them. As Zang said, it was about heavy strings, hard pick attack, big strong hands and a lot of soul.
I remember reading somewhere that when the pickups from #1 actually got measured, they were slightly underwound if anything. Nothing hot, overwound or custom about them. As Zang said, it was about heavy strings, hard pick attack, big strong hands and a lot of soul.
strangegrey
New member
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
Fender got their hands on Stevie's old girl a few years ago when they did those incredibly expensive copies. They convinced Jimmy to meet em in a hotel room somewhere in austin and let them take the guitar apart.
While doing so, they measured the pickups and and according to what I remember, they were stock pickups....nothing overwound.
The thing about his sound is that most people need a little more oomph in their tone to get close to Stevie....since stevie used massive strings, high action and a whole lotta attitude...so thats where the idea that you need higher output singles to get SRV tone.
Fender got their hands on Stevie's old girl a few years ago when they did those incredibly expensive copies. They convinced Jimmy to meet em in a hotel room somewhere in austin and let them take the guitar apart.
While doing so, they measured the pickups and and according to what I remember, they were stock pickups....nothing overwound.
The thing about his sound is that most people need a little more oomph in their tone to get close to Stevie....since stevie used massive strings, high action and a whole lotta attitude...so thats where the idea that you need higher output singles to get SRV tone.
frankfalbo
In Fluence Y'all
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
Couldn't agree more. That's the reality folks. An overwound vintage single is OUR way of compensating for the things he was doing with the physical properties of the guitar.
Gunny47
New member
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
He actually used a Marshall Major on some recordings, but was famous for using modded Vibroverbs and Super Reverbs. I think he was noted for putting a Tweed Bassman heavy-duty transformer in the blackface amps.
As far as pickups go, Id defintely recomend the Surfers which are vintage spec 60s pups, but are defintely my favorites based on my experience. Amazing. Go for the heavy stringsl, pushed amps, E flat tuning and hard pick attack as mentioned before... Let alone SRVs right hand.
He actually used a Marshall Major on some recordings, but was famous for using modded Vibroverbs and Super Reverbs. I think he was noted for putting a Tweed Bassman heavy-duty transformer in the blackface amps.
As far as pickups go, Id defintely recomend the Surfers which are vintage spec 60s pups, but are defintely my favorites based on my experience. Amazing. Go for the heavy stringsl, pushed amps, E flat tuning and hard pick attack as mentioned before... Let alone SRVs right hand.
cake55
New member
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
stevies tech Rene Martinez says in
GUITAR WORLD MAG Sep 97
the year 1962 is stamped on the
neck and 1962 in the body cavity
'stevie referred to the guitar as a 59
cause the back of the Pick ups
had 1959 hand writing on them'
ive asked Rene about pick ups
he said Stock fender ;-)
Cake55
stevies tech Rene Martinez says in
GUITAR WORLD MAG Sep 97
the year 1962 is stamped on the
neck and 1962 in the body cavity
'stevie referred to the guitar as a 59
cause the back of the Pick ups
had 1959 hand writing on them'
ive asked Rene about pick ups
he said Stock fender ;-)
Cake55
S
stonabus
Guest
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
he used emgs
black ones
he used emgs
black ones
Young Angus
Kometose Tonologist
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
Haha...yeah I seem to remember his strats having three 81's in them now that I think about it...wow those things had some serious quack!
Haha...yeah I seem to remember his strats having three 81's in them now that I think about it...wow those things had some serious quack!
Luke Duke
PRSlustologist
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
Yeah, I remember his cover of No More Tears too, MAN that was quacky!
Yeah, I remember his cover of No More Tears too, MAN that was quacky!
JacksonMIA
Lemur-buckerologist
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
Didn't he normally play a mandolin?
Didn't he normally play a mandolin?
tone4days
Heel Whacker
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
not just plexis - but fenders and dumbles too
and played LOUD !!!!
i remember reading that his amps were modded to have a bigger resistor put right at the input ... i think his amps were really doing the heavy lifting ...
the guitar was all about the tone of high action - high gauge strings - and a hand strength and touch like you can 't imagine
not just plexis - but fenders and dumbles too
and played LOUD !!!!
i remember reading that his amps were modded to have a bigger resistor put right at the input ... i think his amps were really doing the heavy lifting ...
the guitar was all about the tone of high action - high gauge strings - and a hand strength and touch like you can 't imagine
gripweed
Jolvisologist
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
Agreed. I don't think that the Tube Screamers get enough credit for his tone. It is a must of you want to get SRV's tone.
Back to the pickups though -- GJ is right. The tone, specs etc. of the Surfers will be as close as you're gonna get to SRV's pickups in his #1.
Agreed. I don't think that the Tube Screamers get enough credit for his tone. It is a must of you want to get SRV's tone.
Back to the pickups though -- GJ is right. The tone, specs etc. of the Surfers will be as close as you're gonna get to SRV's pickups in his #1.
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
6k A5 pups into cranked tube amps.
srv is said to have used 5751 preamp tubes in v2 of his bf fenders to lower the preamp gain and he used a tube screamer with the gain low and the volume high as more of a boost rather than getting most of his overdrive.
for srv pups id say the surfers are the best option. his bridge pup wouldnt have been overwound like the custom bridge is but it might not be a bad idea to help the balance. much of stevies stuff is all neck pup anyway
6k A5 pups into cranked tube amps.
srv is said to have used 5751 preamp tubes in v2 of his bf fenders to lower the preamp gain and he used a tube screamer with the gain low and the volume high as more of a boost rather than getting most of his overdrive.
for srv pups id say the surfers are the best option. his bridge pup wouldnt have been overwound like the custom bridge is but it might not be a bad idea to help the balance. much of stevies stuff is all neck pup anyway
Zhangliqun
Questionologist
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
I was gonna say, there didn't sound like there was all that much clip to his tone. A lot of the time it sounded like straight clean with just a touch of power tube distortion.
I was gonna say, there didn't sound like there was all that much clip to his tone. A lot of the time it sounded like straight clean with just a touch of power tube distortion.
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
Weird, his tone doesn't sound fender like at all. I always hear the SRV vibe from plexis. I'm pretty sure most the concerts I've seen on TV he had a plexi behind him too...
He used alot of different stuff.
Weird, his tone doesn't sound fender like at all. I always hear the SRV vibe from plexis. I'm pretty sure most the concerts I've seen on TV he had a plexi behind him too...
He used alot of different stuff.
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ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
Here's some good reading on the subject.
http://www.tonequest.com/pdf_pubs/samples/TQRDiaz.pdf
Here's some good reading on the subject.
http://www.tonequest.com/pdf_pubs/samples/TQRDiaz.pdf
Dr.Mavashi
neonderthalotonalogist
Re: Exactly which pickup did SRV use?
One thing that nobody mentioned is that he had his TubeScreamer before (and actually the first thing after the guitar) his whah. It sounds awesome, I totally copied that, I love my Bad Horsie after Spina's TS9 and it absolutly has no balls
before it. I think that's where that amazing power of his Voodoo Chile' intro comes from ....
One thing that nobody mentioned is that he had his TubeScreamer before (and actually the first thing after the guitar) his whah. It sounds awesome, I totally copied that, I love my Bad Horsie after Spina's TS9 and it absolutly has no balls
before it. I think that's where that amazing power of his Voodoo Chile' intro comes from ....
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